Job summary
- Main area
- Strategic Workforce Planning
- Grade
- Band 8a
- Contract
- 10 months (Secondment to end on 31st March 2027)
- Hours
- Full time
- Flexible working
- Job ref
- 082-AC010-0326
- Employer
- Health Education and Improvement Wales
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Ty Dysgu
- Town
- Nantgarw
- Salary
- £56,514 - £63,623 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 13/04/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Strategic Workforce Planning Manager - Mental Health
Band 8a
We are committed to promoting inclusion at HEIW and we welcome applications from everybody recognising the value that diversity brings to our workforce. To work in the UK, candidates who are not UK or Republic of Ireland (ROI) nationals require sponsorship via a Skilled Worker Visa, unless they have permission to work via another route. Please note that HEIW does not currently hold a licence to appoint skilled workers from overseas by sponsoring them to work in the UK. If successful, candidates from outside of the UK or ROI would be responsible for obtaining their own sponsorship or visa to enable them to work for HEIW - Work in the UK.
This vacancy may close early if it receives a high number of applications. Please complete and submit your application in good time to avoid disappointment.
The Agenda for Change Pay Award for 2026/27 is effective from 1st April 2026.
Please note successful applicants with a start date from 1st April onwards the salary will be as per the 2026/27 pay award. For further detail the pay circular is available via this link https://www.nhs.wales/files/pc-resources/afc-w-02-2026-pdf-pdf?ts=1773244958086
Job overview
This post provides an excellent opportunity for an experienced People Business Partner, Strategic Workforce Planner, or Service Manager with experience of leading workforce change, to join our team and contribute to the transformation of the Mental Health workforce in Wales.
HEIW has secured funding to support a national Mental Health workforce programme, aimed at improving workforce sustainability, addressing skill mix challenges, and shaping future service delivery models across primary, community and secondary care mental health services.
Based in Ty Dysgu, Nantgarw, this role will operate on a hybrid working pattern with three office-based days per week. You will be part of the Strategic Workforce Planning Team, working in a matrix model with colleagues across HEIW and external partners to deliver this national programme.
Main duties of the job
This is a national role that leads the development and delivery of an optimal, future-focused workforce model for Mental Health services in Wales. Working collaboratively with organisations across Wales, you will identify good practice and opportunities for different roles to contribute to multidisciplinary teams from both within Wales and beyond. You will develop strong links with Workforce Planning leads and service managers to ensure that this work is aligned with similar work already being undertaken within organisations. You will also work with colleagues across HEIW to align any identified workforce solutions.
You will develop a flexible workforce model that supports organisations locally with planning, attraction, development and retention of their mental health workforce. The model will identify the range of roles that could work within mental health services and support a more consistent and prudent utilisation of roles and skills across Wales.
Working with colleagues in the Strategic Workforce Planning Team, you will provide specialist workforce advice and influence into this project at an organisational and national level.
The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; Welsh and/or English speakers are equally welcome to apply.
Working for our organisation
Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) is the strategic workforce body for NHS Wales with statutory functions that include education and training, workforce planning, workforce development and transformation, leadership and succession planning, and careers. Our purpose is to develop a workforce that delivers excellent care to patients/service users and excellent population health. We are a Special Health Authority working closely with our partners; Social Care Wales, education providers, professional and regulatory bodies and Welsh Government.
HEIW’s is committed to developing an internal culture of choice. Our Values reflect our thoughts, feelings and beliefs in how we will, and will not, behave and treat others:
- Respect for All in every contact we have with others,
- Ideas that Improve: Harnessing creativity and continuously innovating, evaluating and improving,
- Together as a Team: Working with colleagues across NHS Wales and with partner organisations.
HEIW received the HPMA Award for Employee Engagement in 2019.
What you can expect:
- a corporate induction and 90 day Welcome itinerary,
- compassionate leadership,
- a meaningful values based performance appraisal process,
- the opportunity to impact upon health and social care services and the lives and wellbeing of the people of Wales.
Many of our colleagues and stakeholders have commented on the buzz and atmosphere we create by working together as “One HEIW Team”. Do you want to join that team?
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
This post is Secondment for 10 months until 31st March 2027 to meet the needs of the service. If you are interested in applying for the secondment position, you must obtain permission from your current line manager prior to applying for this post.
You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents or please click “Apply now” to view in Trac.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Masters level education in relevant workforce or management area, or Masters level education in another discipline combined with demonstrable equivalent experience, ideally in workforce.
Desirable criteria
- PG Cert in Strategic Workforce Planning
Experience
Essential criteria
- Significant experience of working within a workforce and organisational development role
- Experience of strategic workforce planning
- Previous and demonstrable experience of leading and managing complex projects/programmes of work
- Experience of leading and implementing change at an organisational or national level
- Experience of working with staff at senior and national level and of developing constructive relationships working across organisational boundaries
Skills
Essential criteria
- Excellent interpersonal skills and able to engage, communicate and present to a wide range of cross sector and cross organisational groups, complex and potentially contentious concepts to and stakeholders.
- Ability to advise and influence key stakeholders and solve problems creatively, identifying practical solutions
- Ability to work autonomously, plan and prioritise, meet deadlines, manage several competing programmes and solve problems
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
Welsh language skills are desirable
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Clem Pricse
- Job title
- Assistant Director of Strategic Workforce Planning
- Email address
- [email protected]
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