Head of Strategy, Performance and Improvement

Do you thrive on turning strategy into results?

Can you inspire high-performing teams to deliver at pace?

Have you led transformational change that delivers lasting impact?

If so, wed love to hear from you!

This is an exciting time to join the Digital, Information and Security Directorate (DIS) within the Department for Transport as we restructure our directorate to ensure we are ready for future challenges, building a more sustainable, skilled and in-house capability.

Be the driving force behind better performance, smarter delivery and continuous improvement across DIS. In this high-impact role, your insight will shape strategic decisions, your influence will be felt across the organisation, and your leadership will deliver lasting change.

Joining our department comes with many benefits, including:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here

• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays a privilege day for the Kings birthday

• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Read more in the Benefits section below!

Find out more about what it's like working at Department for Transport Central - Department for Transport Careers

The Digital Performance and Capability team ensures DIS has the people, resources, governance and insight needed to deliver its strategic objectives. As Head of Strategy, Performance and Improvement, you will lead the Business and Strategy team and play a key role in shaping the future direction of the digital function across DfT.

Working closely with Directors, Deputy Directors and senior stakeholders, you will lead the development and delivery of strategic plans, performance frameworks and governance arrangements that drive organisational success. You will provide a clear view of performance across operational, financial, workforce and supplier activity, using data and insight to support decision-making and continuous improvement.

A key focus of the role will be leading complex transformation programmes, including the implementation of the Digital Target Operating Model, ensuring change is successfully embedded and delivers lasting benefits. You will also oversee financial and commercial performance, helping to ensure value for money and effective governance across the directorate and digital and data function.

Leading a multidisciplinary team, you will build a culture of accountability, collaboration and high performance, developing capability and ensuring DIS is equipped to meet future challenges and opportunities.

Your responsibilities will include, but arent limited to:

• Ensuring the directorate and digital function at DfTc has the right resources (finance, contracts, people) and the right capabilities (skills, development) with sufficient forwards planning and controls, and a governance framework that enables so that the directorate is able to work effectively.
• Setting strategy that is aligned with the Modern Digital Government Blueprint, creating business plans, performance managing and monitoring delivery ensuring risks are managed appropriately, successes are celebrated and early interventions are identified and managed to prevent issues. Ensuring appropriate reporting to
• Leading transformation and improvement for the directorate and digital function within DfTc; in particular, leading the implementation of a new Target Operating Model which requires liaison with HR, HROD, TUs, the Director and Deputy Directors, external suppliers and multiple internal stakeholders.
• Working across the DfT Group on behalf of the digital function to develop strategies, plans and conduct reviews.
• Overseeing management and effectiveness of a 40m budget and a large portfolio of contracts
• Engaging and working collaboratively across the DIS leadership team, ensuring coherent execution and consistency of approaches across all functions, and consistent adoption of DfTs digital strategy.

Great line management is important to us as an organisation, and we will equip and support line managers to develop the skills they need. We aim to empower line managers to create teams where people can flourish and deliver excellent outcomes for the public.

For further information on the role, please read the role profile. Please note that the role profile is for information purposes only - whilst all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.

To be successful in this role you will need to have the following experience:

• Stakeholder management Confident and credible working with senior colleagues, routinely at Director and Chief Operating Officer level (Director General)
• Leadership and management - You will be adept at working collaboratively as part of a senior leadership team to set and deliver strategy, culture and behaviours that foster a culture of high performance and rapid delivery of This will include proven experience of leading teams and developing staff to meet and exceed their potential.
• Strategy Management You will have worked with senior colleagues to shape, define and implement strategy to achieve impactful outcomes.
• Performance Management You will have created and managed performance management frameworks, defined KPIs and other appropriate metrics to support decision making and measurement of performance of services. Produced quality reports to share with colleagues at all levels.
• Budget and Contract Management you will have substantial experience overseeing and ensuring value for money of multi-million pound budgets and contracts
• Transformation you will have successfully led complex and high profile transformation programmes, ensuring that change is embedded and benefits are

You will hold or be willing to work towards: MBA in Business Management or Public Service Management.

Working hours, office attendance and travel requirements

Full time roles consist of 37 hours per week.

Whilst we welcome applications from those looking to work with us on a part time basis, there is a business requirement for the successful candidate to be able to work at least 30 hours per week.

Occasional travel to other offices will be required, which may involve overnight stays. 

This role is suitable for hybrid working, which is a non-contractual arrangement where a combination of workplace and home-based working can be accommodated subject to business requirements.

The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time a month will be spent at either your designated workplace (one of the locations cited in the advert) or, when required for business reasons, in another office/work location/visiting stakeholders. Your designated workplace will be your contractual place of work. There may be occasions where you are required to attend above the minimum expectation.

If you have a question about hybrid working, part time/job share hours, flexible working, travelling for work, or require a reasonable adjustment, please contact the Vacancy Holder during the recruitment process to avoid possible disappointment later in the process should your working arrangements not be compatible with the requirements of the role (see below for contact details).

Visa Sponsorship

DfTc does not offer Visa Sponsorship for this role.