Government chief digital officer role up for grabs
Asalary of £190,000 is on offer for a new government chief digital officer, with Whitehall’s most senior digital leader, Joanna Davinson, set to depart her role imminently.
The incoming GCDO will be “the most senior digital data and technology leader in the UK government”, assuming direct leadership of the 200 staff of the Central Digital and Data Office, as well as “wider accountability… as leader and professional head of HM Government’s 20,000-strong digital, data and technology community”.
It is understood that the incumbent executive director of CDDO, Davinson, will depart her role once the new leader is on board. The Cabinet Office indicated she had been appointed to fulfil a fixed-term appointment, with the intention that a permanent government chief digital officer would be recruited at the end of that contract.
The GCDO’s primary duties will include “owning the vision and strategy for digital, data and technology” for government, as well as “providing the professional leadership of the DDaT function, including setting cross-government workforce strategy”.
The digital chief will also work closely with the Treasury to ensure the £8bn-plus cumulatively spent by departments on technology and IT services each year provides value for money and delivers the desired outcomes. This includes assisting departments in “updating or replacing legacy technologies [and] accelerating the move to scalable cloud-based technologies”.
The GCDO appointment requires prime ministerial approval, and the digital bigwig will have a “direct line to Downing Street and cabinet ministers”.
Applications for the role are open until midday on 18 March.
The recruitment process is the third time in less than three years that government has sought to hire an overall digital leader.
In September 2019, the newly created position of government chief digital and information officer was advertised. This role was never filled and, 11 months later, a new advert was published to fill a vacancy as government chief digital officer.
In January 2021, the creation of the Central Digital and Data Office was announced, with Davinson unveiled as its executive leader. Although she did not take on the title, her appointment came instead of the planned recruitment of the GCDO.