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Job summary

Main area
Executive
Grade
Executive/VSM
Contract
12 months (Fixed Term or Secondment)
Hours
  • Full time
  • Flexible working
37.5 hours per week
Job ref
285-3142-CORP
Employer
Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Civic Centre
Town
Wolverhampton
Closing
09/05/2025 23:59

Employer heading

Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust logo

Chief People Officer

Executive/VSM

Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust provides specialist mental health, learning disability, and community healthcare services for the population of the Black Country.

Across the whole of the region we provide:

  • Adult and older adult mental health services
  • Specialist learning disability services
  • Mental health services for children and young people
  • Community healthcare services for children, young people and families in Dudley

Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust was formed on 1 April 2020, with the merger of Black Country Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Dudley and Walsall Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust. Combining resources, strategies and talented workforce enables us to deliver a wider variety of outstanding services that are based on best practice and are continually improving.

We currently employ over 4,000 people and just like the population we serve, we are made up of diverse cultures and backgrounds. Whatever your role, working in a NHS Foundation Trust, like ours, is a demanding and extremely rewarding experience. Knowing that every day you can help to make a positive difference to someone’s life is a very powerful feeling. We know that our Trust runs on this desire to help and support people, and our Trust vision expresses this. Our vision is to improve health and wellbeing for everyone, especially our colleagues to achieve the best possible work/life balance.

We proudly offer supportive, inclusive and family friendly employment and flexible working policies. We have a wide range of professional services and employee networks to help our colleagues be at their best - and find support if they need it. To find more about our staff benefits, please visit our website: blackcountryhealthcare.nhs.uk. 

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and ethnic minority candidates are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Black Country Healthcare we recognise and value all forms of knowledge and expertise, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification or criteria in the job description/person specification, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

For further supporting information to help you apply for this role please see documents attached under ‘Additional documents’.

Job overview

We are looking to appoint an exceptional Chief People Officer to join our leadership team initially on a 12 month basis. This is an outstanding opportunity to shape the culture of the Trust and support our talented staff future.

The Trust is embarking on a programme of organisational development and cultural improvement as part of our Best for Black Country Plan and as Chief People Officer, you will work closely with the Chief Executive and the Executive team to lead this exciting programme of work as well as leading the further development and improvement of our Trust Wide Communications and Engagement function.

We are looking for a dynamic and visionary leader who has proven experience of strategic leadership and management within a healthcare setting. You will have a experience in organisational development and demonstrate the ability to build relationships, inspire trust, and champion collaborative working. You will be passionate about staff engagement and dedicated to improving the needs of our workforce. You will also have experience on or close to Board level.

We are committed to equal opportunity for all. We know that the best Boards are those that reflect the communities they serve, and therefore we would particularly welcome applications from those who are under-represented at Board level in the NHS.

Close date of 9th May - Interviews/Stakeholder Day would be 20th May

Main duties of the job

Job Summary: 

The post holder is accountable for the development of a skilled and effective workforce that has the capability and capacity to meet the organisation’s needs and deliver high quality services in line with the Trust’s vision, values and Strategic objectives. The post holder will: 

  • Develop and lead People Strategy to develop the workforce in line with the Trust’s Strategic Objectives.  

  • Lead work to embed the Trust’s values by developing a culture of engagement throughout the Trust;  

  • Develop productive working relationships with our Trade Union representative and Staff Governors;   

  • Support the development of our clinical units and corporate services to increase organisational effectiveness and the delivery of high quality, effective and efficient patient services. 

  • Ensure that the Trust meets regulatory requirements of local and national frameworks which ensure the Trust’s ongoing sustainability and the delivery of its statutory duties 

The post holder is accountable for ensuring the availability of effective and efficient Workforce support services across the whole organisation, and will act as a strategic level business partner for the Board and Executive Team providing HR and workforce advice, solutions and support.  

The post holder will work within the Executive Team and will routinely attend Trust Board meetings. 

Working for our organisation

Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust provides specialist mental health, learning disability, and community healthcare services for the population of the Black Country.

Across the whole of the region we provide:

  • Adult and older adult mental health services
  • Specialist learning disability services
  • CAMHS

Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust was formed on 1 April 2020, after NHS England and NHS Improvement approved the merger of Black Country Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Dudley and Walsall Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust.

Combining resources, strategies and talented workforce enables us to deliver a wider variety of outstanding services that are based on best practice and are continually improving.

We currently employ over 4,000 members of staff and just like the population we serve, we are made up of diverse cultures and backgrounds.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

 

  1. Lead Responsibility 

The Chief People Officer will be specifically responsible for the following:  

  • Lead the implementation of the People Strategy and associated action plans that foster an organisational culture that is in line with the Trust’s vision, values and strategic objectives.  

  • Work with the Board and senior leaders in the Trust to develop leadership capacity and capability within the organisation at all levels to support enhanced performance and develop an engaged, motivated and flexible workforce 

  • Utilise national and local methods to obtain feedback on organisational climate and staff views to improve the quality of working life so that staff feel valued, motivated, supported and involved. 

  • Ensure that equality and diversity are championed and fully integrated into every aspect of the workforce and organisational development agenda.  

  • Work collaboratively with external partners and influence the work of the People Programme Delivery Group and Black Country ICS to provide the best possible outcomes for our local communities.  

  • Be accountable for the development and delivery of the workforce and OD elements of CQC and other regulatory assessments, working collaboratively with the Chief Finance Officer, Chief Medical Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Nursing Officer  

  1. Leadership of the Trust  

  • Provide leadership, vision and direction for the Workforce function within the Trust and for all managers with people management responsibilities.   

  • Lead and manage the People and Workforce Development directorate and to ensure the provision of a professional, high quality, customer responsive and efficient Workforce function that is responsive to the diverse needs of the workforce.  

  • Advise and report to the Executive Team on key matters relating to workforce supply, performance and human resources management.  

  • To advise the Board on legislative and case law developments, and minimise potential service disruption to the organisation caused by any employee relations problem.  

  • Advise Executive Directors and Trust managers in the application of effective reward and recognition systems, including the total reward initiative.  

  • Ensure that workforce functions, processes and policies are fully compliant with external requirements, and that effective systems are in place for the monitoring of workforce performance against Monitor’s Compliance Framework.  

  • Participate in the Directors’ on-call rota 

  1. Organisational Development   

  • Ensure that the Trust has an effective approach to talent management and succession planning.  

  • Work closely with other Executive Directors and Divisional leaders as the expert to introduce new, flexible roles and ways of working, putting workforce redesign at the heart of service transformation.  

  • Work with the Executive Directors and other senior leaders in the Trust to ensure that workforce activity (i.e. workforce planning, recruitment, performance management, and employee engagement) supports current and future service requirements.  

  • To lead and successfully deliver a programme of organisational development for the Trust, that supports transformation and continual improvement.  

  • To ensure the provision of highly skilled professional contributions from services within the portfolio i.e. Organisational Development, Service Development, Human Resources, Communications, Equality, Diversity & Human Rights, Occupational Health. 

  1. Operational Human Resources and Employee Relations:  

  • To ensure that effective performance management, monitoring and reporting systems are in place to provide accurate HR, workforce, learning and development information.  

  • Develop, implement and monitor effective and relevant policies and procedures that foster good employee relations and which comply with employment legislation and relevant codes of practice.  

  • Ensure that comprehensive and professional employment advice and support are provided for managers, clinicians and other staff across the Trust 

  • To oversee in the development and delivery of all Workforce contracts and service level agreements including Payroll, Occupational Health and Allocate to ensure that they meet the organisation’s needs and are cost effective   

  • Lead on the development of the Trust’s workforce planning and development capability to ensure that the organisation has effective workforce information systems in place to support management reporting, performance management and workforce modelling.   

  • Ensure that robust agreements, plans and effective organisational change processes are developed with Trade Unions and staff representatives to handle changes within the Trust. 

  • Lead the development, implementation and evaluation of initiatives, programmes and activities to promote staff health and well-being.  

  • Develop and pursue a strategy to ensure good and effective employee relations in which a genuine partnership approach with staff and their Trade Unions and professional organisations contributes to the provision of high quality services 

Please download the full job description and person spec for the exhaustive list of responsibilities

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Post-Graduate Degree in HR Leadership or Management or equivalent
  • MCIPD or equivalent experience
Desirable criteria
  • Masters Degree or Equivalent
  • FCIPD

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Successful track record in the leadership of people and teams including line management
  • Recent experience of leading organisational change and development
  • Board experience and working as part of an Executive/Senior Leadership team
Desirable criteria
  • Operating as a Director at Board organisation (including interim and long term acting up) level within a large and complex
  • Director experience in the NHS Experience of working with people in non-paid roles, such as governors and volunteers

Knowledge & Skills

Essential criteria
  • Able to lead transformation, change management and organisational development, through the application of OD methodologies and approaches
  • Good understanding of all aspects of operational HR Management
Desirable criteria
  • Knowledge of Agenda for Change, Electronic Staff Record.
  • Knowledge of the NHS environment, including Foundation Trusts, NHSI, NHSE & CQC

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Apprenticeships logoNo smoking policyAge positiveDisability confident leaderCare quality commission - GoodArmed Forces Covenant Bronze Award

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

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Marsha Foster
Job title
Chief Executive
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
07741 628679
Additional information

For more information on the role, or to have an initial discussion please feel free to reach out to Marsha who actively welcomes such approaches.

In the first instance, it may be better to make your request via

Deborah Earl – Executive Assistant to Marsha Foster

Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Email: [email protected] 07741 628679

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