East London borough is advertising a vacant post for a specialist to help improve infrastructure, as well as conceiving and delivering transformed digital services for hundreds of thousands of people

The London Borough of Newham is offering a six-figure salary in its bid to recruit a new tech leader.

The role as director of digital, data and technology comes with a remit to “set the vision and lead the delivery of resilient, scalable platforms and services that enable seamless resident experiences” for citizens throughout the borough.

The successful applicant will “own our digital strategy and roadmap; strengthen cyber security, disaster recovery and business continuity; and accelerate automation, data and AI adoption where it adds real value”, according to the job advert.

The postholder will sit at the head of “a high-performing multidisciplinary team”, with responsibility for perpetuating “user-centred design and agile delivery” across the organisation. Newham’s digital, data and tech operation is also expected to “make sure we’re getting full value from strategic partners and suppliers, including contract and vendor management in a multi-vendor environment,” the advert adds. 

The authority is hoping to attract applications from candidates with “strong market awareness and networks”, as well as “the technical astuteness to judge the art of the possible, from modern platforms and integration to data governance, analytics and robotics”.

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“You’ll be an experienced digital leader with a track record of enterprise-scale transformation in complex organisations,” the advert says. “You’ll combine expertise in cybersecurity, resilience and disaster recovery with the ability to translate technical concepts into clear strategy for senior stakeholders.”

Home to about 375,000 people, Newham is one of the most populous of the capital’s 32 boroughs, as well as having a citizenry that is one of the youngest and most diverse of any local-council area in the UK. Bordered by the Thames river to the south, the borough’s notable places include London City Airport, the University of East London, and the London Olympic stadium – which now serves as the home ground of Premier League football club West Ham United.

Applications for the council’s digital director post are open until 22 February, after which the authority will commence various sifting phases, concluding with final panel interviews sometime in March. The job offers a salary of between £117,963 and £136,101.

“Digital is the backbone of transformation, and central to how we deliver for residents,” the advert says. “We’re building reliable, secure foundations and embracing innovation to create services that are simpler, faster and more accessible. This is your opportunity to lead that journey.”

It adds: “If you’re ready to shape the digital future of one of London’s most dynamic boroughs, we’d love to hear from you.”