Assistant Director of People Services

We are looking for a leader who can see beyond traditional transactional HR services and understand how people, technology, data, systems and process improvement can come together to create improved quality workforce services.

As Assistant Director of People you will provide senior leadership for the development and delivery of our Group wide transactional workforce services.

Your portfolio will include;

Temporary Staffing Bank, a shortlisted Team of the Year in the 2025 HPMA Awards and Nursing Times Workforce Summit finalist 2025 that services over 6,000 bank workers.
Rostering, a recognised award-winning team in the RL Datix Awards 2025.
Medical Staffing and Medical Rostering - a newly formed team for Group that creates a fantastic opportunity to grow this service at scale.
Workforce Systems and workforce data - building on the in-house developments of automation and readying the organisation for the forthcoming national People Solution.
Employment Services and Payroll controls - leading our internal controls, compliance and assurance.
Recruitment - developing our service for Group, exploring new and innovative ways to attract talent and diversity.

The Group People Services team launched their ambitious operating model earlier this year and you will lead the next phase our Group shared services operating model, creating greater consistency and standardisation whilst ensuring services remain responsive to the needs of our hospitals, clinical services and workforce.
You will establish a clear vision for the future of transactional people services and translate this into practical programmes of transformation and continuous improvement
This will include developing our structures, processes and systems identifying opportunities for standardisation and automation; reducing unnecessary variation a, strengthening governance and improving the experience of managers and colleagues who use our services.
This role is central to our ambition to create a modern, customer focused and digitally enabled People function working in the context of the NHS People Plan, People Promise and wider NHS workforce transformation agenda.
We are looking for an experienced and ambitious people professional who can operate confidently at senior level and has a proven track record of delivering complex workforce transformation.
You will bring substantial experience of working within the NHS or another large complex organisation and will have a good understanding of the operational realities of delivering workforce services in a demanding healthcare environment.
You will be able to demonstrate;
Significant senior leadership experience within a People Services environment
Experience of developing and transforming shared services or transactional services
Strong knowledge of NHS workforce processes, systems and governance
Experience of leading complex change across multiple services or organisations
A strong understanding of workforce compliance and assurance
Experience of using data and digital technology to improve workforce services
A track record of delivering measurable improvements in quality, efficient and customer experience.
Excellent programme change and transformation leadership skills
The ability to influence and engage senior clinical, operational and corporate stakeholders
Have commercial and financial awareness and experience of translating this into business plans
The ability to build high performing teams to develop a culture of accountability and continuous improvements.
You will be an innovative and credible leader who can move comfortably between strategic thinking and operational delivery.
Please see attached job description for further details.

The Group People Services team launched their ambitious operating model earlier this year and you will lead the next phase our Group shared services operating model, creating greater consistency and standardisation whilst ensuring services remain responsive to the needs of our hospitals, clinical services and workforce.

You will establish a clear vision for the future of transactional people services and translate this into practical programmes of transformation and continuous improvement

This will include developing our structures, processes and systems identifying opportunities for standardisation and automation; reducing unnecessary variation a, strengthening governance and improving the experience of managers and colleagues who use our services.

This role is central to our ambition to create a modern, customer focused and digitally enabled People function working in the context of the NHS People Plan, People Promise and wider NHS workforce transformation agenda.

We are looking for an experienced and ambitious people professional who can operate confidently at senior level and has a proven track record of delivering complex workforce transformation.

You will bring substantial experience of working within the NHS or another large complex organisation and will have a good understanding of the operational realities of delivering workforce services in a demanding healthcare environment.

You will be able to demonstrate;

Significant senior leadership experience within a People Services environment

Experience of developing and transforming shared services or transactional services

Strong knowledge of NHS workforce processes, systems and governance

Experience of leading complex change across multiple services or organisations

A strong understanding of workforce compliance and assurance

Experience of using data and digital technology to improve workforce services

A track record of delivering measurable improvements in quality, efficient and customer experience.

Excellent programme change and transformation leadership skills

The ability to influence and engage senior clinical, operational and corporate stakeholders

Have commercial and financial awareness and experience of translating this into business plans

The ability to build high performing teams to develop a culture of accountability and continuous improvements.

You will be an innovative and credible leader who can move comfortably between strategic thinking and operational delivery.

Please see attached job description for further details.

Essential criteria
- Relevant first or higher degree/equivalent experience; Master's Degree; MCIPD
- Significant experience in a senior HR&OD role in a large organisation, including leading a team and/or function.
- Significant experience of liaison with managers, staff and trade unions at all levels, internally and external organisations
- Experience of a highly complex, sensitive environment and/or working in contentious hostile situations and finding solutions.
- Dealt with uncertainty and ambiguity in a complex environment.
- Evidence of leading major organisational change
- Evidence of workforce KPIs/performance management.
- Experience of leading both HR & OD at a senior level.
- Evidence of policy development and implementation
- Experience of undertaking audit and surveys, analysing and disseminating results
- Experience of medical workforce issues at senior level
- Experience of continuous improvement project methodologies
- Knowledge of contemporary HR&OD legislation, employment law and other relevant policies and standards
- Current Professional and NHS Issues locally and nationally
- Highly developed knowledge and application of a wide range of HR&OD practice
- Understanding the impact of HR&OD practice on the delivery of quality clinical services, patient safety & experience
- Understanding of 'big picture' future health care and importance of HR&OD strategy to longer term clinical strategy, business plans and workforce plans for the trust
- Advanced and specialist communication and solution focused negotiation skills.
- Possession of tact and sensitivity, including a commitment to confidentiality
- Role model for the profession, remains calm and controlled in difficult and challenging situations, and is emotionally resilient.
- Reflects on delivery of the HR&OD service and own performance, learning and/or changing behaviour to improve.
- Analysis and interpretation of complex data and information, options appraisal, recommendations & report generation where no precedent exists.
- Capacity to deal with complexity of issues, and multiple tasks
- Ability to work independently and prioritise own workload
- Initiating, writing & embedding policies, protocols, reports etc.
- Computer literate and proficiency with MS Office
- Advanced presentation skills to influence and inform, including dealing with complex and difficult questions and challenge.
- Significant leadership and management development skills, encourages and enables teams and individuals to develop.

Desirable criteria
- Track record of introducing change, innovation and improvements
- Coaching and/or mentoring skills

- Flexible working,