Job Purpose:
The Associate Director of Digital will provide senior leadership for digital services across DBS,
ensuring services are designed around user needs, delivered to the Digital by Default Service
Standard, and continuously improved through evidence, data and user insight.
The role will act as the organisational lead for digital by design, user-centred design and user
experience, building the capability, culture and governance required to ensure DBS services
are simple, inclusive, accessible, reliable and outcome-focused.
Working closely with operational, policy, technology, commercial and transformation leaders,
the postholder will hold end-to-end accountability for the strategy, design, delivery, live
operation and continuous improvement of digital services, ensuring priorities align to
organisational strategy, operational need and the future Target Operating Model.
As a senior leader within Technology and Innovation, the postholder will shape digital maturity
across DBS, lead multidisciplinary teams, influence executive decision-making, and ensure
digital services deliver value for money, public trust and measurable benefits for users, staff
and partners.
Key responsibilities include:
Lead digital by design across DBS, ensuring services, products, policies and processes
are shaped around user needs, accessibility, inclusion, evidence and measurable
outcomes.
Lead and mature the User-Centred Design function, strengthening user research,
service design, interaction design, content design and accessibility capability.
Set and communicate a clear digital service vision, securing alignment across senior
stakeholders on priorities, trade-offs, risks, opportunities and outcomes.
Take accountability for service performance, resilience, compliance and continuous
improvement across the full service lifecycle, from discovery through to live service.
Use performance data, user research, operational insight and delivery evidence to
improve services and realise measurable benefits.
Embed governance and assurance that require user insight, accessibility, testing, value
for money and continuous improvement as standard.
Lead high-performing multidisciplinary teams, creating a culture of accountability,
collaboration, agility and continuous learning.
Influence at executive level, ensuring user needs and digital service outcomes shape
strategic decisions, investment choices and transformation roadmaps.
Corporate Duties:
Play an active part as a member of the directorate management team (DMT), leading
the organisation and undertaking corporate duties on behalf of DMT.
As an Associate Director of Digital within the DBS Corporate Leadership Team (CLT)),
take a lead role in developing the organisation, ensuring a continued focus on VFM.
Fully engage and participate in the change programme.
Support the DBS Board and its committees as required.
Work as part of a wider directorate management, bringing together skills
and expertise into a single, coherent and enabling directorate.
Demonstrable experience in creating the vision for large-scale cultural change.
Strong communication, influencing and leadership skills to translate technical concepts
and issues into easy-to-understand propositions and secure buy-in
Demonstrable evidence of thought leadership in transformation.
Represent the Directorate, Group and Department as a leader in creating an innovative
place of work to both internal and external audiences and driving forward the positive
public image to all.
Operational Delivery Duties
Digital
Deliver services which meet and maintain the Digital by Default Service Standard.
Interpret user insight and performance data to drive service design and iterative
operational improvements for digital and assisted digital service channels.
Clarify and articulate the diverse requirements of users and delivery partners to support
effective delivery of a service.
Translate complex aims and needs into clear and manageable plans
and determining resource requirements to support service design and maintenance.
Support the Director in creating joined up service delivery plans that have positive
impact and are aligned to the DBSs overarching digital strategy.
Build and sustain the DBSs capability to design, build and operate high quality digital
services, bringing in a range of technical, analytical and design skills.
Identify step changes that quickly transform the flexibility, responsiveness, and quality of
a service, taking quick, confident decisions at a strategic level to move things forward.
Act as an advocate for the digital transformation of services, promoting the DBSs
progress and publicising learning; influencing culture change and digital adoption
throughout the organisation.
Manage the relationship with both the Sponsor Unit and Home Office to ensure
economies of scale are realised; synergies between digital service providers
are exploited; DBS interests and requirements are appropriately understood and
considered.
Proactively create and maintain a strong network of connections with colleagues across
the department and Digital Service Managers in the wider Civil Service.
Work effectively across teams to support the department in delivering back-end
technology that enables that delivery of excellent digital public services.
Gather and report on detailed performance data against key indicators to generate
actionable improvements to the quality of services offered by the DBS.
Understand the financial position of the service, the DBS and the wider economy and
recognise the impact of this when delivering services; promote and visibly demonstrate a
culture of value for money.
Make strategic choices on spending and procurement, challenging high risk or costly
options and using cloud-first options.
Use agile methodologies to maintain a strong focus on delivery priorities, holding others
to account for delivery, and swiftly responding to changing requirements.
Ensure the organisational structure and resource requirements are designed and
delivered in line with DBS strategic vision.
Provide leadership, across two sites (Liverpool and Darlington) and remotely.
Ensure that digital services for the DBS are delivered cost effectively and efficiently,
and in accordance with compliance required and best practice standards, and that a
disaster recovery approach is in place.
Ensure good management of strategic technology partners, ensuring that their delivery
and service levels match or exceed contractual obligations.
Identify opportunities and risks for delivering the DBS digital services, including
identification of competitive services, opportunities for innovation, and assessment of
marketplace obstacles and technical hurdles.
Lead on development and execution of disaster recovery and business continuity plans.
Communicate and develop the DBS digital strategy to internal and external stakeholders.
Management of Finances:
They will be accountable for the allocated financial resources of Digital Delivery.
