Job summary
Join us as a Participation & Engagement Lead and play a central role in shaping how lived experience drives service design and improvement across our Care Group. This is an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated and values-led professional to lead our care group participation strategy, strengthen partnerships, champion the voice of people who use our services and their carers, and embed meaningful involvement at every level. You'll work autonomously, collaborate with teams, service users and senior leaders, develop innovative engagement approaches, and support a growing network of lived experience contributors to influence real change.
Additional activities will include reviewing training needs and working with the Patient and Carer Experience (PACE)team and clinical teams to develop and cascade relevant training and information materials across the care group; Driving for parity with and learning from the CYP&F and LD/NDD care groups in development of good practice and staff/peer networks for roles involved in P&E, and establishing champions for the work across clinical teams.
This role will also manage lived experience volunteers and offer expertise to programmes of work to support service design & development.
Vacancy site to be discussed and agreed at interview as the role is Cheshire Wide.
This is a permanent full time role.
Shortlisting for this vacancy is due to be completed on 10-12/03/2026 and the proposed interview date is 26-27/03/2026
Main duties of the job
- Lead the development and delivery of the Care Group's Participation and Engagement strategy, ensuring lived experience informs service improvement and transformation.
- Gather, analyse and present lived-experience feedback, producing regular insight and engagement reports to support decision-making.
- Build and maintain effective relationships with staff, lived-experience contributors and partner organisations, chairing the Care Group P&E subgroup and representing the service across internal and external forums.
- Provide specialist advice, training and support to teams, promoting best practice in participation, co-production and accessible communication.
About us
Cheshire and Wirral Partnership (CWP) provides health and care services for a population of over one million people, including mental health, learning disability, community physical health and all-age disability care, as well as the provision of three GP surgeries in Cheshire.
We employ around 4,500 staff across 73 sites and have services across Wirral and Cheshire, as well as Trafford, Warrington, Bolton, Halton, Liverpool and Stockport.
Our aim is to help improve the lives of everyone in our communities, adopting a compassionate, person-centred approach to everything we do. We are rated as Outstanding for Caring by the Care Quality Commission, with a Good rating overall.
As a Disability Confident Employer, Rainbow Badge Scheme member, Veteran Aware organisation and proud holder of the Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award, CWP is committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible and developing a culture that values differences, and welcome applications from people who have direct experience of accessing our services.All new starters will commence in post on one fixed start date each month, in line with our Prepare to Care (P2C) induction programme date. P2C offers up to 3 weeks training to support you to meet the induction / initial training requirements of the role.
Whether you are just starting out in your career or looking to use your existing skills and experience in a new role, you'll find something to suit you at CWP.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please download a copy of the job description (see documents to download section below) for full details of the main responsibilities for this role.
At CWP, our recruitment selection processes are based on both competence (see person specification for details) and values.
CWP recruits people that can demonstrate the Trusts Values in their everyday life and we use a values-based approach in our interviews, which explores not only what you do but how and why you do it.
Before applying, we encourage you to review the Trusts Values and think about how these align with your own personal values. The supporting information section in your application should reflect your understanding of the Trusts Values and associated behaviours and you should provide examples from your work experience and/or personal life which demonstrate these values through your behaviours.
An applicant guide to help and support you through your recruitment journey can be accessed at the bottom of this page. Further help and support for completing your application can be accessed via our website. If you need any further guidance to help you complete your application, contact our recruitment team via email at: cwp.recruitment@nhs.net or by calling 01244 393100.
If you have a disability that meets the definition set out in the Equality Act 2010, and you can show that you meet the essential criteria described in the person specification for an available position, please answer YES to the question: Do you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme?
Please inform the team if you have any special support needs to be considered as part of the interview and selection processes.
The trust offers a Guaranteed Interview Scheme to any armed forces community applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post and encourages applications from armed forces reservists or cadet force adult volunteers.
Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of £16 per year applies.
New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.
Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.
Good luck with your application. We hope to welcome you to Team CWP very soon!
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please download a copy of the job description (see documents to download section below) for full details of the main responsibilities for this role.
At CWP, our recruitment selection processes are based on both competence (see person specification for details) and values.
CWP recruits people that can demonstrate the Trusts Values in their everyday life and we use a values-based approach in our interviews, which explores not only what you do but how and why you do it.
Before applying, we encourage you to review the Trusts Values and think about how these align with your own personal values. The supporting information section in your application should reflect your understanding of the Trusts Values and associated behaviours and you should provide examples from your work experience and/or personal life which demonstrate these values through your behaviours.
An applicant guide to help and support you through your recruitment journey can be accessed at the bottom of this page. Further help and support for completing your application can be accessed via our website. If you need any further guidance to help you complete your application, contact our recruitment team via email at: cwp.recruitment@nhs.net or by calling 01244 393100.
If you have a disability that meets the definition set out in the Equality Act 2010, and you can show that you meet the essential criteria described in the person specification for an available position, please answer YES to the question: Do you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme?
Please inform the team if you have any special support needs to be considered as part of the interview and selection processes.
The trust offers a Guaranteed Interview Scheme to any armed forces community applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post and encourages applications from armed forces reservists or cadet force adult volunteers.
Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of £16 per year applies.
New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.
Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.
Good luck with your application. We hope to welcome you to Team CWP very soon!
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Evidence of continued professional development.
Desirable
- Relevant health care, social care, or educational qualification.
- Highly expert specialist knowledge of participation & engagement and related topics acquired through masters level degree or professional qualification/equivalent relevant experiences.
Knowledge and Expertise
Essential
- Highly developed specialist knowledge underpinned by theory and experience
- Proven ability of working autonomously, leading on the development of P&E plans and making decisions to identify key outcomes and influence of work.
- Experience of working at and representing at organisational, at regional and national level
- Experience of identifying and managing inter-dependencies that might impact on learning and area of work
- Project management experience including project management techniques
- Experience of working with people who use services and their carers' in a variety of ways that identifies gaps, recommends solutions and develops action plans for service development.
- Experience in organising and delivering person centred care
- Experience in process/service redesign
- Evidence of leading participation & engagement programmes of work/initiatives to support clinical innovation leading change within clinical practice.
- Developing and implementing creative and effective methods of participation & engagement with people who use services to ensure this has influence
- Experience of supporting people with lived experience as volunteers and/or through positive activities to support their professional/personal development.
- Knowledge and experience of dealing with issues involved in communicating with people who use services including those who might have communication difficulties.
- Development and delivery of information and consultation processes based on communication needs.
- Developing and delivering information in accessible formats including multimedia
- Developing and delivering training and supporting staff and people who use services in aspects of communication, participation and engagement.
- Using IT systems including those that support accessible information.
- Experience of leading on the co-development, codelivery and evaluation of training learning & development
- Knowledge of key policy, legislation and working principles relating to lived experience, voice and influence.
- Understanding and knowledge of relevant models of practice, theory about participation, co-production consultation and engagement processes with people with lived experience.
Experience
Essential
- Highly self-motivated with proven track record of working autonomously and using own initiative with an ability to lead on opportunities in a timely manner.
- Experience of planning and leading participation & engagement programmes of work to support Care Group strategic priorities
- Experience of line management of staff and volunteers
- Experience of managing budgets relating to area of work
- Experience of using a variety of techniques to capture, analyse and report on data, themes captured
- Experience of leading high-level meetings, public speaking & presenting both internally and externally.
- Experience of supporting research programmes
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Evidence of continued professional development.
Desirable
- Relevant health care, social care, or educational qualification.
- Highly expert specialist knowledge of participation & engagement and related topics acquired through masters level degree or professional qualification/equivalent relevant experiences.
Knowledge and Expertise
Essential
- Highly developed specialist knowledge underpinned by theory and experience
- Proven ability of working autonomously, leading on the development of P&E plans and making decisions to identify key outcomes and influence of work.
- Experience of working at and representing at organisational, at regional and national level
- Experience of identifying and managing inter-dependencies that might impact on learning and area of work
- Project management experience including project management techniques
- Experience of working with people who use services and their carers' in a variety of ways that identifies gaps, recommends solutions and develops action plans for service development.
- Experience in organising and delivering person centred care
- Experience in process/service redesign
- Evidence of leading participation & engagement programmes of work/initiatives to support clinical innovation leading change within clinical practice.
- Developing and implementing creative and effective methods of participation & engagement with people who use services to ensure this has influence
- Experience of supporting people with lived experience as volunteers and/or through positive activities to support their professional/personal development.
- Knowledge and experience of dealing with issues involved in communicating with people who use services including those who might have communication difficulties.
- Development and delivery of information and consultation processes based on communication needs.
- Developing and delivering information in accessible formats including multimedia
- Developing and delivering training and supporting staff and people who use services in aspects of communication, participation and engagement.
- Using IT systems including those that support accessible information.
- Experience of leading on the co-development, codelivery and evaluation of training learning & development
- Knowledge of key policy, legislation and working principles relating to lived experience, voice and influence.
- Understanding and knowledge of relevant models of practice, theory about participation, co-production consultation and engagement processes with people with lived experience.
Experience
Essential
- Highly self-motivated with proven track record of working autonomously and using own initiative with an ability to lead on opportunities in a timely manner.
- Experience of planning and leading participation & engagement programmes of work to support Care Group strategic priorities
- Experience of line management of staff and volunteers
- Experience of managing budgets relating to area of work
- Experience of using a variety of techniques to capture, analyse and report on data, themes captured
- Experience of leading high-level meetings, public speaking & presenting both internally and externally.
- Experience of supporting research programmes
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).
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).
