Go back

Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Associate Director Strategy, Innovation, Transformation & Improvement

The closing date is 02 November 2025

Apply for this job

Job summary

Provide leadership for the full portfolio (commercial development, innovation, transformation and quality improvement) of the team; and owns the operating model for delivery (single portfolio pipeline, stage-gates, guardrails, benefits framework and monthly portfolio reporting) to provide clear line-of-sight from initiatives to outcomes and value.

Build commercial propositions and partnerships that create value and sustainable income for reinvestment.

Lead the Trust's QI operating model (method, training, coaching and assurance), ensuring improvements become embedded throughout the organisation.

Builds and manages a high-performing multidisciplinary team: sets standards and objectives & key results, coaches and holds to account; models co-production and champions EDI in all programmes.

Deputise for the Executive Director Digital & Transformation as required and within delegated limits.

Main duties of the job

To translate Trust strategy and team vision into an executable portfolio with outcome targets and success measures.

To own the operating model, single portfolio pipeline and stage-gates; and manage inter-dependencies and constraints.

To publish a monthly portfolio report showing line-of-sight from initiatives to outcomes and benefits.
To routinely communicate sensitive and often contested information, including implications of service reconfigurations, new models of care and ways of working, to staff, service users, carers and system partners. This requires managing hostility, anxiety and conflicting perspectives in public, staff and partnership forums, while maintaining confidence and constructive relationships.
To act as a persuasive advocate for SABP in the wider system, ensuring the organisation's interests are represented while supporting collaborative decision-making.

About us

Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is the leading provider of mental health, learning disability, neurodevelopmental and drug and alcohol services in Surrey and North East Hampshire. We support people of all ages and are passionate about providing high quality care that is delivered at the right time as close to home as possible to help people recover and stay well.

We are one of the top 10 mental Health, Learning Disability and Community Trust to work for nationwide. Our Trust is an inclusive and supportive employer that offers a wide range of staff networks, flexible working, free parking and excellent health and wellbeing support. We also provide a wide range of opportunities to help staff develop and progress.

Surrey is a beautiful county lying just 30 minutes away from Central London and from the South Coast. Our historic market towns and bustling districts are enveloped in wonderful countryside, and our excellent road and rail networks bring the rest of the country within easy reach. For international travel, both Gatwick and Heathrow airports are nearby.

Please note that we reserve the right to close posts as soon as sufficient applications are received.

Regrettably, due to UK Home Office requirements we cannot offer sponsorship for all our job roles.

Applicants must have the right to work in the UK for the duration of the role.

We look forward to receiving your application!

Date posted

21 October 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8d

Salary

£93,540 to £107,535 a year Incl. 5% Fringe HCAS, pa, pro rata.

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

325-7476858-CORP

Job locations

Trust Headquarters

18 Mole Business Park, Randalls Road

Leatherhead

KT22 7AD

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see the job description and specification for further details about the role and responsibilities.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see the job description and specification for further details about the role and responsibilities.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Post-graduate qualification (management or related)
IHI Improvement Advisor or Lean/Six Sigma Black Belt

Desirable

Portfolio/Programme management qualification (MSP, PMP or equivalent)
Commercial/procurement qualification or demonstrable equivalent experience

Experience

Essential

Senior leadership delivering transformation, change and/or QI across clinical and corporate services in a health-care setting, from strategy to sustained adoption and BAU.
Proven ownership of a portfolio delivery system (pipeline, stage-gates, guardrails, benefits management, monthly reporting) with measurable outcomes.
Demonstrable experience of system-level influence and partnership working (ICB/ICS Delivery Boards, commissioners, providers) with evidence of negotiating shared priorities and KPIs.
Track record of commercial development (new opportunities and/or strategic initiatives) and responding to/leading commercial tenders, from horizon scan to business case development, award and mobilisation. Evidence of developing business cases to the HM Treasury Five-Case Model and conducting post-implementation reviews.
Experience of innovation in the NHS: design/test of new models, post-implementation reviews and control plans to secure sustainability.
Evidence of budget and cost-efficiency delivery at service/portfolio level, including variance management with Finance.
Demonstrable evidence of building high-performing teams and leading through others, with a track record of coaching and capability development.
Record of lived-experience co-production and EDI demonstrably embedded in significant changes.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Post-graduate qualification (management or related)
IHI Improvement Advisor or Lean/Six Sigma Black Belt

Desirable

Portfolio/Programme management qualification (MSP, PMP or equivalent)
Commercial/procurement qualification or demonstrable equivalent experience

Experience

Essential

Senior leadership delivering transformation, change and/or QI across clinical and corporate services in a health-care setting, from strategy to sustained adoption and BAU.
Proven ownership of a portfolio delivery system (pipeline, stage-gates, guardrails, benefits management, monthly reporting) with measurable outcomes.
Demonstrable experience of system-level influence and partnership working (ICB/ICS Delivery Boards, commissioners, providers) with evidence of negotiating shared priorities and KPIs.
Track record of commercial development (new opportunities and/or strategic initiatives) and responding to/leading commercial tenders, from horizon scan to business case development, award and mobilisation. Evidence of developing business cases to the HM Treasury Five-Case Model and conducting post-implementation reviews.
Experience of innovation in the NHS: design/test of new models, post-implementation reviews and control plans to secure sustainability.
Evidence of budget and cost-efficiency delivery at service/portfolio level, including variance management with Finance.
Demonstrable evidence of building high-performing teams and leading through others, with a track record of coaching and capability development.
Record of lived-experience co-production and EDI demonstrably embedded in significant changes.

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.