Associate Director, Change & Digital Transformation

Associate Director, Change & Digital Transformation Location: Birmingham Office (Hybrid working with at least 2 days onsite and occasional travel to London) Contract: Permanent Salary: Up to £105,000 plus benefits Hours: Full time

The General Dental Council (GDC) sits at the heart of the UK's dental system, protecting patients and maintaining confidence in the professionals who deliver dental care to millions of people every year.

With a new strategy, Trusted and Effective 2026-2028, and a renewed ambition to become a more agile, digitally enabled and insight-driven organisation, we are embarking on one of the most significant periods of change in our recent history. From transforming Fitness to Practise and registration services to harnessing the opportunities presented by data, automation and AI, we are reshaping how regulation is delivered for the benefit of patients, the profession and the public.

We are now seeking an Associate Director, Change & Digital Transformation to help lead this next chapter. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, this is a rare opportunity to influence at the highest level, drive and support organisation-wide transformation and leave a lasting legacy in a regulator with a clear public purpose. Could this be you?

About the role

Reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer and working closely with the Executive Leadership Team, Council and senior stakeholders, this is a pivotal leadership position at the heart of the GDC's future.

You will provide strategic leadership and support for the organisation's change and transformation agenda, shaping and delivering a portfolio of enterprise-wide programmes that improve services, operating models and organisational effectiveness.

A significant focus will be on leading the transformation of key regulatory and customer-facing services, including Fitness to Practise, registration, customer journeys and process improvement. You will also play a leading role in developing the organisation's approach to digital transformation, ensuring that data, automation and AI are applied responsibly to improve outcomes for the public, dental professionals and our colleagues.

Beyond programme delivery, you will establish and embed a strong organisational change capability, helping leaders across the GDC develop the confidence, skills and culture needed to sustain transformational change and continuous improvement.

Leading a growing multidisciplinary function spanning change, programme management, business analysis and service design, you will be responsible for ensuring that transformation activity delivers measurable benefits and supports the successful delivery of the GDC's strategic ambitions.

What you will bring

Successful candidates will be able to demonstrate

- Strategic Transformation Leadership: Significant experience leading enterprise-wide business and digital transformation programmes in complex organisations, translating strategic ambition into measurable organisational, service and customer outcomes.

- Change, Service & Operating Model Design: A proven track record of redesigning services, customer journeys and operating models at scale, applying continuous improvement methodologies such as Lean and Six Sigma to deliver measurable improvements in efficiency, effectiveness, user experience and organisational performance.

- Digital, Data & Innovation: Strong understanding of how digital technologies, data, automation and AI can be applied to modernise services, improve decision-making and support sustainable organisational transformation.

- Influence & Stakeholder Leadership: Credibility and experience working with executive teams, boards and senior stakeholders, building trust, influencing priorities and delivering change through partnership and collaboration.

- Organisational Change & Culture: Experience establishing and embedding change capability, continuous improvement disciplines and a culture that enables people to embrace, sustain and benefit from transformation.

- Leadership, Delivery & Benefits Realisation: A strong record of leading high-performing teams and transformation portfolios, with clear accountability for governance, investment, benefits realisation and value for money.

If you are an accomplished transformation leader who is excited by the opportunity to help shape the future of a national regulator and deliver change with real public impact, we would love to hear from you.

The GDC is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. We are dedicated to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive.

This campaign is being supported by our advising consultants, Gatenby Sanderson. To arrange a confidential discussion, please do contact Sarah Luxford (Partner) or Duncan Ewart (Principal Researcher).

To access the candidate pack which includes the full job description and guidance on how to apply, please click the apply button shown. You will be redirected to Gatenby Sanderson to apply.

Closing Date: 12 noon, Monday 28 September 2026.