Head of Service Management
Job summary
Digital Operations and Service Management (DOSM) sits within the Transformation Directorate of the new NHS England, which has brought together Health Education England, NHS Digital, NHS England and NHS Improvement into one single organisation.
The Transformation Directorate's vision is to deliver the best care, and outcomes, for the NHS and people that it serves, by improving population health and patient pathways, rapidly adopting effective technologies, building on insights from data and cutting-edge research, and by transforming the way that care is delivered.
Digital Operations and Service Management operates and manages business critical infrastructure, and digital and data services, that underpin the health and social care system. We ensure the highest levels of reliability and availability of national digital and technology services, so that they can be relied upon by the NHS and social care system. Our aim is to prevent system disruption but, if it does occur, to restore service as quickly as possible. We coordinate complex operational activities across environments, teams and organisations in order to achieve this.
Our strategic aims are:
NHS wide IT Operations capability
Tight alignment with product teams
Proportionate governance, performance management and compliance
Centre of Expertise for IT Operations in NHS
IT Service ownership
NHS Enterprise tooling
Main duties of the job
As a Head of Service Management, you will lead a Service Management and IT Operations team which could consist of up to 100 professionals who manage an extensive portfolio of multiple services delivered by, or through, NHS England Transformation Directorate, working within a highly motivated, supportive, and inclusive senior leadership team. To ensure ongoing alignment of our mutual needs across health and care organisations, delivery partners and stakeholders in other directorates, we will look to you to develop positive relationships to ensure collaborative delivery.
About us
Our staff bring expertise across clinical, operational, commissioning, technology, data science, cyber security, software engineering, education, and commercial specialisms -- enabling us to design and deliver high-quality NHS services.
We lead the NHS in England by:
- Enabling local systems and providers to improve the health of their people and patients and reduce health inequalities
- Making the NHS a great place to work, where people can develop and make a difference
- Working collaboratively to ensure our healthcare workforce has the right knowledge, skills, values and behaviours to deliver accessible, compassionate care
- Optimising the use of digital technology, research, and innovation
- Delivering value for money
In 2025, the Government announced that NHS England will gradually merge with the Department of Health and Social Care, to create a smaller, more strategic centre that reduces duplication and waste.
If successful at interview, we will initiate an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) via the Electronic Staff Record (ESR). This retrieves key data from your current or previous NHS employer to support onboarding, including competency status, Continuous Service Dates (CSD), and annual leave entitlement. You may opt out at any stage of the process.
Colleagues with a contractual office base are expected to spend, on average, at least 40% of their time working in-person.
Staff recruited from outside the NHS will usually be appointed at the bottom of the pay band.
Job description
Job responsibilities
This role requires someone with extensive experience of managing technology, digital and data services and service management teams. You will have the experience and ability to tailor and adapt practices to the needs of different services and customers where appropriate, and an overall desire to standardise delivery and our management approach.
You can find further details about the role, organisational structure, recruitment profile, expected outcomes and benefits information in the attached Job Description and other supporting documents.
Important: Please be aware there are residency requirements you need to meet:
All NHS England Technology/Infrastructure personnel must hold security clearance level as a minimum.
To meet National Security Vetting requirements, security clearance require 5 years continuous UK residency. In certain cases, this can be reduced to three years continuous UK residency, with additional overseas checks for the previous two years.
Candidates who were posted abroad for service with HM Government, Armed Forces or within a UK government role - will still be considered.
Please make sure you meet these requirements before applying for this role.
You dont need to have security clearance already, however, failure to achieve the requirements for security clearance after offer, will result in the job offer being withdrawn.
For further advice please checkhttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/united-kingdom-security-vetting-clearance-levels/national-security-vetting-clearance-levels#security-check-scor contactengland.securityvetting@nhs.net.
You can find further details about the role, including key responsibilities and accountabilities, alongside the organisational structure and person specification in the attached Job Description and other supporting documents.
Person Specification
Knowledge & Experience
- Proven experience, at a senior level of service management, leading change management projects and of partnership working across complex organisations and across disciplines
- The ability to think strategically and to provide strategic direction and leadership
Skills
- Significant experience of working within a large scale and complex service management structure, with a significant experience in a senior management position
- Strong interpersonal skills and ability to develop and maintain effective and credible relationships with business leaders and supplier management
- Ability to lead and motivate across diverse and multi-disciplinary teams
Qualifications
- Masters level degree or equivalent experience
- ITIL Expert
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Employer details
Employer name
NHS England
Address
Leeds or Exeter
Leeds or Exeter
LS1 4AP
Employer's website
https://www.england.nhs.uk/about/working-for/