Head of Technical Programmes
Job summary
Delivery Management
Provision central capabilities that support the efficient and effective delivery of the Technology environment. Drive performance, accountability, and transparency in business operations. Efficiently and effectively deliver and support business operations. Deliver technical projects within a live service environment. The post holder will provide strategic and operational leadership across complex, large-scale technical programmes, ensuring the successful delivery, operation and continual improvement of critical digital technology services that support NHS England and the wider health and care system
The role requires deep technical expertise, strong programme and service management capability. The post holder will work closely with internal teams, senior stakeholders, and external suppliers to deliver technology programmes aligned to organisational strategy, manage risk and assurance, and ensure high-quality, reliable digital services that enable improved outcomes for NHS England
Main duties of the job
Provide leadership and strategic direction for the delivery of complex technical programmes and technology services, ensuring alignment with NHS England's technology strategy and wider organisational objectives including the 10 year health plan.
Develop, implement and assure the directorates technical strategy, providing clarity and direction in a complex and constantly evolving digital environment.
Lead and manage large-scale programme structures across multiple locations, including mixed environments of insourced and outsourced teams and suppliers, ensuring effective governance and risk management.
Provide expert technical and operational assurance into system design, infrastructure architecture and service introduction, ensuring solutions meet customer needs, budget constraints and agreed standards.
About us
NHS England has a wide range of statutory functions, responsibilities and regulatory powers. These are focused on supporting the wider NHS to deliver high quality care, as well as doing those things that are best done once for the whole NHS.
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.
In March 2025, the Government announced that NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care will increasingly merge functions, ultimately leading to NHS England being fully integrated into the department.
If you currently work within the NHS and 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 our offices.
Staff recruited from outside the NHS will usually be appointed at the bottom of the pay band.
We cannot offer visa sponsorship for any vacancies.
Job description
Job responsibilities
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
- Extensive senior level knowledge and experience of working within a technical environment, with a strong understanding of technology services, infrastructure, service support and maintenance.
- Significant experience of leading and delivering large scale, complex technical or digital programmes, including responsibility for risk, quality, assurance, and benefits realisation.
- Experience of managing outsourced and insourced service models, including supplier management and performance oversight.
Skills
- Strong programme and delivery management skills, including planning, dependency management, risk and issue management.
- Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to communicate complex technical information clearly to a wide range of audiences.
- Strong analytical and problem solving skills, with the ability to make balanced and effective decisions in complex, high risk, or ambiguous situations.
Qualifications
- Education to Master's level or equivalent level of professional experience.
- Evidence of ongoing professional development relevant to technology, digital delivery, or programme management.
Interpersonal Skills
- Strong influencing and negotiation skills, with evidence of achieving outcomes through collaboration, persuasion and constructive challenge rather than authority alone.
Equality, diversity and inclusion
- A clear understanding of, and commitment to, equality, diversity and inclusion, in line with NHS values, policies and statutory responsibilities.
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
Wellington Place, Leeds LS1 4AP or Wellington House, London SE1 8UG
Leeds or London
LS1 4AP
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.england.nhs.uk/about/working-for/