Leeds Teaching Hospitals

Director of Organisational Development & Inclusion

The closing date is 13 April 2026

Job summary

We are seeking an experienced and values-driven Director of Organisational Development (OD) & Inclusion to provide strategic leadership across our people agenda. Reporting to the Chief People Officer, you will help shape an inclusive, high-performance culture that supports the delivery of outstanding patient care.

Planned interview date: 20th April 2026

Main duties of the job

  • Provide expert OD and workforce inclusion advice to the Chief People Officer and Board.
  • Lead the Trusts inclusion strategy and translate national priorities into local action (including WRES/WDES, Gender Pay Gap and Sexual Safety).
  • Champion Freedom to Speak Up and strengthen routes for colleagues to raise concerns.
  • Streamline and enhance leadership development and accredited programmes.
  • Use workforce insights and metrics to target interventions and deliver sustainable cultural change.
  • Build strong partnerships with trade unions, staff networks and system partners.You will be educated to Masters level (or equivalent experience) with significant senior leadership experience in OD and inclusion within a large, complex organisation. You will bring credible expertise in cultural change, leadership development, employment law and workforce inclusion, alongside a clear commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.

    Salary: AfC Band 9 | | Interview date: 20th April

    To apply, please submit your application via NHS Jobs, clearly evidencing how you meet the person specification and how you will role model compassionate and inclusive leadership.

About us

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is one of the largest and busiest acute hospital trusts in the country. We are the local hospital for Leeds and provide specialist services for our local communities, the Yorkshire and Humber region and beyond.

This means that people in Leeds have access to some of the very best care in the country and benefit from a seamless provision of all services.

We play an important role in the training and education of medical, nursing and dental students, and are a centre for world class research, innovation and pioneering new treatments.

Leeds Teaching Hospitals has a budget of more than £2.1 billion and a 20,000 strong staff. Last year, we delivered close to 1.8 million episodes of care, including 109,000 inpatient admissions, 1.3 million outpatient attendances and 359,000 attendances in our Emergency Departments.

Our care and clinical expertise is delivered from seven hospitals on five sites, and they are all joined by our vision to be the best for specialist and integrated care.

Details

Date posted

03 April 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 9

Salary

£112,782 to £129,783 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

C9298-HMR-0123

Job locations

St. James's University Hospital

Beckett Street

Leeds

LS9 7TF


Job description

Job responsibilities

JOB PURPOSE/SUMMARY

The Director of OD & Inclusion will ensure the delivery of a highly effective people service which supports managers to develop a people-oriented, high-performance culture that emphasises engagement, productivity and quality. They will support the delivery of a people focused, leading edge organisation which supports the delivery of the highest quality patient care.

A compassionate and inclusive leadership style and role modelling of the Trusts values will be critical to success.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Provide expert workforce inclusion advice to the Chief People Officer and Board.

To lead operational activity to create an inclusive place to work.

To develop and lead the strategy to NHSS36 and beyond.

Streamline leadership offer and accredited programmes.

Operationalise improvements in the WRES/WDES/Gender Pay Gap/Sexual Safety.

Champion Freedom To Speak Up (FTSU) and establish multiple routes for colleagues to raise concerns across the Trust.

To work with the Patient Experience lead and Deputy Estates & Facilities Director.

To renew and develop an OD strategy for LTHT, streamlining the offer.

To provide strategy and operational leadership of OH function exploring opportunities to combine learning across place/WYAAT.

To develop a place-based/WYAAT OD partnership and strategy.

To design and develop the OD Business Partner model alongside HRBP model, working closely with the Deputy Chief People Officer to ensure a combined and aligned service.

To deputise for the Chief People Officer at inclusion events nationally where required.

To participate in Executive On-Call duties.

To work with the Director of Communications to ensure colleague engagement and OD activity is aligned.

To embed the Trust priorities and values into all colleague development activity.

Operational Responsibilities

As an autonomous senior member of the People Function, the post holder will take the strategic lead on the development of OD & I taking due account of national priorities and requirements e.g. NHS People Plan; ensuring that best practice is applied across the people agenda.

To be responsible for the management and provision of a first-class professional people service in the OD & I portfolio.

Corporate responsibility for the development & implementation of a range of people policies which impact across the organisation. Ensuring they remain relevant, up-to-date and effective in supporting colleagues.

Use information & metrics gained from a variety of workforce reports to identify current and future OD&I issues and develop a range of initiatives to respond.

Develop and promote productive partnership working arrangements with trade unions, wider colleagues and staff networks.

To undertake complex surveys relating to service improvements. Provide direction and support to ensure audits (internal/external) are organised as required and be responsible for ensuring all recommendations made following these audits are responded to as required and changes implemented.

Advise and lead on workforce inclusion, ensuring the Trust is appropriately represented at internal and external meetings.

To support the Chief People Officer to facilitate, influence and implement change as appropriate.

Ensure personal high visibility by working closely with the senior managers and their teams to obtain direct feedback on the relevance and quality of people services provided to optimise the contribution of the teams.

Provide comprehensive and professional expert advice and support to Directors and senior managers across the Trust, investigating and advising on very complex people issues.

Analyse a range of very complex employment situations which require deciding on the way forward, where no precedent exists or options conflict.

Responsible for managing the operation of information systems across the OD&I portfolio.

To develop a long-term OD strategy for LTHT, which streamlines the offer to colleagues and services.

Financial Management

Actively manage the pay and non-pay budgets for several services within the People function.

Develop and agree cost improvement plans, ensuring management and delivery of the schemes year on year.

Project Management

Lead and drive change management initiatives designed to improve organisational and personal performance, productivity and quality.

Ensure OD&I adopt and implement national initiatives as directed and monitor/report progress against targets.

To take the strategic lead on specific projects or pieces of work on behalf of the CPO, taking responsibility for the achievement of outcomes within required timescales

Ensure that there is a robust approach for monitoring the progress of a broad range of projects and change initiatives to ensure projects are delivered within the available resources and to the agreed timescales, providing regular reports and raising significant problems/issues in a timely manner so that early, remedial action can be taken.

Provide regular reports on OD&I activity to various formal meetings and committees, such as the People Improvement Framework Assurance Group, People Committee and Board.

Leadership

To provide expert, high-level advice and support to senior management colleagues. Interpreting overall health policy & strategy to establish clear goals and standards for OD&I at LTHT.

Support the ongoing professional development of the OD&I function.

To deputise for the Chief People Officer on OD&I matters when required.

Communicating highly complex and highly contentious information in a clear and effective manner to various stakeholders, where there can be significant barriers to acceptance which need to be overcome, which may be potentially hostile and antagonistic. This could include influencing and negotiating on delivery of services and leading the engagement process with strategic stakeholders.

Provide strong leadership to teams across the function (directly and indirectly managed); acting as a credible source of knowledge and support.

Lead and evaluate the delivery of robust people interventions and programmes that continuously improve organisational performance and transformation using leading edge and evidence-based people practices and interventions.

Line management for several departments in the People function. Ensure that team members have the skills and experience to deliver the OD&I strategy through effective performance management, target setting, coaching and development.

As part of the People Services senior team, to provide strong visible leadership and support to ensure that individual contributions are maximised, and development needs are met whilst ensuring a truly integrated service.

Job description

Job responsibilities

JOB PURPOSE/SUMMARY

The Director of OD & Inclusion will ensure the delivery of a highly effective people service which supports managers to develop a people-oriented, high-performance culture that emphasises engagement, productivity and quality. They will support the delivery of a people focused, leading edge organisation which supports the delivery of the highest quality patient care.

A compassionate and inclusive leadership style and role modelling of the Trusts values will be critical to success.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Provide expert workforce inclusion advice to the Chief People Officer and Board.

To lead operational activity to create an inclusive place to work.

To develop and lead the strategy to NHSS36 and beyond.

Streamline leadership offer and accredited programmes.

Operationalise improvements in the WRES/WDES/Gender Pay Gap/Sexual Safety.

Champion Freedom To Speak Up (FTSU) and establish multiple routes for colleagues to raise concerns across the Trust.

To work with the Patient Experience lead and Deputy Estates & Facilities Director.

To renew and develop an OD strategy for LTHT, streamlining the offer.

To provide strategy and operational leadership of OH function exploring opportunities to combine learning across place/WYAAT.

To develop a place-based/WYAAT OD partnership and strategy.

To design and develop the OD Business Partner model alongside HRBP model, working closely with the Deputy Chief People Officer to ensure a combined and aligned service.

To deputise for the Chief People Officer at inclusion events nationally where required.

To participate in Executive On-Call duties.

To work with the Director of Communications to ensure colleague engagement and OD activity is aligned.

To embed the Trust priorities and values into all colleague development activity.

Operational Responsibilities

As an autonomous senior member of the People Function, the post holder will take the strategic lead on the development of OD & I taking due account of national priorities and requirements e.g. NHS People Plan; ensuring that best practice is applied across the people agenda.

To be responsible for the management and provision of a first-class professional people service in the OD & I portfolio.

Corporate responsibility for the development & implementation of a range of people policies which impact across the organisation. Ensuring they remain relevant, up-to-date and effective in supporting colleagues.

Use information & metrics gained from a variety of workforce reports to identify current and future OD&I issues and develop a range of initiatives to respond.

Develop and promote productive partnership working arrangements with trade unions, wider colleagues and staff networks.

To undertake complex surveys relating to service improvements. Provide direction and support to ensure audits (internal/external) are organised as required and be responsible for ensuring all recommendations made following these audits are responded to as required and changes implemented.

Advise and lead on workforce inclusion, ensuring the Trust is appropriately represented at internal and external meetings.

To support the Chief People Officer to facilitate, influence and implement change as appropriate.

Ensure personal high visibility by working closely with the senior managers and their teams to obtain direct feedback on the relevance and quality of people services provided to optimise the contribution of the teams.

Provide comprehensive and professional expert advice and support to Directors and senior managers across the Trust, investigating and advising on very complex people issues.

Analyse a range of very complex employment situations which require deciding on the way forward, where no precedent exists or options conflict.

Responsible for managing the operation of information systems across the OD&I portfolio.

To develop a long-term OD strategy for LTHT, which streamlines the offer to colleagues and services.

Financial Management

Actively manage the pay and non-pay budgets for several services within the People function.

Develop and agree cost improvement plans, ensuring management and delivery of the schemes year on year.

Project Management

Lead and drive change management initiatives designed to improve organisational and personal performance, productivity and quality.

Ensure OD&I adopt and implement national initiatives as directed and monitor/report progress against targets.

To take the strategic lead on specific projects or pieces of work on behalf of the CPO, taking responsibility for the achievement of outcomes within required timescales

Ensure that there is a robust approach for monitoring the progress of a broad range of projects and change initiatives to ensure projects are delivered within the available resources and to the agreed timescales, providing regular reports and raising significant problems/issues in a timely manner so that early, remedial action can be taken.

Provide regular reports on OD&I activity to various formal meetings and committees, such as the People Improvement Framework Assurance Group, People Committee and Board.

Leadership

To provide expert, high-level advice and support to senior management colleagues. Interpreting overall health policy & strategy to establish clear goals and standards for OD&I at LTHT.

Support the ongoing professional development of the OD&I function.

To deputise for the Chief People Officer on OD&I matters when required.

Communicating highly complex and highly contentious information in a clear and effective manner to various stakeholders, where there can be significant barriers to acceptance which need to be overcome, which may be potentially hostile and antagonistic. This could include influencing and negotiating on delivery of services and leading the engagement process with strategic stakeholders.

Provide strong leadership to teams across the function (directly and indirectly managed); acting as a credible source of knowledge and support.

Lead and evaluate the delivery of robust people interventions and programmes that continuously improve organisational performance and transformation using leading edge and evidence-based people practices and interventions.

Line management for several departments in the People function. Ensure that team members have the skills and experience to deliver the OD&I strategy through effective performance management, target setting, coaching and development.

As part of the People Services senior team, to provide strong visible leadership and support to ensure that individual contributions are maximised, and development needs are met whilst ensuring a truly integrated service.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Educated to Masters level or equivalent experience, with additional in-depth professional knowledge/training.
  • Evidence of strong and recent commitment to continued personal development.
  • Member of CIPD or equivalent

Experience

Essential

  • Specialist knowledge acquired over a significant period in several disciplines:
  • -Organisational development
  • -Inclusion
  • -People Services
  • -Financial management
  • Demonstrable and credible experience in a senior management role, involving successful management of a diverse People Services team within a large & complex organisation.
  • Specialist knowledge acquired over a significant period in several disciplines:
  • -Organisational development
  • -Inclusion
  • -People Services
  • -Financial management
  • Demonstrable and credible experience in a senior management role, involving successful management of a diverse People Services team within a large & complex organisation.
  • Experience of leading the development of People Services strategies to support service and workforce transformation
  • Extensive in-depth demonstrable success in delivering change and performance improvement, with management teams, by engaging them in the strategic direction and delivery plans, establishing clear work priorities, delegating effectively, ensuring a capability to deliver, monitoring performance and giving feedback.
  • Experience of monitoring budgets and delivering cost improvements
  • In depth working knowledge of UK employment law and national Inclusion issues and changes.
  • Expert knowledge of cultural change and leadership development tools and techniques and their application to change management

Desirable

  • Experience of working with staff networks.

Behaviours/Skills

Essential

  • A demonstrable commitment to equality of opportunity.
  • Ability to influence, persuade and constructively challenge.
  • Advanced keyboard skills.
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Educated to Masters level or equivalent experience, with additional in-depth professional knowledge/training.
  • Evidence of strong and recent commitment to continued personal development.
  • Member of CIPD or equivalent

Experience

Essential

  • Specialist knowledge acquired over a significant period in several disciplines:
  • -Organisational development
  • -Inclusion
  • -People Services
  • -Financial management
  • Demonstrable and credible experience in a senior management role, involving successful management of a diverse People Services team within a large & complex organisation.
  • Specialist knowledge acquired over a significant period in several disciplines:
  • -Organisational development
  • -Inclusion
  • -People Services
  • -Financial management
  • Demonstrable and credible experience in a senior management role, involving successful management of a diverse People Services team within a large & complex organisation.
  • Experience of leading the development of People Services strategies to support service and workforce transformation
  • Extensive in-depth demonstrable success in delivering change and performance improvement, with management teams, by engaging them in the strategic direction and delivery plans, establishing clear work priorities, delegating effectively, ensuring a capability to deliver, monitoring performance and giving feedback.
  • Experience of monitoring budgets and delivering cost improvements
  • In depth working knowledge of UK employment law and national Inclusion issues and changes.
  • Expert knowledge of cultural change and leadership development tools and techniques and their application to change management

Desirable

  • Experience of working with staff networks.

Behaviours/Skills

Essential

  • A demonstrable commitment to equality of opportunity.
  • Ability to influence, persuade and constructively challenge.
  • Advanced keyboard skills.

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

Leeds Teaching Hospitals

Address

St. James's University Hospital

Beckett Street

Leeds

LS9 7TF


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

Leeds Teaching Hospitals

Address

St. James's University Hospital

Beckett Street

Leeds

LS9 7TF


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Head of Resourcing

Richard Horner

richard.horner2@nhs.net

Details

Date posted

03 April 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 9

Salary

£112,782 to £129,783 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

C9298-HMR-0123

Job locations

St. James's University Hospital

Beckett Street

Leeds

LS9 7TF


Supporting documents

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