Director of Culture, Leadership and Learning
The closing date is 28 April 2026
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH) is seeking an outstanding and values driven Director of Culture, Leadership and Learning to lead some of our most important people agendas at a pivotal time for the organisation.
Reporting to the Chief People Officer, you will provide strategic and operational leadership across People Experience and Engagement, Learning and Development, and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI). Working as a senior member of the Workforce leadership team, you will shape and deliver ambitious organisational development and education programmes that enable our workforce to thrive and support the Trust’s strategic priorities.
This role requires a credible, inclusive leader with significant experience of organisational development, leadership learning and workforce EDI in a large, complex organisation. Working collaboratively with colleagues across the Trust and engaging with regional and national partners you will deliver measurable improvements in staff experience, leadership capability and culture.
Main Duties of the Job
* Provide expert leadership of the Trust’s OD agenda and ambitions, leading internal and external partners to best meet organisational needs.
* Lead on employee engagement; promoting and encouraging excellence in staff experience with demonstrable improvement including through national staff survey and quarterly surveys.
* Lead the workforce Equality, Diversity and Inclusion agenda, including the Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) and the Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES), working collaboratively with staff and other networks.
* Commission and manage external capacity and capability including in organisational development, design and people experience design.
* Previous experience working at senior level in a complex environment is essential; previous NHS experience is desirable.
Person Specification
Qualifications
* Educated to degree level or with equivalent professional qualifications.
* Evidence of continuing professional development in designing and delivering impactful education, learning and development interventions which improve organisational performance.
Experience
* Significant experience of working as a senior workforce education, learning and development specialist in a large complex organisation.
* Experience of commissioning and managing external providers to deliver high quality programmes of work.
* Experience of learning and development strategy development and successful implementation of workforce priorities and work plans.
* Experience of designing and delivering workforce EDI strategy.
* Proven ability to communicate highly complex / sensitive information to a wide range of audiences within the organisation and externally.
* Experience of developing multi-professional education programmes.
* Experience of working at a senior leadership level or a sustained period of engaging with board colleagues.
* Experience of working in the NHS or other public sector organisation.
* Experience of working with key stakeholders, external to business.
Knowledge
* Up to date knowledge and application of leadership and management development thinking and practice.
* Understanding of national policy and direction in public services / the NHS.
* Knowledge about setting strategic direction and translating that into deliverable, measurable outcomes.
Skills
* Capable of critical and creative thinking with effective problem solving and decision‑making skills.
* Ability to represent the Trust at national, regional and local forum.
* Communicates with authority both internally and externally.
* Achieves commitment and support through the use of integrity and influence.
* Commissioning, contracting and contract management skills.
Additional Requirements
* The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of Together-safe, kind, excellent.
* Actively promote and value equality, diversity and inclusion, treating others with dignity and respect.
* Compliance with all Trust policies and procedures.
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.
Equal Opportunity
We welcome applications for all positions in the organisation irrespective of people’s age, disability, ethnicity, race, nationality, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity status or social economic background.
Benefits to you
At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on‑site leisure facilities, shopping concourse, day nurseries, reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.
On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague‑only cafe, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge.
CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work‑life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part‑time working, job‑share, term‑time working and flexible start and finish times.
Salary
£112,782 to £129,783 a year pro rata
Contract
Permanent
Reference number
180‑F‑265017
Job locations
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – Addenbrooke’s Hospital and Rosie Hospital, Cambridge.
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