Director General for Digital Foundations - Department for Science, Innovation & Technology - SCS3
Government Digital & Data -
Full-time (Permanent)
£174,000
Published on
27 March 2026
Deadline
29 April 2026
Location
Darlington, London, Manchester
About the job
Job summary
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) exists to accelerate innovation, investment and productivity through world-class science, ensuring that new and existing technologies are safely developed and deployed across the UK, and driving forward a modern digital government for the benefit of its citizens. This includes maximising the impact of government action to support R&D and science and technology on the UK’s national and regional economic growth; applying AI and digital technologies to transform the citizen’s experience of public service; and widening and deepening individuals’ digital skills and their knowledge and trust in digital technology.
Job description
The Director General for Digital Foundations will lead the UK Government's work to lay the digital foundations for the country, including through delivering safe and secure access for all through programmes and policy to build and support infrastructure, and ensuring cyber security for individuals, business and across government. As DG, you will:
- Lead government cyber security policy and oversee the Government Cyber Unit
- Share responsibility for the UK’s digital identity scheme as the policy develops
- Oversee implementation for the Digital Inclusion Action Plan
- Lead delivery of Project Gigabit and the Shared Rural Network as Building Digital UK transitions from an Executive Agency to a DSIT directorate
- Strengthen telecoms and digital infrastructure resilience
- Represent DSIT in industry and regional partnerships
Click here to view a video from Emran Mian, Permanent Secretary DSIT
Person specification
- Familiarity with national security or cyber risk, contributing to strategy, policy, and operational frameworks. Able to interrogate board-level technical strategy and make judgements around pace, value, security, and delivery
- Proven leadership of major, high-profile programmes under intense scrutiny, with a track record of rigorous governance and accountability
- Strong commercial and financial acumen, experienced in strategic supplier management and optimising large-scale spend with a value-focused approach
- Extensive experience leading large, distributed multi-disciplinary workforces, fostering inclusive, high-performing cultures, setting direction, and driving delivery
- Highly effective influencer, securing alignment, adoption, and integration of shared services across complex stakeholder environments
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