Skip to main content

This site is independent of the NHS and the Department of Health.

Please wait, loading

Job summary

Main area
DDaT
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 9
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Required to work on site at least three days per working week)
Job ref
193-8335154CORB9-DDOT
Employer
Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Royal Berkshire Hospital
Town
Reading
Salary
£112,782 - £129,783 PA
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
25/10/2026 23:59

Employer heading

Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust logo

Deputy Director of Technology

NHS AfC: Band 9

At the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust we put our patients at the heart of every element of health and care that we provide. The Trust works together as a community to deliver its vision which is “Working together to provide outstanding care for our community.”

Royal Berkshire Hospital are pleased to announce that following our CQC inspection we have been rated ‘Good’ with inspectors reporting that we have made significant improvements.  The Trust’s overall rating has also improved to ‘good’.  

We are Compassionate in our thoughts, words and actions

We are Aspirational and have a true desire to be dynamic and to innovate

We are Resourceful and responsible in the way we work and live

We are Excellent in our development, fairness and sharing best practice

At the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, we value candidates who bring their unique personalities, skills, and experiences to the Trust. When completing your application, we encourage you to highlight your individual achievements and strengths, showing us how they align with the requirements outlined in the job description and person specification. While we recognise that some applicants may use AI tools during the process, please be mindful that AI-generated responses can often lack the personal detail and relevance needed to demonstrate your suitability for the role. AI generated content is discouraged by the Trust and may diminish the candidates chances of success.

Amazing things happen at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust; delivered by amazing people so why don’t you come and join us.  We offer a range of learning and development for all employees may you be clinical or non-clinical.  

Please note: all vacancies automatically close when 50 applications have been received.

Job overview

This is a pivotal senior leadership opportunity to shape the technology foundations that support the Trust’s services, workforce and delivery of safe, high-quality patient care.

As Deputy Director of Technology, you will be the Trust’s senior accountable technology leader, providing strategic direction across its technology estate, architecture, platforms and technical capabilities. Reporting to the Chief Digital Information Officer, you will ensure services are secure, resilient and sustainable, enabling delivery of the Trust’s Digital Strategy.

You will translate organisational priorities into a clear technology strategy and roadmap and act as the Trust’s senior technical authority, providing expert advice on opportunities, risks, investment and major decisions. You will provide technical leadership and assurance for the Electronic Patient Record, infrastructure modernisation, major digital programmes and technology procurements.

You will drive operational excellence, resilience and continuous improvement, working across cyber security, information governance and clinical safety. You will lead and develop professional technology teams, building capability, accountability and a culture of technical excellence.

Combining strategic thinking, technical credibility and strong leadership, you will ensure technology enables safer services, supports colleagues and provides the secure and sustainable digital foundations for the Trust’s future.

Main duties of the job

  1. Technology Strategy & Direction – Lead the Trust’s technology strategy and roadmap, translating organisational priorities into deliverable plans across infrastructure, cloud, networks, platforms, applications and emerging technology. Advise senior leaders on risk, investment and priorities.

  2. Architecture & Technical Leadership – Act as senior technical authority, setting standards and ensuring solutions are secure, scalable, interoperable, clinically safe and sustainable.

  3. Operations, Resilience & Cyber – Lead the performance and resilience of technology services, including lifecycle management, disaster recovery, business continuity and technology controls.

  4. Digital Programmes & EPR – Provide technical leadership and assurance for EPR, infrastructure modernisation, major digital programmes and technology procurements.

  5. Investment, Commercial & Suppliers – Lead technical input to investment and procurement, manage delegated budgets and strategic suppliers, and drive value for money.

  6. People & Capability – Provide visible, inclusive leadership, building workforce capability, accountability, professional development and a culture of technical excellence.

  7. Governance, Risk & Assurance – Oversee technology risk, technical debt, resilience and end-of-life exposure, providing clear assurance to senior governance and ensuring robust technology decision-making.

Working for our organisation

Diversity makes us interesting… Inclusion is what will make us outstanding.

Inequality exists and the journey to eliminate it is not easy. Every step we take will be a purposeful step forward to deliver a truly inclusive culture where all our people are enabled to deliver outstanding care, where background is no barrier, and where everyone can be their authentic self and we truly represent our patient community.

We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics. Reasonable adjustments will be made for disabled applicants where possible. All applicants who have a disability and meet the minimum criteria for the post can opt for a guaranteed interview.

We support flexible working wherever possible, with requests considered on an individual basis taking into account service requirements, operational needs and the requirements of the role.

Our primary method of communication will be via email. However, if you would prefer to be contacted through a different method, please inform the recruitment team.

If you need additional help with your application please get in touch by calling the recruitment team on 0118 322 6997 or 0118 322 5342.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

See the attached JD for the fullest range of the role.

There is key focus on the technical knowledge and skills within the role, but senior leadership is central to the role and delivery of the fullest range of services and responsibilities 

Person specification

Education, Qualifications & Training

Essential criteria
  • Master’s degree or equivalent senior professional experience in technology, digital or a related discipline
  • Evidence of continuing professional development relevant to senior technology leadership.
Desirable criteria
  • Relevant professional certification in enterprise architecture, cloud, cyber security, IT service management or technology leadership.

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Substantial senior leadership experience with accountability for complex, business-critical technology services and diverse professional teams.
  • Successful development and execution of enterprise technology strategies, roadmaps and architectures.
  • Strong track record of improving service performance, infrastructure resilience, continuity, lifecycle management and operational control.
  • Technical leadership and assurance of major transformation programmes and procurements.
  • Management of multimillion-pound budgets, investment cases, strategic suppliers and commercial negotiations.
  • Experience of working with executive leaders and presenting complex technology risk and investment choices clearly.
  • Experience of workforce planning, capability development and leadership through significant change.
Desirable criteria
  • Executive-level experience in a large healthcare or similarly safety-critical organisation.
  • Experience of EPR or major clinical systems transformation
  • Experience of major service insourcing, outsourcing or transition.
  • Experience of regional or multi-organisational architecture and shared services.

Skills, Knowledge & Abilities

Essential criteria
  • Expert knowledge of enterprise technology architecture, infrastructure, platforms, integration, cloud and service operations.
  • Strong understanding of cyber security, information governance, clinical safety, technology risk and regulatory expectations.
  • Ability to translate organisational priorities into coherent and deliverable technology strategy and investment plans
  • Highly developed analytical, commercial, negotiation and decision-making skills.
  • Ability to balance strategic direction, operational performance, affordability and risk.
  • Highly effective written and verbal communication, including with Board and executive audiences.
  • Inclusive leadership style with the ability to build accountable, collaborative and high-performing teams.
  • Ability to challenge constructively and make sound decisions in complex and ambiguous circumstances.
Desirable criteria
  • Knowledge of NHS architecture and interoperability standards.
  • Knowledge of Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West system arrangements.

Other

Essential criteria
  • Results and outcome focused.
  • Able to work under pressure and respond flexibly to unpredictable demands.
  • Able to develop and maintain effective relationships across organisational and professional boundaries.
  • Willingness to work flexibly where required by the responsibilities of the role.
Desirable criteria
  • Experience of deputising at executive or Board level.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Apprenticeships logoNo smoking policyCare quality commission - GoodArmed Forces Covenant Gold AwardMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Disability confident employerStonewall equality policy. Equality and justice for lesbians, gay men, bisexual and trans people.Florence Nightingale FoundationNational Preceptorship for Nursing Quality Mark 2024

Applicant requirements

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.

Application numbers

This vacancy will automatically close when 50 applications have been received.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
David Mander
Job title
Director of Improvement
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
07956580908
Additional information

Please email requests and David will make contact to answer any questions you may have

Apply online nowAlert me to similar vacancies