This vacancy is only open at this stage to internal employees of the following organisations within the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care System:
Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust
University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, inclusive of Black Country Procurement Group and North Midlands and Cheshire Pathology Service.
Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Board
We are seeking an exceptional leader to drive large scale transformation across our Trust at a pivotal time in our journey. This role is central to delivering our ambition to be a trusted partner and system leader and to delivering strategic left shift priorities. You will bring your leadership influence to inspire organisation wide transformation and performance improvement across Care Groups and corporate functions alike. Working across boundaries in a complex environment, this role bridges strategy, performance, finance, quality and operations ensuring ambition translates into measurable change for the populations we serve. The Deputy Director role will also be pivotal to the organisation's AFT ambitions; supporting development and leading delivery planning and execution as we mature through national assessment and into driving benefit across pathways and partnerships.
We are not looking for one narrow profile. We welcome applications from range of backgrounds including senior operational leadership, transformation or programme leadership, system roles, or senior clinical leadership. What matters most is that you can demonstrate experience of:
Leading large scale change in complex organisations
Influencing at Executive and Board level
Driving transformation across organisational boundaries
Operating successfully in a regulated and unionised setting
You will oversee major transformation programmes, provide assurance to the Board. You will directly manage the Transformation Collective, a core component of our new Strategy and Transformation operating model, to become the premier centre for change across MPFT and beyond.
We are proud to be one of the top performing Trusts for staff survey results, reflecting our commitment to culture, engagement and leadership and we want a leader who will build on that strength as we transform further. We are open to flexible working discussions and strongly support ongoing career development.
If you are ready to shape system level impact and deliver meaningful change, we would welcome a conversation.
Come and work with us at our award-winning NHS Trust, leading the way for trying new and better ways of working to help improve life for our local communities.
We have around 9,000 staff who provide physical and mental healthcare, support for people with learning disabilities, and adult social care across Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Shropshire, and Telford & Wrekin. We also run regional and national services, including help for new parents (perinatal care), eating disorders, forensic services, sexual health, and support for people in prison with mental health, drug, or alcohol problems.
We offer great career development for both clinical and non-clinical roles, with ongoing training and support to help you learn and grow.
We are ‘United in our Uniqueness’ and committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels welcome and can be themselves, no matter their background or identity. We want our staff to feel supported and valued, and we aim to build a team that reflects the communities we serve. Together, we can make sure every voice is heard, and every difference is respected.
Please note, we may be required to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications
Please be aware that the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in completing application forms will be monitored to ensure fairness and transparency. If you have used AI you must state this in your application.
o Operational Performance and Improvement
Lead the planning and delivery of large-scale transformation programmes that have significant strategic and operational impact across the Trust.
Develop and implement long-term transformation and performance strategies, ensuring alignment with the Trust’s strategic objectives, NHS priorities, and system-wide plans.
Contribute to the formulation of corporate strategy and policy, providing expert advice and insight to support Executive decision-making and long-term planning.
Coordinate multiple interdependent programmes and projects across Care Groups and corporate functions, managing complex interrelationships, timescales, and risks.
Anticipate and plan for future challenges, adapting priorities and strategies to reflect emerging national policy, operational pressures, and system requirements.
Translate national policy, guidance, and regulatory requirements into practical local approaches, providing expert advice to Care Groups, corporate functions, and system partners as it related to Transformation.
Advise senior leaders on the implications of emerging policy and regulatory change, influencing local strategy and operational decision-making.
Develop comprehensive business cases, programme plans, and resource models to support sustainable change and service improvement.
Lead the development and implementation of a Trust-wide performance framework that aligns operational activities with strategic objectives, ensuring delivery of NHS constitutional, contractual, and internal standards.
Develop and scale organisational programmes to strengthen productivity, efficiency and effectiveness of services in Care Groups.
Ensure accurate, timely, and meaningful reporting of performance data to the Board, sub-committees, and external partners.
Work with Care Group management teams to translate strategic objectives into annual performance improvement plans with measurable outcomes.
o Strategic Delivery
Support the delivery of Trust-wide and system-level transformation programmes, including service reconfigurations, integration initiatives, and major strategic projects aligned with Board objectives.
Develop, implement, and oversee transformation plans, ensuring alignment with national and local policy, and coordinate delivery across Care Groups and ICS partners.
Prepare outline business cases, proposals, and delivery plans for major transformation programmes such as Integrated Community Hubs or capital developments.
Establish and monitor programme governance structures, including milestones, objectives, resource allocation, risk management, and success measures.
Conduct surveys, audits, or evaluations as required to inform performance improvement, service redesign, or transformation initiatives.
Analyse findings from small-scale research or review activities and apply insights to inform operational plans or local decision-making.
Support teams in accessing relevant evidence, benchmarking, and best practice to underpin change programmes or service development.
Represent the Trust in ICS and partner discussions, promoting collaboration, integration, and strategic alignment across the system.
o Leadership
Provide leadership and direction to the Heads of PMO and Head of Transformation Delivery, fostering a culture of improvement and innovation.
Participate in senior leadership forums to support collective decision-making, organisational strategy, and the delivery of transformation priorities.
Promote the Trust’s vision, values, and leadership framework across all activities, ensuring a culture that supports high-quality, patient-focused care.
o Systems and equipment
Use advanced benchmarking information to design and implemented programmes of change to ensure best-in class service delivery.
Utilise digital project and programme management tools to plan, track, and report on transformation initiatives and performance improvement projects.
Maintain oversight of IT systems that capture key activity, performance, and financial data across Care Groups and corporate departments.
Design, develop, and implement reporting frameworks and data flows to ensure timely and accurate performance information for Board, committees, and operational teams.
Use communication and collaboration technologies to engage stakeholders across the Trust, ICS, and wider health and care system effectively.
o Decisions and judgements
The post-holder works with a high level of autonomy, taking responsibility for complex operational and strategic decisions that impact the Trust and, where relevant, the wider Integrated Care System (ICS).
Makes decisions relating to the design, delivery, and improvement of transformation programmes, performance frameworks, and operational processes, balancing organisational priorities, resources, and risk.
Analyse and interpret a wide range of highly complex information, including operational performance data, financial reports, quality metrics, and strategic plans, to identify trends, risks, and opportunities for improvement.
Evaluate multiple, and sometimes conflicting, sources of evidence to inform strategic and operational decisions, often where there is no clear or agreed solution.
Provide expert advice and recommendations to the Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer, Executive Team, and Board on performance improvement and transformation priorities.
Develop and appraise a range of strategic and operational options, assessing their potential impact on quality, performance, finance, workforce, and patient outcomes.
Exercise sound judgement in balancing strategic ambition with operational delivery and system constraints, ensuring that decision-making is evidence-based and aligned with organisational priorities.
Advise on the operational, financial, and organisational impact of government, statutory, and regulatory communications, providing guidance to Care Groups and corporate departments.
Take ownership of decision-making related to transformation and operational performance improvement initiatives, balancing risk, resources, and strategic objectives across multiple departments and Care Groups.
o Communication and relationships
Communicate highly complex, sensitive, and confidential information to a wide range of internal and external stakeholders to support the Trust’s strategic and operational objectives.
Communicate complex and potentially contentious proposals for service change, transformation, and performance improvement to a wide range of audiences, including the Board, Care Groups, staff, and the public.
Present and defend organisational strategies and performance outcomes in challenging or highly scrutinised environments, using diplomacy, credibility, and advanced influencing skills to maintain confidence and alignment.
Provide clear, authoritative advice and briefings to the Executive Team and Board on transformation, system reform, and performance, ensuring transparency and informed decision-making.
Engage confidently with senior leaders, clinicians, Care Group teams, staff, and system partners to influence, negotiate, and secure commitment to major change and improvement programmes.
Prepare and deliver written reports, presentations, and briefings for Board members, sub-committees, executive forums, Care Group teams, staff, patients, and commissioners.
Influence, negotiate, and build consensus across the organisation and wider health and care system, including in high-pressure or emotive situations.
Strengthen and maintain strategic relationships with local and national health and care leaders, system partners, and key stakeholders.
Act as an ambassador for the Trust, supporting collaborative improvement, transformation initiatives, and partnership working.
o Physical demands of the job
Regular use of office-based equipment, including computers, laptops, telephones, and project management tools, requiring prolonged periods of concentration, keyboard use, and accuracy in reporting and documentation.
Frequent preparation and delivery of presentations, reports, and briefings, often requiring visual and auditory focus, clarity, and precision.
Occasional travel across multiple Trust sites and partner organisations, requiring driving or use of public transport, with the ability to carry work-related materials as needed.
Regular attendance at meetings, workshops, and site visits, requiring coordination, mobility, and dexterity to engage effectively with staff, patients, and stakeholders.
The role demands sustained periods of mental effort, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple competing priorities with accuracy and speed.
o Most challenging/difficult parts of the job
Managing complex, organisation-wide transformation and performance improvement programmes, often with competing priorities, tight deadlines, and high visibility to the Board and system partners.
Interpreting and translating national policy, regulatory requirements, and system-level expectations into actionable local plans, while balancing resource constraints and operational pressures.
Maintaining focus and decision-making accuracy in high-pressure or emotionally charged situations, including when engaging with multiple stakeholders across the Trust and wider ICS.
Coordinating across multiple Care Groups, corporate departments, and external partners to ensure alignment, progress, and delivery of strategic objectives in a complex and evolving health and care environment.
Regularly convey unwelcome or challenging information, for example regarding performance shortfalls, operational risks, or service pressures.
Manage discussions with staff, teams, or stakeholders in potentially emotional or difficult situations, maintaining professionalism and sensitivity.
Respond to staff concerns or conflict arising from performance, change initiatives, or organisational pressures, using tact and diplomacy.
