Can you make a real difference to families lives by shaping adult health services in Durham? We are looking for a programme lead with experience of improving outcomes for people and the families of those who use our services. WHAT IS INVOLVED? You will work with partners to develop and sustain the integration of adult and health services including operational integration between mental health, learning disabilities, autism, and social care services in localities across Durham. You will support partners to secure resources for, and decision-making, in Durham. You will strengthen partnership arrangements and develop an agreed set of values and ‘future state’ for integrated services. You will integrate services to achieve better outcomes, reduce duplication, make best use of our workforce, estate, and digital capacity. We encourage you to contact Dr Jen Steel at jenny.steel@durham.gov.uk to arrange an informal discussion about the role. WHAT WILL I NEED? With a proven record in achieving high standards in integrated care, you will have: Substantial experience of implementing and managing change and business transformation Ability to think analytically, strategically, and creatively and to influence and manage change across management and professional boundaries The vision and ambition to look ahead, develop strategic improvement plans and deliver on them to improve outcomes Substantial senior management experience in either mental health, learning disabilities, social care services, public health, commissioning, health management, public sector management or partnership working Substantial experience of managing complex projects and matrix management You should hold a degree in either Mental Health, Social Work, Public Health, Health Management, Public Sector Administration Please refer to the attached Person Specification for the full criteria. If successful, you will be required to apply for a Disclosure and Barring Service Enhanced Disclosure. INTERVIEWS Interviews will be held week commencing 2nd February 2026. We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that can show they meet all the essential criteria and have indicated they have a disability, are a looked after young person, care leaver or a veteran. OUR OFFER TO YOU We offer a competitive rewards package that includes attractive salaries, a generous annual leave entitlement of 27 days (rising to 32 after five years’ continuous local government service), membership of the excellent contributory career average Local Government Pension Scheme, and a range of flexible working arrangements including hybrid working (home and office) where applicable. Explore the full range of rewards and benefits on our website Rewards and benefits are subject to individual terms and conditions. EQUALITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION We are a proud equal opportunities employer and believe a diverse workforce brings fresh ideas and drives service improvement. We welcome applications from everyone and make employment decisions based on skills and ability. As a Disability Confident Leader, we actively encourage applications from disabled people and offer support throughout the recruitment process. HOW TO APPLY We welcome applications from disabled people and those who are or consider themselves to be neurodivergent Please note, we do not accept CVs. All applications must be submitted online via the Northeast Jobs portal. Use the ‘Person Specification’ section of the form to clearly demonstrate how you meet the essential (and where possible, desirable) criteria. Applications that do not evidence the essential requirements will not be shortlisted. For guidance on completing your application, visit our website If you require assistance when applying for this role, please contact our Recruitment Helpdesk on 03000 26 27 27, or via email RecruitmentAHS@durham.gov.uk All correspondence relating to your application will be sent from donotreply@northeastjobs.org.uk. Kindly check your spam/junk folder regularly to ensure you don’t miss any updates. CONNECT WITH US Follow us on Instagram Like us on Facebook Visit our website Important Information for Members of the Local Government Pension Scheme HM Revenue and Customs impose controls on the amount of pension savings you can make without having to pay extra tax. These controls are known as the Annual Allowance and Lump Sum Allowance. The Annual Allowance is the amount by which the value of your pension benefits may increase in any one year without you having to pay a tax charge. You are most likely to be affected by the Annual Allowance if you receive a significant pay increase, and/or you are a high earner. Two lump sum limits were also introduced in April 2024. If the value of all lump sums taken from UK pensions is higher than these limits, you will have to pay tax on any excess at your marginal rate. More information can be found at www.lgpsmember.org/your-pension/the-essentials/tax/ If you are successful in your application for this post and wish to find out more about these controls, please contact the Pension Section at pensions@durham.gov.uk. VPRS/161