Director of Digital (Infected Blood Compensation Authority) - CO - SCS2

Location

Based in Benton Park View, moving to Newcastle City Centre in Summer 2026.
This is a hybrid role with the expectation of 60% office attendance.

About the job

Job summary

About Infected Blood Compensation Authority

In recognition of the hurt caused by the infected blood scandal and highlighted by the Infected Blood Inquiry (IBI), the government has accepted the moral case for a compensation scheme to pay compensation to those infected and affected.

The Infected Blood Compensation Authority will ensure payment is made in recognition of the wrongs experienced by those who have been infected by HIV, Hepatitis B or C, as well as those who love and care for them. They have been frustrated and distressed by the delays in achieving proper recognition, and we must help put this right.

Opportunities to move to the new Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA).  At the moment all IBCA roles are hosted by Cabinet Office within the Civil Service. However, once IBCA becomes operational, it is anticipated that most of these roles will transfer to IBCA, which is a new Arms Length Body (ALB) separate from the Cabinet Office. Roles that transfer to IBCA from Cabinet Office will maintain the same or substantially the same terms and conditions of employment that are overall no less favourable. It is anticipated that employees who move from Cabinet Office to IBCA will be able to continue to participate in the Civil Service Pension arrangements with no break in their pensionable service. Roles commencing after IBCA has become operational will be with IBCA itself on similar terms and conditions. All successful candidates will receive full details of the terms and conditions of employment for their role with their formal job offer.

Please note that the mission of IBCA means that it is likely to be fully operational for a period of approximately 5-7 years, after which IBCA will become a smaller residual service. When IBCA’s work begins to wind down, IBCA employees will receive support and practical guidance to find a new role, whether in the Civil Service, another Arms Length Body (ALB), or an external employer.

Job description

The Digital Directorate 

The Digital Directorate leads on service ownership and digital accountability for the Infected Blood Compensation Authority.

The team manages and develops an effective service design for the payment of compensation.

The Director of Digital will provide inspiration and leadership to a range of highly-skilled, multi-disciplinary teams, to design, develop and deliver the service in challenging timescales and support across the organisation to embed agile, user centred ways of working.

The role will be a key member of both the Executive Committee (ExCo) and the Board providing operational and strategic direction to the development of the scheme delivery and the organisational management of IBCA.

As service owner, accountable for the service design and the development choices for the end to end compensation service. Developing a comprehensive digital strategy that ensures technical quality and robustness in a way that meets user needs and demonstrates compliance with GDS service standards. 

Accountable as part of a combined Executive Committee (ExCo) for the overall development and running of the Authority as a whole and with a specific accountability for ensuring access for all to effective IT infrastructure and tools.

Key Responsibilities

Service Ownership: Drive the design, development, and delivery of the compensation service, ensuring it meets user needs and complies with policy objectives while balancing strategic tensions for timely execution.
Leadership: Provide inspiring leadership to a multidisciplinary digital and service team, fostering a culture of collaboration, inclusivity, and high performance. 
Stakeholder Engagement: Collaborate actively with internal and external stakeholders, ensuring a shared vision and clarity on plans. Influence crucial aspects of the service design, gaining support from diverse representative groups.
User-Centered Design: Champion user-centered design methodologies within the organisation, ensuring that services are tailored to the needs of victims and stakeholders affected by the infected blood scandal.
Strategy Development: Develop a comprehensive digital strategy that safeguards the integrity of compensation funds, upholding compliance with Government Digital Service (GDS) standards.
Operational Oversight: Ensure that all organisational infrastructure meets user requirements in a secure, cost-effective, and maintainable manner. Oversee the administration of compensation payments.
Agile Methodologies: Lead the adoption of agile approaches across the organisation, embedding flexibility and responsiveness into service development and delivery processes.
Accountability: Act as a key member of the Executive Committee and Board, responsible for strategic and operational choices related to the compensation scheme, enhancing transparency and public accountability.

Person specification

It is important that, through your CV and supporting statement, that you provide evidence of the professional skills, breadth of experience and personal qualities for this post.

Essential Criteria:

Proven experience in leading the development and delivery of large-scale digital services.
Strong knowledge of agile project management methodologies and user-centered design principles.
Solid understanding of digital service standards, particularly GDS, and experience ensuring compliance.
Exceptional leadership and people management skills, successfully leading peers and multi-disciplinary teams With a demonstrated ability to inspire and motivate diverse teams.
Ability to think strategically and devise actionable plans that align with organisational objectives and user needs.
Excellent negotiation and influencing skills to engage stakeholders across multiple levels and sectors.
Strong analytical and judgement skills, able to assess complex situations and make sound, data-driven decisions.