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Job summary

Role

Reporting to the Finance Director, this role ensures that there is appropriate and professional focus on all information systems, technology and governance. With responsibility for leading the IT Directorate to deliver strategic intent coherently, effectively and efficiently to ITIL and COBIT standards the IT Director will ensure ONR's IT estate is secure, reliable, value for money and fit-for purpose, working with suppliers to oversee a seamless and value for money experience.

Job description

Responsibilities

• Lead the IT Management Team to deliver ONR’s strategy, ensuring teams, suppliers, technology and processes are effective, appropriately resourced and provide value.
• Set and deliver IT and digital strategy, plans, policies, programmes and operating approaches to meet business objectives.
• Ensure the security, integrity and resilience of ONR’s information systems, communications, equipment, data, back-up and disaster recovery arrangements.
• Maintain the right balance of in-house and outsourced services, building effective strategic relationships with suppliers and stakeholders to support ONR’s objectives.
• Build organisational capability through leadership, coaching, succession planning and effective deployment of resources across the IT Directorate.
• Support the organisation through business partnering, collaboration, governance and operational efficiency, working with the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) to identify issues and agree action.
• Promote an inclusive and respectful culture by modelling inclusive behaviours, valuing diverse perspectives, addressing non-inclusive behaviour and fostering fairness and belonging.
• Ensure staff comply with key policies, procedures, guidance and mandatory training, and role model health, safety and wellbeing through visible leadership and commitment to ONR’s safety culture.

Accountabilities

• As a member of SLT, and through attendance at Board and committees as required, you will contribute to ONR’s enterprise leadership to ensure effective governance and strategic direction informed by ONR’s operating environment.
• Lead and support change to optimise operations and improve value for money.
• Ensure the team delivers high-quality functional and cross-functional service aligned to ONR’s principles and culture.
• Set IT team goals aligned to business priorities.

Person Specification

Essential Qualifications

• Postgraduate degree (or equivalent) in Information Technology / Computer Science or a related discipline or the equivalent professional experience within this field.
• Chartered membership of a relevant, recognised professional body

Essential skills and experience

Leadership:

A seasoned technology and IT leader with extensive experience operating at a senior level, contributing effectively to organisational direction as part of a leadership team. Brings strong leadership capability aligned to core values, with a proven ability to manage, influence, and develop teams by fostering a high-performance environment that offers both support and challenge.

Technical Expertise:

Extensive experience in strategic planning and the successful delivery of IT initiatives, combined with strong expertise in managing outsourced technology providers. Possesses broad knowledge of IT systems and software, with the capability to oversee end‑to‑end technology operations. Highly experienced across the full software development lifecycle and best practices, with a proven ability to simplify complex challenges and drive clear, effective solutions.

Stakeholder Engagement:

Extensive experience in developing and maintaining strong relationships with senior stakeholders, with a proven ability to influence and build credibility with colleagues, external partners, and leadership teams. Demonstrates consistent success in fostering trusted, collaborative relationships that support effective decision-making and organisational outcomes.

Communication:

Ability to communicate complex concepts concisely with maturity, gravitas and presence with high levels of emotional intelligence.

Transformation and Change:

Demonstrates strong ability to lead and develop IT teams through continuous improvement and transformational change, with proven success in delivering infrastructure and software development projects. Consistently achieves enhanced organisational performance while fostering innovation and effectively navigating change.

Judgement and Decision Making:

Demonstrates strong decision-making capabilities by leveraging subject matter expertise and evidence to provide clear recommendations to the CEO, Board, and committees. Brings a logical, purposeful approach with high motivation, resilience, and a positive attitude, maintaining composure and sound judgement under pressure. Acts as a trusted advisor and collaborative team player, committed to serving the public interest.

Person specification

Desirable skills and experience

• Experience working in both the Public and Private sectors.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Azure and O365 technologies.

Location / Travel

This post may be undertaken from a base at any one of ONR’s office locations (Bootle, Cheltenham, or London). If not Bootle based the successful candidate will need to be prepared to travel to Bootle on a frequent basis as well as potential other UK travel.

The successful applicant requires a full driving licence which permits the holder to drive in the UK unless reasonable adjustments can be made under the Equality Act 2010.

ONR operates hybrid working (working in the office and / or at home) as part of our flexible working policy. There is an expectation that everyone will spend some time in the office on a regular basis, recognising that some work is better done face to face. Managers will collaborate with their teams on what works best to meet individual, team, business and organisational needs to enable collaboration, as well as balancing personal choice and wellbeing.

Security Clearance

The successful candidate must hold or be able to secure SC clearance.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £97,000, Office for Nuclear Regulation contributes £28,100 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

Terms and conditions

Salary

A competitive salary with a generous employers’ pension contribution to the civil service pension scheme.

Future pay awards will be reviewed regularly and settled following negotiations between ONR and Trades Unions and with agreement from the Renumeration Committee.

Pension Scheme

ONR offers an excellent occupational pension scheme. We offer the choice of either:

A high quality, index-linked defined benefit pension scheme. Members contribute a percentage of their earnings, but we also make generous contributions and meet the bulk of the cost of this scheme or

A stakeholder pension with a contribution from ourselves. Our basic contribution is based on your age, and we pay this regardless of whether you choose to contribute anything. You do not have to contribute if you do not wish to but, if you do, we will also match your contributions up to an additional 3% of pay

Full details can be found on the Civil Service Pensions website at: www.civilservice-pensions.gov.uk.

Other benefits include:

• Flexible working arrangements
• 30 days annual leave, plus public holidays and 1 privilege day in a year
• Generous maternity, paternity and adoption leave allowance; carers leave
• Occupational Health Services including counselling

Do visit Working for ONR - Rewards and benefits

Inclusion

ONR colleagues are from all walks of life with varied personal experiences and career journeys into ONR. We want the best people for our roles. As an inclusive employer we value individuals’ contributions, regardless of their age, gender, race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, social background, religion, or belief. Our values ‘supportive, open-minded, fair and accountable’ are central to this. We invest in our people to build capability, resilience, and promote wellbeing in our great teams, underpinned by our inherent focus on inclusion and excellence.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

Full details can be found on the Civil Service Pensions website at: www.civilservice-pensions.gov.uk.

Please apply directly through the link below.

Office for Nuclear Regulation - Apply for vacancies - Find a job, build a career , Hays

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Medical

Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.

Nationality requirements

Open to UK nationals only.

Working for the Civil Service

Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission.The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : ONR.Human-Resources@onr.gov.uk
• Email : ONR.Human-Resources@onr.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : ONR.Human-Resources@onr.gov.uk

Further information

https://www.onr.org.uk/complaints-concerns-whistleblowing.htm