Digital Policy and Innovation Manager

Job description

Contract terms

Starting salary: HC1 (£70,854 – £81,621)
Work Location: Alexandra House, 10 Station Road, Wood Green, London, N22 7TR (Hybrid)
Hours per week: 36 hours, Full Time
Contract type: Permanent
Closing date: Sunday 1st December 2024, at 23:59

About Haringey

Haringey is a fantastic place to live and work – the world in one borough. A place brimming with creativity, personality, radicalism, and community. It is a place where we stand up for each other. A place that is proudly distinctive. We’ll be celebrating all this and more as the “rebel borough” when we are the 2027 London Borough of Culture.

Our history champions change-makers and everyday rebels; revelling in our differences, battling discrimination, championing equality, and doing things our own way. Haringey’s people are a huge asset, with knowledge, expertise, and passion. Our staff members embody our organisational values: Caring, Creative, Courageous, Collaborative and Community-focused. These values keep us looking forward, ambitious for the future, and continuously striving to do our very best for all of our residents.

About the role

Haringey Council is seeking a Digital Policy and Innovation Manager to join our Digital and Change team within the Culture, Strategy, and Engagement Directorate. This role is ideal for a dedicated and passionate individual who can lead digital innovation across the organisation.

As a Digital Policy and Innovation Manager, you will introduce and showcase new concepts that enhance service delivery. Your responsibilities will include building innovation capabilities within operations, the operational value chain, customer experience, and organisational culture. You will work closely with senior leaders to identify opportunities presented by technology in delivering services to residents. Additionally, you will develop relationships with service users to understand and shape demand while planning the long-term strategic direction.

In this role, you will review current and emerging digital trends, contributing to policy-making at the highest level. You will initiate and foster relationships with stakeholders involved in business change design and implementation, while leading engagement with business areas to design service strategies that maximise digital opportunities. Your work will involve exploring innovation through collaboration with external private and public sector organisations and trialling evolving digital technologies to enhance council services and digital networks.

A key aspect of your responsibilities will be conducting business impact assessments and leading change readiness reviews. You will coordinate effective Digital Service support for the council’s portfolio of change projects and programmes, identifying strategic opportunities to reduce costs and manage financial pressures for the Digital teams. Collaborating with the Enterprise Architect and other Digital Service Heads, you will manage budgets and targets to align with organisational goals.

Using data insights, you will inform the council’s future needs and develop comprehensive digital strategies. As part of your leadership role, you may deputise for the Enterprise Architect at senior organisational and external levels. You will also design, produce, and implement digital policies, guidelines, and standards, ensuring all digital services comply with regulations. This position is pivotal in driving Haringey’s digital transformation and maintaining its commitment to innovation and excellence.

About the team

The Digital and Change team sits within the Culture, Strategy, and Engagement Directorate and plays a critical role in driving innovation and improving service delivery across Haringey Council. The team works collaboratively with senior leaders, stakeholders, and external organisations to explore and implement innovative digital solutions.

Key collaborations include working with the Enterprise Architect and other Digital Service Heads to align digital initiatives with organisational priorities, financial goals, and strategic outcomes. The team is also actively involved in managing the council’s portfolio of change projects and programmes, ensuring digital transformation supports operational efficiency and enhances the resident experience.

Through engagement with both internal stakeholders and external partners, the team fosters a forward-thinking culture, embracing the latest digital trends to keep Haringey at the forefront of public sector innovation.

About you

We are seeking a forward-thinking and results-oriented individual with a strong awareness of legal and regulatory frameworks related to digital technologies. The ideal candidate will have familiarity with key digital technologies, including cloud computing, cyber security, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and big data analytics, coupled with a proven track record of driving digital innovation within an organisation.

Experience in policy analysis, formulation, and implementation is essential, as is proficiency in using data and evidence to inform policy decisions. Candidates should demonstrate excellent knowledge of innovation frameworks and methodologies and have experience leading teams through strategies of change.

The successful candidate will possess the ability to operate effectively within democratic processes, displaying strong political acumen and exceptional communication skills. They should have experience building and executing strategies while working collaboratively with other teams to deliver meaningful outcomes.

We are looking for someone who can articulate the nuanced decision-making involved in transitioning to a digital organisation. They should be proactive, creative, and innovative in finding solutions to complex problems, with a deep understanding of local government applications and their role within organisational architecture.

Finally, proven leadership experience, complemented by strong interpersonal and influencing skills, is crucial. The ideal candidate will be adept at fostering collaboration and driving transformative change across diverse teams.

Working for Haringey

At Haringey Council we are committed to creating a workplace culture where all our people feel valued, included, and able to be their best at work, and we recognise the benefits of a diverse workforce so welcome applications from all ethnicities and communities so that we continue to make a difference to our residents and community.  Our benefits package includes a leave entitlement of 30 days + bank holidays, potential hybrid working opportunities, health and wellbeing support, a generous local government pension scheme and a range of discount schemes across leisure and culture that provide both financial and money-saving discounts.