Head of Technology and Innovation

Recruitment Pack

JOB SUMMARY

At Coastal we’re a team in the truest sense of the word. We value relationships highly, so we invest in them daily. As a result, our workplace culture is open, trusting and respectful. It’s also safe, which we think is pretty critical to encouraging new ideas and approaches.

We employ almost 300 people across south west Wales and we trust every single one of them to know, and do, their work in the way that gets the best results for residents, the local community and the planet.

Coastal’s vision is to provide homes and services that enable our tenants to thrive and the communities we serve to prosper, supported by growing our social business and extending the reach of our homes and services.

This is supported by our digital vision, which is to use technology to support and enable our aims and priorities, and to enhance our services, communication and interaction with customers and businesses across the communities in which we work. In doing this we will endeavour to create opportunities through our digital strategy for customer focus, innovation and sustainability.

Job description:

Accountable to:

Responsible for:

Base of work:

Head of Technology & Innovation

Executive Director of HR & Corporate Services

Technology Team

The base of work will be the Group’s head office located in High Street, Swansea, although you may be required to work from other offices/sites if the job requirements dictate this.

Our IT strategy was refreshed in 2019, and since that time we have undertaken some considerable work in shaping our direction and structuring the team to put us in the best place to meet our challenges.

Our tech team has three sub teams – infrastructure, business systems and service desk. We work with a managed services provider, with a virtualised infrastructure, including the provision of virtual desktops (VDI).

As well as all the day to day stuff, we’ve got a lot of exciting projects going on. We are currently transitioning to office 365, whilst also procuring a new human resources information system. We are reviewing our housing management system arrangements and our telephony solution, along with recruiting additional resource to the tech team to fully support our IT and infrastructure strategy. We are also supporting and enabling our workforce to work virtually, as all our teams are either working out in our communities or based at home.

As a team we are currently quite small but clearly focused, and we recruiting additional roles to complement our already strong skills base. We are creative, forward thinking and curious, with an ambitious but realistic strategy to deliver. We are on a journey as a team to develop the right project management methodology, balancing structured project management principles alongside maintaining systems thinking principles.

We have been supported externally by 3C consultants since September 2019 in the absence of a Head of IT role. We have now shaped the vacant role to reflect our business needs, challenges and aspirations.

This role is critical in developing and helping to implement product and service innovation across Coastal. Supporting the Executive Director of HR & Corporate Services, you will lead the tech team to deliver the technology and infrastructure strategies, whilst also seeking new innovations and technologies that will further enhance and enable delivery of Coastal’s services.

This role is part of Coastal’s leadership team, and is instrumental in providing strategic advice and guidance on emerging technologies and direction of technology, along with being accountable for developing and maintaining tech services and systems that are aligned to Coastal’s requirements.

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

Strategic Direction

• Continually review and further develop Coastal’s IT strategy, manage its implementationand monitoring and reporting progress.

• Contribute to the overall development of Coastal and assist in the development anddelivery of the corporate plan.

• Identify and monitor risks and develop and monitor effective measures to support andinform the overall strategy.

• Ensure Coastal’s technology capabilities, service delivery, systems, data, and businessinformation are fit-for-purpose and aligned.

• Provide effective technical leadership and expertise, acting as a conduit betweenTechnology, the team and the business.

• Drive digital change and advise on technical innovations that will have real impact onresident and staff experience.

Technology and Innovation

• Develop infrastructure to harnesses lessons learnt from new product and service technologies and innovations we are already deploying or trialling.

• Keep track of innovations and technological developments and explore their benefits toCoastal, leading on the development and implementation of new products and serviceinnovation.

• Ensure key themes such as environmental sustainability, improved business performance,resident and staff experience are driven forward by our application of systems, materialand technological solutions.

Project, Contract and Budget Management

• Managing procurement processes and supplier relationships to ensure that contracts andagreements meet the needs of the business.

• Implementing procurement and project management frameworks and processes, makingsure they are consistently applied and managed effectively.

• Effective management of support providers, contractors and consultants.• Manage the IT budget and associated spend.

Services, Systems, Security and Infrastructure

• Ensuring IT infrastructure is fit for purpose, resilient and scalable to meet the currentand future needs, including security, managed service provisions, servers, serverapplications, networks, storage and telephony.

• Leading on all IT security, IT disaster recovery and business continuity.• Developing and managing IT service delivery processes, which include:

- Service level management and reporting- Change management- Incident management- Problem management- Request fulfillment- Continual service improvement

Data Protection

• Leading on General Data Protection Regulation’s (GDPR) at Coastal, ensuring activitiesmeet statutory and regulatory requirements, in compliance with the Data ProtectionAct 2018.

• Advise on all data protection related matters and the further development of a privacystrategy.

• Promote data protection awareness and understanding, and perform Data ProtectionImpact Assessments (DPIAs).

• Develop further guidance and awareness materials as applicable in the processing ofpersonal data.

• Draft data protection and privacy related policies, procedures and documentation (includingprivacy notices) as applicable.

• Act as the Data Protection Officer for the group.

Regulation and Compliance

• Providing the management team and board with clear and accurate information onperformance in areas of accountability.

• Responsible for advising on and ensuring that appropriate measures are in place.

Relationships and Communication

• Developing relationships with key stakeholders at Coastal, understanding their needs andinfluencing to drive impactful and commercial change across the business.

• Establishing and maintaining a good external profile, developing relationships throughprofessional, collaborative networks.

• Represent and promote Coastal in the wider arena e.g. through the media etc. and protectand enhance the group’s reputation.

Continuous Professional Development

• Have an awareness of, and commitment to personal development needs, and activelyseek to keep up-to-date with any changes in legislation, technology, regulation, policy, etc.

Systems Thinking

• As part of the leadership team, create and support an open, innovative and collaborativeculture that learns from others, encourages experimentation and is prepared to takecalculated risks with staff are empowered to do their jobs.

• Understand and promote the Vanguard method of continuous improvement and lead byexample in understanding both demand and work flow.

Workplace Responsibilities

• Health & safety: Comply with health and safety regulations and the groups’ workingprocedures.

• Equal opportunities: Treat colleagues, clients and stakeholders in a fair, non-discriminatoryway.

• Any other duties: Carry out any other duties reasonably requested by the Group.

NB. This is not exhaustive and may change to meet the needs of the group

Head of Technology & Innovation Person Specification

E=Essential D=Desirable

Experience

E Developing business focused digital strategies

E Implementing IT projects in a complex business environment

E Senior IT leadership role in a service business

E Procurement, management of contracted out services, managing service level agreements

E Managing IT security for a complex organisation

E Project management and contract management

E Understanding of the importance of business information with the ability to analyse and interpret IT data and analytics

E Ability to lead, motivate and develop a successful IT team

E Working effectively with board and committee members

E Management and monitoring of complex budgets

E Successfully managing change and/or of implementing innovative solutions

E Current IT technologies, including cloud technology, website development, Office 365, and experience of virtualisation

E Achieving buy-in to projects both within and outside the organisation

D Systems Thinking

D Microsoft Dynamics

D Worked in housing or not for profit environment

D Agile project management

D Working with internal audit

E=EssentialD=Desirable

Education & Qualifications

E Qualified in ITIL

E Recognised Project Management Qualification e.g. Prince 2

E Relevant Business/Management Qualification e.g. ILM

D Other ICT related qualifications / accreditation

D Degree in a relevant discipline

E=EssentialD=Desirable

Skills and Knowledge

E Understanding Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR

E Ability to deliver effective contract management of external suppliers/contractors

E Excellent negotiation and communication skills

E Ability to manage financial commitments to allow flexibility of approach within budget

E=Essential D=Desirable

Skill and Knowlegde continued

E Ability to identify and implement innovations which either create savings or improve services

E Ability to develop effective performance measures and understand data

E Ability to effectively manage conflicting demands on the IT strategy and service

E Strong leadership, interpersonal and motivational skills

E High level written, numerical and verbal communication skills

E Ambition and drive, with a career history that demonstrates the desire to develop, improve and progress

E Ability to network and build positive working relationships and partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders

E Ability to write and present meaningful reports to management team and board

E=Essential D=Desirable

Personal Qualities

E Entrepreneurial mindset with curiosity and drive to improve services and performance

E Collaborative approach, ensuring that IT is a facilitator of the business

E Ability to support the tech team, coaching and facilitating others to success. Ability to performance manage others

E Effective time management, particularly in the context of a complex and changing workload

E Able to successfully influence a broad spectrum of people

E Able to build a culture of strong commercial awareness and continuously strive for cost effectiveness whilst delivering strategic objectives

E Successfully build a culture of team working which creates and maintains an environment that encourages collaboration, liaison and networking within and across teams

E Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation, analytical and influencing skills

E Ability to work flexibly and innovatively in a changing situation

E Strong problem-solving skills, identifying effective and creative solutions to complex problems

E Self-aware and committed to own continuous development as well as that of the team

E Resilient and focused

E Commitment to the values, aims and objectives of Coastal

D Full driving license and access to a vehicle

E=Essential D=Desirable

Flexibility and Commitment

E Commitment to attending evening and weekend meetings and events as required, and to travel with occasional overnight stays

E Willingness to contribute to and be actively involved in any tenant involvement/community activities and corporate events