Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and wear (CNTW) NHS Foundation Trust

Veteran Lived Experience Lead

The closing date is 29 April 2026

Job summary

OpCourage North of England is a collaborative of NHS and VCSE organisations who deliver the NHS England commissioned Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service across the North of England.

CNTW, as the lead provider of the collaborative are recruiting for a Veteran Lived Experience Lead to work across the partnership, engaging with all teams and organisations within the partnership to help guide and shape the development and delivery of services for Veterans across the North of England.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will be responsible for supporting the continued development of the service, ensuring involvement and co-production with the continued review and development of services with Veterans, Reservists and their Families at the centre.

This post sits on the Collaborative Partnership Board, advising the board and advocating for Veterans, Reservists and their Families in relation to ongoing service development and improvement.

The post holder will be expected to attend and participate in service level governance meetings, ensuring the Veteran perspective is central within the governance and delivery of the service.

The post holder will participate in the development, evaluation and promotion of the service, lead on engagement with Veteran service users, families and other stakeholders then support the Service Lead and Clinical Lead with the development and delivery of actions and learning where required.

The post holder will also guide and support with recruitment, induction and development of the workforce within the service, supporting with delivery of training and education around Veteran mental health and wellbeing within health care settings.

About us

We aim to attract and retain a diverse, talented and committed workforce, who are caring and compassionate, and therefore able to meet the demands of the modern NHS now and in the future. In return we can offer a dynamic working environment in which to build a career.

NHS Employees identified as at risk of compulsory redundancy and those eligible for the NENC Re-Deployment careers hub will receive prior consideration.

Details

Date posted

15 April 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£32,073 to £39,043 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

263-CCG26-092-AB-A

Job locations

Monkwearmouth Hospital

Sunderland

SR5 1NB


Job description

Job responsibilities

Please find attached job description for full details.

Advertising date : 15th April 2026

Closing date : 29th April 2026

We welcome your application.

Please note - this vacancy may close early once a suitable number of applications are received.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please find attached job description for full details.

Advertising date : 15th April 2026

Closing date : 29th April 2026

We welcome your application.

Please note - this vacancy may close early once a suitable number of applications are received.

Person Specification

Education and Qualification

Essential

  • Relevant post graduate study or equivalent workplace experience.
  • Evidence of continuous professional development

Desirable

  • Recognised management and leadership qualification at degree level or equivalent experience

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

  • Must be a Veteran who has served in the UK Military and have a good understanding of the mental health and wellbeing issues of the Veteran population
  • Experience of supporting operational service delivery and associated governance requirements
  • Good understanding of Information Technology, proficient in MS Office applications
  • Organisation of events and meetings, including forward planning and task delivery
  • Evidence of ability to coordinate and delivery on multiple projects and programmes of work
  • Evidence of working with a range of colleagues across multiple sectors and clinical boundaries
  • An understanding of the NHS, including current priorities and challenges
  • A good understanding of OpCourage services, including the need and demand for a specialist mental health service for Veterans

Desirable

  • Experience of leading and delivering projects
  • Experience of change management
  • Evidence of working in complex systems
  • Evidence of championing lived experience

Skills and Competencies

Essential

  • Demonstrate a broad range of skills, including influencing others, negotiation and managing change successfully.
  • Analytical skills with the ability to think logically
  • Communication and organisational skills - ability to prioritise workload

Role/Team specific requirements

Essential

  • Caring and passionate about veteran care
  • Role modelling and championing veteran perspectives
  • Honesty and Integrity

Additional Requirements

Essential

  • Must be able to fulfil the mobility and travel requirements of the post
Person Specification

Education and Qualification

Essential

  • Relevant post graduate study or equivalent workplace experience.
  • Evidence of continuous professional development

Desirable

  • Recognised management and leadership qualification at degree level or equivalent experience

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

  • Must be a Veteran who has served in the UK Military and have a good understanding of the mental health and wellbeing issues of the Veteran population
  • Experience of supporting operational service delivery and associated governance requirements
  • Good understanding of Information Technology, proficient in MS Office applications
  • Organisation of events and meetings, including forward planning and task delivery
  • Evidence of ability to coordinate and delivery on multiple projects and programmes of work
  • Evidence of working with a range of colleagues across multiple sectors and clinical boundaries
  • An understanding of the NHS, including current priorities and challenges
  • A good understanding of OpCourage services, including the need and demand for a specialist mental health service for Veterans

Desirable

  • Experience of leading and delivering projects
  • Experience of change management
  • Evidence of working in complex systems
  • Evidence of championing lived experience

Skills and Competencies

Essential

  • Demonstrate a broad range of skills, including influencing others, negotiation and managing change successfully.
  • Analytical skills with the ability to think logically
  • Communication and organisational skills - ability to prioritise workload

Role/Team specific requirements

Essential

  • Caring and passionate about veteran care
  • Role modelling and championing veteran perspectives
  • Honesty and Integrity

Additional Requirements

Essential

  • Must be able to fulfil the mobility and travel requirements of the post

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and wear (CNTW) NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Monkwearmouth Hospital

Sunderland

SR5 1NB


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and wear (CNTW) NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Monkwearmouth Hospital

Sunderland

SR5 1NB


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Service Lead

Jon Milford

jon.milford@cntw.nhs.uk

Details

Date posted

15 April 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£32,073 to £39,043 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

263-CCG26-092-AB-A

Job locations

Monkwearmouth Hospital

Sunderland

SR5 1NB


Supporting documents

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