Job summary
About the Role
We are seeking and experienced and visionary psychological professional to join NELFT as Deputy Director of Psychological Professions for Essex. This senior leadership role offers the chance to shape and oversee psychological services across the county, working as part of NELFT's most senior psychological leadership team.
You will report to the Director of Psychological Professions and work alongside peers covering Redbridge, Havering, Waltham Forest, Barking & Dagenham, Talking Therapies, and our Acute & Rehabilitation Directorate. The role includes strategic oversight of all psychological provision in Essex, with a substantial portfolio in children's neurodevelopmental services and mental health services. You will also be a core member of the directorate's multidisciplinary senior leadership team.
Location: EssexClosing Date: 25.1.26Interview Date: 2.2.26 PLEASE ENSURE AVAILABILITY ON THIS DAY
Main duties of the job
Now is an important time to join us. NELFT is a patient and clinically led organisation, operationally enabled, and committed to delivering high-quality, inclusive care. Our vision for Psychological Professions focuses on:
- Coproduction and partnership working
- Trauma-informed care for service users and staff
- Building a community of psychological professionals
- Promoting inclusion and parity of access
- Reducing health inequalities and addressing social injustice
We are looking for a senior psychological professional who can provide strategic leadership and drive innovation. You will have:
- Professional registration (e.g., HCPC, BABCP, BPS)
- Significant experience in senior leadership within psychological services including neuro developmental services
- A track record of service development and transformation
- Strong commitment to inclusion, coproduction, and trauma-informed care
- Proven ability to lead and inspire multidisciplinary teams
About us
Our Values 2025 - 2030
Working with our colleagues, patients and carers we have coproduced three new values that we aim to embed within our culture here at NELFT.
They are:
We are kind.
We are respectful.
We work together with our communities.
These three values help us to strive to provide the best care by the best people.
Probationary Period
This post will be subject to a probationary period. Internal applicants are exempt from the probationary period (unless you are an internal applicant currently part way through a probationary period or currently a bank member of staff).
High Cost Area Supplement - Fringe
This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 5% of the basic salary (with a minimum of £1,303 to a maximum of £2,198 per annum (pro rata for part time).
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key Responsibilities
- Provide strategic leadership for psychological services across Essex
- Oversee childrens neurodevelopmental and mental health services
- Contribute to organisational transformation and integration of care
- Work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary senior leadership team
Essential Requirements
- Professional registration (e.g., HCPC, BABCP, BPS)
- Significant senior leadership experience in psychological services
- Expertise in neurodevelopmental and mental health services
- Proven track record in service development and transformation
We strive to provide individualised, timely care and work with integrity, authenticity, and courage to deliver the best possible psychological support.
In recent years, NELFT has invested significantly in Psychological Professions and clinical leadership, resulting in a major transformation. This includes:
- Creation of an Executive Director of Psychological Professions, Allied Health Professionals and Social work ensuring that psychological professions voice is heard at the highest level in the organisation
- Creating parity in banding for psychological professionals across services
- Embedding trauma-informed approaches for service users and staff
- Integrating previously siloed psychological care into multidisciplinary teams
- Developing an accountability framework through coproduction with clinical and operational colleagues
This is an exciting time to contribute to shaping the future of psychological care within NELFT.
Please see the attached job description and person specification for more information about this role and working at North East London NHS Foundation Trust. We encourage you to refer to this when completing your application.
We welcome your application even if you do not meet all the criteria listed in the person specification. Please apply as soon as possible as some posts close early to limit the number of applications.
Certificates of Sponsorship
Although we are a registered sponsor organisation, we are unable to offer sponsorship for all job roles. Please check your eligibility under the UKVI points-based system. When calculating the basic salary for sponsorship, HCAS (High-Cost Area Supplement) is not included to ensure fairness and consistency within our Trust.
Use of AI
Please see attached document regarding acceptable use of AI during the recruitment process.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key Responsibilities
- Provide strategic leadership for psychological services across Essex
- Oversee childrens neurodevelopmental and mental health services
- Contribute to organisational transformation and integration of care
- Work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary senior leadership team
Essential Requirements
- Professional registration (e.g., HCPC, BABCP, BPS)
- Significant senior leadership experience in psychological services
- Expertise in neurodevelopmental and mental health services
- Proven track record in service development and transformation
We strive to provide individualised, timely care and work with integrity, authenticity, and courage to deliver the best possible psychological support.
In recent years, NELFT has invested significantly in Psychological Professions and clinical leadership, resulting in a major transformation. This includes:
- Creation of an Executive Director of Psychological Professions, Allied Health Professionals and Social work ensuring that psychological professions voice is heard at the highest level in the organisation
- Creating parity in banding for psychological professionals across services
- Embedding trauma-informed approaches for service users and staff
- Integrating previously siloed psychological care into multidisciplinary teams
- Developing an accountability framework through coproduction with clinical and operational colleagues
This is an exciting time to contribute to shaping the future of psychological care within NELFT.
Please see the attached job description and person specification for more information about this role and working at North East London NHS Foundation Trust. We encourage you to refer to this when completing your application.
We welcome your application even if you do not meet all the criteria listed in the person specification. Please apply as soon as possible as some posts close early to limit the number of applications.
Certificates of Sponsorship
Although we are a registered sponsor organisation, we are unable to offer sponsorship for all job roles. Please check your eligibility under the UKVI points-based system. When calculating the basic salary for sponsorship, HCAS (High-Cost Area Supplement) is not included to ensure fairness and consistency within our Trust.
Use of AI
Please see attached document regarding acceptable use of AI during the recruitment process.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Post-graduate qualification in psychology or a psychological therapy (e.g. clinical or counselling psychology, child and adolescent psychotherapy, family therapy or cognitive behavioural therapy) and appropriate professional registration
Knowledge
Essential
- Detailed and advanced knowledge of a range of evidence based therapeutic interventions and their practical application in a range of mental health therapeutic settings
- A robust and broad understanding of national health and social care strategy and policy, in relation to developing services for secondary care
Desirable
- Knowledge of strategic planning process
- Comprehensive knowledge of mental health policy
Skills
Essential
- Evidence of leading groups of psychological professionals working in NHS services
- Open, participative, dynamic and supportive leadership and management style
- Ability to build alliances and secure ownership of proposals across organisational boundaries
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, featuring: breadth of outlook and political skill necessary to establish effective working relationships with staff at all levels within and outside the organisation
- Ability to identify, define, promote, communicate and achieve clear organisational values and goals, effective management processes and rational and timely decision making
- Ability to work in partnership with other key professionals within and outside the organisation and a partnership approach to work across agencies
- Ability to analyse complex issues, to think and plan to achieve both tactical and strategic objectives and to exercise sound judgement in the face of conflicting pressures
- Effective in conflict resolution and management
- Ability to present complex information to a diverse audience
Desirable
- positive outcomes of service
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Post-graduate qualification in psychology or a psychological therapy (e.g. clinical or counselling psychology, child and adolescent psychotherapy, family therapy or cognitive behavioural therapy) and appropriate professional registration
Knowledge
Essential
- Detailed and advanced knowledge of a range of evidence based therapeutic interventions and their practical application in a range of mental health therapeutic settings
- A robust and broad understanding of national health and social care strategy and policy, in relation to developing services for secondary care
Desirable
- Knowledge of strategic planning process
- Comprehensive knowledge of mental health policy
Skills
Essential
- Evidence of leading groups of psychological professionals working in NHS services
- Open, participative, dynamic and supportive leadership and management style
- Ability to build alliances and secure ownership of proposals across organisational boundaries
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, featuring: breadth of outlook and political skill necessary to establish effective working relationships with staff at all levels within and outside the organisation
- Ability to identify, define, promote, communicate and achieve clear organisational values and goals, effective management processes and rational and timely decision making
- Ability to work in partnership with other key professionals within and outside the organisation and a partnership approach to work across agencies
- Ability to analyse complex issues, to think and plan to achieve both tactical and strategic objectives and to exercise sound judgement in the face of conflicting pressures
- Effective in conflict resolution and management
- Ability to present complex information to a diverse audience
Desirable
- positive outcomes of service
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).
