Chief Digital & Transformation Officer

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

Hybrid – with some travel to London or Manchester offices (2 days a week)

  • Location Hybrid – with some travel to London or Manchester offices (2 days a week)
  • Sector Regulation & Professional Standards, IT
  • Client Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
  • Job Type Permanent
  • Salary/Remuneration Up to £140,000 + attractive benefits
  • Reference GSe116256
  • Closing Date Sunday 10 November 2024 (23:55)

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) is launching an exciting opportunity to recruit a Chief Digital and Transformation Officer (CDTO) who will play a pivotal role in transforming how we serve the public, Members of Parliament and the organisations we investigate, and how we support our dedicated colleagues. As CDTO, you will lead an organisation-wide transformation that extends beyond digital modernisation, driving meaningful change across our services to ensure they are future-proof, efficient, and focused on delivering exceptional experiences for all stakeholders.

As the independent national ombudsman service, we are responsible for making final decisions on complaints that have not been resolved by UK government departments and the NHS in England. We believe in the power of complaints to reveal the truth, bring closure, and drive systemic improvements—holding public bodies to account and ensuring that the lessons learned lead to broader positive change.

In this critical role, you will spearhead a holistic transformation journey that combines cutting-edge digital innovation, data-driven insights, and operational excellence. This transformation will fundamentally improve how we manage and respond to complaints, making processes faster, more transparent, inclusive, and accessible to all. You will also lead a strategic review of our existing systems, identifying opportunities for innovation and new ways of working to ensure our transformation is sustainable and aligned with the evolving needs of the public, Parliament, and the organisations we scrutinise.

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive and serving as a key member of the Executive Team, you will provide strategic leadership to shape the future of PHSO. Your ability to harness the power of innovation, data, and cross-functional collaboration will drive our wider operational and cultural transformation. You will foster a culture of continuous improvement and accountability, ensuring that PHSO is equipped to meet both current and future challenges.  With exceptional communication skills, you will be able to take the whole organisation with you, ensuring clarity and a shared sense of purpose.

This is an opportunity for an innovative leader whose vision and actions will have a profound impact on our organisation and, ultimately, the lives of the people we serve. If you are passionate about driving comprehensive transformation that blends innovation with cultural change, we would love to hear from you!

Responsibilities

  • As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, promote a positive organisation-wide culture, working together to deliver our services effectively and collaboratively.
  • Shape the digital strategy to align with the transformation programme, promoting a shift towards a modern, inclusive and responsive public service.
  • Lead and deliver holistic transformational change, spearheading large-scale transformation programs that encompass both cultural and technological shifts, aimed at improving service delivery, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
  • Inspire and drive modernisation and innovation to develop and transform services.
  • Assess and understand the current digital technologies position and make recommendations to improve and deliver efficiencies that ensure the organisation is fit for the future, supported by accessible, agile and innovative systems.
  • Lead, mentor, and build cross-functional teams, promoting a collaborative and inclusive culture that embraces innovation
  • Ensure the effective allocation responsibility of resources (budget, people, technology)
  • Ensure that all planned transformation programmes/plans adhere to best practice, appropriate agile and standard approaches for programme and project management are embedded whilst also ensuring appropriate change management strategies and interventions are used to enable Transformation/re-design to take place. 
  • Identify potential risks and obstacles to transformation initiatives and develop mitigation strategies, ensuring compliance with relevant regulations and industry standards.

Essential criteria:

  • Demonstrable track record of leading successful and substantial holistic organisational transformation with clear, measurable outcomes, at scale. 
  • Experience of successfully leading IT/Digital functions, and technology change programmes that develop innovative technological solutions both internally and for external customers/stakeholders, with demonstrable positive outcomes. 
  • Expertise in leveraging data to drive efficiency, improve user experiences, and deliver measurable public impact.
  • A proven ability to build mutually supportive, motivated and high-performing teams and act collaboratively as a member of an organisation’s top team to deliver business priorities 
  • Excellent communication, influencing and negotiating skills with the ability to challenge effectively whilst building relationships with diverse stakeholders internally and externally
  • Proficiency in project management methodologies (e.g., Agile, Waterfall, PRINCE2).
  • Skilled in supplier management, contract negotiations, and budget oversight, ensuring value for money
  • Demonstrates behaviours which are in accordance with PHSO’s values

Benefits

  • Civil Service Pension scheme (minimum 26.6% employer contribution)
  • 32.5 Days annual leave
  • Hybrid working – 40% office based
  • Flexible working, autonomy over working patterns
  • Dedicated Learning and Development team
  • Employee discount scheme across hundreds of retailers
  • Bicycle loan scheme
  • Season ticket loan
  • Gym membership subsidy
  • Free advice help line to speak to professionals and counsellors
  • Paid for professional memberships
  • Eye test reimbursement
  • Support for carers

Equality, Diversion, and Inclusion

Equality, diversity, and inclusion are vital to the way we work. We recognise the importance of having a workforce made up of individuals with their own unique identities.

We know the value of having diverse, representative teams across our organisation, which is why we particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented. These include individuals who are from Asian, Black, Mixed Ethnicity or Other Ethnic Group backgrounds, disabled people & LGBTQ people.

Closing Date for Applications: Sunday 10 November 2024 (23:55)

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Documents

  1. How to write a Suitability Statement v2.pdf

Contacts

Sarah Luxford: 07812 150 386
Martyn Brereton: 07586 715 531

Continue to full details and apply

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