Senior Digital Director/Programme Director

Senior Digital Director / Programme Director - Enterprise DDaT Transformation

Location: London or Manchester (preferred)
Rate: £1,100 - £1,300 per day (Inside IR35)
Contract Length: 12 Months
Security Clearance: Active SC Clearance required. Exceptional candidates may be considered for an initial BPSS start, subject to clearance progression.

The Opportunity

We are seeking an exceptional Senior Digital Director / Programme Director - Enterprise DDaT Transformation to lead one of the most significant digital transformation programmes within central government.

This high-profile role will be accountable for designing, establishing, and delivering the enterprise-wide Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) transformation programme that brings together legacy organisations, operating models, technologies, and teams into a single, cohesive enterprise function.

The Role

As Programme Director - Enterprise DDaT Transformation, you will take overall responsibility for designing and executing the programme structure that transitions legacy departments and shared service organisations into a new enterprise DDaT operating model.

You will lead the integration of diverse teams, systems, governance frameworks, and cultures through a range of multidisciplinary workstreams. Working closely with executive leadership, you will define future-state operating models, enterprise architecture principles, governance arrangements, delivery capabilities, and strategic partnership frameworks.

This role sits at the intersection of strategy, transformation leadership, governance, and delivery, requiring an individual who can drive clarity and momentum within a rapidly evolving environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Establish and lead the overarching transformation programme structure.
• Define programme objectives, workstreams, governance models, and delivery frameworks.
• Provide executive leadership across multiple complex transformation initiatives.
• Ensure delivery milestones, outcomes, and benefits are achieved within agreed timelines.

• Lead the design and implementation of a future-state Enterprise DDaT operating model.
• Define organisational structures, service delivery models, capability frameworks, and technology strategies.
• Align transformation activity with wider departmental objectives and government priorities.

• Drive the consolidation of legacy teams, technology functions, processes, and service capabilities.
• Establish scalable enterprise-wide governance and operational frameworks.
• Oversee organisational and technology integration activities across multiple stakeholders.

• Build strong relationships with senior leaders, executive boards, government stakeholders, and external partners.
• Navigate complex political and organisational landscapes.
• Drive consensus and alignment across competing priorities and multiple delivery organisations.

• Establish robust programme governance, reporting, and assurance processes.
• Manage significant transformation risks, dependencies, and issues.
• Present programme progress, recommendations, and strategic decisions to executive boards and senior governance forums.

• Lead cultural transformation and organisational change initiatives.
• Create alignment across diverse teams and functions.
• Foster a high-performance culture focused on collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Required Experience

• Extensive experience operating within the Civil Service at senior leadership level.
• Previous experience serving as a Senior Civil Servant (SCS) or equivalent executive-level role.

• Proven success establishing and delivering large-scale transformation, integration, or change programmes.
• Experience leading programmes within central government, major public sector organisations, or large enterprise environments.

• Deep understanding of Enterprise DDaT operating models, digital transformation strategies, capability planning, and service delivery frameworks.
• Experience designing and embedding enterprise technology and digital operating models.

• Exceptional executive stakeholder management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to influence across government departments, shared services organisations, delivery partners, and executive boards.
• Strong negotiation and consensus-building capabilities.

• Extensive experience operating within complex governance structures.
• Track record managing significant transformation risks, dependencies, and assurance processes.
• Experience reporting at board and executive committee level.

• Ability to create structure, direction, and delivery momentum within highly complex and evolving environments.
• Experience delivering change following mergers, organisational restructures, or Machinery of Government transformations.

Essential Skills

• Executive Programme Leadership
• Enterprise DDaT Transformation
• Target Operating Model (TOM) Design
• Organisational Integration
• Transformation Governance
• Digital Strategy
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Change Management
• Enterprise Architecture Alignment
• Risk & Assurance Management
• Multi-vendor Environment Management
• Public Sector Transformation

Desirable Experience

• Experience leading major government transformation or integration programmes.
• Knowledge of Government Digital Service (GDS) standards and practices.
• Experience navigating Machinery of Government (MoG) changes.
• Exposure to shared services and integrated corporate service operating models.