Deputy Chief People Officer – Culture & Safety (Band 9)
Are you a senior people leader ready to lead a Trust-wide culture improvement strategy – shaping a workplace where everyone feels they belong, can speak up, and can deliver outstanding care?
Main Duties of the Job
Working closely with the Chief People Officer, you will provide visible, values‑led leadership across organisation development, inclusion, people development and health and wellbeing. You will lead strategic programmes that strengthen engagement, embed just and compassionate leadership, and place safety, equality and belonging at the heart of how we work.
About Us
Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is on an exciting journey with all of our divisions committed to doing things better, with more efficiency as we update, modernise, and advance. We have also entered a Group Model with neighbouring Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust and become University Hospitals of Northamptonshire (UHN). As part of this collaborative approach, there may be a requirement for you to work across both the Kettering and Northampton hospital sites, depending on the needs of the service.
We have active Networks that promote and support colleagues from all backgrounds.
We want to recruit the best people to deliver our services across UHN and help to unleash everyone's full potential.
Our Excellence Values
* Compassion
* Accountability
* Respect
* Integrity
* Courage
UHN encourages applications from people who identify from all protected groups. We understand that we need to work with colleagues from diverse backgrounds and make sure the environment they work in is inclusive and collaborative.
We recognise the valuable contribution that the Armed Forces community make to our organisation. We have signed the Armed Forces Covenant and achieved Silver Award under the Armed Forces Employer Recognition Scheme.
Application
Please submit your application as soon as possible; we reserve the right to close adverts once we have received sufficient applications.
Details
* Posted: 11 February 2026
* Pay scheme: Agenda for change
* Band: 9
* Salary: £109,179 – £125,637 a year
* Contract: Permanent
* Working pattern: Full‑time, flexible working, home or remote working
* Reference number: 265-7781264-COR
* Job locations: University Hospitals of Northamptonshire, Cliftonville, Northampton, NN1 5BD
Responsibilities
* Lead the development and delivery of the Trust People Plan and associated strategies and service developments, monitoring key people‑related metrics and performance measures.
* Measure the impact of People Plan pledge service functions with quantitative and qualitative information.
* Contribute to the development and delivery of workforce plans, ensuring consistency with corporate workforce priorities and alignment with finance and service strategies.
* Advise on workforce strategies and the impact of planned service developments and cost improvements during the annual planning process.
* Oversee improvements within functions to promote operational excellence through standardising, simplifying and streamlining processes, while keeping customer need and experience at the heart of the enhancements.
* Support the use of technology in developing a modern workforce service.
* Develop KPIs and performance dashboards to measure and report on the effectiveness and impact of services.
* Lead the implementation of the UHN People Plan to support operational and strategic business plans.
* Set up and maintain effective governance at system, trust, programme and project level, including risk management and benefits realisation.
* Ensure delivery of national priorities and targets, and demonstrate achievement through national and regional reporting (e.g., National NHS Staff Survey).
* Develop and maintain workforce communication processes in partnership with the Communications and Engagement team.
* Manage budgets to meet strategic and operational business plans.
* Act as a change agent, providing leadership and support particularly at senior management levels.
* Promote a positive image of UHN with appropriate external professional/NHS/ Government and other organisations.
* Represent the Chief People Officer at internal and external meetings, attending executive and board meetings as needed.
* Participate in the on‑call rota.
Governance
* Lead on all employment governance, ensuring that all people‑related risks and systems to manage them are managed and mitigated (DBS, Right to Work, Professional Registration, Fixed Terms Contracts, Safeguarding).
* Regularly report on the status of workforce‑related risks and remedial actions.
* Ensure risk reporting mechanisms are updated and incidents are investigated timely and comprehensively.
* Work with Governance teams to meet Care Quality Commission requirements and respond to inspections and data requests.
* Ensure workforce and resourcing services meet the requirements of legislation, Internal Audit, Care Quality Commission and NHSLA standards.
Person Specification
Essential
* Educated to Masters level with a degree or equivalent experience and competencies, or extensive relevant senior experience.
* Evidence of continuing professional development including management studies to Masters level or above.
* Membership of an appropriate professional body – FCIPD Knowledge / experience.
* Experience of senior complex leadership in Human Resources practice, ideally in the Public or not-for‑Profit sector.
* Experience of providing strategic and technical HR&OD advice to the NHS or comparable organisations.
* Track record of delivery at Director/Senior management level, including exposure at Board.
* Track record of delivering large‑scale change and knowledge of quality improvement methodologies and evidence.
* Tactical understanding of employment law issues.
* Experience of large budget management.
* Experience of building relationships with national bodies, higher educational institutions and system partners, and a track record of gaining support and investment.
* Able to interpret complex data to inform decision making at Executive level.
* Able to take difficult and challenging decisions that support strategic aims and long‑term vision.
* Lead a team successfully.
* Experience of building staff capacity and capability.
* Ability to maintain personal resilience and exhibit high levels of emotional intelligence.
* Demonstrate and role‑model the Group values at all times, even when under pressure.
* Understand the practices of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the delivery of this role.
* Team player with a ‘can do’ attitude.
* Maintain a positive ‘can do’ sense of confidence.
* A high degree of self‑awareness of own emotions and sensitivity to others.
* Desire to make a real difference to people's health and the working lives of staff.
Desirable
* Qualified at practitioner level of a recognised programme/project management methodology.
* Examples of positive use of disruptive innovation to deliver sustainable change.
* People systems procurement experience (e.g., rostering).
Additional Information
For full details and responsibilities of the role, please see attached job description and person specification.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and will require submission for Disclosure to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled Worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.
Employer Details
Northampton General Hospital
University Hospitals of Northamptonshire
Cliftonville
Northampton
NN1 5BD
Employer's website: https://www.northamptongeneral.nhs.uk/Home.aspx
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