Chief Nursing Information Officer (CNIO, Deputy CCIO)

Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is growing and changing. We provide specialist mental health, learning disability and community services across Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton. We’re looking for people who care about others, take responsibility, treat people with respect and have the confidence to speak up and shape what comes next.

We’re focused on the future, with a clear Trust Strategy and our Best for the Black Country programme driving improvement across our services and communities.

What we do

· Adult and older adult mental health

· Children and young people’s mental health

· Specialist learning disability services

· Community healthcare for children, young people and families in Dudley

Why join now

We’ve got real momentum. Clear priorities and our Best for the Black Country work mean things are moving in the right way, fast.

Our culture is built around being compassionate, accountable, respectful and empowering each other - you’ll see this in how teams support patients and colleagues every day.
You’ll be looked after. Flexible working, family-friendly policies, supportive teams, proper wellbeing support and opportunities to learn and develop.

There’s room to grow. A wide range of services, space to try ideas and a voice that’s heard.

It’s a great place to live. Diverse communities, good transport links, strong schools and green space, with a lower cost of living than many city regions.

What it’s like to work here

You’ll join friendly, skilled teams who look out for each other. We plan together, share pressures and celebrate wins. You’ll be encouraged to take ownership, speak up and learn from experience. New starters get a warm welcome and clear induction; early careers colleagues have preceptorship and buddying; experienced staff can lead, teach and innovate.

Who we are

We’re 4,000+ colleagues from many backgrounds, committed to improving health and wellbeing for our communities and for each other. If you’re interested in the role but don’t meet every requirement, please apply — we value potential, different perspectives and people who want to grow.

As part of our commitment to fairness, transparency, and personal integrity, we ask all applicants to ensure that their job applications reflect their own experiences, skills, and motivations. While AI tools can support spelling, grammar, or formatting, we expect that the content of your application—especially personal statements and responses to role-specific questions—is written by you. This helps us get to know the real you and ensures that our recruitment process remains equitable and meaningful for everyone.

Armed Forces Community

Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is proud to support the Armed Forces Covenant. We welcome applications from veterans, reservists, service leavers, military spouses and members of the wider Armed Forces community. We recognise the valuable skills, experience and attributes developed through military service and are committed to supporting the Armed Forces community in their careers.

Job overview

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced and forward-thinking senior nurse to join Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust as our Chief Nursing Information Officer and Deputy Chief Clinical Information Officer.

Digital transformation is central to how we will improve care, support our workforce and deliver our Trust, Clinical and Digital Strategies. We are therefore looking for a credible and compassionate clinical leader who understands both the realities of frontline care and the potential of digital technology to make a genuine difference.

Working closely with the Chief Clinical Information Officer, you will provide Trust-wide leadership for Clinical Informatics, ensuring that digital change is clinically led, safe, inclusive and focused on better outcomes for patients, service users, carers and staff. You will lead the Clinical Informatics team, help shape our digital priorities and turn strategy into practical, sustainable improvements.

This is a permanent, full-time Band 8c role offering the opportunity to influence at the highest levels of the organisation while remaining connected to clinical services and the people who use them.

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You will provide senior clinical leadership across the Trust’s digital portfolio, supporting programmes from initial design and procurement through to implementation, adoption, evaluation and optimisation. A key part of the role will be ensuring that technology supports safe, effective and person-centred care, rather than simply digitising existing processes.

You will lead and develop the Clinical Informatics team, strengthen our network of digital clinical leaders and champions, and create meaningful opportunities for staff, patients, service users and carers to shape digital services.

Working across clinical, operational, digital and corporate teams, you will:

• Deputise for the Chief Clinical Information Officer when required.
• Lead the day-to-day delivery and development of the Clinical Informatics function.
• Provide senior clinical leadership for electronic patient records and other digital transformation programmes.
• Strengthen clinical safety, governance and assurance throughout the digital lifecycle.
• Lead improvements to clinical workflows, digital adoption and system optimisation.
• Ensure the benefits of digital investment are clearly defined, measured and realised.
• Promote responsible innovation, including the safe evaluation and use of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.
• Build clinical informatics capability and support a sustainable, multidisciplinary digital workforce.

Working for our organisation

At Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, we provide mental health, learning disability and autism services to communities across the Black Country. Our ambition is to deliver high-quality, compassionate and contemporary care, supported by digital services that work well for the people who use and deliver them.

You will join us at an important point in our digital journey. We are developing our future Digital Strategy and progressing a broad portfolio of digital transformation, optimisation and innovation. This role will help ensure that clinical voices remain at the heart of that work and that our investment in digital technology delivers meaningful improvements in safety, quality, experience and productivity.

You will work with colleagues from across the Trust and with system, regional and national partners. We will support you to develop as a senior digital clinical leader and to build a visible, connected and influential Clinical Informatics function.

We are committed to an inclusive and compassionate culture in which people feel respected, supported and able to contribute. We welcome applications from candidates who share our CARE values and can bring different perspectives, experiences and ideas to our organisation.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please refer to attached job description and person specification documents for full details and main responsibilities.

Applying and timelines

We may close this advert early if we receive a high volume of applications, so please apply soon. We shortlist after the closing date and will contact shortlisted candidates usually within two weeks. If you haven’t heard by then, you haven’t been shortlisted. Please check your email for updates and contact Recruitment for feedback.

As part of our commitment to fairness, openness and accountability, we ask all applicants to ensure that their job applications reflect their own experiences, skills and motivations. While AI tools can support spelling, grammar or formatting, we expect that the content of your application especially personal statements and responses to role-specific questions is written by you.

Pay and contracts

Most NHS roles are paid under NHS Agenda for Change. With us, your starting point is set against the advertised band and your relevant NHS service, with progression through annual increments.

Medical and Very Senior Manager roles follow separate national pay frameworks, not Agenda for Change. Details are provided in each advert and during recruitment.

Standards and checks

· Clinical posts up to and including Band 4 are expected to hold the Care Certificate. If you don’t have it yet, we’ll support you to complete it in post.

· Some roles require a Standard or Enhanced DBS check under part V of the Police Act 1997. Having a criminal record won’t automatically prevent employment - we consider the role and individual circumstances.

· We are an equal opportunities employer, offer flexible working, and are a smoke-free Trust.

Inclusion, equality and adjustments

· We are an equal opportunities employer and are committed to creating an environment where everyone is treated with dignity, feels respected and is able to thrive.

· We are an anti-racist, disability-inclusive and LGBTQ+-inclusive Trust.

· We welcome applications from under-represented groups and people with lived experience relevant to our services.

· Disabled applicants can request consideration under our Guaranteed Interview Scheme where essential criteria are met, and you can ask for reasonable adjustments at any stage.

Our culture and values

Best for the Black Country is our improvement journey. Our values Compassionate, Accountable, Respectful and Empowered guide how we work every day.

That means:

• taking time to understand people and respond with kindness
• being open and taking responsibility for our actions
• listening and valuing different perspectives
• supporting each other to speak up, improve and make a difference

You’ll see this in how teams work together and in the impact you can have on local people.