Job summary
- Main area
- Operational Management
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 5
- Contract
- Permanent: Hybrid working available
- Hours
- Full time
- Flexible working
- Job ref
- 216-AM-A7549495
- Employer
- University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Brittany House
- Town
- Plymouth
- Salary
- £31,049 - £37,796 £31,049 - £37,796 Per Annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 29/10/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Digital Automation Developer
NHS AfC: Band 5
Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Performance Information Team as a Digital Automation Developer.
The post holder will assist in the operational support of the Trust’s Digital Automation environment, and develop automated solutions for repetitive administrative tasks to help teams save time and use this for more value-added work.
***Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as ‘Priority’ and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon who are able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.***
Main duties of the job
The successful candidate will assist the Trust in the development, delivery and maintenance of cost-effective, risk-controlled, robust, reliable, responsive and secure automation solutions, primarily through the use of cloud-based automation tools, and software, with the aim to assist the organisation in eliminating paper and improving efficiency.
The post holder's primary function is to operationally support the automation platform, and also participate in all areas of the automation development lifecycle including planning, design, programming, testing, documentation, implementation, deployment and ongoing maintenance.
Working for our organisation
We are a people business – where every member of staff matters and can make a difference. Patients are at the heart of everything we do. Joining University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust means becoming part of a team of dedicated staff, who are committed to leading the way through innovation, clinical excellence and great customer care. The Trust has great opportunities for career development in a highly progressive working environment. We offer all of this in a vibrant, modern city with a historic reputation for adventure. PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNICATION WILL BE ELECTRONIC, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT REGULARLY. If you have any issues with applying online and need additional support including reasonable adjustments with the application process please contact the recruitment manager for this post who will put you in touch with the recruitment team. We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants around less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles. Please contact the recruiting manager to discuss this prior to your application submission. We commit to giving this full consideration in each case. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds to apply for our roles, as diversity strengthens our teams. It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
PRIMARY DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
The Digital Automation Developer is responsible for:
1. Ensuring the cloud-based automation platform is optimised and consistent so processes can run on any device
2. Managing, developing, and prioritising the scheduling of processes across a range of technology platforms and integrated 3rd party systems in a cost effective and professional manner to meet business needs whilst maintaining system security and data integrity.
3. Co-ordinating system upgrades liaising with the vendor to ensure continuity of service and resiliency.
4. Reviewing process exceptions and escalating / supporting the Senior Automation Developer for corrective action.
5. Writing and maintaining operational support procedures on a per process basis.
6. Maintaining a structured library of documentation.
7. Identifying requirements for new automation processes and working with end users to release potential of automation, ensuring that are only deployed into the live environment once all required checks and pre-requisites are in place
8. Writing and maintaining robust and thorough coding and test scripts.
9. Eliminate single points of failure and unacceptable risks within the infrastructure and automation services environment.
Digital Automation Development Lifecycle:
10. To communicate with project stakeholders across all levels of the organisation. This will involve discussing workflow processes, process maps and aspects of solution design with members of Service Management.
11. The need to communicate technology issues in a non-technical way so the target audience fully understand any communication is essential.
12. To keep abreast of team plans and all aspects of the automation development lifecycle.
13. Identify the most appropriate course of action to take based on technical knowledge, risk assessment, previous experiences and user requirements.
14. Organise / support with internal team meetings to track progress, project meetings, conduct project proposals and feasibility reviews
15. Deliver projects in direct support of both management and clinical initiatives with a key focus on attention to detail
16. Support with the development of operational standards to optimise platform performance and, where possible, reduce management/administrative overhead without sacrificing proper quality controls
17. Ensure implementation and adherence to industry best practice and standards for activities carried out including, but not limited to: requirements management, systems analysis & design, project management, benefits realisation, risk & issue management.
To provide an efficient, reliable, responsive automation platform by:
18. Ensuring KPI’s, targets, benefits and deliverables are reported in a timely manner and customer expectations are met or exceeded
19. Monitoring and reporting upon performance and applying corrective action strategies as appropriate.
20. Testing or adapting to improve clinical workflow and overall patient outcomes.
To support new trust-wide technology dependent projects by:
21. Working closely with the project leads ensuring key components are delivered on-time and to the required standard.
22. Working with corporate and clinical operational staff to map existing processes, understand their needs and translate into process maps and automation templates
To provide a service delivery function to the Trust by:
23. Building service relationships with end users (customers) and vendors.
24. Ensuring quality and cost-effective services are performed to the agreed KPI’s.
25. Ensuring that systems, processes, and methodologies as specified are followed to deliver effective monitoring, control, and support of service delivery.
Standards & Processes:
26. Support the implementation and adherence to industry best practice and standards for activities carried out within the Automation Team
27. Ensure that established processes and practices are followed, whilst suggesting improvements and creating, and implementing new practices as appropriate.
Policies:
28. Analyse relevant technical, professional and administrative policies as they relate to automation development and advise on how these should be interpreted
29. Ensure compliance with policies, processes and procedures covering automation development (including evaluation, planning, implementation, test, release, review, decommissioning, retirement).
COMMUNICATIONS & WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
Key Working relationships
Automation Team
Head of Data, Analytics, and Automation
Digital Automation Architect
All in Performance Information
Care Group Managers
Executive Team members
Care Group & Service Line Managers and the support teams
Costing Team
Vendor of automation software
Trust wide users with automation submissions
Key Communication channels
Telephone
MS Teams
Email
Presenting data appropriately
Written reports
Through automation software platforms
For more details, please see the attached Job Description & Person Specification.
Person specification
Knowledge & Experience
Essential criteria
- Good degree of demonstrable relevant experience in software development, project management, programme management or systems implementation.
- Familiar with project management processes, understanding and analysing process maps.
- Ability to understand a range of complex issues and identify potential solutions
- Proven evidence of continuous personal development.
- Logical thinker with an interest in automation routines
Desirable criteria
- Working within a large clinical setting
- Demonstrable experience of using automation software.
- Demonstrable experience of coordinating change and implementing solutions to deliver business benefits.
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Minimum of 4 GSCE level or equivalent, one of which should be Mathematics, or demonstrable experience in a similar role.
- Diploma or equivalent demonstrable experience, plus further management proven knowledge or demonstrable experience degree level equivalent.
Desirable criteria
- ECDL
- Formal qualification in either a coding language or a professional automation certification.
Aptitude & Abilities
Essential criteria
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to work closely with personnel at all levels.
- Able to deal with issues of conflict & resistance which might arise from change management.
- Presentation skills.
- Ability to use empathy and listening skills.
- Client facing / consultancy skills.
- Strong analytical skills for root cause analysis.
- Proven knowledge of Data confidentiality and security issues.
Desirable criteria
- Operational understanding of the NHS.
- Proven knowledge of Data confidentiality and security issues in the NHS.
- A qualification or demonstrable experience in coding.
Disposition / Attitude / Motivation
Essential criteria
- Keen to learn new skills and ways of working.
- Good organisational and time management skills with an ability to manage multiple tasks effectively without instruction.
- Ability to work both independently and as part of a team to achieve the team’s goals.
- Self motivated, determined, and enthusiastic.
- Highly focused on attention to detail.
- Customer focused with a ‘can do’ attitude.
- Results driven.
- Creative thinker able to overcome obstacles and constraints.
- Good interpersonal skills both face to face and over the telephone.
- The ability to work within a busy environment and meet targets and deadlines to expected levels of quality.
Other Factors
Essential criteria
- Willing to work in more than one location.
- Effective and proven ability to work autonomously.
- Ability to travel between different sites.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
This post will require a submission for Disclosure to be made to check for any unspent criminal convictions.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Chris Butson
- Job title
- Digital Automation Architect
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01752432100
- Additional information
For general enquiries, contact Recruitment on the number above. For enquiries specific to the job, please contact us via email.
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