Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
Deputy Director – Firmer Foundations Programme
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Bristol, London, Manchester
Job Summary
The Government Digital Service (GDS) is the digital centre of government — we are responsible for setting, leading and delivering the vision for a modern digital government.
Our priorities are to drive a modern digital government, by:
- Joining up public sector services
- Harnessing the power of AI for the public good
- Strengthening and extending our digital and data public infrastructure
- Elevating leadership and investing in talent
- Funding for outcomes and procuring for growth and innovation
- Committing to transparency and driving accountability
We are home to the Incubator for Artificial Intelligence (I.AI), the world-leading GOV.UK and at the forefront of coordinating the UK’s geospatial strategy and activity. We lead the Government Digital and Data function and champion the work of digital teams across government.
Job Description
We’re part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and employ more than 1,000 people all over the UK, with hubs in Manchester, London and Bristol.
The Government Digital Service is where talent translates into impact. From your first day, you’ll be working with some of the world’s most highly-skilled digital professionals, all contributing their knowledge to make change on a national scale.
Join us for rewarding work that makes a difference across the UK. You'll solve some of the nation’s highest-priority digital challenges, helping millions of people access services they need.
Within GDS, you will join the Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO), reporting to Sonia Patel, the Government Chief Technology Officer.
The directorate has recently overseen a number of key departmental priorities, ranging from delivering the State of Digital Government Review, to the AI Playbook, to strengthening how Government does digital procurement, and protecting public sector website domains, amongst other priorities.
Please note that while this role is being recruited as part of DSIT to hit the ground running, DSIT is part of the Machinery of Government (MOG) changes. Please see the FACT SHEET HERE for further information.
The Firmer Foundations Programme will lead the DSIT co-ordination of the remediation of legacy and outdated technology across the public sector and ensuring that future technical architecture is fit for a modern digital government.
In This Role You Will:
- Develop, shape and deliver the Firmer Foundation Programme to achieve the DSIT commitment to making a substantial impact in remediating legacy and outdated technology in the public sector
- Focus on the practical plans for delivery across the current SR period that balance long term strategic change and targeted interventions against the highest priority systems.
- Manage senior technical stakeholders across government on their outdated IT and legacy remediation plans.
- Maintain a close relationship with HM Treasury to ensure legacy remediation activity is funded appropriately through the current and future SR settlements.
- Make the case for investment in common capabilities and transformational technologies
- Build and inspire a diverse team of experts that are dedicated to delivering an enterprise level change in the way the public sector approaches technology
- Engaging with industry to build partnerships, gaining new insights and expertise, and influencing roadmaps.
- Play a key role in delivering the commitments made in our 2025 roadmap, Transforming for a Digital Future, particularly addressing legacy technology risk, enabling the reuse of common technology services, and introducing new technologies.
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Person specification
Essential Criteria
- Strategic Programme Leadership - Substantial experience leading major programmes, ideally within a technical, digital, or data landscape with a proven ability to deliver large-scale strategic change and digital transformation.
- Senior Stakeholder Engagement & Influence - Exceptional communication skills and a track record of building personal credibility and influencing at the most senior levels, both internal and external to navigate complex partnerships and conflicting priorities.
- People Leadership - Excellent leadership skills with a proven ability to inspire and motivate diverse, multi-disciplinary teams, fostering a high-performance culture that provides dependable advisory and delivery support.
- Strategic Policy & Systems Analysis - Highly developed policy and strategic analysis skills, with the ability to understand both the policy detail and the high-level strategic context.
- Innovation & Service Delivery - Demonstrable experience leading the successful delivery or improvement of public services through a culture of innovation, with the resilience to redefine outcomes and move beyond incremental improvements.
Desirable Criteria
- Technology Insight - A solid understanding of new and emerging technologies and a passion for leveraging them to improve UK public service delivery.
- Professional Development - Possession of, or a commitment to complete, the Major Projects Leadership Academy (MPLA).
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £86,000, Department for Science, Innovation & Technology contributes £24,914 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).
Whatever your role, we take your career and development seriously, and want to enable you to build a really successful career with the Department and wider Civil Service. It is crucial that our employees have the right skills to develop their careers and meet the challenges ahead.
You’ll Benefit From a Wide Range Of Training And Development Opportunities, Regular Performance And Development Reviews To Ensure This Development Is Ongoing. As a Civil Service Employee, You’ll Be Entitled To a Large Range Of Benefits. This Includes:
- Annual Leave and Bank Holiday Allowance
25 days annual leave on entry, increasing on a sliding scale to 30 days after 5 years’ service. This is in addition to 8 public holidays and one day’s leave for the King's birthday.
- Pension
A competitive contributory pension scheme that you can enter as soon as you join where we will make a significant contribution to the cost of your pension; where your contributions come out of your salary before any tax is taken; and where your pension will continue to provide valuable benefits for you and your family if you are too ill to continue to work or die before you retire.
- Flexible Working
Flexible working patterns and access to Flexible Working Schemes allowing you to vary your working day as long as you work your total hours.
- Parental Leave
Generous paid maternity and paternity leave which is notably more than the statutory minimum offered by many other employers.
- Season Ticket & Bicycle Loan
Interest-free loans allowing you to spread the cost of an annual travel season ticket or a new bicycle.
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- Onsite Facilities
The opportunity to use onsite facilities including staff canteens (where applicable).
- Sick Pay
Occupational sick pay.
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
SHORTLIST
Applications will be sifted to select those demonstrating the best fit with the post against the criteria set out in the person specification.
To apply for this role, please submit the following on CS Jobs no later than, 23:55 on Monday 31st August 2026:
- A CV detailing your career history, key responsibilities, and achievements.
- A Statement of Suitability (max. 1,250 words) outlining how your skills, qualities, and experience demonstrate your suitability for the role. Please refer specifically to the essential criteria in the person specification
The timeline later in this pack indicates the date by which a decision is expected to be made, and all candidates will be advised of the outcome as soon as possible thereafter.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.
Shortlisted candidates can request an informal conversation about the role with the vacancy holder This discussion does not form part of the assessment.
INTERVIEW
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend a panel interview in person in London, to have a more in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to the criteria set out in Person Specification.
As part of the process there may be assessment of skills either by a presentation or simulated exercise with follow up questions. Full details of the requirements will be given to shortlisted candidates ahead of their interview.
SELECTION AND FEEDBACK
Regardless of the outcome, we will notify all candidates as soon as possible, and will offer the opportunity to discuss feedback for all candidates who reached interview. A reserve list will be held for up to 12 months, which we may use to fill future suitable vacancies.
EXPECTED TIME LINE
We will try and offer as much flexibility as we can, but it may not be possible to offer alternative dates for assessments or interviews. You are therefore asked to note the below timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process, to meet the dates given.
Please note that these dates are only indicative may be subject to change. If you anticipate any difficulties attending, please alert scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk upon application.
The Anticipated Timetable Is As Follows:
- Advert Closing date: 23:55, Monday 31st August
- Shortlist: W/C 14th September
- Panel Interviews: W/C 21st September
It is expected that interviews will be conducted in-person in London, however this will be confirmed during the shortlisting process and successful candidates will be informed accordingly.
Reasonable Adjustment
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