Detailed job description
and main responsibilities
1. Shape and lead the Trust’s organisational development, culture and engagement strategies, ensuring alignment with the Trust’s mission, values and long-term strategic objectives.
2. Provide executive leadership for the cultural elements that complement the Patient First Improvement Programme, enabling new and improved ways of working across UHD and the wider Integrated Care System.
3. Lead the development and delivery of Trustwide leadership and management development strategies, aligned to the NHS Leadership Compact and Trust values.
4. Establish and oversee a systematic approach to talent management and succession planning for critical roles, including the delivery of a Trustwide Talent Management Strategy.
5. Act as the Trust’s senior lead for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, ensuring EDI principles are embedded across organisational development, leadership, engagement and culture.
6. Provide executive oversight of the Trust’s staff engagement approach, including the annual NHS Staff Survey and pulse surveys, ensuring insight is translated into meaningful, sustained improvement.
7. Build and maintain strong internal and external partnerships, influencing senior leaders and system partners to support organisational effectiveness, leadership maturity and cultural change.
You will be a highly credible, enterprise-level leader, with the presence, judgement and authority to operate confidently at Executive Board and system level.
You will bring:
8. Extensive experience of leading organisational development, culture change and leadership development at scale within a complex organisation.
9. A strong track record of shaping and delivering Trustwide OD and cultural strategies with measurable impact.
10. Experience of advising, influencing and supporting Executive leaders and senior stakeholders.
11. Highly developed leadership, coaching and facilitation skills, with the ability to lead other senior leaders and specialist teams.
12. A clear and demonstrable commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, and to embedding inclusive practice at organisational level.
A Master’s qualification (or equivalent experience) and CIPD membership (or equivalent) are required.
Our closing date for applications is midnight on Sunday 22nd February 2026
Shortlisting will take place on Monday 23rd February 2026
We will be contacting applicants from Tuesday the 24th February 2026 onwards
The selection process will take place on Thursday 12th March 2026 or Friday 13thMarch 2026 - please ensure you are available on these dates
Person specification
Experience
Essential criteria
13. Significant experience working in organisational development, organisational design, leadership development, learning or workforce roles within a large, complex, multi-professional organisation
14. Extensive, successful track record of leading large-scale organisational development strategies and interventions, including cultural change and leadership development
15. Substantial senior HR/OD experience operating at a very senior level, including working closely with and influencing Executive team members
16. Experience of managing teams and holding budgetary responsibility
17. Experience of chairing, reporting to, or presenting at senior committees or boards
Desirable criteria
18. Healthcare experience
Qualifications
Essential criteria
19. Master’s qualification or equivalent experience.
20. Fellow or Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) or equivalent.
Desirable criteria
21. Specialist OD, leadership development or learning qualification.
Knowledge
Essential criteria
22. Specialist knowledge of organisational development, organisational design and leadership development