Associate Director of Digital Health

Fixed term contract/ secondment opportunity until 26th March 2026

The Norfolk and Norwich University NHS Foundation Trust is on a digital journey. Since 2018 we have been systematically developing our digital infrastructure, teams and strategic project portfolio to drive us and our system towards an enhanced digital future. We understand that everything we do in information management and technology is critical to underpinning our trust vision, to provide the best care for every patient.

Our digital strategy sets this out clearly and the next step is for us to move from paper to a core electronic patient record. This project is underway and is scheduled to go live in 2026. Our project will see us deliver a single instance of an electronic patient record across our acute hospital collaborative, meaning there will be one acute patient record for all the hospitals in Norfolk.

We know that to achieve success we need great leadership, and we have an opportunity for the right candidate to lead our digital team at the NNUH on this journey. Reporting directly to the executive CDIO, you will ensure that the information management and technology function is well-led and effective during a time of challenge and change.

If you are considering applying for this post on a secondment basis, please discuss with your Line Manager prior to applying to ascertain whether this could be supported.

Main duties of the job

• Assist in developing, refreshing and delivering a Digital Health Strategy focused on maximising the advantages to the Trust of national and local objectives. This role will be responsible up to Board Level to ensuring that all systems and ways of working using digital technology are effective.
• Contribute to the planning of all digital health projects and other Trust-wide projects where appropriate. Work with departments to ensure their business and digital health requirements are understood and are incorporated into future systems implementations.
• Keep up-to-date with new technology developments to identify opportunities for the Trust and ensure subcontractors offer these advances.
• To develop and implement an appropriate people strategy for digital, staffing structure, skills base and succession plan to underpin the delivery of the Trust's strategy.
• Develop and maintain relevant policies and procedures and monitor compliance and communicate these to Trust staff.
• Provide the Trust's digital health voice and act as ambassador for digital health, promoting the benefits of digital health within and outside the Trust.
• To ensure all information governance guidance is applied and adopted in line with national best practice in order that the Trust achieves the required standards as agreed by Monitor or other independent regulator.

About us

Join us at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and be part of a workforce of over 10,000 staff! The NNUH is one of the largest NHS trusts in the UK, providing first-class acute care for around one million people, living in Norfolk and surrounding areas. We are a teaching and research hospital, at the forefront of innovation, home to state-of-the-art facilities, such as the Quadram Institute. We are pleased to work closely with the University of East Anglia, providing teaching opportunities for our staff and placement opportunities for their students. We attract some of the best and leading professionals from across the country and are proud that our workforce represents 94 countries from across the world.

We are a friendly, collaborative hospital, working with local services and home to N& N Hospitals Charity.

We can offer you the full range of NHS benefits/discounts and in addition:

• Flexible working hours
• Fast Track Staff Physiotherapy Service
• Multi Faith prayer room
• Discounted gym memberships
• Excellent pension scheme and annual leave entitlement
• Wagestream - access up to 40% of your pay as you earn it
• Free Park & Ride service direct to NNUH site
• Free 24-hours confidential counselling support
• On-site Nursery
• On-site cafes offering staff discounts
• Support in career development
• Flexible staff bank
• Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars, Cycle to Work scheme and home electronics

Job description

Job responsibilities

• Assist in developing, refreshing and delivering a Digital Health Strategy focused on maximising the advantages to the Trust of national and local objectives. The strategy will concentrate on the major new systems areas but will also guide the transition from current central and departmental systems to a new, unified platform and strengthen and develop the robustness of the underlying infrastructure.
• Plan, lead and deliver the implementation of replacement of technology and digital systems, clinical, administrative, operational software and related systems. This role will be responsible up to Board Level to ensuring that all systems and ways of working using digital technology are effective, as any impact may severely impact on patient care and how staff manage patients.
• Manage subcontractors and other relevant suppliers ensuring services and supplies are made in accordance with the contracts in place and negotiating and developing new contracts.
• Contribute to the planning of all digital health projects and other Trust-wide projects where appropriate. This will include the Trust's Digital Strategy and the part that NNUH has in working with the other Acute providers in Norfolk and Waveney and all partners in the Integrated Care System.
• Work with departments to ensure their business and digital health requirements are understood and are incorporated into future systems implementations.
• Keep up-to-date with new technology developments to identify opportunities for the Trust and ensure subcontractors offer these advances.
• Communicate with wide strata of stakeholders about Digital Health and events that have a digital element. This can include sensitive workforce implications, healthcare provision, Major Incident Management or political sensitivities. Successful candidate will be able to distil what is often complex technical language and concepts into plain English to ensure the message is communicated effectively.
• Develop and maintain relevant policies and procedures and monitor compliance and communicate these to Trust staff.
• Provide the Trust's digital health voice and act as ambassador for digital health, promoting the benefits of digital health within and outside the Trust.
• To ensure all information governance guidance is applied and adopted in line with national best practice in order that the Trust achieves the required standards as agreed by Monitor or other independent regulator.

Please refer to the Job Description for the full specification of responsibilities and requirements for this post.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Extensive and wide-ranging Digital Health experience.
• PHD/Further specialist training or equivalent experience.
• A master's level degree or equivalent.

Desirable

• Experience in computing or IMT focused degree.

Experience

Essential

• Full responsibility of financial management of budgets.

Skills

Essential

• A thorough appreciation of all aspects of management including service delivery, change control, finance, planning and risk management

Attitude, aptitude

Essential

• Effective role model, demonstrating NNUH's PRIDE values of People focused, Respect, Integrity, Dedication and Excellence
• Demonstrates understanding and commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Employer details

Employer name

Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital

Address

Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital

Norwich

NR4 7UY

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

234-24-C2026