Director of Digital & Information Services

Queen’s University Belfast

Director of Digital & Information Services

Since 1845, Queen’s University staff, students and alumni have made a difference to societies locally, nationally, and internationally. Today, Queen’s University is one of the UK and Ireland’s leading universities and it continues to shape and serve the world around us through its research and teaching. Over 99% of the Queen’s research environment was assessed as world-leading or internationally excellent, with Queen’s ranked 198 in the 2023 Times Higher Education World University Rankings.

Queen’s University has always been a generator of knowledge; we tackle the issues faced by individuals and societies at a local, regional, and global level and we are an engine of progress that is central to the socio-economic success of Northern Ireland.  When it comes to future graduate employment, Queen’s ranks 12th in the UK, and our contribution to the economy in Northern Ireland and the UK is currently estimated at over three billion pounds annually.

This is a significant moment in the history of Queen’s University, and an exciting time to join the Queen’s community. The University has recently designed a new leadership structure to optimally align strategy and vision with operational delivery - making us more agile and better equipped to achieve our goals as outlined in Strategy 2030.

As part of this new structure, we wish to appoint a new Director of Digital & Information Services reporting to the Vice-President & Chief Finance and Resources Officer. The Director of Digital and Information Services is supported in their role by four Departmental Heads, each with a clearly defined area of responsibility - IT Systems and Services; Learning and Teaching Support; Administration Support; and Library Services and Research Support. The division currently has 277 staff and an operating budget of c.£17m per annum.

The Director of Digital & Information Services will provide strong leadership and vision, spearheading innovation and an evolving ambitious programme of significant transformational change across Digital and Information Services. They will work in partnership with the Vice-President & Chief Finance and Resources Officer and a range of internal and external stakeholders on the development and execution of an innovative Digital Transformation Strategy which will underpin the successful delivery of the University’s Strategy 2030.

The successful candidate will foster and promote innovation and flexibility in teaching and learning with a focus on e-learning and distance learning technologies. You will lead and provide trusted, reliable, responsive and cost-effective digital infrastructure to support all university activities and provide the highest quality library facilities, resources and services to support the University’s research and education needs. You will also lead a wide range of user-focused services including training and support.

Queen’s University welcomes applications from candidates of the highest possible calibre with a proven track record of leading transformational change through Digital innovation in partnership with a wide variety of stakeholders, within a large, complex and diverse organisation. You will have substantial experience of leadership and management of people, teams, performance and resources and be a strong communicator with presence, credibility and impact.

*A large/complex organisation is defined as one with an annual turnover exceeding £100m+ budget and 500+ employees.

With unprecedented change in the higher education sector, this is an opportunity for a creative and ambitious technology leader to play a critical role in shaping the future of a national institution, and help to shape a better world through life-changing education through the mission of the University.

Odgers Berndtson Ireland have been exclusively retained by Queen’s University Belfast to manage the appointment process.

Closing date for applications is 5pm on Friday 8th December 2023

For further information, including details of how to apply, please see www.odgers.com/20667

Queen’s University is committed to promoting equality of opportunity to all. We have created an inclusive culture by establishing staff networks such as iRise (Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and International Staff Network) and PRISM which help us to progress equality.

We also subscribe to Equality Charter Marks such as the Diversity Charter Mark NI in addition to Athena Swan. For further information on our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, please visit: www.qub.ac.uk/diversity; www.qub.ac.uk/sites/QueensGenderInitiative/ and www.qub.ac.uk/sites/StaffGateway/StaffNetworks