Head of IT & Digital - £55,207- £59,049 Tourism continues to be one of Northern Irelands most recognisable good news stories. Tourism NI is responsible for the development of tourism product and experiences across Northern Ireland as well as marketing to visitors within Northern Ireland and from the Republic of Ireland. Tourism is an industry that makes a real difference to the economy and job creation, accounting for 70,000 jobs, 9% of all jobs in Northern Ireland. In 2023 overnight visitors to Northern Ireland spent £1.2 billion, demonstrating tourisms importance to the Northern Ireland economy. Tourism NIs consumer brand Embrace a Giant Spirit has been widely adopted and is playing an important role in creating stand out for Northern Ireland as a destination. The brand encapsulates the spirit of the people, warmth of the welcome and the authenticity of the visitor experience in Northern Ireland. Brand campaigns are encouraging more visitors from key markets to experience a trip to Northern Ireland with particular success in attracting more visitors across the border. In 2023 there was an unprecedented number of visitors from the Republic to Northern Ireland, with over 1.3 million trips accounting for almost one quarter of all trips made in Northern Ireland. Overseas visitors accounted for over one third of all trips in Northern Ireland in 2023, while increasingly more Northern Ireland product is being added to tour operators itineraries from international markets. Tourism NI works closely with Tourism Ireland to win a bigger share of visitors to the island of Ireland. In 2024, Tourism Ireland set the target to grow regional, off-peak overseas tourism revenue by an average 6.5% year on year to 2030. Current investment includes a multi-million-pound refurbishment programme at Titanic Belfast, new hotels in Belfast, DerryLondonderry, and the North Coast and an expanding screen tourism product. Tourism NI is currently part of the bidding process to attract a number of major international events to Northern Ireland over the next five years, while planning is already underway to make the most of the opportunities in 2025 when The Open will return to Royal Portrush. Tourism NI is also closely involved in the tourism elements of the City and Growth Deal Programmes which will be crucial in helping to secure more spend from international visitors to the island. The Belfast Stories attraction, a maritime visitor attraction for Derry, the extension to The Gobbins, the Mourne Gateway Project and the regeneration of Hillsborough will add to our portfolio and complement the better-known attractions. With a significant investment by both Tourism NI and the Department for the Economy in supporting the industry through recent challenges, the focus is now firmly on full recovery and a return to growth. Head of IT & Digital Services GENERAL RESPONSIBILITY The new role of Head of IT & Digital Services will play a key part in the achievement of Tourism NIs long-term strategic business objectives through the effective development and implementation of an updated IT & Digital Strategy. The Job Holder will support the work of the Board and Executive Leadership Team by overseeing delivery of the organisations Digital Transformation Programme, future-proofing our IT solutions and services and improving organisational performance. Reporting to the Director of Corporate Services, the Job Holder will lead the merging of the IT and Digital Services teams, enhancing efficiency and ensuring alignment with the organisations digital goals. MAIN DUTIES The job holder will be responsible for the following areas and activities: Digital & IT Transformation Develop and implement an updated IT and Digital Strategy to support current business needs and long-term strategic business objectives. Play a leadership role in implementing digitally enabled change. Foster a culture of innovation and serve as a change agent throughout the organisation. Ensure a cohesive customer experience across digital channels. Own and monitor the digital-innovation project portfolio and work with teams across the business to generate innovative digital solutions for products, services, processes, customer experiences, marketing channels, and business models. Manage the change roadmap outlined in the Digital and IT Review Action plan to include: Engagement and communication with teams and relevant stakeholders to ensure buy-in, address concerns, and facilitate smooth transition. Identification of potential risks associated with change initiatives and develop mitigation strategies to address challenges proactively. Provision of training and support to ensure employees have the necessary skills and knowledge to adapt to changes effectively. Establishing metrics to assess the impact of change initiatives, making adjustments as required. Digital and IT Operations Manage and support the organisations technology needs. Promote IT security and governance and embed a positive cyber security and good information management culture across Tourism NI. Lead multi-disciplinary teams to design, develop, implement, and manage a range of IT and digital transformation projects and services. This will involve managing all aspects of team delivery including existing third-party service contracts and suppliers. Oversee all aspects of the delivery lifecycle for a range of IT and digital transformation projects and services including contribution to business case development, planning, resource allocation, issue and risk management, reporting, release management, evaluation, and benefits realisation. Identify opportunities where IT and digital transformation can drive efficiencies and release tangible business value. Lead on procurement and supplier management of IT and digital products and services. Lead on Information Governance, with responsibility for data management, protection, and compliance with legal standards. Resource Management Fostering a culture of adaptability and resilience within the team. Successful merger of the IT & Digital Services teams. Coaching and mentoring of the team in managing their key projects and in engaging proactively with the stakeholders. Strengthen vendor management capabilities within the team. Ensure performance appraisal, personal action and development plans are in place with agreed key performance indicators to ensure teams are skilled to deliver the Corporate objectives. Convene regular team meetings to facilitate communication of organisation and team issues and performance, in order to contribute to the achievement of Tourism NIs strategic targets and objectives. Working with the team to resolve any resource constraints or blockages and work with solutions based on business priorities. Manage and control the workflows of employees to ensure organisation standards are met. Take full responsibility for the efficient and effective management of all governance and compliance aspects of the IT & Digital service Be responsible for all financial planning and spend, monitoring all financial activity of the IT & Digital teams against budget. Work closely with the Director of Finance, Chief Executive and other Senior Leaders in the identification, management, and mitigation of risk. Corporate Management As a member of the Senior Management Team, actively contribute to the purpose, vision, strategic direction, and sustainability of the organisation. Contribute to the wider corporate management of Tourism NI. Drive a culture of high performance, ensuring all team members have the opportunity to succeed and develop professionally. Be a champion for values-based behaviours and positive engagement and ensure that all activities are managed in line with Tourism NI policies and procedures. Be a trusted adviser on the policy implications of specific cross-functional development initiatives Keep up to date with the latest developments in the digital landscape, communicating and implementing change within the organisation as required. Any other duties commensurate with the grade of the post as required by Tourism Northern Ireland. This Job Description has been written at a time of organisational change and it will be subject to review and amendment as the demands of the role and the organisation evolve. The Job Holder is therefore required to be flexible, adaptable and aware that they may be asked to perform tasks, duties and responsibilities which are not specifically detailed in the Job Description, but which are commensurate with the role and/or grade appointed or present an opportunity for development. PERSON SPECIFICATION ESSENTIAL CRITERIA EDUCATION/QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE Option 1 A relevant sixth-level qualification (undergraduate degree) as detailed in the qualification framework (see Additional Information section). (A Relevant qualification includes Computing, Software Engineering or other disciplines relevant to Information Systems and Information Technology. Only those courses where a computing content of 50% or more can be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the panel will be considered relevant). AND A minimum of 2 years management experience working collaboratively with senior leaders and managing diverse stakeholders to successfully lead multidisciplinary team(s) delivering IT/digital products or services of significant scale and complexity aligned to the organisations strategic priorities. OR Option 2 A minimum of 4 years management experience working collaboratively with senior leaders and managing diverse stakeholders to successfully lead multidisciplinary team(s) delivering IT/digital products or services of significant scale and complexity aligned to the organisations strategic priorities. In addition to 1. or 2. (above), candidates must also have: 2 years practical experience of successfully developing and delivering business efficiencies through IT enabled business change projects, to ensure digital opportunities are fully exploited by the organisation(s). Management is defined as experience gained at the middle management levels of an organisation or at Deputy Principal grade/ICT 6 level. Significant scale and complexity refers to projects where the candidate has led large IT initiatives affecting core business operations. These projects typically involve delivering IT services to 100 users across multiple business units, managing substantial budgets, and coordinating with senior leaders, vendors, and various internal teams. Projects at this level involve technical challenges like system integrations, along with broader considerations such as compliance, cybersecurity, and business continuity. The candidate should demonstrate success in delivering such projects within tight timeframes while managing financial and reputational risks ESSENTIAL CRITERIA - Personal Effectiveness The job holder will possess an excellent standard of personal effectiveness in the following areas: Ability to make clear, logical and manageable plans for service delivery using project management techniques. Understanding of the role of technology in public service delivery, encouraging a culture of innovation and providing a constructive challenge function. Exceptional analytical skills with the ability to present complex information to a range of stakeholders. Engagement and interpersonal skills and ability to confidently communicate with stakeholders and colleagues at all levels to generate commitment to goals. Demonstrable experience of being a role model for continuous self-learning and development, including leadership, management and people skills. Using financial processes and tools to evaluate options and ensure financial and management information are accurately reflected in business plans. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION This is not an exhaustive list of duties and requirements. The nature of the organisation is such that it must respond to the dynamic environment in which it operates and the nature of duties, tasks, knowledge and skills required for this post will evolve and change in time. The Job Holder is expected to adapt to these changes and develop the role as a result. Applicants must also possess a current driving licence and use of a car for business purposes or have access to a form of transport which will permit the applicant to meet the requirements of the post in full. EQUALITY STATEMENT Tourism NI is committed to equality and will comply with the Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act (1998) statutory duties which requires designated public authorities to have due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity in relation to the nine equality categories and to have regard to the desirability of promoting good relations between persons of different religious belief; political opinion; and racial group. The Disability Discrimination Act (1995) Section 49A requires designated public authorities to have due regard to the need to promote positive attitudes towards disabled persons, and to the need to encourage participation by disabled persons in public life. Qualification Framework Some roles within Tourism Northern Ireland require a specific or minimum level of education which will be stipulated in the essential criteria for the role. When stating a particular qualification level, Tourism Northern Ireland will accept those at, or equivalent to, recognised list of Qualification Levels. FOR FULL APPLICATION PACK PLEASE VISIT please click Apply below. COMPLETING APPLICATIONS Those wishing to apply you should submit a completed application by clicking Apply below no later than Monday 3rd March 2025 date at 12 noon. CVs will not be accepted as a substitute/supplement to the application form. TOURISM NI IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYER