Changes announced for the government DDaT senior leadership

24 Aug 2020 03:25 PM

Chief Operating Officer for the Civil Service Alex Chisholm announces recruitment process start for a Government Chief Digital Officer (GCDO).

The recruitment exercise to appoint the Government Chief Digital Officer (GCDO) is underway, as Alex Chisholm announces two changes in the Digital, data and technology (DDaT) senior leadership.  

In his first blog post for GDS, the Chief Operating Officer for the Civil Service and Permanent Secretary for the Cabinet Office shared details of the vacancy, which will see the GCDO responsible for the Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) 18,000 strong DDaT profession. Noting that the UK Civil Service faces some of its greatest challenges in a generation—managing the coronavirus profession and preparation for EU Exit—the new GCDO will explore the opportunities to “innovate and build afresh”.  

Government’s high ambitions for transforming digital services and use of data, top of the agenda for the GCDO will be the overhaul of government’s legacy IT systems, cyber security, improving capability, and the design and delivery of citizen-centric digital services.  

The recruitment announcement coincides with the news that Alison Pritchard, interim Director General at GDS, has been appointed as Deputy National Statistician and Director General for Data Capability at the Office for National Statistics (ONS), effective from October 2020. Alison will be responsible for leadership of all aspects of data capability at ONS, a key strategic focus as discussed at our recent industry roundtable.  

Alex Chisholm has invited Fiona Deans, the current Chief Operating Officer at GDS to take on the leadership role in the interim.