Chief Information Officer
2 days ago
City of London
Lead a new ICT service and digital transformation that improves services, strengthens resilience, and delivers better outcomes for residents. We’re all in for our residents, our communities, and each other. At the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC), we are committed to becoming the best Council for the communities we serve. Guided by our values of integrity, respect, putting communities first, and working together, we deliver services across one of London’s most distinctive and diverse boroughs. Home to globally recognised cultural institutions, internationally connected communities, and neighbourhoods of striking contrast and character, RBKC serves more than 150,000 residents across one of London’s most dynamic boroughs. In the wake of the Grenfell tragedy, our commitment to residents has only deepened. We continue to listen, learn, and drive meaningful change, ensuring residents remain at the centre of every decision we make. Technology, digital innovation, and data are central to our future. RBKC is delivering a significant programme of transformation, investing in modern infrastructure, cyber resilience, digital capability, and better use of data to create services that are more responsive, efficient, and focused on residents. At RBKC, we want to use technology to improve the resident experience, modernise services, strengthen resilience, and free up resources for the services that matter most. As our Chief Information Officer, you will lead this agenda with strategic clarity, sound judgement, and a strong commitment to innovation, public service, and better outcomes across the borough. This is a rare opportunity to shape the future of a high-profile borough, lead meaningful transformation, and make a visible difference to residents, staff, and communities. The Opportunity Reporting to the Strategic Director of Grenfell Partnerships, Communities and Transformation, you will provide strategic leadership across the Council’s digital, data, and technology services, ensuring investment supports corporate priorities and delivers a clear benefit for residents. You will lead the delivery of RBKC’s Digital, Data and Technology Strategy, with oversight of IT operations, cyber security, enterprise architecture, digital transformation, and data governance across the organisation. This is a high-profile leadership role requiring credibility, sound judgement, and the ability to operate confidently in a politically sensitive environment. You will build trusted relationships with elected Members, Executive Directors, partners, suppliers, and residents, while communicating complex issues with authority and clarity. You will play a central role in shaping how the Council works in the future, using technology to improve services, strengthen resilience, and deliver lasting benefits for residents and staff. You will provide visible and inclusive leadership, inspiring multidisciplinary teams, embedding digital thinking across the organisation, and fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Key Responsibilities • Lead the delivery of RBKC’s Digital, Data and Technology Strategy, aligning investment with corporate priorities, resident outcomes, and service improvement, • Provide strategic leadership across IT operations, cyber security, enterprise architecture, digital transformation, and data governance, • Work in close partnership with the Executive Leadership Team and elected Members to support the Council’s wider ambitions, • Oversee a complex supplier and contract landscape, ensuring value for money, strong governance, and effective risk management, • Champion the use of data and insight to support better decision-making across the organisation, • Lead and develop a multidisciplinary ICT function that delivers strong performance and continuous improvement, • Strengthen the Council’s cyber security posture and organisational resilience in response to an increasingly complex threat environment, • Foster a collaborative culture that supports excellent performance, innovation, and strong outcomes for residents About You You will be an accomplished technology leader with significant senior experience across digital, data, and technology functions within a complex organisation. You will bring a strong track record of leading organisation-wide digital transformation, alongside deep expertise in cyber security, IT operations, enterprise architecture, and data governance. You will combine strategic and operational leadership with the ability to influence at Executive Director and Member level, build trusted relationships, and translate complex technical issues into clear, accessible advice. Alongside technical credibility, you will bring a collaborative leadership style grounded in our values and a clear commitment to public service, continuous improvement, and better outcomes for residents. If you share our ambition to build an inclusive, innovative organisation that keeps residents at the centre, we would welcome your application.