Chief Digital Officer

NWSSP Legal & Risk Services; Cardiff; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership seeks a visionary Chief Digital Officer (CDO) to lead digital transformation across Wales. Responsible for strategic development and operational delivery, the CDO will engage with stakeholders and harness technology for improved health services. This senior role requires experience in digital leadership and a strong understanding of the public sector.

Benefits

Comprehensive benefits package

Qualifications

• Masters level education or equivalent significant experience.
• Evidence of postgraduate management and leadership development.
• In-depth professional digital knowledge across multiple core areas.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and implementation of a Digital Strategy.
• Ensure operational delivery of digital services within NWSSP.
• Modernise digital capabilities and embed data-driven decision making.

Skills

Leadership

Digital Innovation

Stakeholder Engagement

Data Governance

Education

Masters level education in ICT or similar discipline

Job description

If you are looking to join NWSSP, please see the additional information below that may be of interest to you: -

Our “Benefits” video has been created to highlight and showcase some of the benefits of working for the NHS and NWSSP:- https://youtu.be/zX3x046SDhg

The “Tops Tips – Be Yourself” video has been designed to support candidates applying for roles with NWSSP. We have outlined 8 key steps to help candidates articulate their capabilities and experience when completing applications with NWSSP. https://youtu.be/qe3ibY8b6m4

Applicants are invited to apply in Welsh. Any application submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application made in English

Please be advised that there is a temporary top up for Bands 2 and 3 to reflect the incorporation of the top up to the living wage of £12.60 per hour - £24,638 per annum.

This temporary top up will be in place until the annual pay uplift for 2025/26 is confirmed

Job Overview

NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership (NWSSP) is seeking a visionary, dynamic, and strategic Chief Digital Officer (CDO) to lead the transformation of our digital capabilities and services across Wales. A senior post in NWSSP, the CDO will play a critical role in shaping and delivering the Digital Strategy that enables innovation, efficiency, and high-quality services across health and care. NWSSP supports NHS Wales by providing a comprehensive range of support services. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to lead a wide-reaching digital transformation agenda that impacts not only the organisation but also the broader health and care system. We are looking for a strategic leader with a strong background in digital innovation, data, and technology, who can engage and influence stakeholders at all levels. You will bring experience from large, complex environments and have a proven track record of leading digital change at scale. If you’re passionate about transforming health and care through digital innovation and want to make a meaningful difference in the lives of people in Wales, we would love to hear from you.

Main duties of the job

As CDO, you will have executive responsibility for the strategic development and operational delivery of digital services within NWSSP. You will lead the design and implementation of a Digital Strategy that aligns with our organisational objectives, the broader NHS Wales digital roadmap, and Ministerial priorities. You will lead teams responsible for digital platforms, infrastructure, data governance, and innovation. A key focus will be modernising our digital capabilities, embedding data-driven decision making, and enabling seamless digital experiences for the NHS organisations and stakeholders we serve. This includes harnessing the power of technologies such as automation, AI, cloud computing, and cybersecurity to improve service delivery and efficiency. You will work closely with senior leaders, partners, and health boards to shape a digital ecosystem that is robust, secure, and responsive to the evolving needs of the NHS in Wales. The ideal candidate will be an experienced senior digital leader, with a strong track record in strategic IT and data leadership across complex, regulated environments—preferably in public sector or healthcare. You’ll bring expertise in transformation, stakeholder engagement, and change leadership, coupled with a deep understanding of digital governance, risk, and emerging technologies.

Working for our organisation

At NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership we expect everyone to embrace our values of Listening and Learning, Working Together, Taking Responsibility and Innovating.

Our organisation encourages an agile working approach and we pride ourselves on being a learning organisation motivated by continuous improvement.

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace that values equality, diversity and inclusion, focussing on the wellbeing and belonging of our people.

Excellent customer service is something we strive for, for both our internal and external customers.

Offering a comprehensive benefits package, there is something for everyone. To find out more about working for us, the benefits we offer and guidance on the application process please visit https://nwssp.nhs.wales/working-for-us/

NWSSP work in an agile way where possible, all posts will have a contractual base but as part of agile ways of working that may mean working from home and other locations. We also look at how we balance flexibility with community, and how to manage opportunities to learn from each other.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents or please click “Apply now” to view in Trac

Person specification

Qualifications And Experience

Essential criteria

• Masters level education in ICT or similar discipline or significant relevant experience equivalent to a recognisable formal qualification.
• Evidence of postgraduate management and leadership development.
• In-depth professional digital knowledge across a wide range of core and specialist areas.
• Significant experience at a senior level, leading a digital function on behalf of an NHS Health Board/Trust.
• A successful track record of leadership and strategic management in a complex public or commercial organisation.
• Experience of delivering high quality, value for money digital solutions at a local (NHS organisational) level, regional level and national level.
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Public sector or NHS experience
  
  

Skills and Attributes

Essential criteria

• Ability to provide compassionate, collaborative and visible leadership to build a positive team spirit and inspire, motivate and support colleagues.
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Welsh Language Skills are desirable levels 1 to 5 in understanding, speaking, reading, and writing in Welsh.
  
  

We are committed to flexible working and equal opportunities.

If you are short listed for interview you will be contacted by email using the email address with which you registered. Please ensure that you check your email account regularly.

Prior consideration for this vacancy will be given to staff awaiting redeployment. We therefore reserve the right to withdraw this advert at any stage.

When applying for this post it is essential that you read the Job Description and Person Specification (where available) and demonstrate how your skills, knowledge and experience meet the requirements of the person specification. Only candidates who clearly demonstrate how they meet the person specification will be shortlisted.

To work in the UK, all candidates who are not UK or Republic of Ireland (RoI) nationals require sponsorship to obtain either a Health and Care visa or Skilled Worker visa, unless you have permission to work via another route. Non UK / RoI candidates wishing to apply should self-assess the likelihood of obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship by visiting Work in the UK. If you are eligible for the Health and Care visa, application costs are lower and you do not need to pay the annual Immigration Health Surcharge.

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Welsh language skills are desirable

Documents to download

• JD & PS English (PDF, 191.6KB)
• JD & PS Cymraeg (PDF, 632.3KB)
• O.H. Functional Requirement form (PDF, 712.5KB)
• NWSSP Recruitment Services Privacy Notice (PDF, 696.3KB)
• NWSSP - About Us (PDF, 6.6MB)
• NWSSP - Our Benefits 2023 (PDF, 487.5KB)
• NWSSP - Buddion (PDF, 491.0KB)
• PCGC -Amdanom (PDF, 6.7MB)
• Guidance Notes for Applicants April 2024 (PDF, 278.7KB)
• IMTP Summary 2024-2027 (PDF, 13.7MB)
• IMTP Summary 2024-2027 - Cymraeg (PDF, 13.7MB)
  
  

Further details / informal visits contact

Name Rebecca Nelson Job title Director of Planning, Performance, and Informatics Email address [e-mail]