Head of Digital Services
HEAD OF DIGITAL SERVICES
WALTHAMSTOW, LONDON
Salary Competitive
Imagine digital services so good that all our customers want to use them. Imagine capturing the incredible opportunities presented by emerging digital technologies to provide outstanding customer experience. Imagine leveraging innovation to automate and enable personalised services, mobilise our workforce and achieve lasting channel shift. At Waltham Forest, we don’t want you to imagine this future. We want you to make it happen now.
Waltham Forest is east London’s cultural hotspot and the first London Borough of Culture in 2019. It is one of the greenest and fastest growing areas in the capital. With fantastic connectivity, huge investment potential and limitless ambition Waltham Forest is fast becoming a watchword for economic growth and regeneration. To deliver our ambition we need to build a council for the future and become a truly modern and digital borough.
As Head of Digital Services you will lead the digitisation of Council services, managing our CRM and website teams and accelerating our journey to being a digital Borough. In particular you will build on our many successes, with already over 80% of transactions generated online. You will drive innovation including moving on our chat bots to reimagine resident engagement in the digital age. You will inspire colleagues and partners with the opportunities presented by digital and secure delivery of our digital roadmap.. You will drive a new and improved user interface and bring a real focus on the benefits social media can bring to our services. You will champion Agile and Lean approaches. . You will achieve all of this as part of a dynamic Digital & ICT department and working as a key part of Technology Innovation team in order to become one of the highest performing services in the sector.
To be the best, we need to recruit and develop the best. Waltham Forest managers are practical and pragmatic and get things done. They are outstanding leaders and communicators able to make change happen at pace. The post holder will be expected to run a professional service which works closely with all stakeholders to deliver quality solutions on time and on budget. They will be responsible for the day to day operation of our digital platforms, reporting key performance indicators and making recommendations for improvements. Additionally, for this post we are looking for a digital evangelist able to evidence a track record of transforming customer experience through digitisation of services. We would expect you to bring a strong technical base of experience to underpin your enthusiasm for all things digital.
At a high level, the role is responsible for:
- The design, implementation and operation of the Council’s digital products
- The digital services team and building an effective model for delivering digital services in Waltham Forest.
- Implementing effective digital demand and delivery model.
- Develop and engage the organisation in a compelling digital vision that helps the organisation to meet its objective to become the UKs leading digital authority.
- Run a well oiled digital team to ensure ontime and on budget delivery. Develop and mentor the team to ensure we have the skills and processes required to deliver the digital plan.
- Work across the organisation (in particular with the other Head of Services) to deliver digital vision.
- Inspire and communicate within the business the progress being made, the exciting initiatives and stories and the positive impact to the business goals to build enthusiasm, belief, and momentum in the digital space.
- Lead the development and continuous refreshment of a pipeline of digital activity which focuses on true customer need and providing solutions.
- Take responsibility for all digital consumer touchpoints. Influence the way they operate centrally
- Identify the most relevant Key Performance Indicators to measure within the digital space that contributes clearly to LBWF wider objectives and goals.
- Establish an on-going process for measurement and improvement (liaising with the other Heads of Department and the Communications Director). This is not just about becoming more ‘digital’. It is embracing and upskilling in this space to directly help LBWF be the leading digital authority.
- Provide a holistic and social experience with a wide range of capabilities across digital
- Lead the development and continuous refreshment of a pipeline of digital activity which focuses on true customer needs.
- Deliver successful agile project management and implementation of digital projects
The type of person we are looking for:
- Resilient, self-motivated and determined. Track record of delivery and operations
- Experienced in the delivery of improvement in digital services
- Able to demonstrate a track record of achieving significant success especially leading an Agile delivery team
- Line management experience
- An excellent communicator and leader who is also a team player
- A good problem solver who also has negotiation and an ability to persuade
- Practical, pragmatic and flexible personality. Team player
- Creative and looking for innovation
- Public Sector and Commercial Sector experience would be ideal
- Ambitious for themselves and the service they deliver
- Digital evangelist
The role may be suited looking to take the next step in their career
Equal Opportunities
Waltham Forest is a diverse borough where diversity is valued and is integral to both, service delivery and employment of its staff. The Council is proud of its rich mix of communities and as the largest employer in the area, it works hard to respond to the changing needs of its population. We use our statutory duties on race, gender and disability equality and best practice in respect of age, faith and sexual orientation to ensure equality of opportunity in the workplace. The Council is committed to meeting its 4 equality objectives: - Promoting equality of opportunity - Opposing all forms of discrimination, intolerance and disadvantage - Ensuring our workforce reflects the diverse communities of Waltham Forest at all levels. - Providing fair, appropriate, accessible and excellent Services to all. Respecting Diversity is a core Council value. To support the above and reduce the risk of bias in its recruitment activities, the council is operating an anonymous shortlisting process, which hides personal information that can identify individuals until their application has been considered for shortlisting. The council also operates a scheme whereby, for jobs graded up to and including scale SO2, internal candidates are considered first. This includes those candidates who self-identify as having a disability for the purposes of the Disability Confident scheme. For more information, please refer to our recruitment and selection policy
How to apply
Application Information The councils preference is for on-line application forms. However if you have a disability and are unable to complete an on-line application, please ring 0208 496 4227 who will be able to arrange an alternative. For more information on how to complete your application form, follow this link: