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Chief Digital Officer
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Defining and delivering the Group's enterprise-wide digital strategy
The role reports to the Group CEO and sits on the Executive Board.
About Our Client
The University of East London (UEL) is the UK's most socially inclusive university. It is also the University that has delivered both the fastest improvement in graduate employability - meeting and exceeding a large range of more selective institutions - and the greatest growth in active graduate start-ups. Following three consecutive years in the national top 10, in 2026 the University of East London ranked 1st in England for our graduating students' overall positivity. UEL has a furious careers-1st focus to unlock talent across society and create economic and social value that would not otherwise exist.
With over 40,000 students from more than 160 nationalities, UEL has a distinctive mission to advance knowledge and transform lives through careers-first education, innovation, enterprise and civic impact.
An institution driven by purpose and ambition, the University is entering the next phase of its development through Forward to 2040, building on the success of Vision 2028. This will see UEL develop from a successful London-based university into an increasingly global, digitally enabled education, careers and innovation platform.
Our students are at the heart of everything we do, and we are committed to providing an exceptional, inclusive and future-focused educational experience that prepares graduates to succeed in an evolving global economy.
Digital transformation will be central to this ambition. UEL intends to build on its sector-leading progress to harness data, artificial intelligence, emerging technologies and digitally enabled operating models to:
- Transform the student and colleague experience.
- Strengthen education and graduate outcomes.
- Accelerate innovation and enterprise.
- Drive revenue growth and diversification.
- Improve organisational productivity and resilience.
- Create new models of careers-led lifelong learning.
The Chief Digital Officer will lead this transformation.
Role Purpose
The University of East London is redefining the purpose of higher education by preparing graduates to thrive in a rapidly changing world. As London's leading careers-first university, we are committed to ensuring every student develops the skills, confidence and networks needed to succeed in the economy of the future while making a positive contribution to society.
We are now at a pivotal moment in our institutional journey. Having established a strong track record of performance under Vision 2028 - sector-leading graduate outcomes, a distinctive careers-first proposition and strong financial resilience - the University is now building the foundations of a significantly more ambitious platform: Forward to 2040. Forward to 2040 sets out UEL's intent to evolve from a single London institution into a global, multi-entity group with turnover exceeding £1 billion.
The group will span multiple geographies - including established hubs in India, Egypt and the US - and will be built on a modular, marketplace-based education and innovation careers-1st model in which data is both the connective tissue and a primary commercial asset.
This inaugural role, will become key in the next transformation of this careers-first, innovation-driven institution that is redefining what a modern university can be. We foster a professional, positive, and inclusive work environment built on shared values of Passion, Inclusion, and Courage. Our ambitions are bold, and we're looking to transform the experience of our students, graduates, employer partners and communities.
The Chief Digital Officer is a senior executive role responsible for defining and delivering the Group's enterprise-wide digital strategy. The postholder will lead the University's transition into a digitally enabled, data-driven and globally connected institution, ensuring that technology, data and digital capability are aligned with UEL's academic mission, careers-first strategy and Forward to 2040 ambitions.
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The Chief Digital Officer will have strategic oversight of the development and commercialisation of the digital product portfolio, user experience, digital platforms, data and analytics, artificial intelligence, enterprise architecture, technology-enabled transformation and cyber resilience.
Working across academic schools, professional services, subsidiaries and international partnerships, the postholder will develop a coherent digital ecosystem that enables the Group to operate effectively as a global university group, including driving its revenue growth and diversification to and post £1 billion.
Situated within a high performance, continual improvement culture, the post-holder is accountable for developing, effectively implementing and performing against a bold commercial digital strategy.
Job Description
Key Strategic Responsibilities: The Successful Applicant
Digital Strategy and Institutional Transformation
- Lead the development and delivery of UEL's digital strategy, aligned to the Forward to 2040 vision and careers-first mission.
- Drive institution-wide digital transformation and embed digital thinking across the University.
- Translate strategic priorities into clear digital initiatives, investments, and measurable outcomes.
- Advise the Vice-Chancellor, Executive Board and Governors on digital opportunities, risks, and performance.
- Anticipate emerging technology and market trends to support future growth and innovation.
Commercial Partnerships and Innovation
- Develop strategic relationships with technology providers, employers, government, and innovation partners.
- Identify and deliver opportunities for joint products, services, research, and education initiatives.
- Support commercial growth through partnerships, investment, and technology-enabled innovation.
- Represent UEL as a leading voice in digital education, AI, and innovation.
Digital Products and Service Innovation
- Establish a product-led approach to digital services and platforms.
- Lead multidisciplinary teams to deliver user-focused and outcome-driven solutions.
- Embed agile delivery methods and continuous improvement practices.
- Monitor adoption, benefits realisation, and return on investment.
Data, Analytics, and Institutional Intelligence
- Position data as a strategic institutional asset.
- Develop integrated data, analytics, and reporting capabilities.
- Strengthen data governance, quality, accessibility, and accountability.
- Enable evidence-based decision-making through real-time insight and analytics.
- Promote data literacy and responsible data use across the University.
Global Digital Platform Development
- Lead the development of scalable digital platforms supporting UEL's global ambitions.
- Ensure consistent systems, services and experiences across campuses and partnerships.
- Enable seamless engagement throughout the student, partner, and alumni lifecycle.
- Support the development of new digital business models and revenue opportunities.
Digital Student, Learner, and Customer Experience
- Create a personalised, connected, and high-quality digital experience.
- Improve end-to-end journeys across recruitment, admissions, learning, support, and careers.
- Champion user-centred design and service excellence.
- Measure and continuously improve user satisfaction and engagement.
Digital Education and Careers Innovation
- Drive innovation in teaching, learning, assessment, and curriculum delivery.
- Support flexible, blended and digitally enabled education models.
- Enhance UEL's careers-first approach through technology-enabled platforms and services.
- Develop new digital learning opportunities, professional education, and employer-led programmes.
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Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies
- Lead UEL's strategy for AI and emerging technologies.
- Promote responsible, ethical, and impactful technology adoption.
- Enhance educational outcomes, operational effectiveness, and decision-making through AI.
- Build institutional capability and confidence in emerging technologies.
- Position UEL as a sector leader in inclusive AI innovation.
Enterprise Architecture, Systems, and Integration
- Provide strategic leadership for enterprise architecture and technology integration.
- Simplify and modernise the technology landscape.
- Ensure systems are secure, scalable, interoperable and aligned to University priorities.
- Establish effective governance for technology investment and lifecycle management.
Cybersecurity, Resilience and Trust
- Provide executive leadership for cybersecurity and digital resilience.
- Ensure robust protection of systems, services, and data.
- Maintain compliance with legal, regulatory and sector requirements.
- Strengthen organisational preparedness for cyber threats and service disruption.
- Provide clear oversight and reporting of digital and cyber risk.
Operating Model, Productivity and Service Transformation
- Drive organisational effectiveness through technology-enabled transformation.
- Simplify processes and improve service quality across academic and professional services.
- Increase productivity through automation, digital tools, and improved ways of working.
- Ensure digital investments deliver measurable benefits and long-term sustainability.
Leadership, Culture and Capability
- Contribute fully to the collective leadership of UEL as a member of the University Executive Board.
- Lead a high-performing digital, data and technology function.
- Attract, develop, and retain exceptional talent.
- Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
- Build digital capability and confidence across the University.
- Champion inclusive transformation and values-led leaders.
Essential Experience
The successful candidate will demonstrate:
- Substantial executive or senior leadership experience in digital transformation, technology, data or digital product leadership.
- A strong record of leading complex, enterprise-wide transformation within a large and multifaceted organisation.
- Experience of developing and delivering digital strategies linked directly to organisational growth and performance.
- Successful leadership of major technology, data, platform or service-transformation programmes.
- Experience of integrating systems, data and digital services across organisational boundaries.
- A strong understanding of artificial intelligence, automation, analytics and emerging technologies.
- Experience of building high-performing multidisciplinary teams.
- Effective oversight of significant budgets, programmes and supplier relationships.
- Experience of developing robust digital, data and cyber governance.
- Evidence of delivering measurable organisational, customer and financial benefits.
- Experience of influencing boards, executive teams and senior stakeholders.
- A strong record of leading organisational and cultural change.
- Experience of working successfully with external technology, commercial or innovation partners.
Desirable Experience
It would be advantageous to demonstrate:
- Experience within higher education, education technology, professional services or another complex knowledge-based organisation.
- Experience of digital transformation across international or multi-entity operations.
- Knowledge of digital education, lifelong learning and the changing skills market.
- Experience of
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