Innovation Director; Information Technology

Job Description Job Title: IT Innovation Director Department: IT Reports to: Chief Information Officer (CIO) Date: 2025 Overall Purpose of Job: Beacon Hospital is seeking an IT Innovation Director to identify and evaluate emerging technologies and future-facing opportunities that align with organisational priorities. Reporting directly to the Chief Information Officer (CIO), this role focuses on shaping and guiding new initiatives that bring fresh approaches into the hospital. The Innovation Director will take responsibility for selected priority projects in their early stages, ensuring they are set up for success before transitioning to delivery teams. This role goes beyond healthcare: it requires an innovative thinker with strong technology awareness who can build frameworks for priority technologies such as AI, create practical guidance for staff, and ensure safe, consistent adoption of new digital tools. The successful candidate will scan the market, assess trends, and prepare proposals for senior decision-makers, keeping the organisation at the forefront of digital innovation and ensuring projects improve service quality, efficiency and long-term sustainability. Key Responsibilities and Deliverables: Innovation Strategy and Leadership Provide leadership in identifying new technologies, digital trends and opportunities aligned with hospital strategy Develop and maintain an innovation roadmap to guide future investments and planning Advise the CIO and senior leadership on innovation priorities and emerging opportunities Promote a culture of innovation within the hospital through awareness, engagement and collaboration Opportunity Identification Evaluation and Implementation Carry out horizon scanning, market research and vendor assessments to identify emerging technologies Evaluate opportunities against clinical, operational and strategic needs Prepare proposals and business cases for consideration by senior decision-makers Support assessment of risks, benefits and alignment with regulatory and patient safety requirements Take ownership of agreed strategic initiatives during their set-up phase, ensuring they are well defined and ready for operational delivery Contribute directly where needed, for example by drafting guidance or providing practical frameworks to enable staff to use new technologies effectively Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration Work with clinical, operational and technical leads to ensure innovations are clinically safe, relevant and implementable Engage with external partners, vendors, academic institutions and industry networks to broaden innovation opportunities Collaborate with managers and delivery teams to ensure approved initiatives transition smoothly into implementation Governance and Assurance Provide assurance that innovation opportunities align with hospital governance frameworks and regulatory compliance (e.g. GDPR, NIS2, JCI) Report progress, risks and recommendations to the CIO and relevant governance committees Budget and Resource Influence Define innovation budget requirements and influence investment decisions by developing robust business cases Ensure alignment of resource planning with hospital strategy and long-term priorities Person Specification Qualifications Bachelors degree in technology, digital innovation, business, healthcare management, informatics or a related discipline Postgraduate qualification in innovation, leadership or technology management (desirable) Certification in project, programme or change management an advantage Experience Proven track record of leading digital innovation or technology strategy in any sector (healthcare experience is welcome but not essential) Experience in evaluating emerging technologies and translating them into opportunities with measurable outcomes Skilled at engaging stakeholders to align innovation with business or service needs Experience initiating and shaping early-stage projects with both strategic oversight and hands-on input Strong vendor engagement, contract negotiation and partnership development skills Knowledge of regulatory and compliance frameworks for digital technologies Job Specific Competencies and Knowledge Strong understanding of how technology can improve services and operations Knowledge of innovation pipelines, digital transformation and evaluation frameworks Skilled in business case development and investment appraisal Awareness of data protection, security and compliance considerations Personal Competencies Forward-thinking, innovative and strategic mindset Excellent communication and influencing skills Strong analytical, evaluation and problem-solving ability Collaborative approach with the ability to inspire and engage stakeholders at all levels Ability to balance strategic oversight with willingness to engage in detail when required to ensure delivery 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: Analytical problem solving strategic