Job overview

We are excited to be able to advertise this Director level clinical professional leadership post within the Trust , with responsibility for the professional development and standards for all Psychological Professional staff working alongside operational services. 

The Director of Psychological Professions will report to the Director of Nursing/Deputy Chief Nurse and will join the Chief Nurse corporate Directorate and as a senior team member.  The role will  include responsibility for the trust wide Staff Support (Connect) Service which includes the expansion of psychological consultancy and team reflective practice.

The post holder will be responsible for innovative service development to improve patient / service user outcomes and contribute to delivery of  the overall Trust strategic objectives. In addition, the post holder will lead on a specific Psychological professional  strategy linked to a new Trust strategy due in Autumn 2026.

 

Main duties of the job

Main duties ( and expanded in job description ) are:

• Being the  most senior Psychological Professional lead for the Trust  and taking strategic leadership and oversight for the professional development , supervision and standards for all staff who are in a role notated as  being in a Psychological professional group.
• Developing a new Trust strategy for Psychological professions aligned to the launch of a new overarching Trust strategy, enabling a clear focus and purpose for future development and service development.
• Acting as a senior leader in the organisation  and contributing to the overall  business of the Trust, helping to steer how the Trust develops in relation to clinical practice.
• Taking the lead in all areas related to education and training for Psychological professions, ensuring effective clinical supervision is in place, competencies for practise, and an on-going review of education and training requirements to ensure standards are maintained.
• Represent the Trust at a corporate, local , regional and national level where required to ensure Psychological professions are included in key areas and promote value of the Professions within health care settings. 
• Provide strong clinical leadership on complex and high-profile improvement work, including collaboration and knowledge- sharing across divisions, with reference to initiatives relating to mental health and the integration of physical and mental health. 

Working for our organisation

We are the main provider of NHS community services across East and West Sussex, with 6,000 staff serving 1.3 million people. We deliver essential care to adults and children, helping them manage their health, avoid hospital admissions, and reduce hospital stays.

Our Trust vision is to provide excellent care at the heart of the community. We offer opportunities across medical, clinical, support, and corporate services.

Why work for us?
•    Positive 2024 NHS Staff Survey results, highlighting compassionate leadership and wellbeing
•    Varied environments: community hospitals, patients’ homes, and bases across Sussex
•    Flexible working options: part-time, flexi-time, annualised hours, and flexi-retirement
•    Excellent training, development, and research opportunities
•    Accredited Living Wage Employer, we ensure fair pay for all our staff
•    Cost-effective workplace nurseries in Crawley, Hove, and Brighton
•    Active EMBRACE, Disability & Wellbeing, LGBTQIA+, and Religion & Belief networks
•    Level 3 Disability Confident Leader and Veteran Aware Trust

Our values—Compassionate Care, Working Together, Achieving Ambitions, Delivering Excellence—guide everything we do.

We embrace diversity and encourage applications from all backgrounds, particularly from ethnically diverse, disabled, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. We aim to create an inclusive environment and support reasonable adjustments during recruitment.

This post may close early if sufficient applications are received.