Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Group Associate Director for Culture

The closing date is 01 February 2026

Job summary

We are seeking an exceptional Associate Director of Culture to join the BSW Hospitals Group and play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our organisational culture for over 15,000 colleagues. With a dedicated focus on Organisational Development, Wellbeing, and Equality, Diversity & Inclusion, this role will champion initiatives that empower our people.

The role will include travel between the 3 Care Organisations majority of the time at the base location (RUH) with 1 day a week travel to one of the other 2 sites (GWH and SFT).

Please see the JD for more detailed information on the role and for questions about the job please contact Matt Foxon, matthew.foxon@nhs.net

Main duties of the job

As Associate Director of Culture, you will:

  • Provide strategic and operational leadership across people design initiatives including organisational development, talent management, staff engagement and health and wellbeing.
  • Drive transformation and consistency across three Trusts, embedding shared processes, systems, and culture.
  • Champion inclusive, innovative, and people-centred services that support the Groups workforce ambitions and organisational strategy.
  • Work closely with senior leaders to ensure the Group is equipped with the skills, leadership and organisational capacity required to deliver outstanding care and services for now and into the future.

About us

At BSW Hospitals Group, we're proud to bring together three leading NHS Trusts - Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust, and Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust - working as one across Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon, and Wiltshire.

By combining our expertise, resources, and passion for care, we deliver consistent, high-quality healthcare for every patient, no matter which of our hospitals they visit. Together, we're tackling shared challenges, embracing innovation, and building a stronger, more resilient health system for our communities.

Details

Date posted

16 January 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8d

Salary

£91,342 to £105,337 a year Per Annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

249-7665749-2

Job locations

GWH / RUH / SFT

Marlborough Road

Swindon

SN3 6BB


Job description

Job responsibilities

Main Duties of the job

  • Provide strategic oversight and leadership across culture, learning, and wellbeing initiatives, ensuring alignment with the Groups vision, NHS priorities, and the People Promise.
  • Lead the design and delivery of organisational development and talent management strategies, embedding values and behaviours while supporting leadership pipelines and succession planning
  • Oversee the Groups education and training function, ensuring high-quality clinical and non-clinical learning programmes that meet regulatory standards and build capability across all professions.
  • Design and implement a Group-wide wellbeing and ED&I strategy, integrating health, belonging, and inclusion into workforce planning and retention to create a sustainable, thriving workforce.
  • Drive improvements in staff engagement, morale, and team climate through data-informed interventions, staff survey action plans, and collaboration with staff networks to strengthen voice and recognition.
  • Line manage and develop the Education and Training, Culture and Wellbeing teams

Please find attached a full job description and person specification

Job description

Job responsibilities

Main Duties of the job

  • Provide strategic oversight and leadership across culture, learning, and wellbeing initiatives, ensuring alignment with the Groups vision, NHS priorities, and the People Promise.
  • Lead the design and delivery of organisational development and talent management strategies, embedding values and behaviours while supporting leadership pipelines and succession planning
  • Oversee the Groups education and training function, ensuring high-quality clinical and non-clinical learning programmes that meet regulatory standards and build capability across all professions.
  • Design and implement a Group-wide wellbeing and ED&I strategy, integrating health, belonging, and inclusion into workforce planning and retention to create a sustainable, thriving workforce.
  • Drive improvements in staff engagement, morale, and team climate through data-informed interventions, staff survey action plans, and collaboration with staff networks to strengthen voice and recognition.
  • Line manage and develop the Education and Training, Culture and Wellbeing teams

Please find attached a full job description and person specification

Person Specification

Knowledge

Essential

  • Educated to masters level or equivalent level of experience of working at a senior level in specialist area.
  • Extensive knowledge of People Service, acquired through post graduate diploma or equivalent experience or experience to master's level equivalent
  • Evidence of post qualifying and continuing professional development
  • Must understand the background to and aims of current healthcare policy and appreciate the implications of this on engagement
  • Should have an appreciation of the relationship between the Department of Health and Social Care, Regional and National teams and individual provider and commissioning organisations
  • Membership with CIPD with FCIPD or MCIPD.

Communication

Essential

  • Highly developed communication skills with the ability to communicate on highly complex matters and technical information clearly and concisely
  • Ability to provide and receive, convey and present highly complex, sensitive and/or contentious information to large groups, responding openly to questions to ensure full understanding and engagement
  • Ability to communicate with clinical and all levels of colleagues effectively

Analytical

Essential

  • High level analytical skills and the ability to draw qualitative and quantitative data from a wide range of sources and present in a clear concise manner
  • Ability to develop, maintain and monitor information systems to support innovation initiatives
Person Specification

Knowledge

Essential

  • Educated to masters level or equivalent level of experience of working at a senior level in specialist area.
  • Extensive knowledge of People Service, acquired through post graduate diploma or equivalent experience or experience to master's level equivalent
  • Evidence of post qualifying and continuing professional development
  • Must understand the background to and aims of current healthcare policy and appreciate the implications of this on engagement
  • Should have an appreciation of the relationship between the Department of Health and Social Care, Regional and National teams and individual provider and commissioning organisations
  • Membership with CIPD with FCIPD or MCIPD.

Communication

Essential

  • Highly developed communication skills with the ability to communicate on highly complex matters and technical information clearly and concisely
  • Ability to provide and receive, convey and present highly complex, sensitive and/or contentious information to large groups, responding openly to questions to ensure full understanding and engagement
  • Ability to communicate with clinical and all levels of colleagues effectively

Analytical

Essential

  • High level analytical skills and the ability to draw qualitative and quantitative data from a wide range of sources and present in a clear concise manner
  • Ability to develop, maintain and monitor information systems to support innovation initiatives

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Additional information

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

GWH / RUH / SFT

Marlborough Road

Swindon

SN3 6BB


Employer's website

https://www.gwh.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

GWH / RUH / SFT

Marlborough Road

Swindon

SN3 6BB


Employer's website

https://www.gwh.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Site HR Director for RUH

Matt Foxon

matthew.foxon@nhs.net

Details

Date posted

16 January 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8d

Salary

£91,342 to £105,337 a year Per Annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

249-7665749-2

Job locations

GWH / RUH / SFT

Marlborough Road

Swindon

SN3 6BB


Supporting documents

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