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A new chief digital and information officer is being sought to spearhead a transformation programme intended to “make the Royal Navy one of the world’s leading navies in terms of its digital, data and information capabilities”.

The Ministry of Defence has launched the recruitment process for a position that represents “the most senior ICT leadership role in Royal Navy”. The successful candidate will assume overall responsibility for "establishing and executing the Navy’s digital and information technology vision and strategy”, and ensuring that it aligns with wider organisational objectives.

The £90,000-a-year post – which will be based at Navy Command Headquarters in Portsmouth – comes with a remit to oversee the work of 350 digital and IT professionals, encompassing both civilians and military personnel. The CDIO will also manage a £134m annual budget for technology products and services.

Transformation projects led by the digital chief are intended “to ensure that the Royal Navy is at the forefront of adopting digital, data and information technological change solutions”. The chosen applicant will also spearhead efforts to “leverage the potential of the information age to drive the opportunities of data as a force multiplier”.

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Another area of the focus for the CDIO in the coming months will be “interoperability and international relationships with our key allies and the broader NATO Community”. The appointee will also be expected to lead the Navy’s response to cyberthreats, and “improve information security, assurance, management and cyber resilience across the naval service”.

“The Navy is a highly complex, global organisation,” the job advert said. “The digital transformation of the Navy is being delivered at pace – fundamentally challenging the way the Royal Navy is structured and how it operates. The CDIO role requires a high-quality individual who has a track record of delivery and is comfortable with operating at pace in a complex organisation where stakeholder management is critical to success.”

The online application process – which is open until 11.55pm on 11 October – asks candidates to submit a CV and suitability statement of up to 1,250 words.

Once appointed, the chosen applicant will be asked to provisionally agree to a “minimum assignment duration” of three years. This will not be written into their terms of employment, nor will it affect the ability to take statutory leave – but it is an “important expectation”, according to the MoD.