Senior Digital Services Manager

Canterbury City Council; Canterbury; Hybrid; GBP 51,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

An established local government authority is seeking a Senior Digital Services Manager to lead a dynamic team focused on enhancing digital services. This role involves managing a diverse portfolio of digital products and platforms, ensuring they meet user needs while promoting agile practices. With a commitment to innovation and excellence, you will drive change through modern technology, creating impactful user experiences. Join a supportive environment that values professional development and work-life balance, and contribute to the community by improving access to vital services. If you are passionate about digital transformation and leadership, this is the opportunity for you.

Benefits

Annual leave entitlement

Local government pension scheme

Flexible working hours

Employee assistance programme

Professional development opportunities

Retailer discounts

Free Park and Ride access

Cycle to work scheme

Qualifications

• Experience in managing digital products and platforms with a user-focused approach.
• Strong knowledge of agile practices and digital standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Digital Services Team to deliver innovative digital services.
• Manage relationships with suppliers and implement new systems.

Skills

Product methodology

Agile methodology

User-centered content creation

Data-driven decision making

Digital standards (GDS)

Tools

APIs

Microservices

Cloud technology

Job description

Job Title: Senior Digital Services Manager

Location: Canterbury

Salary: GBP51,760 - GBP59,138.39 per annum (plus GBP3,621 car allowance)

Job type: Full time, Permanent

Hours: 37 Hours per week

Closing Date: 23rd April 2025

The Digital and Technology Team at Canterbury City Council are looking for a Digital Services Manager to join them. Come and join a talented team committed to driving change with modern technology.

What's in it for you?

• A salary of GBP51,760 - GBP59,138.39 per annum (plus GBP3,621 car allowance)
• Cost of living pay award negotiated annually as a salary increase
• Flexible, hybrid working - we understand the importance of a good work-life balance.
• We offer a generous annual leave entitlement! You'll receive 26 days annual leave which increase with service, plus bank holidays, PLUS 3 given days which are usually used over the Christmas period when our main offices are closed. You'll also have the option to buy more annual leave.
• We do not work on Bank Holidays.
• A fantastic local government pension scheme.
• We'll support and encourage your career by providing excellent opportunities for training and development, as well as cover your Professional Body Membership fees where essential to the role.
• Employee perks, including multiple retailer and lifestyle discounts to help you get the most out of your money and enjoy your free time.
• An easier commute: free use of Canterbury's Park and Ride, flexi bus tickets and a cycle to work scheme.
• Stay healthy: Access to free counselling, advice and webinars through our employee assistance programme, as well as contributions to the cost of Flu Jabs.

About this job:

We're looking for someone to manage, develop and deliver the council's complex portfolio of digital products and platforms, including our websites, forms, CRM and connected systems, to provide co-ordinated, iterative, and high-quality digital services that focus on the needs of both our external and internal customers.

Here's what you'll get up to:

• Lead and motivate the Digital Services Team to deliver innovative user focused digital services enabling faster, better, and cheaper service delivery, embedding agile working practices and a strong digital culture - ensuring that the team continue to develop and maintain up-to-date skills and knowledge.
• Developing in-house expertise and capability around Design, Product Management, UX Research, UX/UI, Frontend Engineering and Agile Delivery disciplines.
• Ensure the council's digital channels and systems are accessible to the widest possible audience, exploring options and opportunities to provide assisted pathways to council services and transactions.
• Translate complex aims and diverse requirements into clear and manageable plans, determining resource requirements to support delivery.
• Lead the development, procurement and implementation of new and replacement systems for the council's services.
• Manage relationships with suppliers and strategic partners in relation to the provision of our digital services to maximise value for money while ensuring we adhere to our digital standards and secure by design principles.

Working pattern:

• Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays
• Full-Time (37 hours a week)
• Hybrid working - mixture of on-site and remote
• Contract type: Permanent

About you, the ideal Digital Services Manager for the job:

Your knowledge:

• Product methodology, frameworks, principles including: how to define a vision, create a strategy, set objectives, define measurable outcomes and metrics, create and iterate a roadmap.
• Technology sector delivering a range of customer focused high level digital advice.
• Open and best-of-breed technology ecosystem principles using APIs, Microservices etc.
• Data and evidence-driven decision making. Agile methodology, culture, and ways of working
• GDS digital standards.
• Creating, iterating, publishing and managing high-quality user-centred content.
• Modern technology, including cloud technology, architecture, agile delivery methods and software practices.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion at Canterbury City Council.

We are committed to promoting equality and diversity in everything we do. We provide a safe and welcoming environment where everyone is valued, included and respected.

Our diversity strengthens our ability to serve the diverse communities we support through our work.

To demonstrate this through our actions, all applications are anonymised for the shortlisting panel, allowing all applicants to be assessed on merit alone.

So, if this opportunity in Canterbury looks right for you, please apply today! Simply click the Apply button and you will be redirected to the council's website to begin your application form.