Job summary
We are looking for an experienced Executive Director to join our Executive Leadership Team at North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust to lead and develop our people, culture and workforce agenda.
The Executive Chief People Officer will be a Strategic Leader for a range of innovative people, workforce and organisational development strategies which will support our improvement and culture journey.
As the strategic people lead, the Executive Chief People Officer is accountable for all matters relating to people, culture and workforce for the Trust. The Executive Chief People Officer will have a wide ranging portfolio including:Workforce, OD and CultureOrganisational Development/ Leadership Capability and Cultural ChangeWorkforce Planning Systems and ProcessRecruitment and Retention Strategy, Transactional HR Processes and PayrollService Improvement, Employee RelationsOccupational Health and Wellbeing, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
Staff Engagement, Staff Survey, Freedom to Speak Up and overseeing the Trust's Programme Management Office (including CIP PMO).
The Executive Chief People Officer will lead the implementation of the Trust's people, culture, and workforce strategies underpinning this with a programme of transformation which reflects the opportunities for improvement that the Trust has as part of its overall development plan.
Please see attached additional documents for further information
Interviews to take place week commencing 2nd March 2026
Main duties of the job
This role is part of the Executive Leadership Team reporting directly to the Chief Executive.
As an experienced senior leader you will be responsible for ensuring that the Trust has the right people, culture and workforce strategies and services in place to ensure that patient care is delivered to the highest possible standards across the organisation.
The post holder will provide professional leadership to people, culture and workforce teams as well as supporting a broad executive portfolio. Working closely with Executive Team colleagues to ensure that the Trust has develop and delivery of a workforce strategy for both medical and non-medica colleagues l to ensure that it supports the longer term sustainability of the organisation through its people.
Working closely with members of the Executive and Senior Leadership Team, the postholder will also ensure that there are robust arrangements in place for all aspects of people, culture and workforce matters including strategic oversight of the Workforce strategies for the Trust.
About us
North Cumbria Integrated Care Trust provides high quality, personalised, acute, elective, specialist, and community care for a population of over 320,000 people over 2,600 miles from Carlisle to Kendal and the Cumbrian coast to the North Pennines. We're responsible for delivering over 70 services across 15 main locations and employ over 6,500 whole time equivalent members of staff.
The Trust aspires to be truly representative of the population we serve and we welcome applications from people of diverse backgrounds and who can evidence understanding of the needs of the communities served by the Trust.
To apply for the position, please submit a CV outlining your career history and a covering letter that clearly sets out how you meet the role specification and essential criteria, via the Trac system when completing your application form.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see attached job description and person specification for further information regarding the role and the essential and desirable criteria required to be met by applicants.
Disclosure and Barring Service:
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.
The cost of the DBS must be met by the successful candidate(s) through salary deduction. DBS charges are as follows if applicable to the post:
Standard Check: £21.50 + Administration cost of £6.50= £28.00 Deducted from salary over a 4 month period or a one-off payment.
Enhanced Check: £49.50 + administration cost of £6.50= £56.00 Deducted from salary over a 4 month period or a one-off payment.
Please note, due to changes implemented by the Government to the UK immigration policy, individuals who require a Health and Care Visa or a Skilled Worker Visa may no longer be eligible for sponsorship where the UKVI salary threshold is not met or if the occupation is not included in the updated Immigration Salary List (ISL). Applicants must check their eligibility to be employed in any role they are interested in applying for, prior to completing an application for employment.Any applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria will not be progressed. For further information visit theUK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
If you are applying under the Disability Confident Scheme or Armed Forces Covenant and you meet all the essential criteria for a post, you will be guaranteed an interview.
Relocation assistance may be available for successful applicants moving to the region for certain posts. Please see our Policy for eligible vacancies.
Important Information
Please ensure that you document evidence of meeting all the essential criteria in the supporting information.
If sufficient response is received this post could be closed earlier than the specified closing date, please apply as soon as possible to ensure that your application is considered.
Candidates who have been successfully shortlisted for interview will be asked via an email notification to log on to their Trac account to select an interview time. This will usually be within 2 weeks of the closing date.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see attached job description and person specification for further information regarding the role and the essential and desirable criteria required to be met by applicants.
Disclosure and Barring Service:
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.
The cost of the DBS must be met by the successful candidate(s) through salary deduction. DBS charges are as follows if applicable to the post:
Standard Check: £21.50 + Administration cost of £6.50= £28.00 Deducted from salary over a 4 month period or a one-off payment.
Enhanced Check: £49.50 + administration cost of £6.50= £56.00 Deducted from salary over a 4 month period or a one-off payment.
Please note, due to changes implemented by the Government to the UK immigration policy, individuals who require a Health and Care Visa or a Skilled Worker Visa may no longer be eligible for sponsorship where the UKVI salary threshold is not met or if the occupation is not included in the updated Immigration Salary List (ISL). Applicants must check their eligibility to be employed in any role they are interested in applying for, prior to completing an application for employment.Any applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria will not be progressed. For further information visit theUK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
If you are applying under the Disability Confident Scheme or Armed Forces Covenant and you meet all the essential criteria for a post, you will be guaranteed an interview.
Relocation assistance may be available for successful applicants moving to the region for certain posts. Please see our Policy for eligible vacancies.
Important Information
Please ensure that you document evidence of meeting all the essential criteria in the supporting information.
If sufficient response is received this post could be closed earlier than the specified closing date, please apply as soon as possible to ensure that your application is considered.
Candidates who have been successfully shortlisted for interview will be asked via an email notification to log on to their Trac account to select an interview time. This will usually be within 2 weeks of the closing date.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Master's degree (e.g. MBA, MSc or MA), other relevant postgraduate qualification in a related/relevant subject or an equivalent demonstrable portfolio of experience
- Chartered Fellow of the CIPD
- Evidence of continuing professional and personal development
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Board level experience
- At least 3 year's senior management experience in an NHS trust, operating at or close to Board level in an NHS Trust
- Expert knowledge and skills in managing the demands of transformation and strategy within the NHS, particularly in relation to the 10 year plan
- Detailed knowledge of complex change, risk management, people, culture and workforce agenda
- Recent evidence of strategic innovation and change within the relevant portfolio and within the field of health and/or care
- Detailed understanding of the process and delivery of healthcare services and of government policy for modernising healthcare, including the 10 year plan
- Experience of leading significant organisational change including a clear understanding of the opportunities available through benefits realisation
- Experience of improving services and patient/staff experience through engagement
- Experience of managing significant projects to successful completion. Experience of partnership working at a senior level with other professions and disciplines towards a common goal including trade union colleagues
- Experience of successful experience in leading the people, culture and workforce agenda within an acute Trust environment
- Experience of delivering high levels of productivity and efficiency
- Experience of leading on organisational strategies
- Understanding of national NHS policy environment and governance frameworks
- Understanding of the regulatory environment within the NHS
- Working knowledge and understanding of the application of legal requirements and good practice in respect of people, culture and workforce
- Understanding of confidentiality and data protection and Freedom of Information requirements
- Developing key performance indicator reporting and implementing process improvements for people, culture and workforce functions
- Significant experience working with external organisations, including NHS England, North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board and the Care Quality Commission
- Experience of successful management of complex management and staff matters
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Excellent presentational skills, including public speaking to large audiences
- Knowledge of key current issues in NHS systems reform and people, workforce agenda
- Strategic thinking and innovation
- Excellent verbal and written skills
- Highly developed influencing, persuading and communication skills
- Well-developed leadership skills and emotional intelligence
- Well-developed leadership skills and emotional intelligence. oRobust, with experience of being able to balance competing priorities and meet personal and directorate targets within a demanding workload
- Robust, with experience of being able to balance competing priorities and meet personal and directorate targets within a demanding workload
- Courage to challenge the status quo and follow through change
- Ability to deal with people at all levels to guide, support and counsel on highly complex and contentious issues
- Able to interpret/analyse complex financial and statistical data and report on it
- Ability to undertake research on a wide range of relevant topics and related issues
- Politically astute
- Ability to plan, execute and deliver
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Dynamic and entrepreneurial
- Displays strong leadership skills
- Role model for Trust core behaviours, including diversity
- Displays strong intellectual ability
- Ability to be credible at all levels of the Trust and across all staff groups
- Positive attitude to change
- Ability to handle situations of high emotional intensity
- Embodies the Trust values
- Displays honesty and integrity with personal values aligned to those of the Trust and NHS Constitution
- Self-awareness, emotional intelligence and resilience
Other Requirements
Essential
- A strong commitment to personal continuing professional development
- Reasonable digital skills
- Able to attend meetings and conferences across the country including overnight stays
- Disclosure and Barring Service Check
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Master's degree (e.g. MBA, MSc or MA), other relevant postgraduate qualification in a related/relevant subject or an equivalent demonstrable portfolio of experience
- Chartered Fellow of the CIPD
- Evidence of continuing professional and personal development
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Board level experience
- At least 3 year's senior management experience in an NHS trust, operating at or close to Board level in an NHS Trust
- Expert knowledge and skills in managing the demands of transformation and strategy within the NHS, particularly in relation to the 10 year plan
- Detailed knowledge of complex change, risk management, people, culture and workforce agenda
- Recent evidence of strategic innovation and change within the relevant portfolio and within the field of health and/or care
- Detailed understanding of the process and delivery of healthcare services and of government policy for modernising healthcare, including the 10 year plan
- Experience of leading significant organisational change including a clear understanding of the opportunities available through benefits realisation
- Experience of improving services and patient/staff experience through engagement
- Experience of managing significant projects to successful completion. Experience of partnership working at a senior level with other professions and disciplines towards a common goal including trade union colleagues
- Experience of successful experience in leading the people, culture and workforce agenda within an acute Trust environment
- Experience of delivering high levels of productivity and efficiency
- Experience of leading on organisational strategies
- Understanding of national NHS policy environment and governance frameworks
- Understanding of the regulatory environment within the NHS
- Working knowledge and understanding of the application of legal requirements and good practice in respect of people, culture and workforce
- Understanding of confidentiality and data protection and Freedom of Information requirements
- Developing key performance indicator reporting and implementing process improvements for people, culture and workforce functions
- Significant experience working with external organisations, including NHS England, North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board and the Care Quality Commission
- Experience of successful management of complex management and staff matters
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Excellent presentational skills, including public speaking to large audiences
- Knowledge of key current issues in NHS systems reform and people, workforce agenda
- Strategic thinking and innovation
- Excellent verbal and written skills
- Highly developed influencing, persuading and communication skills
- Well-developed leadership skills and emotional intelligence
- Well-developed leadership skills and emotional intelligence. oRobust, with experience of being able to balance competing priorities and meet personal and directorate targets within a demanding workload
- Robust, with experience of being able to balance competing priorities and meet personal and directorate targets within a demanding workload
- Courage to challenge the status quo and follow through change
- Ability to deal with people at all levels to guide, support and counsel on highly complex and contentious issues
- Able to interpret/analyse complex financial and statistical data and report on it
- Ability to undertake research on a wide range of relevant topics and related issues
- Politically astute
- Ability to plan, execute and deliver
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Dynamic and entrepreneurial
- Displays strong leadership skills
- Role model for Trust core behaviours, including diversity
- Displays strong intellectual ability
- Ability to be credible at all levels of the Trust and across all staff groups
- Positive attitude to change
- Ability to handle situations of high emotional intensity
- Embodies the Trust values
- Displays honesty and integrity with personal values aligned to those of the Trust and NHS Constitution
- Self-awareness, emotional intelligence and resilience
Other Requirements
Essential
- A strong commitment to personal continuing professional development
- Reasonable digital skills
- Able to attend meetings and conferences across the country including overnight stays
- Disclosure and Barring Service Check
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.
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
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.
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
