Senior Automation Developer

Employer South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Maudsley Hospital Town London Salary £61,927 - £68,676 per annum inclusive of HCAS Salary period Yearly Closing 15/04/2025 23:59

Senior Automation Developer

NHS AfC: Band 8a

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust has a rich history, well-established community links and an international reputation. We deliver specialist services in the London boroughs of Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark, Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Wandsworth and Richmond.

We are committed to providing high quality and specialist care to our service users and we are recognised for the care and treatment we provide. The Care Quality Commission rates our services as ‘good’.

We launched our five-year strategy, Aiming High; Changing Lives in 2021 together with Our Care Improvement System as our quality management system methodology to make a positive impact on patient care, outcomes and staff experience. By joining SLaM, all staff will have the opportunity to be part of this exciting improvement journey supported with learning and development to harness everyone’s potential as change makers.

The trust recognises the unique and valuable contribution that people with lived experience of mental illness can bring to a role. We therefore welcome applications from people with lived experience and consider them as an asset to the Trust.

Our Values

We take pride in providing specialist care to our service users where our Trust values and our promise to be caring, kind, polite, prompt, honest, listen and do what I say I’m going to do is at the heart of everything we do. When you join us, you’ll be part of something special.

As a Trust, we are happy to talk flexible working.

Job overview

This post will be responsible for leading RPA automation, design, creation and implementation of automation solutions and integration of these into, and between, existing systems. Providing cost-effective, risk-controlled, robust, reliable, responsive and secure automation solutions, this role will support clinical and corporate transformation needs to assist the organisation in delivering its strategy.

Career progression pathways and development opportunities are available. We support staff in their career aspirations with pathways to develop skills and experience for progression into other roles across different specialties. Ongoing training and development are offered in conjunction with BCS membership.

Please note that this advert will close once 50 applications have been received.

Main duties of the job

The post-holder will be an expert within their domain and have an in-depth knowledge of digital productivity tools including:

• Automation tools primarily Blue Prism
• Understanding and practical application of SQL to build and manipulate data tables.
• Coding knowledge of Python or Visual Basic.
• Designing, using and integrating application programming interfaces (APIs).
• Integration engines using HL7 or FHIR with Intersystems and/or open source Mirth or Rhapsody.
• Use of cloud-based platforms primarily MS Azure
• Deep understanding of NHS smartcards, their virtual applications and use.

The Senior Automation Developer falls within the Digital Service umbrella, which follows the ITIL standard of Service Management. This is critical for empowering technology and process to ensure the customers have the best possible end result. You will be working in the Solutions Architecture section having a real drive to innovate to improve, maintain and document new services.

As one of the few Trusts in London, we are proud to offer flexible working as part of our new ways of working, and we are happy to talk flexible working at the interview stage. In this role, you will be able to work Monday to Friday in the time frames from 8am to 6pm, giving you the very best of good work-life balance.

Working for our organisation

Our Trust headquarters is located at Denmark Hill less than 5 minutes from the train station (zone 2) and is within walking distance from the beautiful green spaces of Ruskin Park and the vibrant high street that offers great shopping opportunities and a wide range of restaurants.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Automation and Innovation Development Lifecycle:

• Support development teams in the planning, execution and testing of digital productivity projects.
• Lead on the implementation of new technology solutions, managing project deliverables in accordance with corporate project management standards.
• Collaborate with project stakeholders across all levels of the organisation. This will involve discussing workflow processes and aspects of solution design with members of service management.
• Communicate technology issues in a non-technical way so the target audience fully understands any communication is essential.
• Keep others abreast of team plans and all aspects of the digital productivity development lifecycle.
• Plan additions, deletions and minor modifications to process flows and interface engines upon trust-wide infrastructure and implement and manage the change control process to ensure services are not adversely impacted because of change.
• Implement automation and integration solutions in compliance with trust security policies.
• Ensure critical digital productivity applications offer high availability, all business data is secure, backed up, archived as appropriate, and that all critical systems comply with trust-wide business continuity plans.
• Ensure maximum availability of related software applications throughout the organisation.
• Lead and participate in the relevant governance forums to ensure that changes and new processes are only deployed into the live environment once all required checks and pre-requisites are in place according to the change management policy and process.
• Maintain and demonstrate an up-to-date knowledge of industry developments and best practice standards.
• Create and deliver digital productivity tools using a hybrid technology ecosystem including RPA, application development, integration and APIs.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Relevant degree or equivalent qualification or significant experience of working at degree level
• Management/leadership qualification or equivalent knowledge at postgraduate level
• Evidence of continued professional development
• Minimum 2 years’ experience working as an automation developer
• Additional automation training or certification
• Blue Prism Cloud/or alternative practitioner status

Knowledge and skills

• Significant experience of working with automation technology to deliver complex automations
• Extensive knowledge of Blue Prism RPA, iOCR, Blue Prism Cloud Cognitive Tools (language translation, sentiment analysis, keyword classification, interact e-forms, chatbot and orchestrator).
• Practical experience of managing the automation lifecycle complying with best practice standards
• Experience of engaging with customers on a consultative basis
• Experience of developing solutions using Microsoft Power Apps and Microsoft Flow (Automate).
• Experience of facilitating change in practice to improve services
• Good analytical and problem-solving skills – ability to analyse complex data/information and make judgements/draw conclusions
• Ability to work independently, using own initiative and as part of a team
• Strong communication skills both written and verbal – able to communicate complex and sensitive information and use persuasion, influencing and negotiation
• Ability to organise and prioritise own workload and that of others and adjust plans as required both in the short and long term
• Able to work flexibly to meet the demands of the role
• Risk management and governance
• Use of IT systems (e.g. Word, Excel, Outlook) – standard keyboard skills
• Demonstrable ability to meet the Trust’s values
• Experience of delivering automations using key NHS applications including ESR, ERS, PAS, EPR, Trac, NHS jobs etc.
• Project management/co-ordination
• Good understanding of change management and the ability to embrace and drive change
• Working knowledge of all areas of a hospital in both corporate and clinical areas.
• Understanding of the NHS and current agenda.

The Trust is committed to providing services which embrace diversity and promote equality of opportunity. We are a Disability Confident Employer, we welcome applicants from all sections of the community and people of all protected characteristics. We provide reasonable adjustments for candidates with a disability and are committed to treating people fairly with compassion, respect and dignity and in promoting equality and human rights. We aim to put this commitment into practice by:

• Embedding our commitment to tackling inequality, eliminating discrimination and harassment; promoting equality of opportunity and fostering good relations in our everyday practice
• Ensuring that all our services and all staff understand and support our commitment
• We believe that people who use our services, their carers and our staff, should be treated with compassion, respect and dignity

Please note:

• All applications for this post will need to be made online
• Read and understand the Job Description and Personal Specification attached to the role. Your Statement in Support should reflect the requirements specified as your application will be judged against these criteria
• The closing date listed is a guide only and that the vacancy may close earlier should a sufficient number of applicants have been received. We advise that you submit your application as early as possible
• Once you have submitted your application, you agree to your application being transferred to a 3rd party e-recruitment system. All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs
• If you have not heard from us within three weeks from the closing date, your application has not been successful
• Priority consideration for applications may be given to at-risk NHS employees
• If you are successful and appointed, you authorise South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust to confirm your previous NHS service via an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) process
• We are a smoke-free Trust

SLaM is a Stonewall Diversity Champion, Stonewall is the largest Lesbian, Gay, Bi and Trans (LGBT) rights charity in Europe.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Name Milos Kresojevic Job title Senior Innovations and Solutions Architect Email address milos.kresojevic@slam.nhs.uk Additional information

Please note that the advert will close once we receive the first 50 applications.