The Senior Retention Manager provides strategic leadership for all people, culture, and retention initiatives within the Estates & Facilities (E&F) Directorate. Operating as the directorate's senior specialist for workforce experience--working in close partnership with HR but positioned outside the HR structure--the postholder leads the design and delivery of a comprehensive People, Culture & Retention Strategy that reflects the unique operational, technical, and professional needs of the E&F workforce.
The role ensures the directorate becomes a place where people choose to join, stay, and develop their careers. Through expert workforce insight, cultural leadership, and collaborative influence, the postholder drives long‑term workforce sustainability, strengthens organisational culture, and enhances the employee experience across all E&F staff groups
Main duties of the job
Human Resource Strategy Support (Strategic Workforce Leadership)
Retention of Existing Staff (System-Level Retention
Leadership)Learning & Development Strategy and Delivery Plan (Workforce Capability & Growth)
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (Inclusive Workforce Leadership)
Line management
About us
We have an excellent reputation for being innovative, responsive and flexible to the changing clinical needs of the local population. We are treating more patients than ever before and are dedicated to improving services to deliver the best for our patients.Our missionHelping local people live longer, healthier lives.Our visionProvide safe, personal, co-ordinated care for the community we serve.Our goalsWe have developed six key strategic goals to make sure we continue to support people to live longer, healthier lives.
* To secure the best possible health and wellbeing for all our community
* To integrate and coordinate care in person-centred teams
Job responsibilities
Strengthen Workforce Retention Across All E&F Staff Groups
Lead the development and implementation of a directoratewide retention framework that reduces turnover, improves stability, and ensures E&F services have the skilled workforce required to deliver safe, effective, and resilient operations.
Develop a Comprehensive People & Culture Strategy for E&F
Create and deliver a multiyear strategy that aligns with national NHS People Plan priorities, ensuring E&F workforce needs are fully represented in Trustwide planning and decisionmaking.
Enhance Learning, Development & Career Pathways
Design and oversee a tailored learning and development strategy that supports technical competence, leadership capability, and clear career progression routes, including apprenticeships, professional accreditation, and internal mobility.
Advance Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Across the Directorate
Embed inclusive practices into all people processes, address inequalities in experience and progression, and ensure E&F becomes a workplace where all staff feel valued, respected, and able to thrive.
Lead a Holistic Wellbeing & Psychological Safety Programme
Develop and deliver a wellbeing offer that meets the needs of a diverse, shift‑based, and operational workforce, promoting physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing and reducing workplace stressors.
Drive Cultural Transformation and Leadership Development
Shape a positive, compassionate, and collaborative culture by supporting leaders to model inclusive behaviours, strengthen team cohesion, and embed values‑based leadership across all E&F teams.
Provide Strategic Workforce Intelligence & Insight
Use data, analytics, and workforce modelling to identify risks, forecast future needs, and inform strategic decisionmaking, ensuring the directorate is prepared for emerging workforce challenges.
Develop robust mechanisms for listening to staff, acting on feedback, and building a culture of recognition, involvement, and pride ensuring E&F staff feel heard, supported, and connected to the wider organisation.
Key Responsibilities
Human Resource Strategy Support (Strategic Workforce Leadership)
Lead the development of a directoratewide People & Retention Strategy aligned to Trustwide HR and OD priorities, ensuring E&F workforce needs are fully represented at organisational level.
Act as the senior advisor to the Director of Estates & Facilities on all people‑related risks, opportunities, and strategic decisions.
Provide high‑level workforce intelligence, including predictive analytics, modelling, and scenario planning to support long‑term workforce sustainability.
Influence Trustwide HR policy development by representing E&F needs in committees, working groups, and strategic forums.
Lead cross‑directorate programmes that address systemic workforce challenges such as recruitment pipelines, sickness management, skills shortages, succession planning, employee performance and leadership capability.
Ensure people‑related strategies reflect the operational realities of technical, engineering, facilities, and support services roles.
Retention of Existing Staff (System‑Level Retention Leadership)
Design and lead a comprehensive retention framework that addresses the full employee lifecycle, from onboarding to career progression and exit.
Oversee the development of targeted retention interventions for hard‑to‑recruit and high‑turnover roles, using data‑driven insights and staff feedback.
Establish directoratewide standards for induction, supervision, recognition, and career conversations to ensure consistency and quality of experience.
Lead the creation of innovative retention initiatives such as internal mobility pathways, flexible working models, enhanced recognition schemes, and tailored benefits for E&F staff.
Provide expert guidance to senior managers on addressing cultural, behavioural, and leadership factors that contribute to turnover.
Commission and oversee deep‑dives into hotspots of attrition, ensuring findings translate into measurable improvements.
Build a culture where staff voice is central, ensuring feedback loops are embedded and acted upon.
Learning & Development Strategy and Delivery Plan (Workforce Capability & Growth)
Lead the creation of a multiyear E&F Learning & Development Strategy that supports technical competence, leadership development, and career progression across all staff groups.
Work with L&D teams to design bespoke training pathways for engineering, facilities, and operational roles, including apprenticeships, accredited qualifications, and professional registration routes.
Oversee the development of a directoratewide talent pipeline, including early careers programmes, succession planning, and leadership development for supervisors and managers.
Ensure the directorate has a clear, accessible career architecture that supports internal mobility and long‑term retention.
Commission external training providers, professional bodies, and industry partners to enhance the development offer.
Monitor compliance, quality, and impact of training programmes, ensuring investment in development delivers measurable workforce benefits.
Lead initiatives that support digital skills, modernisation, and future‑proofing of the E&F workforce.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (Inclusive Workforce Leadership)
Lead the development and implementation of a directorate‑specific DEI strategy that addresses representation, experience, and equity across all E&F staff groups.
Ensure inclusive practices are embedded in recruitment, development, progression, and retention processes.
Work closely with staff networks, HR, and OD to address inequalities and improve outcomes for under‑represented groups.
Provide senior leadership on antiracism, inclusive leadership, and equitable access to development opportunities.
Commission and oversee DEI audits, ensuring findings translate into meaningful cultural and structural change.
Ensure E&F leaders are equipped with the skills and confidence to lead diverse teams and foster inclusive environments.
Monitor DEI metrics and report progress to senior leadership, ensuring transparency and accountability.
Lead the design and delivery of a comprehensive wellbeing strategy tailored to the physical, emotional, and psychological needs of E&F staff.
Ensure wellbeing initiatives are accessible to shift‑based, mobile, and operational staff who may not engage with traditional wellbeing offers.
Work with Health & Wellbeing teams to develop targeted interventions addressing stress, fatigue, workload, and workplace safety.
Champion a culture of psychological safety, ensuring managers are trained to support staff wellbeing and respond to concerns effectively.
Oversee the development of wellbeing champions, peer support networks, and local wellbeing hubs.
Evaluate the impact of wellbeing initiatives and ensure continuous improvement based on staff feedback and best practice.
Ensure wellbeing is embedded into leadership behaviours, team practices, and operational decisionmaking.
Lead cultural transformation programmes that strengthen engagement, collaboration, and values‑based leadership across the E&F Directorate.
Develop and deliver a Culture Improvement Plan that addresses leadership behaviours, communication, team dynamics, and staff experience.
Facilitate directoratewide engagement activities, including listening events, staff forums, and culture workshops.
Support leaders to build compassionate, inclusive, and high‑performing teams through coaching, development, and targeted interventions.
Lead initiatives that enhance recognition, belonging, and pride in the E&F workforce.
Ensure cultural improvements are measurable, sustainable, and aligned with Trustwide values and behaviours.
Act as a visible and influential champion for positive culture, modelling the behaviours expected across the directorate.
Line management
2 WTE leads.
Line manages Sustainability manager
Line manages Employee Experience Partner/lead
Person Specification
Education / Qualifications
* Master's degree or equivalent senior level experience in workforce, organisational development, or people focused leadership.
* CIPD Level 7 or equivalent experience (desirable).
* Chartered Manager Expertise
* Evidence of ongoing professional development in leadership, culture, or organisational change
Skills & Abilities
* Exceptional leadership, influencing, and relationship building skills.
* Strong analytical capability, including workforce modelling and data interpretation
* Deep understanding of organisational culture, behaviour, and staff experience
* Ability to design and deliver complex, multi‑year strategies
* Skilled in navigating ambiguity, complexity, and competing priorities
* High emotional intelligence and ability to build trust across diverse staff groups
Knowledge & Experience
* Extensive experience leading people focused strategies in a complex, multi disciplinary environment.
* Proven track record of delivering large scale workforce improvement programmes
* Experience influencing senior leaders and driving cultural change
* Experience working with operational, technical, or estates related staff groups (desirable).
* Demonstrable experience in DEI, wellbeing, and staff engagement leadership
PERSONAL QUALITIES
* Self‑motivation.
* Drive and persistence.
* Ability to work well with others.
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.
Director of Estates, Facilities & Capital Projects
£75,328 to £86,114 a yearPer annum including HCAS
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