Assistant Director of Technology and Innovation

Number of Vacancies:

1

Time Type:

Full time

Worker Type:

Regular

Proposed Interview Date:

Wednesday, December 16, 2026

Hours of Work:

37

Hiring Manager:

Tracy Parker

Contact Number: 

01482 613018

Job Description Summary:

For an informal discussion about the post, please contact Tracy Parker, Executive Director of Corporate Resources on 01482 613 018.

Shortlisting Date: 3rd December 2026
Interview Dates: 16th and 17th December 2026

Shape the Future of Digital Transformation in Hull

Hull City Council is seeking an ambitious, innovative and inspirational leader to join our corporate leadership team as Assistant Director of Technology and Innovation.

This is a unique opportunity to lead the council's digital, data, technology and innovation agenda at a time of significant transformation. We are looking for a strategic leader who can harness the power of technology, data, artificial intelligence and innovation to improve outcomes for residents, businesses and staff while delivering sustainable efficiency and service improvement.

Reporting to the Executive Director of Corporate Resources, you will lead a diverse portfolio spanning ICT operations, cyber security, digital transformation, data and reporting, enterprise applications, customer technologies, digital inclusion and innovation programmes.

This role offers the opportunity to influence the future direction of one of the region's largest public sector organisations and to play a key role in delivering the council's ambitions for a modern, responsive and digitally enabled future.

About the Role

As Assistant Director of Technology and Innovation, you will:
• lead the development and delivery of the council's Digital Strategy and overall approach to digital, technology and innovation
• drive organisation-wide digital innovation and empower services through technology
• champion innovation, automation and the responsible adoption of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence
• oversee ICT operations, infrastructure, cyber security and technology investment
• promote data-led decision making through the effective use of analytics, insight and business intelligence
• lead major digital change programmes, ensuring strong governance, benefits realisation and successful delivery
• manage significant technology revenue and capital budgets while securing value for money and long-term sustainability
• work closely with elected members, senior leaders, regional partners and government bodies to deliver strategic priorities.

About You

We are looking for an outstanding strategic leader with:
• a proven track record of leading large-scale digital transformation and organisational change
• significant senior leadership experience within a complex organisation, ideally within the public sector
• experience of developing and implementing digital, technology and innovation strategies
• strong understanding of cyber security, information governance, digital services and emerging technologies
• experience of managing substantial budgets, resources and multi-disciplinary teams
• exceptional communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills
• the ability to inspire innovation, build partnerships and deliver measurable improvements in services and outcomes
• the vision and credibility to operate confidently at executive level within a politically sensitive environment.

Why Hull?

Hull is a city with ambition, proud of its heritage and focused on its future. We are committed to delivering high-quality public services and creating opportunities for our communities through innovation, collaboration and transformation.

Joining Hull City Council means becoming part of a forward-thinking organisation that places people first, values learning and embraces new ideas. You will have the opportunity to make a lasting impact across the city while leading a talented and dedicated workforce.

Our Values

We are looking for leaders who embody our values:
• People First
• Respect
• Learning
• Ambition
• Partnership

Ready to Lead Technological Change?

If you have the strategic vision, leadership capability and passion to drive digital innovation and organisational transformation, we would love to hear from you.
Join us and help shape the future of Hull.

Work Base: Hull, expected to work flexibly with some opportunities for homeworking.

ROLE & PURPOSE OF JOB:

The Assistant Director of Technology and Innovation has responsibility for the strategic leadership, development and delivery of the Council's digital, data, technology and innovation agenda. The post-holder will lead the transformation of services through the effective use of technology, digital innovation, data intelligence, artificial intelligence, customer insight and modern ways of working to improve outcomes for residents, businesses and staff.

The post-holder will be responsible for a broad portfolio encompassing ICT operations, cyber security, digital transformation, data and business intelligence, enterprise applications, customer technologies, digital inclusion and innovation programmes.

The role will provide leadership for major organisational digital, innovation and change programmes, ensuring robust programme governance, effective benefits realisation, stakeholder engagement and delivery of strategic outcomes.

Support the development of a consistent corporate approach to programme and project management and ensure digital and innovation transformation activity is prioritised against organisational objectives and resources.

Lead the integration of digital solutions, data, customer insight and service redesign methodologies to deliver sustainable service improvements and organisational efficiency.

Working alongside Elected Members, Corporate Directors, Assistant Directors and regional partners such as health, learning, and government bodies, the post-holder will develop and embed a modern digital strategy that supports the Council's Community Strategy, Corporate Plan and Medium-Term Financial Strategy.

 

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES:

1 Policy and Strategy Development and Implementation -

Lead the development, implementation and review of the Council's Digital, Data, Technology and Innovation Strategy, ensuring alignment with the Community Plan, Council Plan, transformation priorities and Medium-Term Financial Strategy.

Develop and implement strategic approaches to digital transformation and innovation including automation, customer service modernisation, and artificial intelligence to achieve evidence led, organisational change that improves service quality, productivity and resident outcomes.

Drive the Council’s development of innovation frameworks and governance arrangements that enable experimentation, learning and adoption of emerging technologies across the organisation including alignment to the wider Council skills programme.

2 Customer Focus and Engagement –

To be visible in gaining service user insight, positively and professionally representing the Council and communicating with stakeholders and clients to meet strategic needs. 

 

Driving a ‘user focussed’ service culture and acting as a central point of focus for all development engagement activity across the Council and our partnerships to ensure best use of resources and help the organisation understand our service users better.

 

Ensuring there is an effective and efficient response to dealing with requests for service, including licence applications and renewals, within performance targets set by the service.

3 Performance Management –

To set the framework for standards for commissioning and delivery; including the promotion of innovative approaches and appropriate risk management systems which are responsive to performance improvement requirements and challenges.

 

To set the framework for performance management across the breadth of directly provided preventative, enforcement and regulatory services.

 

To be a visible leader who inspires and demands continuous customer and value focus and improvement across the service and other directorates, exemplifying an effective performance improvement approach for staff and partnership and contractual arrangements.

 

To ensures that Cabinet/CST decisions are implemented effectively and efficiently across the Council.

4 Financial Management –

To be accountable for Technology and Innovation service budgets and associated technology investment programmes, ensuring value for money, robust governance and effective contract management.

 

Lead financial planning for major technology investments, transformation programmes and infrastructure developments, identifying efficiencies and opportunities for investment that support corporate priorities.

 

Contributes to the wider corporate budget setting, identifying budget pressures and bringing forward proposals for variations to bring services in line with available budgets, in support of the Council’s Medium Term Financial Plan.

5 Employee Engagement –

To ensure the positive engagement of staff across all Council services in the delivery of Technology and Innovation services. 

 

To ensure effective communication with teams, participation in corporate initiatives and ensuring a feedback mechanism is effective in engaging and managing staff development and well-being.

6 Leadership –

To be a visible and effective leader, modelling exemplary behaviour for staff in promoting a culture of seeking excellence in the quality of service provision and of valuing equality and diversity in all aspects of service delivery and employment practices. 

 

To actively promote and foster a culture of organisational learning and development, including the identification and coaching/mentoring opportunities for staff with talent and leadership ability.  Also including visible support for staff development and training more widely, leading to a high standard of service delivery and customer care.

 

To take responsibility for the training obligations of the Directorate including being an Educational Supervisor.

7 Statutory Obligations –

Ensure compliance with all relevant legislation, regulatory requirements and professional standards relating to technology, data management, cyber security, information governance, procurement, accessibility, public sector network requirements and digital services.

 

To ensure services meet the requirements of all relevant inspection regimes.

8 Emergency Management and Response –

In fulfilment of its statutory requirements under the Civil Contingencies Act, the Council operates an out of hours emergency response rota of which this post is part.  The post-holder will be required to become part of this rota and assist in any emergency situations when an incident is declared.

9 Partnership Working –

To maximise the benefits of partnership working and to develop and implement joint working and improvement initiatives and strategies with external organisations and the wider community, including interest groups, to achieve and sustain wellbeing and to attain community, citizen and service user participation and ownership, making key decisions regarding links with partners and external organisations impacting on service delivery.

 

To lead and manage, in conjunction with senior colleagues, all aspects of partnership working across the full range of Council activities for the Service, including governance, resources, delivery and engagement at various levels, including internal and external senior leadership.

 

To provide expert digital, innovation and change service support, advocacy and leadership to ensure an evidence-based approach to commissioning and developing high quality, equitable services within and across a range of organisations including the voluntary, public and private sectors.

10 Elected Members –

To build strong and positive relationships with all Elected Members that recognises and responds to their various roles and responsibilities and provides information and professional advice on all aspects of strategic development and delivery of all service activities.

11 Representation and Reputation –

To represent and promote the Council on Directorate related issues at appropriate local, regional and national forums, maintaining and developing working relationships enabling effective management of the Council’s professional and public reputation, including relationships with the media, Government agencies and other key bodies.

 

NC4256.Assistant Director of Technology and Innovation

Compensation Grades:

GRADES 17.

Pay Ranges:

£115,564.00 - £115,564.00

Job Classifications:

2- Basic with BPSS - (Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)), 2 - Designated As Politically Sensitive - Designated As Politically Sensitive (Politically Restricted Posts), Casual - (Travel Allowance Policy), No - (Childcare Disqualification Requirement), No - (Statutory Post)

Benefits of Working of Hull City Council:
- A competitive salary
- An excellent pension through the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
- Initially 23 days annual leave depending on length of service. You will also get eight public holidays per year, and three additional days off, one in May/August and one during the Christmas/New year period
- Career development and learning experiences from a range of training courses and learning methods
- Supportive and forward-thinking culture
- Great career development opportunities

Please ensure that you complete and submit your application by midnight prior to the closing date. Please ensure that your application demonstrates how you meet the essential criteria against the person specification as listed in the job description. 

We are committed to increasing the diversity, equality, and inclusion within our workforce to represent the people we serve and build an environment in which everyone can feel like they belong. We encourage people from all backgrounds to apply. 

We adopt a ‘name blind’ approach to shortlisting. Recruiting managers will not have access to personal information, including your name and contact details, until a shortlisting decision has been made. Equality monitoring information is not accessible by recruiting managers at any stage.

We reserve the right to amend the dates associated with this advert, which may include closing the advert early where required.

The Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

Online searches, including social media, may be carried out as part of the recruitment process.