Directorate Professional Lead – AHP
The closing date is 13 April 2026
Professional Lead Allied Health Professions (Band 8b) Essex Childrens Directorate | Trust-wide AHP Leadership We are seeking an experienced Allied Health Professional to provide senior professional leadership aligned to the Essex Childrens Directorate, while operating as a core member of the Trust-wide AHP leadership team. The postholder will strengthen professional governance, workforce strategy and service quality across childrens services, working across clinical, operational and corporate interfaces. The role contributes both to local directorate delivery and to Trust-wide AHP leadership, strategy and assurance. Speech and Language Therapy represents a significant and strategically important component of the childrens workforce within Essex, and is a notable gap in terms of clinical expertise in our Trustwide AHP leadership team. While open to all Allied Health Professionals, applicants from an SLT background are particularly encouraged to apply.
Main duties of the job
* Senior professional leadership for AHP services within Essex Childrens
* Trust-wide AHP leadership, strategy and governance contribution
* Assurance of quality, safety and professional standards
* Workforce planning, recruitment and development
* Contribute to NELFT wide Childrens Forums, meetings and policy from own clinical perspective
* Service transformation across community, neurodevelopmental, SEND and CAMHS pathways
* System partnership working across health, education and local authorities
About us
NELFT NHS Foundation Trust provides mental health and community services for over 4.9 million people living in the London Boroughs of Waltham Forest, Redbridge, Barking and Dagenham, Havering, and across Essex. We work to ensure our patients, their friends and family, feel confident that their health needs are well met. With an excellent reputation for research and development, our skilled health professionals are at the cutting edge of evidence-based innovation, opening up the possibilities for better ways of working and delivery of care.
Job responsibilities
Starting with NELFT NELFT place a great deal of importance on new starters being properly welcomed and inducted into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and will undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks which will include mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process new starters will have the opportunity to also meet the executive team, senior managers and attend a number of drop-in sessions focusing on engagement, health and wellbeing and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.
Probationary Period This post will be subject to a probationary period. Internal applicants are exempt from the probationary period (unless you are an internal applicant currently part way through a probationary period or currently a bank member of staff).
High Cost Area Supplement – Fringe (Basildon, Thurrock, Brentwood, Harlow and Dartford only) This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 5% of the basic salary (with a minimum of £1,303 to a maximum of £2,198 p.a. pro rata for part time)
Working for Us Joining #TeamNELFT means you’ll become part of a welcoming and supportive working environment. We’re CQC rated Good, and we want you to join us on the journey towards an Outstanding rating. NELFT has sites across North East London and Essex. We provide community and mental healthcare services to adults and children within these areas.
The Trust has award-winning equality and diversity initiatives, along with staff health and wellbeing activities. We invest significantly in your development because when you feel valued and supported, we can deliver the highest quality care to our patients. We are a Level 3 Disability Confident Leader, have been recognised in the Working Families Top 10 Employers benchmark for five consecutive years, and hold a Carers UK Level 1 Accreditation. Through our staff networks and training opportunities, we strive to foster a just and compassionate culture at NELFT.
Person Specification
Qualifications
* Masters level qualification or equivalent senior leadership experience
* HCPC registration as an Allied Health Professional
Experience
* Significant senior leadership experience within childrens services
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Employer name
NELFT North East London Foundation Trust
£66,582 to £77,368 a yearpro rata for part time
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