Job overview
The postholder will support the development, delivery, and continuous refinement of the Trust’s performance management framework, ensuring alignment with national guidance (e.g. NHS Oversight Framework, CQC Key Lines of Enquiry), integrated care system (ICS) priorities, and internal strategic goals.
They will work closely with clinical, corporate, and operational colleagues to provide meaningful insight from performance data, helping identify variation, drive improvement, and enhance quality and equity of care across the organisation. The postholder will also support contractual performance monitoring, assurance processes, and service development.
They will also support the development and monitoring of internal and external KPIs, identify underperformance, support resolution processes, and contribute to continuous improvement across services. The postholder will act as a bridge between operational services and strategic oversight functions to ensure that data is translated into meaningful action.
Main duties of the job
Strategic Performance Delivery
·Lead the implementation and ongoing development of the performance management framework across designated service lines.
·Translate complex datasets into actionable information that support operational delivery, service improvement, and strategic decision-making.
·Contribute to the alignment of performance reporting with national targets, system-level priorities (e.g. ICB outcomes), and CQC inspection domains.
Operational Reporting & Data Assurance
·Deliver timely and accurate performance reporting at Trust, Directorate, and service levels, including for Board reports and regulatory returns.
·Work collaboratively with services to improve data quality and narrative reporting to contextualise performance variation.
·Triangulate operational, financial, workforce, and quality data to support full performance monitoring.
Working for our organisation
Contractual & Regulatory Oversight
·Support contract performance management, including delivery against KPIs for NHSE, ICBs, local authorities, and third-party agreements.
·Provide expert support in developing service specifications, KPI schedules, and SLAs.
·Monitor and escalate risks to income, quality, and compliance arising from performance concerns.
Collaboration & Systems Leadership
·Build productive relationships with operational, clinical, and corporate teams to embed a culture of data-led improvement.
·Work alongside Business Intelligence, Finance, and Quality Improvement teams to ensure alignment in reporting and planning.
·Represent the Trust at internal performance meetings and external contract performance review meetings.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Tools & Improvement
·Support the development and deployment of automated dashboards and analytics tools using platforms such as Power BI.
·Identify opportunities for process improvements in performance data capture, analysis, and reporting.
·Facilitate thematic reviews, deep dives, and service improvement initiatives based on performance trends.
Leadership & Development
·Provide supervision and mentoring to Assistant performance managers.
·Contribute to internal capacity building by improving performance knowledge and understanding across teams.
·Deputise for the Senior Performance Manager as required.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
1. Degree or equivalent in relevant discipline
Desirable criteria
2. Postgraduate or management qualification
Experience
Essential criteria
3. Significant experience in NHS or public sector performance role. Experience developing KPI dashboards and reports; Supporting operational teams with performance improvement
Desirable criteria
4. Experience in a mental health or community setting - Contract performance or assurance experience
Skills
Essential criteria
5. Excellent communication, reporting, and data analysis skills. Highly proficient in Excel and data visualisation tools (e.g. Power BI)
Desirable criteria
6. Conflict resolution; BI tools (Power BI, Tableau)
Knowledge
Essential criteria
7. Understanding of ICS structures, commissioning arrangements, and contractual compliance Awareness of national mental health policy and data sets (e.g. MHSDS)
Desirable criteria
8. Legal clauses in contracts; MH policy landscape. Knowledge of service transformation, quality improvement, or outcome-based commissioning
Effort
Essential criteria
9. Willingness to travel across Trust and partner sites with a minimum 2-3 days on Trust site