A rare opportunity to lead the technology North Tyneside runs on, and to own the technical decisions behind it.
As Chief Technology Officer within our Digital, Data and Technology service, you will be the council's technical subject matter expert and technical design authority. Every strategic technology decision comes through you. This is a chance to join an ambitious council that is investing in its digital capability, and to set the direction of the estate that carries it.
You will lead operational delivery across all our technology infrastructure teams, covering architecture, on-prem and cloud server infrastructure, storage, backup, networking and connectivity, Unix, voice and data. You will decide what those teams work on and in what order, so that the council's services stay resilient and high quality.
You will define the council's technology strategy and direction by:
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Making the technical decisions that shape how the council designs, buys and runs its technology.
- Leading the implementation, configuration and monitoring of our tools and systems, and the maintenance of all our digital infrastructure.
- Planning and delivering technology and infrastructure projects and programmes from start to finish.
- Setting and managing significant budgets within a complex environment.
- Managing complex supplier relationships, identifying the right contractual frameworks and negotiating good value from contracts.
- Developing, reviewing and enforcing the policies, standards and procedures that keep the council compliant with industry regulation and best practice.
- Assessing risk, documenting findings and working with stakeholders to manage them.
- Leading incident response, coordinating containment and mitigation, then completing post-incident analysis and reporting what needs to change.
- Keeping pace with new trends and technologies and bringing the useful ones into the organisation.
Alongside the estate, you will support the Chief Information Officer in the Digital, Data and Technology senior management team, and deputise for them when needed. You will provide strategic advice in a specialist and complex field and develop and present reports to strategic forums and boards.
This role is also about digital ambition for North Tyneside. It is about looking beyond the council’s own systems and helping shape a borough where people, communities and businesses can benefit from better digital access, stronger connectivity and new technology. You will play a key role in turning our Digital Strategy and Inclusive Economy Strategy into practical plans that support growth, inclusion and opportunity. Working with the Lead Members for ICT and Regeneration, you will help make sure North Tyneside has the digital foundations it needs for the future.
This is a role for someone who is comfortable holding the technical brief for a whole organisation, and confident advising directors and elected members. You will represent the council at industry events and be trusted to follow through on the commitments you make.
The successful candidate
You will bring significant experience in a technology leadership role, gained at a similar level in a large and complex organisation. You will have deep specialist knowledge built through broad experience, and a track record of making sound judgments from past learning and current strategic thinking.
You will have significant experience of planning for and leading change, and of developing strategy and plans that deliver high level outcomes. You will be able to influence, develop and motivate people, and to change how an organisation behaves. You will be educated to degree level in a relevant or related field.
Experience of borough wide digital strategy and decision making is desirable but not essential. Experience of working in a local authority or the wider public sector is helpful, and we welcome applicants from all sectors with strong transferable experience. If you meet most of what we have described but not all of it, we would still like to hear from you.
Working arrangements
You may be asked to join an on-call rota for out of hours incidents, and you will be required to work additional hours during an IT priority one incident. All overtime, on-call and standby duties are paid in line with the NJC Green Book and the council's standard terms and conditions of employment. The role involves extended periods at a desk.
Contact:
For an informal conversation regarding the vacancy, please contact:
Louanne Mullarkey-Stocker – Chief Information Officer
Applications based upon flexible working arrangements are welcomed and will be given full consideration.
Why North Tyneside Council?
Our People First strategy is our promise to make North Tyneside Council an exceptional place to work, where everyone can thrive and flourish. A place where people want to work, where joining our team is an exciting prospect, staying with us feels like a great decision, and building your career at North Tyneside Council is a natural progression.
As part of our People First strategy, we are committed to creating a workplace that reflects the diverse communities we serve. We believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion are fundamental to our success and the well-being of our employees and residents. Our goal is to foster an environment where everyone feels welcome, safe and valued.
Together, we're crafting a workplace that's built on our values and a shared commitment to making a difference.
If you are passionate and committed about making a difference and want to work somewhere where you can make positive change, we will provide the right environment for you to excel.
Alongside our People First strategy, we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and adults at risk of harm. All staff and volunteers are expected to share this commitment and to familiarise themselves with all relevant policies, procedures and guidance. Within North Tyneside, safeguarding is everybody's business.
Require a reasonable adjustment? If you feel a reasonable adjustment will provide additional support in both the recruitment process and within the workplace, please indicate this to the hiring manager on your application. Declaring a reasonable adjustment will not subject you to any form of discrimination when determining which applicants are successful for interview and employment with us.
Our Carbon Net-Zero 2030 Action Plan
In 2019, North Tyneside Council declared a climate emergency. This declaration set a target to reduce the carbon footprint of the council's operations, and the borough, by 50% by 2023 and to align to the Government's net zero target of 2050.
We recognise the significant role we can play in the borough in helping to limit climate change, but we can't do this alone; we need help from all our residents, businesses, voluntary and community sectors and of course all those who apply and work for us. Together we can make North Tyneside a sustainable place to live and work for everyone in the borough.
To learn more about Our Carbon Net-Zero 2030 Action Plan
Applying
To view more information about the role and view the Job Description please click "Apply" you will be taken to the North Tyneside Careers Portal.
Learn More
For further information about North Tyneside Council, the benefits of working for us, candidate support, and the many attractions of working and living in North Tyneside please see the council's "work for us" page here Work for us | North Tyneside Council
