Job Description

ID 2591

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The Welsh Government operates name-free recruitment. The recruiting panel will not see personal information such as a candidate's name and address during the sifting process. This policy is in line with our commitment to end bias and promote equality and diversity.
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Vacancy details

Vacancy title
Head of Digital and Data Strategy


Closing date
12/05/2025, 16:00


Advertising basis
Loan, Permanent, Secondment
Actual starting salary
Grade 7 58,918 to 70,450
Salary range or pay band
Grade 7 58,918 to 70,450
Allowances
No
Work pattern
Full time (applications are welcome from people who work part time, as part of a job share or who work full time)
Group
Health, Social Care and Early Years
Directorate
Digital Transformation and Innovation
Branch
Digital and Data Policy
Location (s)
Pan Wales
Pan Wales' means that the location in which the vacancy can be based is flexible, subject to the needs of the business. A list of the Welsh Government's offices can be found on www.gov.wales/welsh-government-offices. Please note it may not always be possible to accommodate a preference for a specific office location.
Purpose of post
NHS Wales provides publicly funded healthcare to some 3 million people who live in the country. NHS Wales provides services ranging from smoking cessation, antenatal screening, and routine treatments for coughs and colds to open heart surgery, accident and emergency treatment and end-of-life care. Further significant digital transformation is planned across NHS Wales in patient-facing services, including the move to an open architecture approach and modernisation of infrastructure to ensure systems continue to be safe and secure.


The postholder will provide a clear leadership role within the Digital Division, providing advice and support on the strategic alignment of digital and technology projects in health and care in Wales, which contribute towards the delivery of A Healthier Wales and the Welsh Government's Digital Strategy for Wales.


Working to the Deputy Director of Digital, the postholder will be responsible for a number of policy areas, including cyber security and resilience in health and care, providing strategic direction to the NHS in Wales by leading on the implementation of the Network and


Information Systems Regulations. Welsh Ministers are the Competent Authority for health settings in Wales, with the operational aspect delivered by the Cyber Resilience Unit within Digital Health and Care Wales. The post holder will need to engage and build relationships with a range of stakeholders including the National Cyber Security Centre, other Devolved Governments, UK Cabinet Office and NHS England in order to support the delivery of better cyber resilience.


The postholder will also have responsibility for a number of digital programmes; acting as Welsh Government's main point of contact for those programmes and offering support and challenge to facilitate delivery and advising Ministers on strategic alignment and policy implications, whilst also ensuring that funds and deliverables are being managed appropriately using available levers



Key tasks

Strategy Oversight

As Head of Digital and Data Policy, you will be responsible for:

Implementation of the Digital and Data strategy for health and social care in Wales, working with stakeholders from across health and care settings to ensure it aligns with both A Healthier Wales providing advice and assurance to the wider directorate on digital and data strategy within a health and care context; Provide advice and assurance on digital and data strategy, including the strategic alignment of proposed programmes and projects working in partnership with stakeholders; Support the Digital Investment Panel with advice and assurance of strategic fit of programmes and projects funded by the Digital Priorities Investment fund; Ensure that digital and data strategies are aligned.

Data Policy Delivery

As Head of Digital and Data Policy, you will be responsible for:

Provide policy direction on the effective and appropriate sharing and use of health and care data, collaborating with and providing expert advice to Welsh Government policy areas on proposed uses of health and care data; Lead on working in partnership with key stakeholders and delivery partners to develop a robust strategic approach to data sharing across NHS Wales, taking into account compliance to data protection legislation, confidentiality, information governance requirements and ministerial priorities; Engage with key stakeholders across all devolved governments to maintain knowledge of similar data sharing initiatives and information governance challenges, identifying collaboration opportunities for Wales that inspire trust and confidence in the use of Welsh data from the public and professionals.

National Data Resource

As Head of Data Programmes, you will be the Welsh Government lead for the National Data Resource programme, in this role you will:

Establish close working relationship with its SRO and programme team, to ensure delivery against intended outcomes and projected benefits; Ensure the programme is focused on harnessing the opportunities for using big data to help manage health and care and exploring opportunities for wider use; Ensure effective link up with other programmes, data standards, emerging data policies and wider parts of Welsh Government; Through programme and wider governance, ensure the programme delivers value for money, and there is appropriate scrutiny on proposed contracts.

Standards

Provide policy direction on the development of digital standards to internal and external stakeholders; Develop and improve engagement with internal and external partners to deliver these standards, including technical standards, an open architecture approach and secure and sustainable infrastructure.

Cyber Security:

Provide policy direction on cyber security and cyber resilience to internal and external stakeholders; Engage internal and external partners to deliver the Network and Information Systems Regulations for health in Wales and increase the cyber resilience of services across health and care settings.;

This post therefore requires effective engagement with senior internal and external stakeholders, strong leadership and project management skills.


Experience of dealing with government business and updates for senior leaders/Ministers, knowledge of digital development plus data management, and experience of working with the NHS in Wales would be beneficial but not essential.


A strong interest in digital technologies is important to enable the postholder to ensure their knowledge is kept up to date.



Development opportunities
Work in a high-profile area of work which will contribute significantly to the Welsh Government's approach to transformation of Health and Social Care in Wales. Stakeholder engagement - opportunity to strengthen and build external stakeholder networks, including overseas, and work collaboratively across the group and wider Welsh Government to gain a wide policy perspective. Policy development - Opportunity to gain direct policy experience across a range of policy areas and design policies that meet key ministerial priorities and commitments. Work closely with Welsh Ministers advising on a high-profile area of work which will contribute significantly to the Welsh Government's approach to transformation of Health and Social Care in Wales. To be a team leader support your team members to develop their skills and personal development plans ensuring colleagues' well-being is supported.

Other vacancy related information
A reserve list may be held for this opportunity. Any candidate who is successful in being offered a reserve status, will remain on the reserve list for 12 months.
Vetting level
Basic
Number of posts
1
Contact point for further information regarding the post
HSS.OfficeoftheChiefDigitalOfficer@gov.wales