Interim Director of IT

🏥 Interim Director of IT / Digital AdvisorLeading Healthcare Organisation | South East📍 Location: South East England (FTE role, on-site 3-4 days per week) ⏳ Start: Immediate 💼 Contract: Interim or FTC/Permanent 💷 Day Rate: £500–£700 (Outside IR35) 💷 FTC Salary Range: £100k–£120k 👤 Client: Confidential | Major Healthcare ProviderPurpose of the RoleThis is a critical digital leadership role supporting a major transformation programme across a complex healthcare organisation. The successful candidate will bring structure, operational grip and credible leadership to strengthen digital services, stabilise systems, uplift capability and drive delivery across IT, architecture and operational teams.This role suits an experienced leader who thrives in hands-on, complex environments, able to blend strategy with grounded, practical execution. You will be responsible for ensuring digital services are resilient, safe and aligned to clinical, operational and organisational priorities.Key ResponsibilitiesProvide senior leadership across all IT and digital functions ensuring systems, infrastructure, applications and services run safely and efficiently.Lead the development of the technical architecture roadmap, ensuring alignment with the future Target Operating Model.Oversee and assure all major digital delivery programmes including hardware refresh, software upgrades, integration projects and service improvement initiatives.Act as the bridge between technology, clinical services and operations translating requirements into practical solutions with clear business outcomes.Strengthen governance, assurance and reporting frameworks across all digital workstreams.Drive improvements in cyber security readiness, data quality, information governance and system resilience.Manage relationships with vendors, suppliers and external partners ensuring value for money and delivery to contracted standards.Lead capacity planning, workforce development and capability uplift across IT & Digital teams.Oversee incident response, root-cause analysis and service recovery plans where required.Support digital enablement for clinical and operational transformation programmes, ensuring technology underpins safe and effective care.Provide expert input to executive leadership, working closely with COO, CFO, CNIO, CCIO and operational leads.Champion user experience, digital accessibility and consistent standards across the estate.Identify risks, issues and blockers early and implement mitigation plans that deliver stability and continuity.Experience & Requirements✅ Senior leadership experience as a Director of IT, CIO, Deputy CIO or equivalent within NHS or wider healthcare ✅ Strong understanding of NHS digital systems, governance, operational pressures and regulatory context ✅ Demonstrable experience stabilising complex IT environments and driving tangible improvement ✅ Hands-on operator who can oversee delivery as well as set direction ✅ Experience leading infrastructure, service management, architecture, cyber and application teams ✅ Strong capability in programme assurance, integration and vendor management ✅ Able to develop clear roadmaps and prioritisation frameworks in resource-constrained environments ✅ Confident communicator, able to influence executives, clinicians, digital teams and external partners ✅ Experience working in environments undergoing significant operational or digital transformation ✅ Comfortable making decisions quickly, embedding structure and creating clarity in challenging contextsPerson ProfileYou will be a credible, grounded leader who brings calm, clarity and direction in busy operational environments. You combine technical depth with practical judgement and are comfortable rolling your sleeves up to solve problems alongside teams.You thrive where there is complexity, ambiguity or pressure and you know how to stabilise environments, embed governance and drive consistent delivery. You’re approachable, pragmatic and respected by both technical specialists and clinical leaders alike.If you're an experienced interim or seasoned digital leader ready for your next healthcare challenge, we’d love to hear from you 📩