Job summary
Location: NWAS-wide (North West Ambulance Service) based at one of our HQ buildings in Preston/Bolton/Liverpool
Salary: NHS Agenda for Change Band 8C
Hours: Full-time
Contract Type: Permanent
Reports to: Area Director - Cumbria and Lancashire
Are you passionate about the power of volunteering to change lives, shape services, and build stronger communities? Have you led transformational change in the charity or voluntary sector--and are now looking for your next big opportunity to make a lasting impact?
We are looking for a dynamic, strategic and values-driven leader to join us as our Strategic Head of Volunteering.
Main duties of the job
This is a newly created senior leadership role with real influence & autonomy. You'll lead the development and delivery of a forward-thinking, inclusive volunteering strategy for one of the UKs largest ambulance services. With a volunteering remit that spans community engagement, workforce wellbeing, and patient care, this role is at the heart of how we connect with and serve the communities of the North West.
You will:
- Shape and implement a Trust-wide volunteering strategy.
- Lead a talented team supporting a diverse volunteer base.
- Champion innovation in volunteer roles and pathways.
- Work across NWAS and with external partners to embed a volunteering culture that supports better outcomes for patients, staff and communities.
- Represent NWAS nationally and regionally as a strategic leader in the volunteering space.
We're looking for someone with:
- Proven leadership experience in the voluntary or public sector.
- A track record of strategic planning and delivering change in complex environments.
- Passion for volunteering and a deep understanding of the volunteer experience.
- Strong values around inclusion, compassion, and collaboration.
- A flair for building relationships, influencing stakeholders, and working across organisational boundaries.
Whether you've worked in a charity, social enterprise, health setting or other mission-driven organisation--we welcome your experience and energy.
About us
North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust provides 24 hour, 365 days a year accident and emergency services to those in need of emergency medical treatment and transport.
Our highly skilled staff provide life-saving care to patients in the community and take people to hospital or a place of care if needed.We also provide non-emergency patient transport services for those patients who require non-emergency transport to and from hospital and who are unable to travel unaided because of their medical condition or clinical need.
Alongside the other emergency services, we also work to ensure the safety of the public and treatment of patients in the event of a major incident.
We also deliver the NHS 111 service in the North West. NHS 111 replaced NHS Direct in 2013. This service was introduced to make it easier for people to access local NHS healthcare services in England. It provides non-emergency medical help fast, and is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please ensure you have read the full Job Description and Person Specification before applying for this role.
The Trust reserves the right to close this vacancy early if a large number of applications are received.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please ensure you have read the full Job Description and Person Specification before applying for this role.
The Trust reserves the right to close this vacancy early if a large number of applications are received.
Person Specification
Skills
Essential
- Excellent communication, influencing, and partnership-building skills
- Strong analytical, planning, project management and organisational skills
- Experience in the application of HR processes
- Demonstrable experience of line management responsibilities
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to Masters level or relevant professional experience
- Evidence of continual professional development in current leadership role
- Full UK driving licence (or ability to travel around the region/nationally)
- Strong knowledge of volunteer management best practices
- Understanding of social value and measuring volunteering impact
Experience
Essential
- Proven track record of developing and delivering strategic programmes (including experience of change management)
- Experience of managing volunteers, and of managing teams that manage volunteers
- Experience of working in partnership with trade unions and other partners and understand the principals of partnership working
Skills
Essential
- Strategic planning and delivery in complex organisations
- Exceptional stakeholder engagement and influencing skills
- Experience in managing teams and budgets at a senior level
- High level interpersonal and communication skills to allow effective communication in a hostile, antagonistic or highly emotive atmosphere
Experience
Essential
- Substantial experience in a senior leadership role within healthcare, public sector, or voluntary sector
Skills
Essential
- Demonstrable compassionate and inclusive leadership
Qualifications
Essential
- In-depth understanding of volunteers, including governance, safeguarding, engagement, and inclusion across the volunteering/third sector
Values
Essential
- Working together - demonstrate collaborative and inclusive working and challenge behaviour that is not inclusive or acceptable
- Being at our best - professional and adaptable and takes pride in work
- Making a difference - act with compassion, kindness and integrity towards everyone
Person Specification
Skills
Essential
- Excellent communication, influencing, and partnership-building skills
- Strong analytical, planning, project management and organisational skills
- Experience in the application of HR processes
- Demonstrable experience of line management responsibilities
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to Masters level or relevant professional experience
- Evidence of continual professional development in current leadership role
- Full UK driving licence (or ability to travel around the region/nationally)
- Strong knowledge of volunteer management best practices
- Understanding of social value and measuring volunteering impact
Experience
Essential
- Proven track record of developing and delivering strategic programmes (including experience of change management)
- Experience of managing volunteers, and of managing teams that manage volunteers
- Experience of working in partnership with trade unions and other partners and understand the principals of partnership working
Skills
Essential
- Strategic planning and delivery in complex organisations
- Exceptional stakeholder engagement and influencing skills
- Experience in managing teams and budgets at a senior level
- High level interpersonal and communication skills to allow effective communication in a hostile, antagonistic or highly emotive atmosphere
Experience
Essential
- Substantial experience in a senior leadership role within healthcare, public sector, or voluntary sector
Skills
Essential
- Demonstrable compassionate and inclusive leadership
Qualifications
Essential
- In-depth understanding of volunteers, including governance, safeguarding, engagement, and inclusion across the volunteering/third sector
Values
Essential
- Working together - demonstrate collaborative and inclusive working and challenge behaviour that is not inclusive or acceptable
- Being at our best - professional and adaptable and takes pride in work
- Making a difference - act with compassion, kindness and integrity towards everyone
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
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