We are seeking an experienced, values-driven and highly credible Deputy Chief People Officer to play a pivotal role in leading and transforming our People function within a large, complex NHS organisation.
Reporting directly to the Chief People Officer, this role provides strategic and operational leadership across all aspects of workforce delivery, supporting the Trust's ambition to deliver outstanding care through an exceptional, engaged and inclusive workforce.
This is a senior executive opportunity for an individual who brings deep expertise in people strategy, employee and industrial relations, and system-wide collaboration, and who is motivated by making a tangible difference for staff and patients.
Main duties of the job
* Lead the operational delivery of the Trust’s People Strategy, ensuring it translates into effective, simple and impactful people practices.
* Be the principal operational lead for People Services, ensuring high performance, consistency and quality in day‑to‑day people delivery.
* Provide expert leadership on highly complex employee and industrial relations matters, advising the Chief People Officer, Chief Executive, Chair and Board.
* Drive the digital transformation of People Services, improving access, efficiency and colleague experience through 24/7 solutions.
* Lead the ongoing development of the People Improvement Framework, triangulating people, financial and clinical performance.
* Deputise for the Chief People Officer at local, regional and national forums, including Board and system‑level meetings.
* Work closely with executive colleagues, including Finance and Operations, to ensure workforce plans are accurate, affordable and deliverable.
* Ensure the People function is continuously inspection‑ready and compliant with national standards and regulatory requirements.
* Foster strong, constructive partnership working with trade unions, professional bodies and system partners.
* Provide compelling leadership to senior people professionals, developing talent, building succession and modelling compassionate, inclusive leadership.
* Participate in the Executive On‑Call rota.
About us
Why Join Us?
This is a rare opportunity to:
* Shape the future of the People function at scale.
* Influence organisational culture, leadership capability and colleague experience.
* Work as part of a committed, values‑led executive team.
Make a meaningful impact on patient care through excellent people leadership.
Job responsibilities
JOB PURPOSE/SUMMARY
To lead transformation of the People Function at operational level, ensuring resources are maximised and policies, processes, systems and working practices are transferred to simple, effective and easy to follow practices and actions.
To lead highly complex Employee Relations and Industrial Relations issues at Director level, advising the Chief People Officer (CPO), Chief Executive and Chair.
To lead the operational activity to achieve the Trust’s people strategy.
To further develop the People Improvement Framework and triangulation of performance across people, finance and clinical areas.
To be the principal lead for the performance of the People Function and day‑to‑day delivery of a trusted people service to LTHT.
To deputise when necessary for the CPO at local, regional and national events and committees including Board, IQIG meetings.
To lead operational activity to align education and learning across LTHT.
To lead the digitalisation of People Services providing 24/7 services to colleagues.
To participate in Executive On‑Call duties.
To work in partnership with Deputies across the Trust, collaborating on key issues in relation to regulatory compliance and responses.
To continuously prepare and embed practices across the People Function ensuring readiness for external inspections including CQC, SEQOHS etc.
To work directly with the Deputy Finance Director to ensure clear, accurate progress against the workforce plan and achieve workforce plan at Director level.
To ensure timely and accurate responses to national compliance.
To mentor and coach leaders and managers reporting to this post.
To prepare career pathways within the People Function to ensure a clear succession plan for service‑level capacity and capability.
To work with the Director of Organisational Development and Inclusion in developing an ongoing programme of engagement and improvement across the People Function, including leadership programme, monthly briefings, quarterly focus groups and annual away days.
OD/HRBPs work with Director of Organisational Development and Inclusion to develop an HRBP and ODBP Target Operating Model and, in doing so, provide a holistic service to LTHT.
To identify and operationalise employment law changes into everyday practices, providing Board level training and development.
To ensure People Function priorities and associated activity are delivered in a timely, collaborative way.
Principal duties & areas of responsibility
Strategy, Policy and Planning
The Deputy Chief People Officer provides senior leadership with responsibility for the execution and evaluation of the Trust’s people strategy and associated initiatives.
The role will provide substantial expertise in accomplishing people‑related objectives while contributing to broader organisational development efforts. Applying data‑driven analysis to detect patterns, assess potential risks, and formulate effective solutions. Proficiency in gathering, managing and interpreting workforce data and statistical information is essential to provide valuable insights at tactical, operational and strategic levels.
Provide thorough support and strategic counsel to senior stakeholders, such as the CPO and Executive Directors, to facilitate the identification and advancement of productivity and efficiency initiatives.
Maintain the organisation's commitment to people practices according to national, regional and local policies and legislation.
Provide leadership in executing initiatives that are consistent with the People Strategy, ensuring all actions are informed by comprehensive stakeholder engagement.
Employee Relations and Governance
Operate within governance frameworks to ensure robust decision making and mentor People and OD team members to uphold these standards.
Provide advice and support to the CPO, Chief Executive and other Executive Directors on highly complex employee relations or other workforce issues.
Partnerships
Maintain up‑to‑date knowledge of national policy developments, workforce strategies and best practices within the NHS and other sectors, ensuring that the people function continually adopts innovative approaches to people management.
Engage cooperatively with trade unions and professional bodies to facilitate achievement of Trust business goals.
Leadership and Team Management
Attend and chair meetings as required on behalf of the CPO representing both the CPO and Trust when appropriate.
Offer strategic leadership and guidance to team members through regular meetings to monitor operations, evaluate team performance, and identify opportunities for continuous service improvement.
Actively solicit feedback regarding the contributions within the People and OD team highlighting effective practices and promptly addressing any areas of concern.
Maintain systems to evaluate and review performance based on established workforce targets and performance indicators, taking corrective action as necessary.
Foster supportive, equitable, and transparent culture that empowers all members of the Workforce to achieve established performance standards.
Support the Chief People Officer as Deputy by assisting with the implementation of the people strategy through the development and execution of operational plans. Ensure that the People function operates proactively and provides influence.
Supervise the operational efficiency of the People function, ensuring effective execution of work streams in accordance with strategic objectives.
Promote ongoing improvement and learning within the People team to maintain its effectiveness in supporting clinical and corporate services.
Provide professional leadership and guidance within the People team, implementing solutions and fostering continuous improvement to support transformational and cultural initiatives aligned with Trust strategies and objectives.
Guide the formation and maintenance of an efficient and effective internal People function.
Contribute to the achievement of the Trust Financial Plan, ensuring that the workforce is deployed as productively and efficiently as possible within the overall pay budget.
Person Specification
Skills and Behaviours
* Highly developed leadership, negotiation and influencing skills with the ability to motivate, challenge and engage individuals and teams.
* Able to demonstrate a compassionate and inclusive leadership style.
* Able to challenge and promote new ways of working, encouraging a culture of care for others.
Additional Criteria
* Resilience required to operate in a challenged environment.
* Able to travel to all sites and regionally and nationally as and when required.
* Flexible approach towards their role.
Qualifications
* Educated to Masters level or equivalent experience, with additional in‑depth professional knowledge/training.
* Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) or equivalent by experience.
* Evidence of ongoing personal and professional development.
* Formal training or qualification in management and/or leadership.
Experience
* Specialist knowledge acquired over a significant period in several functions of HR.
* Significant leadership experience within the people profession in a large, complex organisation.
* Recognised leader with influence and personal credibility.
* Track record of developing, shaping and delivering people strategies.
* Significant experience of leading teams across a variety of functions within the people profession.
* Advanced detailed knowledge of employment law.
* Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
* Successful track record in a sub board level role in Human Resources role in a complex unionised environment.
* Experience in building personal and professional credibility with the Board, management teams and staff.
* Working across professional and organisational boundaries, and in partnership with a wide range of key stakeholders.
* Budgetary and financial management.
* Ability to set out a clear strategic direction, inspire others and assume command, together with an ability to translate strategic objectives into deliverable operational plans.
* Significant leadership experience within the NHS.
* Broad understanding of the current NHS policy context, financial regime and workforce and training issues and of NHS working practices.
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.
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