NHS Blood and Transplant

Strategy & Programme Director

The closing date is 25 August 2025

Job summary

We successfully launched the NHSBT wide strategy in 2022 which provided the opportunity to bring the organisation together to work, driving a change in culture from working in silos to one where we work in partnership with the NHS, communities, donors and patients to deliver improved experiences for donors and better clinical outcomes for patients. The strategy has bound together refreshed service strategies covering areas like Blood Supply, Organ Donation and Transfusion. This role provides the opportunity for you to drive the continuous improvement of our exciting and ambitious new strategy and lead the embedding of that strategy into multi-year business and investment plans. This position is the most senior strategy expert in the organisation and will be regularly working with the CEO and the Executive and presenting at Board. The postholder will provide leadership and expertise in developing long term strategy and policy on behalf of the Blood Supply Directorate that will impact across the whole of the supply chain network.

Main duties of the job

In this role you will be responsible for .Your responsibilities will include:

  • Leading a 5-year reinvention of the Strategic Programme for Blood Supply.
  • The operation of major information systems within the Directorate at service level
  • Developing medium- and long-term Business Plans and lead a portfolio of transformational projects to deliver Blood Supply objectives and set the direction for the Blood Supply strategy
  • Jointly leading and managing the Blood Supply Directorate, playing an influential role in providing senior level leadership, oversight and management of critical operational workstreams.
  • Developing key elements of Blood Supply policy through establishing strategic relationships with key senior stakeholders managing those relationships to a high standard and influencing senior stakeholders effectively.
  • Designated Deputy for the Director of Blood Supply, deputising with autonomy across the full remit of the role.
  • Manage the budget, resource plan, work plan and operational processes for several services within the Blood Supply Directorate.
  • Liaise with Finance and HR Colleagues to ensure accuracy of costings and budgeting and that a staff pipeline and talent management is in place, as appropriate.

You will be required to travel and spend time away from base, which will involve working irregular hours, extensive travel and overnight stays when required, with appropriate prior notice.

About us

It takes all types of people to deliver the kind of service that saves and improves lives. At NHS Blood and Transplant, youll join a team of more than 6,000 people who are making a genuine difference to communities, families, friends, relatives and more across the UK. We play a unique and special role in the NHS by helping people do something extraordinary- donate blood, blood products, organs, tissues, or stem cells to save someone in need. Our three core values are what set us apart. They guide and inspire everything we do. By being caring, expertly meeting the needs of our patients and our people, and accepting nothing less than the best quality, we can do extraordinary work and help our people to do something extraordinary in their career, too. Three small words, one big difference - Caring, Expert and Quality. Together we'll save and improve more lives than ever. You will join us on our journey to create an inclusive workplace and aim to reflect the diverse communities we work with, and we positively encourage applications from all sectors of the community.

Details

Date posted

11 August 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 9

Salary

£109,179 to £125,637 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

007114

Job locations

England

England

Bristol

BS34 7QH


Job description

Job responsibilities

Please view the attached recruitment profile which is a summary of the detailed Job Description and Person Specification for the full personal attributes we require for the role. You will need to demonstrate these throughout the recruitment process.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please view the attached recruitment profile which is a summary of the detailed Job Description and Person Specification for the full personal attributes we require for the role. You will need to demonstrate these throughout the recruitment process.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Possession of a post graduate management qualification to Masters level, e.g. MBA and role specific leadership development qualifications, or significant operational and strategic experience in a large, complex environment that would equate to such qualifications.
  • Demonstrate commitment to own Continued Professional Development (CPD)

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of delivering a quality service in a fast-paced environment.
  • Proven Board level experience of leading and developing complex transformation and strategy programmes.
  • Experience of multi-disciplinary management across a multi-site basis.
  • Experience of working in a continuous improvement culture, including the provision of value for money and service development.
  • Experience of management of significant resources and delivering against stretching organisational targets.
  • Advanced level critical thinking and problem solving.
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Possession of a post graduate management qualification to Masters level, e.g. MBA and role specific leadership development qualifications, or significant operational and strategic experience in a large, complex environment that would equate to such qualifications.
  • Demonstrate commitment to own Continued Professional Development (CPD)

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of delivering a quality service in a fast-paced environment.
  • Proven Board level experience of leading and developing complex transformation and strategy programmes.
  • Experience of multi-disciplinary management across a multi-site basis.
  • Experience of working in a continuous improvement culture, including the provision of value for money and service development.
  • Experience of management of significant resources and delivering against stretching organisational targets.
  • Advanced level critical thinking and problem solving.

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.

Employer details

Employer name

NHS Blood and Transplant

Address

England

England

Bristol

BS34 7QH


Employer's website

https://www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

NHS Blood and Transplant

Address

England

England

Bristol

BS34 7QH


Employer's website

https://www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Executive Assistant

Tracey Thompson

Tracey.thompson@nhsbt.nhs.uk

Details

Date posted

11 August 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 9

Salary

£109,179 to £125,637 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

007114

Job locations

England

England

Bristol

BS34 7QH


Privacy notice

NHS Blood and Transplant's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)