Deputy Director Digital Enablement & Assurance - Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government - SCS1

Location

Bristol, Darlington, London, Manchester, Wolverhampton

About the job

Job summary

This senior leadership role is within the Digital function of MHCLG, it is at the centre of how the department delivers change.

You will shape how major policies, programmes and services are designed, funded and delivered - ensuring they are grounded in user need, deliverable in practice and deliver strong value for money.

Working across the department and its wider system as well as oversight on our Arm’s Length Bodies, you will influence senior leaders, strengthen delivery confidence and build the capability needed to deliver at scale.

Job description

Shape better decisions

• Work with senior leaders to shape policy, programmes and investment decisions at the earliest stages, ensuring digital, data and technology considerations are embedded from the outset.

• Influence how funding and resources are prioritised towards the highest-value, most deliverable initiatives.

• Provide strategic insight and challenge to improve decision-making and delivery outcomes.

Strengthen delivery and assurance

• Lead the department’s digital assurance approach across a complex portfolio of programmes and services.

• Provide constructive challenge, insight and hands-on support to improve delivery confidence, manage risk and resolve barriers.

• Work with delivery teams and senior stakeholders to identify opportunities for intervention and improvement.

Drive value for money

• Improve business cases, governance and planning to enable faster, better delivery.

• Support smarter decisions on sourcing, delivery models and organisational capability.

• Ensure investment decisions reflect user needs, strategic priorities and deliver measurable outcomes.

Build capability and modern ways of working

• Embed digital, data and technology approaches including user-centred design, agile delivery and product-based ways of working.

• Strengthen in-house capability and reduce over-reliance on third parties.

• Build confidence across the organisation in using digital approaches to deliver better outcomes.

Enable innovation and AI adoption

• Support the practical adoption of AI and data-driven tools to improve productivity, decision-making and organisational effectiveness.

• Help the department identify and realise opportunities from emerging technologies.

What success looks like:

• Stronger digital, data and technology capability across the organisation

• Major programmes delivering with greater confidence, stronger assurance and improved value for money

• Digital embedded in policy, planning and reform - not treated as a downstream delivery function

• A more capable, confident and self-reliant organisation

Person specification

We are looking for an exceptional senior leader who can operate strategically, influence across organisational boundaries and deliver outcomes in a complex and changing environment.

You will be a confident and credible leader, able to work with senior stakeholders to shape decisions, provide constructive challenge and build alignment across competing priorities. You will bring strong digital, data, technology or transformation expertise, alongside the leadership capability to strengthen organisational capability, improve delivery confidence and embed modern ways of working.

You will be comfortable operating in ambiguity, translating complex challenges into practical solutions and delivering impact through collaboration across the department and wider system.

Essential criteria:

• Significant senior experience leading digital, data, technology or transformation agendas in complex organisations, with experience delivering digital and technology-enabled outcomes at scale.

• Strong track record of influencing senior stakeholders and delivering outcomes beyond direct areas of responsibility, operating credibly in complex and high-profile environments.

• Experience of leading successful delivery, improvement or transformation of services, programmes or products, with a strong focus on user need, outcomes and value for money.

• Experience providing strategic assurance, challenge and support across complex portfolios, improving delivery confidence, managing risk and enabling better decisions.

• Experience shaping investment decisions, business cases, governance or delivery approaches to improve outcomes and maximise value.

Desirable criteria

• Experience of assurance, governance or portfolio oversight

• Experience working in government or similarly complex public sector environments

• Experience building organisational capability and reducing dependency on suppliers

• Experience applying AI or data-driven approaches to deliver measurable outcomes

Why join us

• Influence major national programmes and high-profile reform activity

• Work at the intersection of policy, delivery and digital

• Deliver tangible impact on outcomes, efficiency and public services

• Be part of a senior leadership community shaping the future of the department