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Band 9 Chief Technology Officer

Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust

London, NW3 2QG £121,528 – £138,529 a year Permanent Posted 12 August 2026 Apply by 11 September 2026

Home Office register entry: Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London

Visa sponsorship

This role is listed by an employer that holds a live Home Office sponsor licence on the Skilled Worker route.

Closest occupation match: SOC 1137, Information technology directors. Home Office going rate for this occupation: £86,000 a year.

NHS roles fall under the Health and Care Worker route. Public reference figures for that route: the general salary minimum is £25,000 a year, and salaries set by national pay scales (NHS bands) at or above the relevant band rate typically meet the occupation's requirement. Individual eligibility depends on personal circumstances. These figures are public reference information, not advice or a verdict on this job.

Role description

Job summary

We are seeking an exceptional Chief Technology Officer to provide strategic and operational leadership for technology across the Royal Free London Group. Reporting to the Chief Digital and Information Officer, this senior role will lead the Trust's enterprise technology strategy, architecture, infrastructure, cyber security, platforms and service operations, ensuring our digital foundations are secure, resilient and fit for the future.

The CTO will play a critical role in enabling safe, high-quality patient care and supporting clinical and operational transformation across all Trust sites. You will oversee complex technology services, major investment decisions, supplier partnerships and risk management, ensuring technology delivers value, reliability and innovation at scale.

As a key member of the Digital senior leadership team, you will work closely with clinical, operational and corporate leaders, system partners and national bodies to align technology with organisational priorities and NHS standards. You will lead and develop high-performing teams, drive continuous improvement, and act as Deputy CDIO when required.This is a significant leadership opportunity for an experienced digital and technology executive who can combine strategic vision, technical credibility and operational grip to help shape the future of healthcare technology across one of the largest NHS Trust groups.

Main duties of the job

The Chief Technology Officer will provide senior leadership for technology across the Royal Free London Group, ensuring that digital infrastructure, platforms, systems and services are secure, resilient, effective and aligned to the Trust's strategic priorities.

The postholder will:Lead the Trust's enterprise technology strategy, architecture and technology roadmap.Provide expert advice to the Chief Digital and Information Officer and executive leaders on technology risks, opportunities and investment.Ensure technology supports safe, high-quality patient care and effective operational delivery across all Trust sites.Lead the development of scalable, interoperable and future-ready technology platforms.Manage technology-related risks, cyber security assurance and business continuity arrangements.Oversee technology budgets, procurement, supplier relationships and commercial performance.Drive innovation and the adoption of emerging technologies to improve patient outcomes, staff experience and operational efficiency.Lead, develop and support high-performing technology teams, creating a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement.Work closely with clinical, operational, corporate, system and national partners to ensure technology enables transformation and meets NHS standards.

About us

The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK's biggest and most innovative trusts. Across three main hospitals, our dedicated army of staff care for over 1.6million patients, treat more than 200,000 in A&E, deliver over 8,000 babies and carry out more than 17million tests. Our size, scale and influence offer you unrivalled career opportunities and a forward-thinking approach to working that works around your lifestyle. From flexible hours and generous benefits, to next level training, we make it easier to take your career to the top. For more information please follow link https://www.royalfreelondonjobs.co.uk/

Details

Date posted

12 August 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 9

Salary

£121,528 to £138,529 a year per annum inclusive of HCAS

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

391-RFL-8198730

Job locations

Royal Free Hospital, North Middlesex Hospital, Barnet Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital

Pond Street

London

NW3 2QG

United Kingdom


Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see attached job description for more information about this role and working at Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust.

Person Specification

Royal Free World Class Values

Essential

  • Demonstrable ability to meet the Trust Values

Education & professional Qualifications

Essential

  • Master's degree or higher in computer science, information technology, or a related field, or equivalent experience
  • Relevant technology certifications (e.g., ITIL, TOGAF, CHTE, FedIP, CCIE, CompTIA, DCP).

Experience

Essential

  • Deep understanding of information technology principles, architectures, and best practices.
  • Strong knowledge of relevant technologies, such as cloud computing, cybersecurity, and data analytics.
  • Ability to align technology with business objectives.
  • Experience leading organizational change initiatives
  • Proven track record of successful technology implementations and strategic planning.

Desirable

  • Experience with healthcarespecific technology systems and regulations.
  • Understanding of the healthcare industry and its challenges.
  • Strong understanding of NHS policies, procedures, and standards.

Skills and aptitudes

Essential

  • Determine the most appropriate technologies to achieve the organisation's objectives
  • Assess the effect of changes on different parts of the organization and it's partners
  • Identify underlying causes of technology challenges faced by other leaders ad make strategic recommendations to resolve them
  • Ensure technical architecture, including programme platforms and shared infrastructure, reflects the technical structures needed to achieve the organisation's objectives
  • Ensure the organisation uses and shares the appropriate technology architecture at the appropriate time
  • Make architectural decisions for the organization taking into account costs, functionality, skills and other factors
  • Assess the full financial implication of a technology buying decision
  • Advise on the appropriate funding of shared technologies so that the cost is shared now and in future
  • Guide decision making on appropriate approaches for buying technology, services and human resources so that technology investments achieve organizational goals
  • Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of a wide range of significant previous, current and potential technologies
  • Assess if the organization has the most appropriate technologies to achieve its goals
  • Quickly assess unfamiliar technology for potential use in our organization
  • Detect and analyse early trends in society, technology, data or cyber security that could be important for your organization
  • Advise the organization on the implications of societal changes, new technologies and uses of data, such as ethical, security or legal implications
  • Support teams to identify and implement innovation that responds to and scales with a continually changing landscape
  • Introduce technologies and methods that address shared problems
  • Guide the organization to ensure it has the specialist digital, data and technology skills it needs
  • Develop organizational processes and ways of working so that digital and data roles you support can thrive
  • Continuously improve and optimize the organizational environment

Personal Qualities & attributes

Essential

  • Adherence to the highest ethical standards and commitment to maintaining the trust of patients, staff, and the public.
  • A strong problem -solving mindset, capable of identifying and addressing complex technical and organizational issues.
  • The ability to remain calm and focused under pressure, particularly during times of crisis or unexpected challenges.
  • Willingness to adapt to changing circumstances and embrace new technologies and approaches.
  • Understanding and appreciation of the needs and concerns of patients and staff.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.

Employer details

Employer name

Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Royal Free Hospital, North Middlesex Hospital, Barnet Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital

Pond Street

London

NW3 2QG

United Kingdom


Employer's website

https://www.royalfreelondonjobs.co.uk/

Apply now

Last verified against our ingestion on 13 August 2026; sponsor register dataset 2026-08-25.