Senior Responsible Officer – Future Workforce Solution

Job description

Job responsibilities

What do we offer?

• 27 days leave (increasing with length of service) plus 8 bank holidays
• Flexible working (we are happy to discuss options such as compressed hours)
• Hybrid working model (we are currently working largely remotely)
• Career development
• Active wellbeing and inclusion networks
• Excellent pension
• NHS Car lease scheme
• Access to a wide range of benefits and high street discounts

This is an exciting senior leadership role, responsible directly to the Chief Executive for the procurement, transition and transformation of the HR and payroll platform utilised across the entire NHS.

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) supports the NHS workforce agenda through the provision of a range of key services including the existing Electronic Staff Record (ESR) system which is the largest centralised HR and payroll system in the world, with over 1.8 million staff records. It is the platform on which NHS organisations record essential workforce, skills and training information and pay their staff over £45 billion per annum accurately and on time. The NHSBSA is undertaking a major transformation programme to deliver the replacement of this service with a new workforce solution, and this role as Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) is vital to achieving such transformation.

As SRO, you will lead the existing, experienced transformation team in shaping and delivering the future workforce solution, setting the strategic and delivery direction of the programme, ensuring full alignment with the strategic priorities of both the NHS and the DHSC and establishing a strong connection with leaders across the frontline of the NHS. You will need to influence and motivate the most senior leaders (Chief Executives, HR Directors) across the system to engage with the new system and the potential it can deliver for the benefit of an individual organisation and the wider system; this role is critical to the success of the future workforce solution.

In this role, you are accountable for:

• The successful leadership and delivery of a significant, strategic, high profile and highly complex major programme of transformational change (GMPP) in relation to the future workforce solution, with policy intent and outcomes expected.
• Significant external engagement, assurance and stakeholder management at senior levels across the government, NHS England and the wider NHS system to influence and motivate the most senior leaders to engage in the implementation of the new workforce solution; this will involve strong stakeholder management and understanding their needs and expectations, and influencing as other competing demands may take their priority.
• Establishing strong relationships at key senior stakeholder level across government within Cabinet Office and HM Treasury, Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA), policy holders and across the health and care system and NHS organisations, proactively communicating regularly with them to keep them engaged in programme and project delivery performance outcomes, managing the resolution of any issues that arise and managing their expectations regarding programme delivery and the lead times to implement change.
• Ownership of the Programme Business Case throughout the programme and the programme benefits and outcomes. You are accountable for the procurement and implementation of the solution and must ensure that the programme delivers value for money, ensuring a cost-conscious approach, balancing the demands of business, users and suppliers.
• Setting the strategic plan and delivery direction of the future workforce solution transformational change. As SRO you are accountable for the programme meeting its objectives, delivering the projected outcomes and realising the required benefits, across a complex NHS operating environment with competing demands. You are also responsible for ensuring the ongoing viability of the programme and recommending its pause or termination as appropriate.
• Managing a significant programme budget against the business case and ensuring that the programme is delivered within the agreed budgetary commitments, in line with agreed delegated authority and tolerances set by HM Treasury, and report on this in line with GMPP reporting.
• Developing Project Plans and Milestones for delivery of the programme, managing risks and issues and mitigating and resolving accordingly, providing comprehensive reports to senior leaders both internal and external to the NHSBSA.
• Developing key performance indicators and measures and providing comprehensive reports to the CEO, the Leadership Team and Board, as appropriate, over the life cycle of the programme.
• Establishing appropriate and proportionate programme and project governance and assurance in line with NHSBSA and wider system standards, engaging with and influencing a range of strategic stakeholders providing regular updates to DHSC and NHS service sponsors, commissioners and users. An SRO of a GMPP project is personally accountable for its delivery and could be called by Select Committees to account for and explain their decisions and actions taken to deliver the programme.
• Working collaboratively with the NHSBSA leadership team, senior management community, internal and external stakeholders to make optimum use of our delivery capabilities and focus on outcomes of such transformational change, ensuring interim and final operating models maximise performance.

• Providing clear leadership and strategic direction to the Programme Board throughout the life of the project. Delegate responsibilities and agree performance criteria with the Programme Director. Is a visible, engaged, active leader who creates an open and honest culture, and lead and manage the performance of colleagues in line with NHSBSA HR processes.

In addition to the above accountabilities, as post holder you are expected to:

1. Undertake additional duties and responsibilities in line with the purpose of your role and as agreed by your line manager.
2. Demonstrate NHSBSA values and core capabilities in all aspects of your work.
3. Encourage an environment where your own and colleagues safety and well-being is promoted.
4. Contribute to a culture which values diversity and inclusion.
5. Follow NHSBSA policies, procedures, and protocols as they apply to your role.

Working relationships:

Responsible to: Chief Executive

Responsible for:

ESR Transformation Director

Key relationships and connections:

• Leadership Team and Board members
• NHSBSA colleagues
• DHSC officials and Ministers
• NHS England
• Cabinet Office
• HM Treasury
• NHS employing authorities
• NHS Employers
• NHS Wales
• Suppliers and other delivery partners
• Trade Union Representatives

Person Specification

Personal Qualities, Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• Extensive knowledge and understanding of the NHS, its structure and the flows of information and influence
• An understanding of the existing Electronic Staff Record (ESR) and the role it plays within the NHS
• Credible and persuasive, commanding the confidence of internal and external senior stakeholders and the ability to build and maintain constructive working relationships
• Displays professional courage with the confidence and authority to articulate, challenge, explain and justify decisions to senior stakeholders
• Significant appreciation of how to work effectively at the public/private interface with strong commercial nous and understanding
• The ability to confidently and constructively influence and challenge effectively at a very senior level
• Highly developed people management and leadership skills, including an ability to motivate and inspire teams to be successful and become high performing
• Highly developed analytical and problem-solving skills, capable of interpreting and evaluating complex, multi-faceted information, ability to summarise complex information

Desirable

• An awareness of the UK Healthcare/Government governance processes and stakeholders relating to programme and project delivery
• An awareness of the NHSBSA's strategy, business plans and major programmes of work, or willing to work towards.

Experience

Essential

• Extensive experience of leading significant transformational change within large and complex environments, with large system benefits
• Experience of leading complex projects/programmes on the GMPP (Medium to High risk)
• Significant experience of managing large project budgets and ensuring delivery within budget
• Extensive track record of successfully leading and managing project teams, modelling exemplary leadership skills and behaviours to motivate, enable and empower teams to deliver
• Extensive experience of building productive and collaborative working relationships with internal and external stakeholders within a project delivery environment

Qualifications

Essential

• Masters level in relevant subject or equivalent levels of experience of working at senior leadership programme level
• Managing Successful Programmes (MSP(TM)) Practitioner or equivalent project delivery qualification/certification, or willing to work towards

Desirable

• Project Leadership Programme (PLP), or actively working towards
• Major Projects Leadership Academy (MPLA), or actively working towards
• SRO Fundamentals training, or working towards.

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

NHS Business Services Authority

Address

Any NHSBSA Office Location - will involve travel

Newcastle upon Tyne

NE15 8NY

Employer's website

https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/what-we-do/work-us (Opens in a new tab)