Job summary
- Main area
- People & Culture
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 8d
- Contract
- Permanent: 37.5hrs per week - included on site and remote working
- Hours
- Full time
- Flexible working
- Job ref
- 177-CORP-8077907
- Employer
- James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- James Paget Hospital
- Town
- Gorleston
- Salary
- £94,356 - £108,814 Per annum pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 21/06/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Assistant Director of Workforce Systems, Operations & Transformation
NHS AfC: Band 8d
Patient and staff experience is important to us and these are the behaviours we live by:
- Putting patients first
- Aiming to get it right
- Recognising that everybody counts
- Doing everything openly and honestly
Job overview
We are seeking an exceptional senior leader to join our People & Culture Directorate as Assistant Director of Workforce Systems, Operations & Transformation.
This is a pivotal role where you will lead the strategic development, optimisation and transformation of workforce services across the Trust—driving innovation, digital maturity and high-quality service delivery aligned to national NHS workforce priorities
Interviews to be held 22 June 2026
Main duties of the job
As a key member of the senior leadership team, you will:
- Provide strategic and operational leadership for workforce systems, services and transformation programmes
- Lead the development of integrated workforce planning and intelligence to support effective decision-making
- Deliver digitally enabled, high-performing workforce services, ensuring efficiency and continuous improvement
- Oversee workforce data, reporting and analytics, turning complex data into actionable insights
- Drive innovation, including AI-enabled solutions, to modernise workforce operations
Working for our organisation
We want to attract the best and brightest people to work with us and that means we will look after you from the moment you apply for a role at the Trust and throughout your career with us. Our staff are central to everything we do, and we believe that investing in you is crucial if we want to enable you to reach your full potential.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Essential Experience
- Senior leadership experience in a complex organisation
- Proven track record of leading transformation and service improvement
- Experience managing large teams and significant budgets
- Delivery of complex programmes and business case development
- Ability to interpret and implement national policy
Qualifications
- Educated to Master’s level or equivalent experience
- Management/leadership qualification (or equivalent)
- Evidence of continued professional development
Knowledge & Skills
- Strong understanding of workforce planning, financial management and NHS policy
- Expertise in data analytics, performance frameworks and service transformation
- Excellent communication, influencing and problem-solving skills
- Ability to lead change and deliver measurable outcomes in a complex environment
Person specification
Experience
Essential criteria
- Proven experience of working in a senior management/leadership role Experience of managing and motivating a large team or teams Leading changes in practice in a complex environment to improve performance/services
- Leading complex projects
- Responsible for a significant budget and budget setting Identifying and interpreting national policy and implementing required changes Business case development
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Educated to masters level or equivalent experience Management/leadership qualification or equivalent experience
- Evidence of continued professional development Further relevant training
Desirable criteria
- Project Management Qualification
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Financial procedures including budget setting and working knowledge of financial processes
- Business planning /annual planning/long term planning In depth understanding of change management
- Able to use IT systems including Microsoft Office
- In depth understanding of the current NHS agenda and healthcare policy including transformation and workforce Understanding of the relationship between providers and commissioning organisations
- Demonstrable knowledge of service improvements and project management Risk management and governance
Desirable criteria
- NHS IT systems
Applicant requirements
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Deborah O’Hara
- Job title
- Director of People & Culture
- Email address
- Deborah.O'[email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01493 452452
- Additional information
Deborah O’Hara
Director of People & Culture
James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Lowestoft Road | Gorleston | Norfolk NR31 6LA
Email: Deborah.O'[email protected]
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