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Calling all public sector leaders - join techUK's most senior public sector peer group and help us deliver more innovative public services.

Would you like to help build a thriving and innovative public sector market and deliver transformative, tech-enabled public services? techUK’s Public Services Board (PSB) is looking for representatives from member organisations of all sizes to shape and lead our work with senior Government stakeholders to make this vision a reality.

The PSB is the most senior member body operating in the public sector space at techUK, and works to:

• Set the strategic direction for techUK’s public sector work, including our policy and engagement activities
• Join-up the work done by our Central and Local Government, Health and Social Care, and Justice and Emergency Services programmes, identifying systemic solutions to cross-sector issues
• Work with the public sector to build a better environment in which suppliers and buyers can collaborate on innovative public services
• Manage techUK's relationship with senior stakeholders in Government and the wider public sector

What we’re working on this year

In 2017, the PSB has identified three key areas where Industry can work with Government to create a more innovative market. These are:

• Removing barriers to sharing: innovative work is done across the public sector and in partnership with Industry, but it is often hard for knowledge, products and information to be shared between Departments and organisations. By developing cross-government collaboration and common standards and platforms, it will be easier for Government to deliver truly transformative public services in partnership with a broader range of suppliers.
• World-class citizen transactions: Government is seeking to move beyond front-end transformation to deliver end-to-end change in the way that citizens engage with public services. With challenging legacy estates and contracts, Government will have to think innovatively about how digital transformation will support citizens however they choose to communicate with it. A close partnership with Industry can help the public sector ensure a smooth transition to tech-enabled public services.
• Civil Service skills and capabilities: The Government has made good progress in formalising its Digital, Data and Technology profession, and rolling out digital training through its academy programme. However truly transformative public services need to be digital in design, not just in delivery, and an understanding of the possibilities offered by technology should be extended to public servants throughout the civil service, to ensure that it is able to capitalise on the innovation happening in the private sector.

Who are we looking for?

As the most senior public sector membership body at techUK, we ask that prospective members of the PSB are also P&L owners (or equivalent) at their organisation. This creates a level playing field between members and ensures that they are empowered to follow up the decisions we take with actions that can have a real impact on the public sector space. Current members tend to be Directors/MDs of public sector at larger organisations, or CEOs of SMEs.

Unlike other techUK Committees, PSB membership also carries an additional charge, currently set at £1,000 per annum for SMEs and £10,000 per annum for larger organisations. This allows us to fund work that achieves lasting changes in the public sector, such as our reports and promotional activities, the Civil Service Survey, and senior stakeholder engagement events.

It’s important for us that the PSB is representative of the Industry as a whole, and that we have a plurality of backgrounds represented, as well as businesses of different sizes and with different specialisms. We’re particularly interested in hearing from women and BME members.

How do I join?

Applications to join the PSB will be considered by the current membership at our next meeting on Thursday 12th October. If you would like to be considered, please submit a short one- or two-paragraph ‘pitch’ outlining your role, skills and experience, and what you and your company would bring to the PSB to Owen Spottiswoode, Head of Public Services, by Wednesday 11th October. If you have any questions, Owen would be delighted to hear from you!