Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board

Deputy Director of People Services and Organisational Development

Information:

This job is now closed

Job summary

This is a pivotal and influential leadership role within Betsi Cadwaladr UHB, and we are seeking an exceptional People leader with the vision, credibility and ambition to help shape the future of our workforce and organisational culture.

As the largest employer in North Wales, we serve a diverse population across a complex healthcare system. We are on a significant improvement and transformation journey, and our people are at the heart of delivering outstanding services for patients, communities and colleagues.

This highly visible role provides strategic and operational leadership across the full range of People Services and OD functions. Working closely with the Board, Executive Team, senior clinical and operational leaders, trade unions and system partners, you will help ensure that our workforce strategies, policies, systems and development programmes support the delivery of safe, effective and high-performing services.

You will champion compassionate leadership, staff engagement and continuous improvement, ensuring the Health Board continues to develop as an employer of choice.

We are looking for a highly accomplished senior People professional with substantial experience gained within a large, complex healthcare organisation or similarly complex environment. You will have a proven track record of delivering transformational change, developing workforce strategies, leading large multidisciplinary teams, and influencing at Board and system-partnership level.

Main duties of the job

Leading the development and delivery of workforce, organisational development and cultural improvement strategies to support a compassionate, inclusive and high-performing organisation.

Providing strategic advice and professional expertise to the Board, Executive Team, senior leaders and clinicians on complex workforce and organisational issues.

Driving workforce sustainability through effective workforce planning, redesign, talent management, succession planning and leadership development programmes.

Leading major organisational change and improvement programmes, ensuring workforce considerations are fully integrated into service transformation and improvement plans.

Building strong partnerships with trade unions, professional bodies, Welsh Government, NHS Wales organisations and other key stakeholders.

Providing assurance on workforce risks, performance, governance, regulatory compliance and delivery of national workforce priorities.

Managing budgets and resources within the Directorate, ensuring efficient, effective and financially sustainable People Services provision.

Deputising for the Executive Director of People Services and OD, representing the Directorate at Board, Executive and external meetings as required.

About us

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) is Wales's largest health organisation, with a budget of over £2.4 billion and a workforce of over 20,000 staff.

BCUHB provides a full range of primary, community, mental health, acute and specialist hospital services for the population of North Wales, across 3 acute hospitals and a network of community hospitals, health centres, clinics, and mental health units. It also co-ordinates or provides the work of GP practices and NHS services provided by dentists, opticians, and pharmacists across the region.

The Health Board is an integrated health system that strives for excellent, compassionate care delivered in partnership with the public sector and other statutory and third sector organisations.

Details

Date posted

10 September 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 9

Salary

£114,475 to £131,732 a year per annum pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

050-DDPS-0926

Job locations

Carlton Court

St Asaph

LL17 0JG

United Kingdom


Job description

Job responsibilities

Key Recruitment Dates

  • Closing Date for Applications: Midnight on 23 September
  • Shortlisting Panel Meeting: 25 September
  • Selection Event and Interviews: 05 - 06 October at Carlton Court, St Asaph

Candidates are encouraged to refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification for further information.

For further information and an informal discussion regarding this opportunity please contact Katy Littler, Business Support Manager to Executive Director of People Services and OD.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Key Recruitment Dates

  • Closing Date for Applications: Midnight on 23 September
  • Shortlisting Panel Meeting: 25 September
  • Selection Event and Interviews: 05 - 06 October at Carlton Court, St Asaph

Candidates are encouraged to refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification for further information.

For further information and an informal discussion regarding this opportunity please contact Katy Littler, Business Support Manager to Executive Director of People Services and OD.

Person Specification

Qualifications and Knowledge

Essential

  • Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (FCIPD)
  • Educated to Master degree level relevant to the field of expertise or equivalent senior level of work experience
  • Evidence of continual professional development and recent management and leadership development
  • Post Graduate Management or leadership qualification or equivalent experience
  • Current professional Employment Law Legislation knowledge
  • High level of understanding of current national policy and issues, government strategies, compliance and standards that may impact employers and healthcare services
  • In depth professional knowledge in a number of disciplines acquired through a breadth of knowledge or experience ie finance management, staff management, information systems, organisational theory and practice

Desirable

  • Mediation qualifications
  • Coaching
  • Psychometric Analysis

Experience

Essential

  • Experience in delivering cultural change programmes and values underpinned by Strategic Values and behavioural frameworks
  • Experience of working in a senior role within HR in a large, complex healthcare environment or similar large and complex environment.
  • Experience of leading a team and delivering excellence through others
  • Experience of budget management and complex service reconfiguration at a senior level and demonstrating measurable service improvements and cost improvement delivery
  • Significant experience of staff management and collaborative working with partner organisations, staff representatives/ Trade Unions
  • Project management
  • Demonstrable experience of leading on policy and strategy development
  • Ability to demonstrate experience and delivery of a wide range of Organisational Development and HR management strategies and practices
  • Experience of providing assurance and workforce performance reporting to Boards, Executive Teams and senior committees
  • Experience of leading large-scale workforce transformation, workforce redesign and organisational improvement programmes
  • Experience of developing and implementing workforce strategies that align with organisational objectives and national priorities

Skills and Competencies

Essential

  • Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills, able to interpret and compare highly complex facts, situations and strategies, developing a range of options as the work will focus on major organisational change and developments and therefore highly effective communication skills are required
  • Exceptional management and leadership skills with a proven record of introducing organisation and/or system wide change
  • Advanced engagement skills, able to influence and negotiate with colleagues on all levels (internally and externally)
  • Advanced change management skills, proven track record demonstrating ability to implement and sustain change in a complex environment
  • Excellent presentational, communication and interpersonal skills
  • Developed interpersonal and influencing skills
  • Effective IT skills, including the ability to operate Microsoft Office software packages to include Word, Excel, Outlook (email), PowerPoint and navigate the internet
  • Time management skills essential in order to prioritise workload and delegated projects. Numerous projects being undertaken at any one time, with changing priorities therefore need ability to be able to transfer thoughts quickly
  • Able to interpret guidance and legislation in relation to the role
  • Ability to influence at Board, Executive and system-partnership level
  • Demonstrable political awareness, organisational sensitivity and resilience when working in complex environments
  • Ability to perform effectively under pressure and deliver high-quality outcomes within competing priorities and tight timescales

Specific Attributes

Essential

  • Strategic thinker with ability to work as part of a team and able to work on own initiative and prioritise workload
  • Personally resilient and able to manage complexity and work in an ambiguous or changing environment
  • Pro-active, solutions-driven and keen to achieve consistently high standards of work, dealing with highly complex facts, situations and strategies, and developing a range of options
  • Ability to manage complex clinical and operational situations that involve staff from all levels within an organisation. Able to work across organisational boundaries
  • Strong, professional leadership qualities, assertive, self-confident, enthusiastic and self-aware
  • Team focussed
  • Ability to lead, manage, develop and motivate all staff within sphere of responsibility
  • Reliable, adaptable and dependable
  • Ability to travel between sites in a timely manner
  • Flexible approach to needs of the service
Person Specification

Qualifications and Knowledge

Essential

  • Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (FCIPD)
  • Educated to Master degree level relevant to the field of expertise or equivalent senior level of work experience
  • Evidence of continual professional development and recent management and leadership development
  • Post Graduate Management or leadership qualification or equivalent experience
  • Current professional Employment Law Legislation knowledge
  • High level of understanding of current national policy and issues, government strategies, compliance and standards that may impact employers and healthcare services
  • In depth professional knowledge in a number of disciplines acquired through a breadth of knowledge or experience ie finance management, staff management, information systems, organisational theory and practice

Desirable

  • Mediation qualifications
  • Coaching
  • Psychometric Analysis

Experience

Essential

  • Experience in delivering cultural change programmes and values underpinned by Strategic Values and behavioural frameworks
  • Experience of working in a senior role within HR in a large, complex healthcare environment or similar large and complex environment.
  • Experience of leading a team and delivering excellence through others
  • Experience of budget management and complex service reconfiguration at a senior level and demonstrating measurable service improvements and cost improvement delivery
  • Significant experience of staff management and collaborative working with partner organisations, staff representatives/ Trade Unions
  • Project management
  • Demonstrable experience of leading on policy and strategy development
  • Ability to demonstrate experience and delivery of a wide range of Organisational Development and HR management strategies and practices
  • Experience of providing assurance and workforce performance reporting to Boards, Executive Teams and senior committees
  • Experience of leading large-scale workforce transformation, workforce redesign and organisational improvement programmes
  • Experience of developing and implementing workforce strategies that align with organisational objectives and national priorities

Skills and Competencies

Essential

  • Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills, able to interpret and compare highly complex facts, situations and strategies, developing a range of options as the work will focus on major organisational change and developments and therefore highly effective communication skills are required
  • Exceptional management and leadership skills with a proven record of introducing organisation and/or system wide change
  • Advanced engagement skills, able to influence and negotiate with colleagues on all levels (internally and externally)
  • Advanced change management skills, proven track record demonstrating ability to implement and sustain change in a complex environment
  • Excellent presentational, communication and interpersonal skills
  • Developed interpersonal and influencing skills
  • Effective IT skills, including the ability to operate Microsoft Office software packages to include Word, Excel, Outlook (email), PowerPoint and navigate the internet
  • Time management skills essential in order to prioritise workload and delegated projects. Numerous projects being undertaken at any one time, with changing priorities therefore need ability to be able to transfer thoughts quickly
  • Able to interpret guidance and legislation in relation to the role
  • Ability to influence at Board, Executive and system-partnership level
  • Demonstrable political awareness, organisational sensitivity and resilience when working in complex environments
  • Ability to perform effectively under pressure and deliver high-quality outcomes within competing priorities and tight timescales

Specific Attributes

Essential

  • Strategic thinker with ability to work as part of a team and able to work on own initiative and prioritise workload
  • Personally resilient and able to manage complexity and work in an ambiguous or changing environment
  • Pro-active, solutions-driven and keen to achieve consistently high standards of work, dealing with highly complex facts, situations and strategies, and developing a range of options
  • Ability to manage complex clinical and operational situations that involve staff from all levels within an organisation. Able to work across organisational boundaries
  • Strong, professional leadership qualities, assertive, self-confident, enthusiastic and self-aware
  • Team focussed
  • Ability to lead, manage, develop and motivate all staff within sphere of responsibility
  • Reliable, adaptable and dependable
  • Ability to travel between sites in a timely manner
  • Flexible approach to needs of the 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.

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).

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.

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

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board

Address

Carlton Court

St Asaph

LL17 0JG

United Kingdom


Employer's website

https://bcuhb.nhs.wales/train-work-live/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board

Address

Carlton Court

St Asaph

LL17 0JG

United Kingdom


Employer's website

https://bcuhb.nhs.wales/train-work-live/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Business Support Manager

Katy Littler

Katy.Littler@wales.nhs.uk

03000854624

Details

Date posted

10 September 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 9

Salary

£114,475 to £131,732 a year per annum pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

050-DDPS-0926

Job locations

Carlton Court

St Asaph

LL17 0JG

United Kingdom


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)