Associate Director of Infrastructure & Cyber Security

Transformationunitgm; Chester; On-site; GBP 64,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent healthcare provider in Chester is looking for an Associate Director of Infrastructure & Cyber Security. This role involves overseeing IT infrastructure and information security, ensuring reliable delivery of IT services, and managing technical teams. The ideal candidate will possess a Master's in IT and significant experience in healthcare IT management. Join us to enhance our community's access to high-quality healthcare while fostering an inclusive work culture.

Qualifications

• Highly developed communication skills with ability to present complex information.
• Significant experience in IT management roles, particularly in healthcare.
• Project Management experience throughout full IT project lifecycles.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for IT Infrastructure and Information Security.
• Manage technical staff and oversee external suppliers.
• Ensure reliable IT service delivery.

Skills

Communication skills

Project Management

IT Infrastructure management

Information Security

Education

Masters in IT or related field

ITIL Service Management Foundation Certificate

Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)

Tools

Prince2

Agile

Job description

Employer Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Countess of Chester Hospital Town Chester Salary £64,455 - £74,896 pa Salary period Yearly Closing 19/01/2026 23:59

Associate Director of Infrastructure & Cyber Security

Band 8b

Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, staff pride themselves on not only leading through clinical excellence, but also by creating an environment where all staff are valued and appreciated. To achieve this, the Trust has embarked on an exciting new strategy focused on continuous improvement.
Our vision is to improve the lives of our community and provide excellence in healthcare, through partnership and innovation
Our High Performance Culture will support everyone to be the best version of themselves by being true to our Trust vision, values and behaviours.
We welcome applications from colleagues from our local and neighbouring communities of all backgrounds and identities, who are currently under-represented within our region such as Black, Asian, Minority ethnic and those with disabilities.
As a region we are reviewing the way we work, and exploring how new working practices that support flexible working can create a positive work-life balance. As part of our recruitment process we will explore how our inclusive employment policies, flexible working, staff engagement forums, Trust facilities and services can be of mutual benefit.

Job overview

Working Full time: 37.5 hours per week

Main duties of the job

The post holder will, under the direction of the Director of Digital, be responsible for all services activities relating to the IT Infrastructure and Information Security, including the Service Desk, Data and Voice networks and the Server estate. This will include the management of all technical staff and to work with all external suppliers engaged on those activities. The postholder will be the Digital and Information Security technical lead for IM&T across the Trust, ensuring that the Trust has a secure, flexible, resilient infrastructure that has the capacity to enable the delivery of trusted, reliable IT services to the right people in the right places at the right times. This will include ensuring the effective planning and co‑ordination of Digital and Data projects, delivered to agreed service levels by trained, skilled and motivated staff. The postholder will be responsible for advising the Trust on the most appropriate implementation for new technology strategies and assessing emerging technologies for their value and validity to the Trust’s business, providing recommendations to the Trust on actions to be taken in response.

• Be responsible for ensuring that a high-quality, seamless IT technical service is delivered to the Trust incorporating technical support for systems, data and voice services. Act as the lead person for decision making and implementation of any actions regarding the running of the Trust’s infrastructure service.
• Oversee the delivery of an effective DIGITAL Service desk and set of comprehensive and proactive DIGITAL support services.
• Liaise with end users, third parties and technology partners in order to resolve highly complex IT issues as a major part of the role, on an ongoing basis.
• Actively promote electronic working at all levels within the organisation to support the Trust’s organisational development and service modernisation plans.
• Ensure that any Informatics work undertaken supports and does not adversely impact the availability of business critical systems. Ensure that the any risks or incidents or appropriately assessed and managed and that any serious implications are reported appropriately.
• Develop and implement policies, procedures, SOPs and services relating to the IT Infrastructure which impact across the whole Trust.
• Provide expert and specialist IT security and technical input to the development and delivery of the Trust’s DIGITAL Strategy.

Working for our organisation

The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust provides services to West Cheshire and to Welsh patients covered by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The Trust works collaboratively within the wider Cheshire and Merseyside Health and Care Partnership. Its services are provided from three locations:

• The Countess of Chester Hospital: providing 438 general and acute beds.
• Ellesmere Port Hospital: providing 56 beds as a rehabilitation, intermediate and outpatient facility.
• Tarporley War Memorial Hospital: a base for community services which serve the local rural population.

The Trust employs over 5916 staff (headcount) which includes temporary bank staff and provides acute emergency and elective services, primary care direct access services and obstetric services to a population of approximately 411,000. This includes 361,000 residents in Chester and West Cheshire which includes Ellesmere Port and Neston as well as the Deeside area of Flintshire which has a population of approximately 50,000.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

See Job Description for further details.

Recruitment and selection

Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values.

Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs will be deducted from their salary over the first three months of employment.

You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of £16 per year applies.

New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.

Applicants are advised to apply early; if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.

Person specification

Knowledge and Experience

• Highly developed communication skills with the ability to communicate on highly complex and highly contentious matters.
• Ability to provide and receive, convey and present highly complex, sensitive and/or contentious information to large groups, responding openly to questions to ensure full understanding and engagement.
• Relevant experience in a management role in same or similar environment ie. broad and complex IT infrastructure and telecommunications environment including a Service Desk.
• Project Management experience through the full lifecycle of major IT Projects. This should be underpinned by thorough knowledge of Software Development methodologies.
• Significant experience within similar role ideally within the NHS or other public sector.

Qualifications

• Masters in IT or related field, or equivalent knowledge gained through extensive years’ senior technical experience.
• ITIL Service Management Foundation Certificate or equivalent knowledge gained through experience.
• Relevant Information Security Training Accreditation e.g. Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) or Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) or equivalent.
• Project Management Methodologies – Prince 2 / Agile.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
If the role is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Enhanced DBS check applications that are submitted with omitted or incorrect information will be withdrawn. In the event errors are identified on your original application, a new application will need to be submitted and you will be required to pay the DBS application fee again.

The cost of the DBS application will be deducted from your salary over the first three months of employment.

Overseas Candidates

The Department of Health and Social Care has released a new publication to support overseas candidates looking to work in health and care in the UK.
The new guidance provides information on the recruitment process that candidates should expect when applying for work in the UK. Please follow the below link:
Applying for health and social care jobs in the UK from abroad - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Overseas candidates wishing to apply who would require sponsorship can determine the likelihood of obtaining a CoS for the post by assessing their circumstances against criteria specified on the Visas and immigration - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Overseas candidates are responsible for their travel expenses.

From 6 April 2017, Tier 2 / skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, must present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependent's (over 18 years old) will also be subject to this requirement.

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