Head of IG & Data Protection Officer

Go back Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust Head of IG & Data Protection Officer

The closing date is 06 July 2025

This is an exciting opportunity to play a significant role in the senior leadership and operational management of Information Governance and medical records services across two of the largest NHS Foundation Trusts in London.
Guy's & St Thomas', with over 23,000 dedicated staff, operates from 5 main hospitals - Guy's Hospital, St Thomas' Hospital, Evelina London Children's Hospital, Royal Brompton Hospital and Harefield Hospital, and in the community.
King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, employing over 15,000 staff, is also one of the biggest and busiest Trusts in the country, primarily serving the London Boroughs of Southwark, Lambeth and Bromley, with a population of over 1 million people, and acting as a referral centre for millions more. Our specialist services are also available to patients from a wider area, and we provide nationally and internationally recognised treatment.
This role will provide senior leadership and advice on Information Governance and data protection matters for all Trust services, programmes and projects. The successful applicant will ensure expert advice and support to policy development, to create and maintain high level awareness, profile and understanding of the strategic and practical importance of data protection and IG, and to ensure that the highest level of subject matter expertise and support is provided to the Trusts in order to meet their statutory and mandatory obligations.
Main duties of the job

The job holder is required to provide independent advice and assurance to the KCH and GSTT Boards on all matters relating to data protection & IG, patient records and underpinning legislation, ensuring executive and non-executive awareness of responsibilities and maintaining compliance with mandatory training / skills requirements.
Ensuring effective delivery of the annual IG service and business plan, the budget for pay and non-pay expenditure and the underpinning operational plan
Ensuring that GSTT/KCH and data subjects are informed about their data protection rights, obligations and responsibilities
Ensuring the review and amendment of records of processing to ensure legal compliance
Overseeing complaints concerning information rights and data protection, as raised by the ICO, GSTT/KCH or other person(s)
Acting as principal liaison between the Trusts and the ICO regarding investigations, complaint handling and inspections
Advising on applicable data protection rules/regulations and laws
Responsibility for IG staff performance and development
Financial and staff management responsibility, including:
Annual business plan and budget for IG and patient records services, with a current operating budget of £7m pa as at 2023/24 staffing levels
Leading the Trusts' Information Governance teams, setting strategy and monitoring performance
Monitoring compliance within the directorate with Trust-wide staff management policies and procedures
About us

The successful applicant will work with an enthusiastic and dedicated team to provide strategic leadership within the Trusts to deliver an effective, integrated, responsive and flexible IG service. The post holder will support the Joint Director of Information Governance & Management in developing a strategic IG service model by contributing to service design, taking responsibility for areas of service improvement and developing a shared vision for the service.
In performing the tasks set out by law, the DPO must have significant and demonstrable experience. in particular:
Experience leading a privacy-by-design approach, strategically implementing and utilising Data Protection Risk Assessments (DPIAs)
Experience operating within a risk-first environment, understanding and utilising risks to drive change and innovation.
Data Protection Officer (or deputy) level experience within UK Healthcare.
Job responsibilities

See attached job description for details of main responsibilities.
Key relationships of the job holder will span both KCH and GSTT NHS Foundation Trusts, and include the following:
Internal
Chief Executives
Senior Information Management / IG and Health Records Managers
Caldicott Guardians & Trust Legal / General Counsel
Clinical Directors and Managers
Directors of Quality & Assurance
Heads of Information Security & Major Programmes
Business, Finance and Project Managers
External
NHS England / Transformation
Kings College and AI Centre
DPOs across major programmes and research projects
Police, Solicitors and Courts
Person Specification

Qualifications, Education, Knowledge

Qualifications in Information Governance / Data Protection
Experience of working within an NHS Foundation Trust
Skills

Demonstrable success in delivering change and performance with and through management and clinical teams, by engaging them in the strategic direction and delivery plans, establishing clear work priorities and delegating effectively
Ability to collaborate constructively with internal and external partners to create the conditions for successful partnership working;
Highly developed leadership and influencing skills with the ability to enthuse, motivate and involve individuals and teams and have them understand the Trusts' performance expectations;
Sound political judgement, astuteness and sensitivity in understanding and working with complex policy, matters of confidentiality and diverse interest groups
Personal Qualities

High level of work organisation, selfmotivation, drive for performance and improvement and flexibility in approach and attitude;
Excellent inter-personal and communications skills with a track record in writing complex business cases and X A/I policies;
Experience

Experience leading a privacy-by-design approach, strategically implementing and utilising Data Protection Risk Assessments (DPIAs)
Experience operating within a risk-first environment, understanding and utilising risks to drive change and innovation.
Data Protection Officer (or deputy) level experience within UK Healthcare
Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
£82,462 to £93,773 a yearper annum inc HCA

#J-18808-Ljbffr