Interim Head of ICT

The project issues
The Council’s Head of ICT was in the process of leaving the role while the outsourced ICT contract was due for review and renewal. In addition, there was a need to rationalise the place of the ICT department within the organisational structure to more accurately reflect the roles and responsibilities associated with the in-house ICT team. Socitm Consulting was asked to take on the role of interim Head of ICT to support the Council in re-organising its strategic priorities for ICT during a complex transitional period.

The Socitm Consulting solution
In addition to providing day to day ICT senior management support, we assisted the Council in evaluating suppliers following a re-tendering of the outsourced ICT contract. The Council wanted to ensure the selected supplier was able to deliver its new priorities for ICT including development of the ICT Service. The evaluation process ensured the right supplier was chosen to deliver ICT services development in a genuine partnership arrangement.

We also assisted the Council in rationalising the place of the in-house ICT department within the overall organisational reporting structure and putting in place the process for appointing a permanent Head of ICT.

The benefits to the client
With our experience of managing ICT at the highest levels, we were able to support the Council in restructuring its ICT Service to more effectively deliver ICT services now and in the future. The Council now has an outsourced contract in place that will deliver its priorities for ICT development and a more effective organisational structure within which ICT is managed. Our ability to communicate with both staff and senior management ensured that a complex transition period was successfully negotiated and ICT staff felt positive about future opportunities.

Project identification
Client organisation: Eastbourne Borough Council
Client contact: Caroline Freeman, Assistant Director, Human Resources, 01323 415106, caroline.freeman@eastbourne.gov.uk 
Lead consultant: john.barrow@socitm.gov.uk
Project no: 5831