Job summary
CSH INTERNAL ONLY
The Head of Digital Services is a
senior strategic leadership role responsible for the development, delivery, and
continuous optimisation of digital, data, and technology services across the
organisation. The post holder will lead the digital function to ensure the
safe, secure, and effective use of technology to support high-quality patient
care, operational efficiency, and workforce productivity.
Reporting to the Director of Corporate Services, the
role provides organisation-wide leadership across digital strategy,
infrastructure, clinical systems, cyber security, data platforms, and service
delivery. The post holder will ensure alignment with national NHS priorities,
including the NHS Long Term Plan, Digital and Data Strategy, DTAC, DSPT, and
Cyber Essentials Plus requirements.
The role is accountable for
establishing a modern, resilient, and interoperable digital ecosystem that
enables integrated care, supports system-wide working across the ICS, and
drives measurable improvements in patient outcomes and service performance.Critically, the post holder will
play a key role in identifying and developing strategic links across the local
healthcare and social care economy, working collaboratively with ICS/ICB
partners, local authorities, primary care, and third-sector organisations to
enable digitally enabled, integrated care pathways.
Please see full job description for more details
Succsseful candidate will entitle toYear 1 travel and welcome bonus of £5k
Main duties of the job
Key responsibilities include:
Leading the design and execution of the
organisations digital strategy and roadmap, aligned to ICS and NHSE priorities
Identifying and strengthening strategic
partnerships across the local health and social care system to support
integrated, digitally enabled care
Horizon scanning for emerging technologies,
policy direction, and funding opportunities, translating these into actionable
programmes and bids
Ensuring compliance with all regulatory,
clinical safety, and information governance frameworks (e.g. DCB0129, DCB0160,
DSPT, DTAC)
Overseeing the delivery and optimisation of core
clinical systems (e.g. EPR platforms such as EMIS Web), infrastructure, and
end-user services
Driving cyber security maturity and
organisational resilience in line with national standards
Leading data and analytics capability to enable
evidence-based decision making and productivity improvements
Managing significant digital budgets, supplier
relationships, and commercial contracts to ensure value for money and
performance outcomes
Acting as a senior advisor to the Executive Team
on digital transformation, innovation, and risk
Building and leading high-performing
multidisciplinary teams, embedding a culture of continuous improvement, digital
adoption, and user-centred design.Please see full job description for more details
About us
CSH
Surrey are part of the NHS and are Surreys longest established NHS community
services provider, so our employees get NHS pay and pensions, and also receive
the Fringe High-Cost Allowance of 5%.
Our staff enjoy excellent training and development opportunities, including the
care certificate, apprenticeships, numeracy and literacy courses, access to
the Nursing Associate programme, and a wide variety of management and
leadership courses and programmes.
We CARE about our staff though through our values of Compassion,
Accountability, Respect and Excellence. Our active employee council called
The Voice, elect employee representatives to ensure colleagues' voices are
heard at Board level.
CSH is a diverse organisation, if you are a passionate, person-focused
individual then apply to join CSH Surrey today!
We welcome candidates from
all backgrounds who meet the essential criteria of the job you are applying for
and if you require any reasonable adjustments, please contact the named
individual for this advert, or our recruitment team.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Head of Digital Services is a
senior strategic leadership role responsible for the development, delivery, and
continuous optimisation of digital, data, and technology services across the
organisation. The post holder will lead the digital function to ensure the
safe, secure, and effective use of technology to support high-quality patient
care, operational efficiency, and workforce productivity.
Reporting to the Director of Corporate Services, the
role provides organisation-wide leadership across digital strategy,
infrastructure, clinical systems, cyber security, data platforms, and service
delivery. The post holder will ensure alignment with national NHS priorities,
including the NHS Long Term Plan, Digital and Data Strategy, DTAC, DSPT, and
Cyber Essentials Plus requirements.
The role is accountable for
establishing a modern, resilient, and interoperable digital ecosystem that
enables integrated care, supports system-wide working across the ICS, and
drives measurable improvements in patient outcomes and service performance.
Critically, the post holder will
play a key role in identifying and developing strategic links across the local
healthcare and social care economy, working collaboratively with ICS/ICB
partners, local authorities, primary care, and third-sector organisations to
enable digitally enabled, integrated care pathways.
The role will also lead horizon
scanning for digital innovation and funding opportunities, proactively
identifying and securing investment through national, regional, and system-wide
funding streams, including NHS England programmes (e.g. Frontline Productivity,
digital transformation funds, AI and innovation funding). This includes
developing business cases, supporting bids, and identifying new service opportunities,
both within existing services and through the expansion into new models of care,
ensuring the organisation remains financially sustainable, digitally
progressive, and aligned to system priorities.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Head of Digital Services is a
senior strategic leadership role responsible for the development, delivery, and
continuous optimisation of digital, data, and technology services across the
organisation. The post holder will lead the digital function to ensure the
safe, secure, and effective use of technology to support high-quality patient
care, operational efficiency, and workforce productivity.
Reporting to the Director of Corporate Services, the
role provides organisation-wide leadership across digital strategy,
infrastructure, clinical systems, cyber security, data platforms, and service
delivery. The post holder will ensure alignment with national NHS priorities,
including the NHS Long Term Plan, Digital and Data Strategy, DTAC, DSPT, and
Cyber Essentials Plus requirements.
The role is accountable for
establishing a modern, resilient, and interoperable digital ecosystem that
enables integrated care, supports system-wide working across the ICS, and
drives measurable improvements in patient outcomes and service performance.
Critically, the post holder will
play a key role in identifying and developing strategic links across the local
healthcare and social care economy, working collaboratively with ICS/ICB
partners, local authorities, primary care, and third-sector organisations to
enable digitally enabled, integrated care pathways.
The role will also lead horizon
scanning for digital innovation and funding opportunities, proactively
identifying and securing investment through national, regional, and system-wide
funding streams, including NHS England programmes (e.g. Frontline Productivity,
digital transformation funds, AI and innovation funding). This includes
developing business cases, supporting bids, and identifying new service opportunities,
both within existing services and through the expansion into new models of care,
ensuring the organisation remains financially sustainable, digitally
progressive, and aligned to system priorities.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Substantial senior management experience within an NHS or comparable health and care environment, with exposure to executive-level decision-making and organisational governance.
- Proven experience of leading complex operational services, including accountability for significant budgets, resource allocation, and delivery of efficiency and productivity targets.
- Demonstrable track record of leading and embedding large-scale digital and organisational transformation, delivering measurable improvements in service quality, performance, and user experience.
- Evidence of developing and sustaining a positive, high-performing culture, underpinned by the principles of a Just and Learning Culture, with a focus on accountability, continuous improvement, and staff engagement.
- Significant experience in leading complex programmes and portfolios, ensuring effective governance, risk management, and delivery of outcomes and benefits realisation.
- Strong track record of building and maintaining effective partnerships across organisational and system boundaries, including engagement with ICS/ICB partners, regulators, and external stakeholders to deliver shared objectives.
- Experience of leading, developing, and managing diverse, multidisciplinary teams, fostering leadership capability and delivering high levels of performance against organisational priorities.
- Experience of working across health and care systems to redesign and improve care pathways through the effective use of digital, data, and technology.
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree and / or demonstrable learning through relevant experience.
Skills
Essential
- Consistently demonstrates CSH values, Compassion, Accountability, Respect and Excellence through visible, authentic leadership that sets the tone for high standards, professionalism, and inclusive working.
- Highly developed self-awareness with the ability to adapt leadership style to influence at senior and system levels, building credibility and trust across clinical, operational, and executive stakeholders.
- Commitment to ongoing personal and professional development, maintaining up-to-date knowledge of digital, data, cyber, and NHS policy to inform strategic direction and decision-making.
- Ability to lead at scale, mobilising and aligning staff, clinicians, system partners, and patients around a shared digital vision, driving adoption and cultural change across organisational and system boundaries.
- Strong capability to drive operational performance through clear governance, fit-for-purpose processes, and robust accountability frameworks, ensuring delivery against agreed outcomes and standards.
- Demonstrates curiosity and innovation in adopting new technologies and approaches, balanced with a pragmatic, service-focused mindset that ensures solutions are deliverable, scalable, and value-driven.
- Exceptional communication, negotiation, and influencing skills, with the ability to articulate complex digital strategies and risks clearly to a wide range of audiences, including Board-level stakeholders.
- Ability to shape and influence digital development across the health and social care system, driving integration, interoperability, and alignment with ICS and national priorities.
- Strong commitment to collaborative working, fostering inclusive environments, and enabling integrated service delivery across multidisciplinary teams and partner organisations.
- Ability to think and act strategically while maintaining oversight of operational delivery, ensuring that long-term transformation is grounded in day-to-day performance and service resilience.
- Highly effective at managing competing priorities, making informed decisions in complex environments, and proactively identifying and mitigating risks to service delivery and transformation programmes.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Substantial senior management experience within an NHS or comparable health and care environment, with exposure to executive-level decision-making and organisational governance.
- Proven experience of leading complex operational services, including accountability for significant budgets, resource allocation, and delivery of efficiency and productivity targets.
- Demonstrable track record of leading and embedding large-scale digital and organisational transformation, delivering measurable improvements in service quality, performance, and user experience.
- Evidence of developing and sustaining a positive, high-performing culture, underpinned by the principles of a Just and Learning Culture, with a focus on accountability, continuous improvement, and staff engagement.
- Significant experience in leading complex programmes and portfolios, ensuring effective governance, risk management, and delivery of outcomes and benefits realisation.
- Strong track record of building and maintaining effective partnerships across organisational and system boundaries, including engagement with ICS/ICB partners, regulators, and external stakeholders to deliver shared objectives.
- Experience of leading, developing, and managing diverse, multidisciplinary teams, fostering leadership capability and delivering high levels of performance against organisational priorities.
- Experience of working across health and care systems to redesign and improve care pathways through the effective use of digital, data, and technology.
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree and / or demonstrable learning through relevant experience.
Skills
Essential
- Consistently demonstrates CSH values, Compassion, Accountability, Respect and Excellence through visible, authentic leadership that sets the tone for high standards, professionalism, and inclusive working.
- Highly developed self-awareness with the ability to adapt leadership style to influence at senior and system levels, building credibility and trust across clinical, operational, and executive stakeholders.
- Commitment to ongoing personal and professional development, maintaining up-to-date knowledge of digital, data, cyber, and NHS policy to inform strategic direction and decision-making.
- Ability to lead at scale, mobilising and aligning staff, clinicians, system partners, and patients around a shared digital vision, driving adoption and cultural change across organisational and system boundaries.
- Strong capability to drive operational performance through clear governance, fit-for-purpose processes, and robust accountability frameworks, ensuring delivery against agreed outcomes and standards.
- Demonstrates curiosity and innovation in adopting new technologies and approaches, balanced with a pragmatic, service-focused mindset that ensures solutions are deliverable, scalable, and value-driven.
- Exceptional communication, negotiation, and influencing skills, with the ability to articulate complex digital strategies and risks clearly to a wide range of audiences, including Board-level stakeholders.
- Ability to shape and influence digital development across the health and social care system, driving integration, interoperability, and alignment with ICS and national priorities.
- Strong commitment to collaborative working, fostering inclusive environments, and enabling integrated service delivery across multidisciplinary teams and partner organisations.
- Ability to think and act strategically while maintaining oversight of operational delivery, ensuring that long-term transformation is grounded in day-to-day performance and service resilience.
- Highly effective at managing competing priorities, making informed decisions in complex environments, and proactively identifying and mitigating risks to service delivery and transformation programmes.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
