Director of Digital and Resident Experience

Southwark Council; Greater London; On-site; GBP 119,000 - GBP 151,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in Greater London is seeking a Director of Digital & Resident Experience to transform public service delivery through technology. This roles offers a unique opportunity to innovate with a strong focus on user-centered design and digital safety. The ideal candidate will have a track record in digital leadership, experience with AI implementation, and a commitment to fostering inclusive services for all residents. Competitive salary range from £119,553 to £150,333 plus benefits.

Qualifications

• Dynamic leader passionate about improving residential services.
• Experience with managing complex change programs.
• Track record of building inclusive, high-performing teams.

Responsibilities

• Set vision for resident experiences and technology transformation.
• Drive adoption of AI and improve service delivery.
• Champion digital inclusion and skills within the community.

Skills

Digital and ICT leadership

Customer experience design

Cyber security knowledge

Automation and AI experience

Strategic mindset

Job description

Overview

The Director of Digital & Resident Experience is not a maintenance role. It’s a creation role. Southwark is inviting a senior leader to “write the playbook” for what modern local government can be in a digitally evolved borough. Our role blends enterprise technology leadership with human-centred design, giving you the space, authority and ambition to build a digitally safe, inclusive and future-ready environment for thousands of residents and staff alike.

You’ll operate at the intersection of technology, experience and trust leading a transformation that looks outward to residents and local businesses, not inward to systems. With a refreshed digital strategy, a live transformation agenda and the freedom to innovate, this is a rare opportunity to shape the next era of public service delivery at Southwark Council.

Why this role stands out:

• Create, don’t inherit: A genuine greenfield moment with insourcing new technologies, integrated platform development and an impact transformation agenda.
• Human-first digital leadership: Redefine resident journeys, access and inclusion while maintaining a digitally safe environment for thousands of people.
• Freedom to innovate: Lead AI adoption, digital evolution and technology services in a borough that backs bold thinking.

What You'll Be Doing

• Set the vision for all our resident experiences as a single, joined-up system focused on outcomes, not processes.
• Lead Southwark’s end-to-end digital and technology transformation journey, moving to modern, intelligent and responsive services.
• Create a digitally safe environment, embedding cyber resilience, ethical technology use and strong information governance by design.
• Redesign resident and customer journeys across all channel’s, ensuring end to end access is simple, inclusive and intuitive for everyone.
• Drive a digital revolution through automation and AI, using technology to remove friction, unlock insights and improve productivity that impacts customer experience.
• Lead the transition to a new, insourced technology environment, maximising opportunity, creativity and organisational capability.
• Support the transition from our current shared infrastructure arrangements to a fully internally led model, ensuring our systems support, not constrain, service excellence.
• Champion digital inclusion and digital skills, ensuring no resident or colleague is left behind as services evolve.
• Refresh and steer a Microsoft led digital strategy annually, keeping pace with AI innovation, user need and organisational priorities.
• Act as Southwark’s most senior digital voice, advising the Chief Executive Office, Corporate Management Team and Cabinet Members with confidence and clarity.

What We're Looking For

We need a dynamic and experienced Leader who is passionate about residential services and driven to make a difference who will bring a blend of the following:

• A strong digital and ICT leadership background with the credibility to lead enterprise-scale technology and experience transformation.
• A proven ability to look outward – designing services around residents, communities and partners rather than organisational boundaries.
• Experience leading complex change programmes that balance ambition with operational stability.
• Deep understanding of cyber security, information governance and building trust in digital environments.
• Practical experience of AI, automation and modern collaboration platforms in live service environments.
• A track record of building inclusive, high-performing teams and inspiring people through change.
• Strategic confidence to shape vision, influence at the top table and turn opportunity into delivery.
• A strong grasp of IT service design, accessibility and inclusion, with a track record of improving customer outcomes.
• Experience using automation, analytics and emerging technology to modernise services and unlock value.
• Confidence operating at executive and political level, shaping strategy and advising on risk and investment.
• A strategic mindset that connects long-term ambition to practical delivery in a public sector context.
• Flexibility to blend home working with on-site collaboration at our vibrant London Bridge HQ.

Additional Information

About Southwark Council

Southwark Council is the largest local authority social landlord in London, managing 55,000 homes lived in by 40% of Southwark’s residents. We are home to over 18,300 businesses including iconic London venues such as The Shard, The Tate Modern and Borough Market along with many social enterprises and we have a young, diverse, and growing population.

At Southwark we are committed to making our borough just and fair and are taking positive action to tackle inequalities.Our residents and communities are our greatest asset and the passion we have for Southwark is shared by millions of Londoners who enjoy our outstanding cultural offer, use our hospitals and attend our universities.

Our refreshed borough plan and focus on Southwark Stands Together, (which is our work with Southwark’s communities and the council’s staff to tackle racism, injustice and inequality) underpins all that we do.

Benefits and more information:

Application Link: TBC

Salary Range: £119,553 - £150,333 + JNC Benefit of £3503

Recruitment timetable

Application Closing Date: 11.59pm on the 22 nd of February 2026

Technical Assessment (MS Teams): 5 th of March 2026

Stakeholder Panel Interviews: 18 th of March 2026

Final Interview Date: 30 th of March 2026

We are an organisation who is passionate about our people and understands that richness of diversity is a requirement to provide the best possible services to our communities.

This is demonstrated through our council-wide ambitious commitment to tackle racial inequality in our communities and workforce through our Southwark Stands Together initiative.

We particularly welcome applications from members of the black, Asian and ethnic minority communities to increase representation at senior management level in the Council.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme

As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role, and identify with one of the below criteria:

• Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
• Are currently in care or have previously been in care.
• If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition.

Salary Range (Full time equivalent) £119,553 - £150,333