Independent Federation for Safeguarding
Director of Digital and Technology
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Director of Digital & Technology
Reports to: Chief Executive Officer
Location: Remote
Contract: Volunteer, 7 hours per week
About the Independent Federation for Safeguarding
The Independent Federation for Safeguarding (IfS) is the professional membership body for safeguarding practitioners and leaders across the United Kingdom.
Our purpose is to raise professional standards, promote excellence in safeguarding practice, support lifelong professional development, and champion innovation that helps organisations create safer environments for children, young people and adults at risk.
Through professional accreditation, learning, research, knowledge sharing and digital innovation, we equip safeguarding professionals with the tools, evidence and networks they need to protect the people they serve.
Technology is central to our future. We are building a modern digital membership organisation that delivers exceptional member experiences, trusted professional accreditation, accessible learning, and intelligent digital services that strengthen safeguarding practice across every sector.
Purpose of the Role
The Director of Digital & Technology is a member of the IfS Executive Leadership Team and provides strategic leadership for our digital, data and technology agenda.
The postholder will lead the development of a digitally enabled professional body that delivers seamless member services, world-class professional learning, secure accreditation platforms and innovative digital tools that support safeguarding professionals throughout their careers.
Working across the organisation, the Director of Digital & Technology will oversee digital strategy, enterprise technology, cyber security, data governance, artificial intelligence, digital product development and technology-enabled transformation.
The Director of Digital & Technology will ensure technology is introduced, maintained and utilised efficiently to create value for members, strengthen safeguarding standards and shape the future of safeguarding practice.
Key Responsibilities
Executive Leadership
- Contribute to the strategic leadership of IfS as a member of the Executive Leadership Team.
- Develop and deliver the Digital & Technology Strategy aligned with the organisational strategy.
- Advise the Chief Executive and Board on emerging technologies, digital innovation and technology-related risks.
- Champion a digital-first culture that enhances member engagement and organisational effectiveness.
- Represent IfS externally on digital transformation and innovation within the safeguarding profession.
Member Experience & Digital Services
- Lead the design and delivery of an outstanding digital experience for members throughout their professional journey.
- Including responsibility for:
- Digital membership services
- Self-service member portals
- Member CRM and engagement platforms
- Online communities of practice
- Professional networking tools
- Events and conference technologies
- Mobile-first digital services
- Personalised member experiences
- Digital communications platforms
- Ensure members can easily join, renew, access benefits, manage CPD, collaborate with peers and engage with IfS through intuitive digital services.
Professional Accreditation & Registration
- Lead the technology strategy supporting professional standards and accreditation.
- This includes:
- Digital professional registration
- Membership grade management
- Accreditation and certification workflows
- Competency assessment platforms
- Digital credentialing and badges
- Verification of professional status
- CPD recording and validation
- Revalidation and renewal systems
- Employer verification services
- Develop secure and scalable platforms that simplify professional recognition while maintaining rigorous standards and public confidence.
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Digital Learning & Professional Development
- Provide strategic leadership for technology supporting education and professional learning.
- Including:
- Learning Management Systems (LMS)
- Virtual classrooms
- Webinar platforms
- Digital resource libraries
- Knowledge management systems
- E-learning content delivery
- Microlearning and mobile learning
- Personalised learning pathways
- Skills assessment platforms
- Learning analytics
- Work closely with the Director of Professional Standards and Learning to ensure technology enables engaging, accessible and evidence-based professional development.
AI & Innovation
- Lead the responsible adoption of Artificial Intelligence across IfS.
- Identify opportunities to use AI to:
- Improve member services
- Support safeguarding decision-making
- Enhance professional learning
- Automate administrative processes
- Improve knowledge discovery
- Personalise learning recommendations
- Assist practitioners in accessing guidance and best practice
- Strengthen organisational insight through intelligent analytics
- Develop governance frameworks that ensure AI is deployed ethically, transparently and safely, recognising the sensitivity of safeguarding information and the importance of professional judgement.
- Promote innovation while ensuring compliance with legal, ethical and safeguarding principles.
Data & Insight
- Develop a data strategy that enables informed decision-making and continuous improvement.
- Lead the development of:
- Member insight and analytics
- Workforce intelligence
- Learning analytics
- Accreditation data
- Performance dashboards
- Predictive reporting
- Data governance
- Data quality frameworks
- Use data to improve member engagement, inform strategic planning and support evidence-based safeguarding practice.
Technology & Infrastructure
- Provide strategic oversight of all enterprise technology, ensuring platforms are resilient, secure and scalable.
- Responsibilities include:
- Cloud infrastructure
- Enterprise applications
- CRM
- Website and digital platforms
- Cyber security
- Identity and access management
- Microsoft 365 environment
- Integration architecture
- Vendor management
- Disaster recovery
- Business continuity
- Ensure technology infrastructure supports organisational growth and future innovation.
Information Security & Governance
- Lead organisational cyber resilience and information governance.
- Ensure compliance with:
- UK GDPR
- Data Protection Act 2018
- Cyber Essentials Plus (or equivalent)
- Charity governance requirements
- Information security standards
- Digital accessibility legislation
- Develop a culture where digital trust, privacy and security underpin every member interaction.
Leadership
- Lead and develop a high-performing Digital & Technology Directorate.
- Create an inclusive culture that encourages:
- Innovation
- Continuous improvement
- Cross-functional collaboration
- User-centred design
- Agile delivery
- Professional development
- Digital capability across the organisation
- Build strong relationships across every IfS Directorate to ensure technology enables organisational success.
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Person Specification
Essential Experience
- Significant executive or senior leadership experience leading digital and technology functions.
- Experience delivering digital transformation within a membership organisation, professional body, regulator, higher education institution, charity or similarly complex organisation.
- Experience developing digital platforms that improve customer or member experience.
- Experience implementing CRM, membership management or professional registration systems.
- Experience delivering digital learning technologies.
- Experience leading enterprise technology and cyber security.
- Experience governing organisational data.
- Experience managing significant digital investment programmes.
- Experience presenting to Boards and senior governance bodies.
Essential Knowledge
- Membership organisation operating models.
- Digital product development.
- CRM and member engagement platforms.
- Learning Management Systems.
- Professional accreditation technologies.
- AI governance and responsible AI adoption.
- Cyber security.
- Cloud technologies.
- Information governance.
- Digital accessibility.
- User-centred service design.
- Agile delivery methodologies.
Essential Skills
- Strategic leadership.
- Digital vision and innovation.
- Executive communication.
- Commercial awareness.
- Technology procurement.
- Stakeholder engagement.
- Change leadership.
- Programme delivery.
- Data-driven decision making.
- Ability to translate technical concepts into strategic business outcomes.
Personal Qualities
- The successful candidate will demonstrate:
- A commitment to the IfS mission
- Passion for improving professional practice through technology.
- Curiosity about emerging technologies and their responsible application.
- Integrity, sound judgement and ethical leadership.
- Collaborative leadership style.
- Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
- A member-first mindset.
- Resilience, adaptability and continuous learning.
Success Measures
The Director will be expected to deliver measurable improvements in:
- Member satisfaction and digital engagement.
- Growth in digital membership services.
- Adoption of online accreditation and professional registration.
- Participation in digital learning and CPD.
- Successful delivery of digital transformation programmes.
- Cyber security maturity.
- AI-enabled service innovation delivered within ethical and governance frameworks.
- Platform reliability, accessibility and performance.
- Staff digital capability.
- Member retention and overall digital experience.
Why Join the Independent Federation for Safeguarding?
This is an opportunity to shape the digital future of safeguarding as the executive responsible for building one of the UK's leading digitally enabled professional membership organisations. You will lead the development of innovative technologies that support safeguarding professionals throughout their careers. Your work will directly contribute to stronger professional standards, safer organisations and better outcomes for the people safeguarding professionals protect.
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