CDIO will be responsible for promoting interoperability and use of data

Credit: Steve Richardson from Pixabay

The Royal Air Force is offering an annual salary of £125,000 in its bid to recruit a chief digital and information officer.

The postholder will have a remit to implement a new strategy which will set a “clear digital direction” for the organisation, including the acceleration of “multidomain interoperability” for technology systems. Another key objective will be to improve the understanding and use of data, so as to enable the RAG “to place it at the heart of the service’s decision-making processes”.

The role also offers an opportunity to be a “cornerstone of [the] drive towards the next generation Royal Air Force”, including increased use of “space, cyber, uncrewed combat aircraft, surveillance, global airlift, base protection and synthetics”.

The job advert said: “This is a multi-billion-pound programme that needs strong leadership, deep technical acumen, an ability to assimilate new information and derive choices quickly, think deeply at pace and communicate effectively. Our adversaries are not keen to wait for us to get ready and therefore we need to move fast and effectively; the CDIO will be a key appointment that will help us achieve this.”

Related content

• RAF and Navy to adopt £9.5m low-code recruitment platform
• Armed Forces and NHS Digital explore electronic transfer of GP records
• Army restructure introduces cyber and electronic warfare division

The air force is seeking applicants with high levels of technical expertise and senior leadership experience, including “delivering complex digital transformation programmes”.

The role will be based at the RAF station near High Wycombe, although national and international travel will be required.  Applications are open until 11.55pm on 24 October and candidates must complete an online process, including the submission of a CV and a suitability statement.

“This is a crucial role for a critical capability in the Royal Air Force as we accelerate, adopt and modernise our approach to digital systems, data and information more widely,” the job advert added. “As the CDIO, you will lead the RAF’s work to deliver the objectives set in the Digital Strategy, providing strategic guidance to the RAF’s senior leadership Team, and setting clear digital direction for the RAF’s activities. The CDIO will be the RAF’s focal point for communicating with external stakeholders on Digital matters and leading RAF’s engagement with industrial and academic partners to build the capacity for innovative thought.”