About the job

Job summary

This Director role heads up one branch of the joint Unit covering a variety of policies and programmes in areas such as Data and AI. As well as being a departmental civil servant, you will also be embedded in NHS England, where the Digital Policy Unit acts as the strategy and policy function for the Transformation Directorate, helping lead, shape and deliver system reforms. The role also involves dealing with complex situations within a political environment and involves a high degree of ministerial engagement.

who can operate successfully in a political and civil service environment – able to successfully deliver for Ministers, navigate relationships with the centre and other Government Departments; and embed digital, data and innovation in the wider NHS and social care policy agendas. I am also looking for someone who can  combine cutting edge policy thinking (e.g. on the role of AI in healthcare) and delivery grip (e.g. driving the rollout of key programmes).

You do not need to be a digital and data expert (although, of course, experience in a relevant area would be an advantage) – we have plenty of experts in our teams. But you do need to have a passion for how technology and innovation can transform health and social care; an affinity with digital ways of working; and the ability to get the best out of experts.

Job description

Digitally-enabled transformation is a key enabler for the future of health and social care, as set out in the recently published Digital Plan for Health and Social Care; and Data Saves Lives: reshaping health and social care with data. The engine for driving this agenda is the joint DHSC/NHS England (NHSE) Digital Policy Unit (DPU), housed in DHSC Finance & Group Operations and NHSE Transformation Directorate, bringing together powers, levers, tools and expertise on digital, data and technology across the health and care family.

As Director, Director, Digital Policy & Programmes and Deputy Head of Digital Policy Unit you will be an innovative senior civil servant with the ability to lead and support diverse teams, including digital experts, to work across organisational boundaries to help deliver improved services for patients and users. This role does not require specialist expertise in digital, data and technology (DDAT), although this would be desirable, as well as familiarity with DDAT strategy, policy and delivery.

Key Responsibilities 

Reporting to Felix Greaves, as Director, Digital Policy & Programmes and Deputy Head of Digital Policy Unit. Your main responsibilities will include:

• Reinvigorating the DHSC Digital, Data and Technology (DDAT) function, leading a diverse team of experts to support policy teams in using digital transformation to improve & reform services, in line with Ministerial priorities.
• Work with the Adult Social Care (ASC) DG Group in DHSC to set out and deliver a compelling vision and programme for the digitisation of the adult social care sector, driving improved care for service users and patients through promoting join up between the NHS & ASC.
• Lead the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Health and Care Lab programme as Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) through to 2025, including ensuring delivery of current commitments, maximising impact from the current programme and setting out a future vision for rolling out AI across the NHS and social care.
• Provide inspiring, confident and collaborative leadership to a Directorate of c.80-100 people including line management of 3-4 DHSC Deputy Directors, 1 NHSE ESM & 1 NHSE Band 9.
• Act as Deputy Head of the Digital Policy Unit, helping shape the vision and culture of the Unit of c200 people and as a DHSC and NHSE Transformation Directorate senior leader.

Person specification

It is important through your CV and Statement of Suitability that you give evidence and examples of proven experience of each of the following 

essential criteria:

• Confident, inspiring and collaborative leader with a proven ability to lead and develop motivated, diverse and high performing teams, including expert professionals, to deliver a shared vision and goals, particularly through times of ambiguity and change.
• Innovative thinker with a passion for transforming services for patients and users and the ability to draw on a wide range of evidence, analysis and stakeholder inputs to unblock barriers and design creative solutions to complex problems.
• Credibility and communication skills to secure the confidence of Ministers and other senior stakeholders, including acting as a bridge between overall strategy/policy goals and technical concepts to build effective, trusted and influential partnerships across sectors.
• A record of delivery with the ability to plan and deliver on challenging and evolving goals, bringing together colleagues and system partners, sometimes with limited levers for change.

Qualifications: criteria

• If the candidate has not already completed, or is currently undertaking, Major Projects Leadership Academy (MPLA) training, then they must be willing to do so as SRO for the AI programme.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £97,000, Department of Health and Social Care contributes £19,000 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

To apply for this post please submit the following documents no later than 23:55 on Monday 12th February 2024.

1. A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.
2. A Statement of Suitability (no more than 1250 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the criteria in the person specification.

Failure to submit both documents will mean the panel only has limited information on which to assess your application against the criteria in the person specification.  

As part of the online application process, you will be asked a number of diversity-related questions. If you do not wish to provide a declaration on any of the particular characteristics, you will have the option to select 'prefer not to say'. The information you provide when submitting your application will help us monitor our progress towards the Civil Service becoming the most inclusive employer by 2025. 

If you are unable to apply online please contact

Selection Process

Martin Spencer, a Civil Service Commissioner, will chair the process. The Civil Service Commission has two primary functions:

• Providing assurance that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition. For the most senior posts in the Civil Service, the Commission discharges its responsibilities directly by overseeing the recruitment process and by a Commissioner chairing the selection panel.
• Hearing and determining appeals made by civil servants under the Civil Service Code which sets out the Civil Service values – Impartiality, Objectivity, Integrity and Honesty - and forms part of the relationship between civil servants and their employer.

More detailed information can be found on the Civil Service Commission website. 

In addition to Martin Spencer, the panel will also consist of:

• Felix Greaves, Director - Digital, Data & Innovation Strategy & Head of the joint DHSC/NHSE Digital Policy Unit
• Lorraine Jackson, Director for Information Risk Management and Assurance, DHSC
• Ming Tang, Chief Data and Analytics Officer, NHS England 

Shortlist

The panel will select a shortlist of candidates whose applications best demonstrate suitability for the role, by considering the evidence provided against the essential criteria set out in the ‘Person Specification’.

Candidates applying under the Disability Confident Scheme and A Great Place to Work for Veterans Scheme who meet the minimum selection criteria in the job specification are guaranteed an interview. 

Assessment 

If you are shortlisted, you will be asked to take part in a series of assessments which could include a staff engagement. These assessments will not result in a pass or fail decision. Rather, they are designed to support the panel’s decision making and highlight areas for the panel to explore further at interview.

Discussion with Vacancy Holder 

Shortlisted candidates may have the opportunity to speak to Felix Greaves, Director - Digital, Data & Innovation Strategy & Head of the joint DHSC/NHSE Digital Policy Unit prior to the final interview. This is an informal discussion to allow candidates to learn more about the role, and is not part of the assessment process.

Discussion with a Minister / Secretary of State

­Shortlisted candidates may have the opportunity to speak with Lord Markham, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State prior to the final interview. A civil Service Commissioner will also be in attendance at this discussion.

Interview

You will be asked to attend a panel interview in order to have a more in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to the criteria set out in the Person Specification.

Interviews will take place in person at 39 Victoria Street, London, full details of the interview format will be provided to shortlisted candidates prior to interview.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.