Senior Digital Programme Lead

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust; Bristol; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Senior Digital Programme Lead to drive major digital transformation across the organisation. You will lead the delivery of high-impact programmes such as Electronic Patient Record development and enterprise network replacement, improving patient care and staff experience.

You will provide senior leadership across NHS boundaries, ensuring delivery at pace with strong governance and realisation of benefits.

Qualifications

• Experience leading end-to-end digital transformation programmes.
• Proven ability to manage large, multi-stakeholder projects.
• Strong governance, reporting and benefits realisation capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end delivery of complex digital programmes aligned to clinical and organisational goals.
• Manage multiple interdependent projects across Trust boundaries with clear milestones and benefits.
• Oversee budgets, supplier relationships and governance for programme delivery.

Skills

Digital transformation

Programme governance

Stakeholder management

Delivery leadership

Tools

BI tools

EPR systems

Data migration tools

Job description

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust (BFT) is recruiting a Senior Digital Programme Lead to drive major digital transformation across the organisation. The role leads delivery of high-impact digital programmes, including but not limited to, Electronic Patient Record development, enterprise network replacement, clinical and corporate system implementation, and digital-enabled service transformation to improve patient care, staff experience and operational efficiency.

The post holder will manage multiple interdependent projects across both organisations, ensuring strong delivery discipline, clear outcomes and measurable benefits. A deep understanding of digital transformation is essential, recognising its role in advancing clinical and operational ambitions. Experience in areas such as digital system implementation, network installation, data migration or business intelligence is highly valued.

Working within the BFT and it's Clinical Strategy, the role provides senior leadership across organisational boundaries, ensuring programmes are delivered safely, at pace and with digital as a key enabler of service change. This senior leadership position requires significant delivery expertise, excellent stakeholder engagement and the ability to operate effectively in a complex, multi-organisational NHS environment.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will provide senior leadership and accountability for end-to-end delivery of complex digital programmes, ensuring alignment with Group priorities, clinical strategy and organisational goals. They will lead multiple interdependent projects across Trust boundaries, managing sequencing, dependencies and coherent delivery. A strong focus on outcomes is essential, with responsibility for defining, tracking and realising programme-level benefits. The role includes managing capital budgets, ensuring accurate reporting and optimal use of funding, as well as overseeing key supplier relationships and holding vendors to account during delivery.

The post holder will act as the senior delivery interface for executive, clinical, operational and digital leaders, offering clear assurance, progress updates and escalation. They will proactively manage risks, issues and constraints, applying structured problem-solving and timely escalation. Strong governance, assurance and reporting are required, alongside the ability to exercise autonomous professional judgement. The role also involves leading and mentoring programme and project management teams, strengthening delivery capability and driving continuous improvement across the Digital Programmes portfolio. They will contribute to maturing programme practices and champion professional development and digital advocacy across the organisation.

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust brings together more than 28,000 staff to deliver over 160 clinical services across thirteen hospital locations,operatingfrom three main sites at Southmead, Bristol citycentreand Weston.

With an annual turnover of £2.3 billion, we are now one of the largest NHS trusts in the United Kingdom. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone's throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that theSouth Westhas to offer.