Urgent Director of EHR Implementation

Job Description Job Title: Director of EHR Implementation Department: IT Reports to: Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Chief Operating Officer (COO) Date: 2025 Overall Purpose of Job: We are seeking a highly experienced and delivery-focused Director of EHR Implementation to lead the selection and full-scale deployment of a new hospital-wide Electronic Health Record (EHR) system. This is a contracted leadership role, reporting jointly to the Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Chief Operating Officer (COO), and is central to one of the hospitals most significant digital and operational transformation programmes. The hospital currently operates an established EHR platform and is undertaking a complete transition to a new vendor system. The Director will lead the programme from procurement through go-live and into early optimisation, managing governance, operational readiness, clinical engagement, staff training and benefits delivery. They will be responsible for building a dedicated multidisciplinary team and ensuring the system is delivered safely, on time and in line with organisational goals. Key Responsibilities and Deliverables: Programme Leadership Lead the full lifecycle delivery of the hospitals new EHR system, from selection and procurement through to go-live and optimisation Develop and manage a comprehensive implementation plan including timelines, workstreams, milestones and risks Establish programme governance structures and report progress to the CIO, COO and EHR steering group Ensure alignment with hospital-wide strategic objectives, patient safety standards and service transformation goals Ensure full compliance with clinical safety, cybersecurity and information governance requirements (e.g. NIS2, GDPR, HIQQA, JCI and clinical risk frameworks) Coordinate with governance, quality and safety leads to support internal and external assurance processes Team Formation & Management Recruit and lead a cross-functional EHR programme team including project managers, clinical leads, analysts, developers, trainers and support staff Define and manage clear roles, responsibilities and reporting lines across internal staff and external partners Build a strong delivery culture focused on quality, collaboration and accountability Change Management & Staff Training Develop and lead the hospital-wide change management strategy for EHR transition Deliver a tailored training plan to ensure all staff groups are confident and competent ahead of go-live Establish and oversee a super user framework, floorwalker support and helpdesk integration for go-live and beyond Monitor adoption, readiness and staff feedback to adapt change plans as needed Stakeholder Engagement Serve as the primary interface between the programme and clinical, operational and administrative leaders Ensure that service user feedback is incorporated into system design, testing and transition planning Communicate programme objectives, risks and benefits regularly to stakeholders and sponsors Vendor & Partner Management Lead engagement with the selected EHR vendor and associated implementation partners Manage contracts, service level agreements and performance to ensure quality and delivery milestones are met Implementation Delivery & Transition Oversee all aspects of EHR implementation including design, build, integration, testing and cutover Ensure comprehensive go-live readiness planning and coordinate support operations across all departments Lead execution of the data migration strategy, ensuring clinical safety, accuracy and regulatory compliance Deliver structured knowledge transfer, documentation and handover to internal IT, clinical systems and support teams Post-Go-Live Optimisation & Benefits Realisation Lead post-go-live evaluation and early optimisation phases to stabilise the system and address issues Monitor benefit realisation, user experience, workflow alignment and system performance Drive continuous improvement planning with the CIO and operational leads to sustain adoption and outcomes Person Specification Qualifications Bachelors degree in health informatics, Clinical Systems, Project Management, or related discipline Postgraduate qualification in healthcare leadership, informatics, digital health, or change management (desirable) Project, programme or change management certifications (e.g. Lean Six Sigma, PRINCE2) preferred Experience Proven experience delivering full-scale EHR or clinical system implementations in acute hospital settings Significant experience leading multidisciplinary project teams and external vendors under contract Demonstrated leadership in change management and user training across clinical and administrative settings Experience managing procurement, design, testing, data migration, go-live and post-go-live phases Familiarity with HSE or similar digital safety and governance frameworks Job Specific Competencies and Knowledge In-depth knowledge of EHR platforms, functionality, configuration and clinical workflow alignment Understanding of data migration strategies, interoperability, integration standards and testing methodologies Knowledge of clinical safety frameworks, digital risk management and regulatory compliance (e.g. NIS2, GDPR) Skilled in benefits planning, post-implementation evaluation and business change delivery Strong grasp of IT governance, programme reporting and stakeholder management best practices Personal Competencies Excellent interpersonal, facilitation and conflict-resolution skills across multidisciplinary teams Ability to lead with authority while fostering collaboration and shared ownership High attention to detail, clear communication and structured problem-solving Confidence working at board level while maintaining connection with frontline operations Resilience, adaptability and focus on outcomes under demanding programme timelines This job description is intended to be an outline of the areas of responsibility and deliverables at the time of its writing. As the Hospital and the post holder develop, this job description may be subject to review in light of the changing needs of the Hospital. Skills: Project Chance Management Migration Strategies Clinical Safety framework