Digital Transformation Lead

About Resources for Autism (RfA) 

Since 1997 when we started as a small playgroup set up by parents dismayed at the lack of provision for their autistic children, Resources for Autism (RfA) has grown into a major deliverer of services and support in London and the West Midlands with a turnover of circa £2.5m per year. Our mission is to support and enable autistic people to live happy and fulfilling lives. We want to change society’s attitude to autism whilst also providing essential services and enriching opportunities to autistic people. We are a values-driven organisation which employs values-driven people who want to make a difference. Our values are: Inclusion, Creativity, Compassion, Courageousness and Expert.  

Our Services 

All of our services across children and adults and parent/carers, mirror the wider organisational mission of providing safe, fun and meaningful support that enables personal development. These services require the implementation and maintenance of robust back-office systems to ensure quality and drive efficiency. 

Role intro - Shape the Future of Services for Autistic People 

We’re embarking on a once-in-a-generation digital transformation to radically improve how we deliver support, measure impact, and grow sustainably. 

As our Digital Transformation Lead, you will drive this change programme — championing new systems, training our teams, and embedding a culture of confident, tech-enabled working. You’ll lead on the implementation of new SaaS systems, working alongside a CRM and Data Implementation Manager and external provider partners. 

Additional detail: 

Resources for Autism has secured funding to take a major step forward with a SaaS-first approach to our digital transformation. We will be adopting cloud-based CRMs to better manage case management, outcomes and fundraising. We are looking at products such as HiBob, and either CiviCRM or Lamplight, minimizing the need for bespoke development. 

The Digital Transformation Lead will play a vital role in selecting, configuring, integrating, and embedding these SaaS platforms, managing the change journey and ensuring they meet the needs of staff, service users, and funders, while maintaining agility, cost-efficiency, and security. 

As part of this major project we are creating two roles – Digital Transformation Lead; and CRM and Data Implementation Manager.

The Digital Transformation Lead will act as main point of liaison on the development of our new suite of SaaS /CRM tools, working closely with staff across RfA and the chosen implementation and provider partners. The focus includes:

• HR management system 
• Case management system 
• Outcomes and reporting management system 
• Fundraising database/ capabilities 

Provisionally we are looking at introducing HiBob to fulfil the HR needs and either Lamplight or CiviCRM for the Case management and Outcome system. The intention is that within the case management system we can incorporate fundraising data too. We currently use Apricot and have done for a long time. Other data and information is held in many other places i.e. spreadsheets, MSForms, Wufoo. You will need technical abilities, project management skills along with change management skills as this is a significant cultural change for the organisation. A programme of training and skills development for our staff will be critical. This role will be time limited to a two-year fixed-term contract initially, but with the possibility to extend at the end of that period to manage the ongoing implementation and development of the systems subject to funding. 

The CRM and Data Implementation Manager will lead on the technical specification, product management, roll-out and maintenance of the systems. You will work closely with them to drive the project forward on time and on budget, and to ensure that the technical specifications are aligned to the information needs of the organisation and the needs and working practices of staff. 

Main Responsibilities: 

• Lead a SaaS-first systems selection and implementation process, minimising in-house build unless absolutely necessary. 
• Evaluate the preferred cloud-based solutions balancing functionality, user needs, and cost. 
• Liaise with system users on design and functionality of the systems to be commissioned 
• Work closely with the implementation partners to ensure that RfA’s information management and recording needs are met by the system being designed and commissioned 
• Undertake an initial analysis to develop baselines for business process improvement 
• Use a recognised project management methodology to oversee implementation of the systems 
• Ensure that the commissioning process and implementation/installation of the system are delivered on time and on budget 
• Help operational teams to analyse the processes they use and map the outcomes they measure so that this can be accurately recorded and tracked using the digital system to be implemented (NB – some of this information is already available as part of a previous MEL review) 
• Design a programme of ongoing training to ensure that colleagues are confident and expert in the use of the systems  
• Recruit and train digital change champions within each of RfA’s teams across the organisation to act as drivers of transformation 
• Monitor the systems once commissioned and spot where additional efficiencies can be gleaned or working practices changed through making best use of the available technology 
• Plan for development and upgrades to the system so that it can keep pace with changes in technology and practice 
• Work closely with the CRM and Data Implementation Manager as part of a Transformation Team to match the technical specification and development to the needs of users 
• Any other duties required to ensure the project is successfully delivered 
• Uphold and adhere to the values of RfA at all time 
• Ensure there is always compliance with RfA’s safeguarding policies and procedures 
• All staff are expected to promote equality in the workplace and in our services 
• Undertake any other duties asked of you that are commensurate with your grade 

Flexible working: 

Our core office hours are Monday – Friday 9am – 5.30pm. Flexible working from a remote location is available for this role, however there is an expectation that at least 40% of weekly hours will be worked from our offices at either 858 Finchley Road NW11 6AB or 581 Pershore Road B29 7EL. There may be some occasional out of hours working at weekends or evenings to accommodate the training of our sessional staff but this will rare and with plenty of notice. 

Person Specification 

Skills and experience 

Skills specific to this role 

Essential:

• Experience of managing transformation projects, especially involving implementation of SaaS CRM/database solutions 
• Ability to deliver projects on time and within budget 
• Change management and transformation skills and experience 
• Experience of designing organisational development programmes to aid the implementation of new CRM/database solutions 
• Experience of mapping organisational outcomes and designing a framework to record and monitor them using a digital solution 
• Experience of undertaking business process analysis 
• Experience of co-producing an information management system with operational staff which meets their needs and aligns the tech with day-to-day use cases 
• Ability to source, design, build guides, training, support tools for system users 
• High level organisational skills 
• Understanding of the importance of trust and relationship development to organisational culture 
• Excellent people skills, able to establish trust and relationships to enable successful project delivery 
• Good communication skills to update, communicate, liaise with external and internal stakeholders – both written and verbal 

Desirable 

• Experience of using a project management approach to an organisationally significant transformation project e.g. CPM, Agile, Six Sigma, PERT etc. 
• Knowledge of autism/neurodiversity 
• Standard skills expected of all staff 
• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal) adaptable to different populations including: colleagues, external professionals, service users, families, volunteers, donors 
• Strong organisational and prioritisation skills 
• Understanding of the essential principles of Safeguarding 
• IT skills: proficient with Office 365 
• Self-starter and able to work independently, using own initiative 
• Non-judgemental, compassionate 
• An inclusive and empowering attitude to autism 
• Confidentiality 

You will have access to confidential information concerning families and other service users and will be required to maintain confidentiality at all times. 

Staff Benefits 

• 90% of our staff say that Resources for Autism is “a great place to work”. 
• Not only will the work you do ensure we are making vital differences and inspiring others, but our other benefits also include: 
• Flexible working patterns with the option to work in a hybrid way (only available for some roles) 
• 25 days of leave (pro rata for part time roles) each year plus 8 bank holidays and an additional 3 Celebration days that could be used between Christmas and new year, but may be used for other religious days or significant days such as your birthday 
• Access to ongoing training and progress in the areas that interest you 
• Access to our wellbeing initiatives and an Employee Assistance Programme 
• Enrolment on to our pension scheme 
• A supportive, warm and fun working environment made up of values driven people who are passionate about changing the world for autistic people 

Application process:   

In order that we adhere to Safer Recruitment processes, all applicants are required to complete an application form which must include your full employment history with clear details, any gaps in employment need to be outlined and explained. You are also required to provide details of your education history. To access the application form you can copy and paste the following link. https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=5rsn2bfnrE2lxu_MN0eX4asMsU9DmEhKqzQS_IjU5r9UMkhJQzhCQ1VRUVMyMTc4UzdFNFZHRDhMTC4u&route=shorturl. If you are unable to access the application form, please copy and paste the following link to our website. https://www.resourcesforautism.org.uk/  

In your personal statement we would like to see how you feel you meet the person specification and the requirements/responsibilities of the role.    

If for any reason, such as due to accessibility, you feel you would struggle to complete an application form you can contact us via the below email and we may explore other options with you.   

To discuss the role informally or if you need to contact us you can contact the HR team via by an email.  

We particularly welcome applications from global majority candidates, LGBTQIA+ candidates and disabled candidates, because we would like to increase the representation of these groups at Resources for Autism. We want to do this because we know greater diversity will lead to even greater results for our community.  

As you would expect, we are a neuro-affirming employer, with a strengths and rights based approach to neurodiversity which affirms neurodivergent identity – we don’t want to “fix” or “cure” autism, and we don’t see it as a “disability” however we do recognise it can be “disabling”. We are working to improve the ways in which we recruit and support neurodiverse employees and those with lived experience of neurodiversity.  

RfA is a Disability Confidant employer and candidates who meet the minimum essential criteria, that have a disability will be guaranteed an interview.   

Deadline for applications: 06.06.2025.

Interviews WC 16.06.2025.