Neil Moore’s ICT transformation programme is reviewing and will refresh every element of the organisation’s ICT provision with the sole exception of its existing command and control system. Procurement exercises have been completed for WAN, local virtualised infrastructure, office systems, printing, telephony, infrastructure and desktop hardware. Job titleHead of ICT Company nameHampshire Fire and Rescue Service How are you influencing the products, customer experience and services your organisation offers to its customers?Our corporate aim is ‘to make Hampshire safer’. In support of this we have nine strategic priorities, one of which is technology. I am responsible for delivery of the technology priority for the service. Define the key business outcomes that you have delivered over the last 12 months and their impact on your organisation’s performanceWe are currently undergoing an ICT transformation programme which is reviewing and will refresh every element of our ICT provision except for our existing command and control system. In the past 12 months I have delivered a comprehensive review of the Fire Service’s ICT requirements, including a challenge to our existing service level agreements which subsequently culminated in the approval of a business case to implement a comprehensive equipment and services refresh. Since then we have completed procurement exercises for WAN, local virtualised infrastructure, office systems, printing, telephony plus infrastructure and desktop hardware. What has been your involvement with innovation at your organisation – in particular, with products, business model and technology – over the last 12 months? Products:A review of Office 365 and Google for Work with a view to moving our office desktop into the cloud. Business model: Review of all our ICT products and services towards a services-based cloud model. Technology:Establishment of a new digital technology board reporting to the service management team to oversee all digital technology initiatives across the service in support of the technology corporate priority. How have you delivered cultural and behavioural change as a CIO within the IT department and/or more broadly across the organisation?I am a member of the service management team (the board) and as such share responsibility for delivery of services across the Fire Service. As such I have influence in board decisions. Promoting technology has contributed to its recognition by the board as a critical element to successful service delivery and the adoption of ‘agility’ and ‘positive disruption’ as drivers for change, both technology and otherwise. Our ICT transformation programme has demonstrated the importance of engaging appropriate expertise both on a short-term and long-term basis, and that major transformation programmes can run at pace. Engagement with all staff for any major change programme is a service-wide aspiration. With ICT transformation this was focused on the appointment of a dedicated communications professional for the programme. How have you worked with your CEO and/or board to communicate whatever ‘digital’ and IT means to your organisation/sector and improve digital literacy at the highest levels of the organisation?As a member of the service management team I have presented our ICT strategy at a number of points in recent years. The new digital technology Board (which I chair) will serve to challenge the ICT strategy, articulate the digital vision for the Fire Service and ensure all projects are aligned to achieve that vision. How have you worked with the technology and IT vendor market to achieve your business goals? How have you been able to influence IT suppliers and successfully manage your partnerships/relationships with large IT companies, SMEs and startups?I have a number of responsibilities at a national level, and use these to influence policy and vendors to meet fire sector strategic business goals. These responsibilities include: chair of the national (Chief Fire Officers’ Association) ICT professionals group member of the local public services CIO Council chair of Socitm south region. How have you tried to develop the diversity of your team?Encouraging diversity is one of our corporate values, and therefore woven into our recruitment. We have achieved a reasonable gender balance within ICT, through to the ICT management team. Describe how you organise and operate IT and how this aligns effectively with business strategy and operationsMy role (head of ICT) has a seat on our board (service management team). The board jointly owns the corporate priorities including technology, for which I am responsible. This enables the technology priority (and all others) to be tightly aligned with overall business priorities. Within my function are three divisions: service desk, engineer support and business development. Our engineers also deliver a 24×7 duty support service. What strategic technology deals have you made in the last year and who are your main suppliers and IT partners? WAN (Virgin Media Business) Office 365 SharePoint (Active Intelligence) VMware (Phoenix Software) managed printing (Canon). What are your key strategic aims for next year?To implement new services through our ICT transformation programme and deliver the benefits articulated in the business case: Deliver services that meet the needs of the business now and in the future. Support operational effectiveness by delivering services that are agile and promote innovation. Reduce the cost of ICT. Drive collaboration benefits, especially with other emergency services. How are you preparing for any impacts Brexit might have on your organisation?Brexit is already impacting our ICT transformation programme. To mitigate the impact we are purchasing products earlier than planned to avoid announced price increases. YOUR ROLE When did you start your current role?2004 What is your reporting line?I report to the director of professional services, who reports to the chief officer. Are you a member of the executive leadership?Yes Are you a member of the board of directors?No What other emerging roles does your organisation have and what is their relationship to you?Head of knowledge management (peer). How often do you meet with your organisation’s CEO or equivalent?Formally at boards every two months. Informally weekly. How many people at your organisation does your function supply services to?1,800 BUDGETS What is your annual IT budget, or your spend as a proportion of the organisation’s revenue?£3m (5%) What percentage of your budget is operational spend (ie keeping the lights on) and how much new development (ie innovation, R&D, exploratory IT)?Normally 95% annual budget spent on operational IT. Major projects – eg ICT transformation programme – may attract additional transitional funding. CIO INFLUENCES Rank the following sources of advice/information in order of importance: Media CIO peers Industry bodies Analyst houses Consultants IT SECURITY Has your organisation detected a cyber intrusion in the last 12 months?Yes Are you expecting an increase in budget specific to security in order to tackle the cyber threat?No Does your organisation have a designated security professional – CISO or otherwise – and what is their relationship to you?Cyber security manager reports to me. There is a service-wide SIRO at director level. RECRUITMENT Are you finding it difficult to recruit the talent you need to drive transformation?Yes Has recruitment and retention risen up your agenda as a CIO?Yes Does your IT organisation operate an apprenticeship scheme?No How many employees are there in your IT team?24 Are you increasing your headcount or planning to bring skills and the ability to react to needs in-house?Yes TECHNOLOGY Which technologies or areas are you expecting to be investing in over the next year? cloud data analytics/business intelligence IoT. Which technologies or areas are you expecting to be investing in over the next one to three years? cloud data analytics/business intelligence IoT machine learning/artificial intelligence wearables networking/communications. What emerging technologies are you investigating or expect to have a big impact on your sector or organisation?AI, IoT. THE EU Does your organisation do a significant amount of trade with the EU?No Does your department include technology staff from the EU?No Are you or have you been looking to the EU to recruit key skills?No