Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, London – Canary Wharf (Core HQs)
Job Summary
The Deputy Director for Technology Services will be responsible for leading the Technology Estate for UKHSA, including the delivery of software and infrastructure platforms and technical operations.
They will be accountable for Workplace Platforms, which encompasses office productivity, end user devices and identity, telecoms, and for the resilience, security and cost-effective provision of these services.
They will also be Responsible for UKHSA’s Infrastructure and Networks, Infrastructure services include on-premises hosting (partnering closely with the Digital DevOps division), data centre services, and operating system management. Networking responsibility encompasses LAN, Corporate WAN, Corporate WiFi, and secure access capability.
The role is accountable also for IT Service Management, leading the provision of the common 1st line service desk, 2nd line on site support teams, service delivery design and management, and continual service improvement.
This role has 4 direct reports with a wider team of approximately 100 full time staff, who are all nationally dispersed. The post holder will also be expected to manage and be accountable for the delivery of consultancy services teams, managed services suppliers, etc and has full accountability for budget, capability, and service of the above functions.
Working for your organisation
We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce.
UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.
Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers
Job Description
Key responsibilities will include:
The post holder will be expected to think strategically in terms of the Chief Data Officer (CDO) Group, operating model, governance, risk, security, resilience, tooling, partners, cost, performance, and transformation.
Thinking creatively, the post holder will be expected to understand and apply best practice from technology and service operations and more broadly, from outside these disciplines and the healthcare domain.
They will need to exercise sound, pragmatic judgement, operationally (service integration, incident resolution and technical troubleshooting / problem solving), in delivery (both technology and change management aspects), and in managing third-party commercial relationships.
The post holder will be a senior member of the Security, Data and Protection Services Directorate and part of the wider Chief Data Officer (CDO) Senior Leadership Team. They will contribute to UKHSA’s overall CDO strategy and offer, leadership of the function and the engagement of key stakeholders within and outside the UKHSA.
They will also be responsible for defining UKHSA’s product / platform offer to meet UKHSA’s business strategy and needs with respect to workplace applications / platforms, IT service management and infrastructure and networks.
They will manage and improve the security, cost-effectiveness, availability and resilience of the service provision of workplace applications / platforms, IT service management, infrastructure (partnering with Digital DevOps), networks and transitional service agreements with receiver organisations on behalf of CDO for the consumption of all UKHSA staff and receiver organisations, as appropriate; ensuring quality and value for money, coordinating delivery internally and via third-party suppliers and outsourced service providers. Building, leading, and developing an inclusive, high-performing Technology Services team, ensuring that UKHSA’s values and culture, together with CDO’s customer-centric, agile ways of working, are embedded.
They will need to ensure that their teams appropriately support and prioritise work required for priority programmes, for example, the Trust Programme (a three-year transformation programme designed to ensure that UKHSA can meet and sustain compliance with the Data Security Protection Toolkit and Cyber Assessment Framework (“DSPT_CAF”).
Please find below additional areas of accountability that the post holder will be responsible for:
- Workplace, Infrastructure & Networks and IT Service Management budget holder.
- Leading the provision of resilient secure and cost-effective infrastructure platforms and technical operations in the on-premises estate.
- Leading the Technology Estate for UKHSA, including the delivery of infrastructure platforms and technical operations and, through coordination with the Deputy Director Cyber Security, ensuring the proportionate and timely reduction in cyber risk.
- The resilient, secure and cost-effective provision and operation of UKHSA’s Workplace offer, including productivity tools (Microsoft 365) and end user compute services. This includes managing windows end user devices and windows servers operating system lifecycle (Gold image, software packaging, updates and upgrades).
- Provision and management of identity and access management services (Microsoft Entra).
- Networking services including LAN, WAN, WiFi and secure access capability. Includes managing connectivity of IoT and laboratory scientific equipment (including IACS) secure connectivity to UKHSA WAN and relevant LANs.
- IT service management (ITSM), including common 1st and 2nd line support functions, as well as delivery design and management, and continual service improvement.
- Putting in place the capability, technical architecture, and services to support the delivery of UKHSA’s strategy in relation to the above functions.
- Overarching accountability for stability, resilience, and security of the Technology Services estate across UKHSA, as well as it’s compliance with all relevant internal and external policies & standards.
- Setting the direction for Technology Services development and delivery of the related Technology strategy, including how the teams should work with major Programmes (for example, the Trust Programme, which is driving improved compliance with DSPT-CAF).
- Overarching accountability for Technology Services delivery of software and infrastructure platforms, products, technical operations, and development.
- Leading on the procurement, supply and negotiation of Technology Services goods and services for UKHSA, in conjunction with legal and procurement professionals, as appropriate.
- Accountable for managing and controlling the life cycle of all Technology Services related products / platforms / infrastructure, in line with the Enterprise Architecture.
- Leading and develop UKHSA’s technology capability, giving clear guidance on priorities and generating commitment to the wider goals of the organisation.
- Accountable for the quality of technology’s products, platforms, infrastructure, services etc.
- Adopting a portfolio view, managing end-to-end services, which include multiple products and channels.
- Operating at scale and provide the connection between multidisciplinary business areas and stakeholders.
The Post Holder Will Develop Working Relationships And Communicate Regularly With a Wide Range Of Individuals, Clinical And Non-clinical, Internal, And External To UKHSA, Some Of Which Have Been Outlined Below:
Internal
- Chief Data Officer
- Director of Digital and Data
- CDO SLT peers
- UKHSA CEO, together with other ExCo members and senior business leaders
External
- Government departments and organisations (incl. CDDO, DHSC, NHSE, GDS)
- Devolved Administrations, Departments and Organisations
- International bodies and Governments
- Private sector leaders
- Academic leaders and research bodies
The Post Holder Will Develop Working Relationships And Communicate Regularly With a Wide Range Of Individuals, Clinical And Non-clinical, Internal, And External To UKHSA, Some Of Which Have Been Outlined Below:
Internal
- Chief Data Officer
- Director of Digital and Data
- CDO SLT peers
- UKHSA CEO, together with other ExCo members and senior business leaders
External
- Government departments and organisations (incl. CDDO, DHSC, NHSE, GDS)
- Devolved Administrations, Departments and Organisations
- International bodies and Governments
- Private sector leaders
- Academic leaders and research bodies
Person specification
Essential Criteria
- A degree in a computing related or technical field, such as Computer Science, Information Technology, Software Engineering, or a closely related discipline. Equivalent practical experience may also satisfy this requirement.
- Bring a track record of transforming a traditional IT organisation, based on a modern products / platforms / cloud-first approach, involving the migration of legacy, on-premises infrastructure, applications and data to the cloud, as well as optimising a hybrid, multi-cloud environment
- Be a passionate advocate for the customer, with a track record of effecting both step changes and continuous improvements to customer outcomes and experience, as well as efficiencies.
- Have significant senior-level leadership experience in an organisation-wide, senior IT position and be able to demonstrate exceptionally strong leadership and people management skills.
- Be a proactive problem-solver, bringing advanced critical and strategic thinking skills, a strong attention to detail, and an in-depth understanding of business processes and the integration of technological processes.
Desirable criteria
- Experience of responding/inputting to assurance and audit requirements (experience of responding to DSPT/DFSPT-CAF or CAF a particular advantage)
- Experience of working within a health organisation (particularly with a regard to prioritisation, the importance of clinical response in an emergency etc)
Alongside your salary of £81,000, UK Health Security Agency contributes £23,465 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection process details
External
Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).
Stage 1: Application & Sift
Success profiles
You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on essential criteria, and this will be in the form of -
- an Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
- a 1000 word (maximum) Supporting Statement
Please do not exceed 1000 words. We will not consider any words over and above this number.
This should outline how your skills, experience and knowledge provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.
The Application Form and Statement of Suitability will be marked together.
Please note you will not be able to upload your CV. You must complete the application form in as much detail as possible.
Please do not email us your CV.
Longlisting: A long list stage may be introduced if we receive a large number of very credible applications.
Shortlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on:
- Have significant senior-level leadership experience in an organisation-wide, senior IT position and be able to demonstrate exceptionally strong leadership and people management skills.
- Bring a track record of transforming a traditional IT organisation, based on a modern products / platforms / cloud-first approach, involving the migration of legacy, on-premises infrastructure, applications and data to the cloud, as well as optimising a hybrid, multi-cloud environment
- Be a passionate advocate for the customer, with a track record of effecting both step changes and continuous improvements to customer outcomes and experience, as well as efficiencies.
- Be a proactive problem-solver, bringing advanced critical and strategic thinking skills, a strong attention to detail, and an in-depth understanding of business processes and the integration of technological processes.
Longlisting: A long list stage may be introduced if we receive a large number of very credible applications.
We will longlist into 3 piles.
- Meets all criteria
- Meets some essential criteria but not lead criteria
- Meets no essential criteria
Only those who meet all essential criteria will progress to sift.
In the event of a large number of credible applications desirable criteria may be used.
Unfortunately, late applications will not be considered.
Feedback will not be provided at this stage.
If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview & assessment
Stage 2: Interview (success profiles)
You will be invited to a remote interview.
Behaviours will be tested at interview.
The Behaviours Tested During The Interview Stage Will Be:
This vacancy is being assessed using Success Profiles. The interview will consist of Technical, Experience and behaviour - based questions
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Communicating and Influencing
- Managing a Quality Service
- Delivering at Pace
As part of the interview, candidates will be required to deliver a 5-minute presentation, based on Experience, the topic of which will be confirmed prior to the interview.
Interviews will be held week commencing
19 January 2026. Please note these dates are subject to change.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
External
Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).
Hybrid Working
This role is being offered as hybrid working based at any of our Core HQ’s. We offer great flexible working opportunities at UKHSA and operate using a hybrid working model where business needs allow. This provides us with greater flexibility about how and where we work, to get the best from our workforce. As a hybrid worker, you will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of your contractual working hours (approximately 3 days a week pro rata, (averaged over a month) working at one of UKHSA's core HQ’s (Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, and London).
Our core HQ offices are modern and newly refurbished with excellent city centre transport link and benefit from benefit from co-location with other government departments such as the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC).
Security Clearance Level Requirement
Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check and Basic DBS.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is
Security Clearance.
For meaningful National Security Vetting checks to be carried out individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 5 years as the role requires
Security Clearance (SC).
UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder / Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.
Reasonable Adjustments
The Civil Service is committed to making sure that our selection methods are fair to everyone.
To help you during the recruitment process, we will consider any reasonable adjustments that could help you.
An adjustment is a change to the recruitment process or an adjustment at work.
This is separate to the Disability Confident Scheme.
If you need an adjustment to be made at any point during the recruitment process you should:
Contact the recruitment team in confidence as soon as possible to discuss your needs.
You can find out more information about reasonable adjustments across the Civil Service here: https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments/
International Police Check:
If you have spent more than 6 months abroad over the last 3 years you may need an International Police Check. This would not necessarily have to be in a single block, and it could be time accrued over that period.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Link Below:
Artificial intelligence and recruitment , Civil Service Careers
Internal Fraud check
If successful for this role as one aspect of pre-employment screening, applicant’s personal details – name, national insurance number and date of birth - will be checked against the Cabinet Office Internal Fraud Hub and anyone included on the database will be refused employment unless they can show exceptional circumstances. Currently this is only for External candidates to the Civil Service.
Salary Information
If you are successful at interview, and are moving from another government department, NHS, or Local Authority, the relevant starting salary principles for level transfers or promotions will apply. Otherwise, roles are offered at the pay scale minimum for the grade, but in exceptional circumstances there may be flexibility if you are able to demonstrate you are already in receipt of an existing, higher salary. Pay increases are through the relevant annual pay award for the role and terms.
Future location
UKHSA is investing in a new state-of-the-art National Biosecurity Centre in Harlow, Essex, which will eventually bring together teams currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale and Porton Down. For more details, please see: Huge biosecurity centre investment to boost pandemic protection - GOV.UK.
The new facilities will start becoming operational in the mid-2030s, with full completion by 2038. Staff will move in phases as facilities become available. If you're appointed to a role currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale or Porton Down, please note that we'll continue investing in these sites for the next decade. As we get closer to the transition, we'll provide full information about relocation support available to staff.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
This role has a minimum assignment duration of 2 years. An assignment duration is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise.
As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
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 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.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact :
- Name : Faith Gray
- Email : faith.gray@ukhsa.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : SCS.MDrecruitment@ukhsa.gov.uk
Further information
The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact UKHSA Public Accountability Unit via email: Complaints@ukhsa.gov.uk If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/
