£100,000 salary on offer for new Defra CIO

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is offering a £100,000 salary for a new CIO to replace David Myers who has left to work for the government's shared services team.

Myers now heads up the shared services team set up by the e-government unit and the Office of Government Commerce to look at how the public sector can cut costs by utilising shared services across departments for functions such as HR and finance.

The new Defra CIO will join with the department as it undergoes a massive IT-based transformation programme and will lead a core team of around 150 people as well as playing a wider role across public sector IT as a member of the government's CIO Council.

One of the key responsibilities will also be managing Defra's 10-year £850m IT outsourcing contract with IBM signed in 2004.

A salary of around £100,000 is on offer although more is in the pot for an "exceptional candidate".

Government experience isn't necessary but only those with experience of leading large and complex IT operations and managing outsourcing contracts need apply.

Closing date for applications is 2 May 2006.

The Cabinet Office is also looking to recruit a deputy director for its government IT profession programme aimed at boosting public sector IT skills and creating a genuine IT career path within the civil service. The role includes overseeing the creation of the government's IT academy and the formation of a public sector IT skills framework.