Deputy Director of Integration and Strategic Partnerships
Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust is recruiting a values-led senior leader to join our team as Deputy Director of Integration and Strategic Partnerships (secondment to 31 March 2027). This is a real chance to shape what comes next: build the partnerships that matter, unlock new collaborations, and turn ambition into delivery for our communities--with neighbourhood health and the three NHS 10-year plan shifts at the heart of it.
Main duties of the job
We're looking for a credible, collaborative leader who can:
* Spot opportunities and turn them into new partnerships
* Build strategic collaborations with a clear line to delivery
* Work confidently across system boundaries to get things done
* Build and sustain relationships across health and care
* Influence at pace - mobilise others and move work on without direct authority
Join an ambitious Trust with an innovative culture - and make a tangible difference, quickly. If you're driven by partnership working and neighbourhood health, we'd love to hear from you.
Prior to interview you must have agreement from your line manager to be released for secondment with a start date of 1 July 2026 at latest.
About us
At Mersey Care we strive to continually build on our values and beliefs that will allow all our workforce to develop their potential and bring their whole self into the organisation. In order to strengthen our inclusivity and diversity, we recognise the need to ensure we become more representative of the communities we serve. This is recognised in the NHS England EDI Workforce Improvement Plan 2023 and NHS Workplace Race Equality Standard that in senior NHS Leadership positions, there is an underrepresentation of Black and Asian Minority colleagues (BME). As an organisation we are committed to our Perfect Care Goal on Anti-racism and so are employing positive action where we know there is underrepresentation and for this position therefore, we encourage applications from people who are from BME communities. The Equality Act (2010) permits Mersey Care as a defined public authority, to take steps to address inequity and underrepresentation as positive action, and this includes our approach for this position.
Qualifications
* Masters Degree from an accredited college or university or equivalent level of knowledge
Experience
* System leadership across ICs/Place with partners
* Evidence of delivering transformational programmes with impact
* Senior management experience in a large complex organisation
* NHS experience
* Demonstrable experience of developing, maintaining and managing strategic relationships across health and care
* Understanding and experience of working with general practice and local authorities.
* Experience in designing and implementing business planning and strategic planning cycles
* Providing assurance reports to the Board / Committees
* Structuring and effectively communicating complex analysis, concepts and recommendations
* Experience of turning complex multi layered strategies into SMART action plans
* Delivering presentations to a wide range of audiences including the general public
* Ability to establish and maintain professional relationships in the NHS and related sectors.
* Proactively seeks and actively listens for information in both formal and informal settings
* Experience of designing and implementing reviews of service effectiveness, productivity and sustainability
* Demonstrable ability to gather and analyse data as it applies to the current and future business direction of NHS organisations/Trusts
* Strong partnership and networking skills, harnessing energy across organisational boundaries and driving the work forward without direct authority
* Reconfiguring clinical services
* Commissioning experience within the NHS.
Knowledge
* Specialist knowledge of current NHS policy and political environment, including integration and neighbourhood health .
* Knowledge and applied interest in innovative models of care and approaches in healthcare
* Project management methodology such as MSP or Prince 2
* Understanding of the Foundation Trust process and other regulatory and policy frameworks that NHS Trusts are subject to
* Financial Structure of the NHS
* Health care policy and strategic direction
* Strong professional network to stay abreast of changes in market, competitor, commissioner and regulatory environments.
* Service improvement methodologies
* Challenges in the local health economy of Cheshire and Merseyside
Skills
* Strong partnership and networking skills, harnessing energy across organisational boundaries and driving the work forward without direct authority
* Strategic analysis, research, business and market intelligence
* Proven ability to manage complex projects
* Excellent written and verbal communication skills
* A proven ability to communicate persuasively to stakeholders from many different backgrounds
* Influencing without formal authority
* Expert ability to scope, research and develop implementation plans across a wide range of subject matters
* Proven excellent research and data collection abilities to analyse complex data sources in support of strategic and planning activities
* Ability to understand complex issues quickly
* Politically astute
* Reporting writing for the most senior level of an organisation
Values
* Awareness of the Trust Values
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.
Chief Strategy, Planning and Partnerships Officer
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