How to become a digital delivery manager
To become a digital delivery manager, you'll need a degree in a relevant subject and significant experience in the planning and delivery of technology solutions.
What is a digital delivery manager?
Digital delivery managers lead teams of technical specialists focused on problem-solving, adding value, and continuous improvement. They are responsible for the delivery of digital services, projects, and products.
Starting your career as digital delivery manager
Choosing subjects at school
To get on a college or university course that could lead to a career as a digital delivery manager, useful subjects include:
- Administration and IT
- Business Management
- Computing Science
- Engineering Science
- English
- Maths
- Physics
Speak to your guidance teacher about subjects offered at your school.
Work placements and volunteering
You may find it helpful to get some healthcare experience by doing a work placement or volunteering. You’ll get training, increase your knowledge, and learn new skills. This could help you when applying to university, college or a new job with NHSScotland.
College and university
If you choose to go to college, you could do an HNC in Management and Leadership, or an HND in Computing: Software Development.
Widening access
Widening participation supports adult learners who want to go to university. If you’re an adult with few or no qualifications, you could get into higher education through the Scottish Wider Access Programme (SWAP). Many universities also provide access programmes to help you get the degree entry qualifications you need.
Undergraduate degree programme
To work as a digital delivery manager in the NHS, you’re likely to need an undergraduate degree in a subject such as:
- Software Development
- Information Management
- Business Management and Leadership
Many Scottish universities deliver courses in these areas. You should check specific entry requirements before applying.
Postgraduate degree
You may also need an appropriate postgraduate qualification in an IT, business, management, or other technical discipline.
Alternatively, you must have significant experience in the planning and delivery of technology solutions.
Get to know the role
As a digital delivery manager, you'd play a key role in transforming the way digital products and technology services are delivered. This includes work on:
- accessible digital platforms
- digital tools and applications used in patient care
- digital applications for staff recruitment, training, learning and career development
- data services platforms
You’ll prioritise the tasks that need to be completed, based on the skills and capacity of your team. You may also have to negotiate with customers and stakeholders to remove blockers or obstacles that could result in:
- an impact on delivery
- the withdrawal of services
- unscheduled maintenance
Your other tasks will include:
- lead on the design, development, testing, and delivery of digital products and technology services
- make sure that digital products meet the required quality assurance standards
- interpret complex problems through analysis and find suitable solutions
- facilitate sprint planning and daily stand-ups
- set up and maintain standard operating procedures and metrics reports to monitor activities and make sure objectives are met
- promote skills-driven self-directed learning within the team
- identify issues and risks that may impact budgets and manage or escalate them as appropriate
- manage suppliers to make sure contracted services are delivered to agreed service levels
You'll need these skills:
- decision-making
- leadership
- communicating
- sense-making
- problem-solving
- collaborating
- curiosity
Project management experience is also beneficial. Helpful professional qualifications and certifications include:
- Agile Project Manager
- PRINCE2 Practitioner
- ITIL Foundation - IT Service Management Certification
- ITIL 4 Managing Professional Certification
Digital delivery managers work in a team with other digital professionals. The delivery team includes these roles:
- product owner
- software engineer
- solutions architect
- UX designer
- content designer
Digital delivery managers work in an office, or remotely.
Learning and development
During your career, self-directed learning will provide opportunities to explore and investigate new tools, technologies and systems.
Career progression
With experience, you could become a head of service, managing and leading teams to make sure that the strategic objectives of the service or department are met.
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