UK Government Tech Jobs Pay More Than Prime Minister: £260K+ Salaries for Digital Leaders

The UK government is offering top-tier tech salaries that surpass the Prime Minister's earnings, with three high-profile director general roles in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) now open for recruitment.

Director General for Digital Products

This role focuses on leading the full launch of the GOV.UK app and developing GOV.UK Chat, the National Digital Wallet, and GOV.UK One Login. The successful candidate will set the creative vision and strategic direction for future digital products, anticipating emerging needs and technologies to transform how government serves the public. They will lead a team of 650 people and manage a planned budget of £275 million.

Director General for Digital Transformation

A more strategic position, this DG will lead plans for digital government, provide advice for ministers, and oversee the use of AI—from which the government hopes to achieve over £100 million in productivity gains. The role involves leading the UK Government's efforts to radically improve public service delivery through digital redesign, AI adoption, and cross-departmental transformation, along with managing the underpinning data architecture and policy of government. The candidate will lead a team of 700 people with a provisional budget of £200 million.

Director General for Digital Foundations

This role is responsible for the government's cybersecurity policy and the digital identity scheme, and will oversee the implementation of the digital inclusion action plan. Additionally, the chosen candidate will lead delivery of government-sponsored broadband networks and aim to strengthen the resilience of telecoms and digital infrastructure, managing a team of 900 staff and a planned budget of £950 million.

Salary and Benefits

• Director General for Digital Products and Digital Transformation: Salaries range from £200,000 to £260,000 per year, plus employer pension contributions worth 29% of salary. Applications close on May 5.
• Director General for Digital Foundations: Salary is £174,000, plus pension contributions. Applications close on April 29.

All three positions pay more than the Prime Minister's £170,000 salary, though they fall short of the best-paid IT role in the public sector. According to recent data from the Cabinet Office, as of September 30, the highest-paid technology officer was Graeme Slater, chief information officer of Nuclear Decommissioning Authority subsidiary Sellafield Limited, earning £280,000 to £284,999. He joined Sellafield in January 2024 after the organization experienced a series of cybersecurity failures.

Other well-compensated public sector tech professionals include:

• Antony Rowstron, chief technology officer of DSIT's Advanced Research and Invention Agency, paid £260,000 to £264,999.
• Richard Pedley, chief digital information officer of National Highways, on £220,000 to £224,999.

The highest-paid person on the list was Mark Wild, who received £660,000 to £664,999 as chief executive of High Speed Two Limited, though notes indicate he did not receive a pension.