Job summary
The Head of People Services will be critical to the successful delivery of the People Services and Operations function. The Head of People Services will be responsible for providing strategic leadership for delivering efficient, effective, and customer-focused HR operations and services. The role will work autonomously to ensure the effective operational management of our workforce systems, recruitment, payroll contract, HR compliance, employee relations, workforce projects and change programmes across the ICB. The post holder will be required to oversee the ICB's operational HR services covering the employee lifecycle end to end.
Please note that priority will be given to NCL ICB employees who are affected by change.
For further information or an informal discussion about the role, please contact: Darshna Pankhania, Director of People, darshna.pankhania@nhs.net.
Closing date: 14 January 2024
Date of Interview: 31 January 2024
Main duties of the job
The Head of People Services will be part of the senior management team and will ensure that workforce strategies, practices, plans and framework are aligned and support the ICB's Workforce strategy, sector initiatives and the NHS People Plan. The portfolio of work will be determined by the priorities of the People function and organisation.
This postholder will provide leadership to the People Services team and manage operational function. There will also be a requirement to manage the HR services provided by third parties (Recruitment, Workforce Information Systems and Payroll and Occupational Health).
Extensive senior HR management experience in large, complex organisations including leadership of operational services is essential. This is an exciting time to be joining the ICB and the People & Culture Directorate to support the standing up of the new organisational structure. The Head of People Services will have an opportunity to develop a function and automate a number of HR processes to deliver a more seamless people service to the organisation.
If you have felt excited about our ambition and want to be part of shaping a new team to drive forward an ambitious people agenda, this could be the next career move for you.
About us
NHS North Central London Integrated Care Board (NCL ICB) is a statutory body responsible for planning and allocating health and care resources to improve the lives of people in our five boroughs: Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey, and Islington.
Our local population is large and diverse, with a wide range of health and care needs that are evolving all the time. We're committed to improving the health and experience of our patients and residents, working with partners across the North Central London Integrated Care System (ICS) - including Councils, providers, GPs and voluntary and community organisations - to plan and deliver high quality, joined-up and accessible health and care services that put people first.
As an ICB, we're focused on:
- improving outcomes in population health and healthcare
- tackling inequalities in outcomes, experience, and access
- enhancing productivity and value for money
- helping the NHS support broader social and economic development.
We're ambitious, driven, and passionate about working collaboratively and creatively to deliver the best health and care possible for our patients and residents through every stage of their lives. Our Population Health and Integration Strategy outlines our vision and priorities and will shape our focus as a system for the coming years.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Head of People Services will strive to continue to improve the experience of managers and service users in excellent people services that deliver high-quality employee relations advice, efficient processes and customer service. They will demonstrate evidence of innovating and improving how services are offered through digitalisation, ideas and involvement of the team. They will also contribute to the strategic development of the workforce function by developing and delivering outstanding HR operations and building manager and employee capability to work with the service in a new, innovative way.
Alongside service management, the role will lead effective contract management of recruitment, workforce information systems and payroll and occupational health services to help the ICB deliver service needs and financial efficiencies. They'll have extensive experience in managing large contracts and delivering change to support this.
The Head of People Services will be part of the senior management team and will ensure that workforce strategies, practices, plans and framework are aligned and support the ICBs Workforce strategy, sector initiatives and the NHS People Plan. The portfolio of work will be determined by the priorities of the People function and organisation.
The post holder will have autonomy to make decisions and will manage their own workload and work independently, identifying the most appropriate way of working. The post holder will be the ICB People Services operational expert, which may require making professional recommendations to the Chief People Officer, Director of People, People & Culture Oversight Committee and Executive Management Team.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Head of People Services will strive to continue to improve the experience of managers and service users in excellent people services that deliver high-quality employee relations advice, efficient processes and customer service. They will demonstrate evidence of innovating and improving how services are offered through digitalisation, ideas and involvement of the team. They will also contribute to the strategic development of the workforce function by developing and delivering outstanding HR operations and building manager and employee capability to work with the service in a new, innovative way.
Alongside service management, the role will lead effective contract management of recruitment, workforce information systems and payroll and occupational health services to help the ICB deliver service needs and financial efficiencies. They'll have extensive experience in managing large contracts and delivering change to support this.
The Head of People Services will be part of the senior management team and will ensure that workforce strategies, practices, plans and framework are aligned and support the ICBs Workforce strategy, sector initiatives and the NHS People Plan. The portfolio of work will be determined by the priorities of the People function and organisation.
The post holder will have autonomy to make decisions and will manage their own workload and work independently, identifying the most appropriate way of working. The post holder will be the ICB People Services operational expert, which may require making professional recommendations to the Chief People Officer, Director of People, People & Culture Oversight Committee and Executive Management Team.
Person Specification
Education / Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to Masters level education or equivalent qualification/experience
- Member of CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel Development)
- Evidence of continuing professional development
Experience
Essential
- Extensive senior HR management experience in large, complex organisations, including leadership of operational service
- Significant experience of project management, including the design, development and implementation of change management
- Extensive experience of engaging, collaborating with and managing stakeholders
- Experience of contract management and service level agreements
- Experience of working in unionised environment and leading consultations and negotiations with staff side representatives on complex HR matters during change and consultation programmes
Knowledge/Skills/ Abilities
Essential
- Highly developed and extensive experience in negotiation with senior stakeholders on difficult and controversial issues, and present highly complex and sensitive information to larger and influential groups
- Comfortable in working with ambiguity and multi stakeholders, with the ability to work through the complexity to deliver tangible solutions, demonstrating impact
Person Specification
Education / Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to Masters level education or equivalent qualification/experience
- Member of CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel Development)
- Evidence of continuing professional development
Experience
Essential
- Extensive senior HR management experience in large, complex organisations, including leadership of operational service
- Significant experience of project management, including the design, development and implementation of change management
- Extensive experience of engaging, collaborating with and managing stakeholders
- Experience of contract management and service level agreements
- Experience of working in unionised environment and leading consultations and negotiations with staff side representatives on complex HR matters during change and consultation programmes
Knowledge/Skills/ Abilities
Essential
- Highly developed and extensive experience in negotiation with senior stakeholders on difficult and controversial issues, and present highly complex and sensitive information to larger and influential groups
- Comfortable in working with ambiguity and multi stakeholders, with the ability to work through the complexity to deliver tangible solutions, demonstrating impact
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).
