NHS England

Transformation Lead

The closing date is 31 August 2025

Job summary

The NHS Cancer Programme sets the agenda for cancer services in England. Working with patients, clinicians, charities and across the public sector, our aim is to reduce preventable cancers, diagnose cancer earlier, increase survival and improve the quality of life and experience for cancer patients. We develop national policy and strategy, and work with our Cancer Alliances across the country to transform services for patients.

This is an exciting time for the NHS Cancer Programme. Our work to implement the recommendations from the NHS Long Term Plan has already started to transform the experience of cancer patients across England. You will be instrumental in delivering on our ambition to diagnose three in four cancers at an early stage to that even more people survive cancer in the future.

As a Transformation Lead for Earlier Diagnosis, you will lead a large team as part of the National Cancer Programme to diagnose more cancers at an early stage.

This will include overseeing project delivery nationally and working with and through Cancer Alliances to effect service transformations for patients.

Main duties of the job

This will involve:

o Overseeing rollout and implementation of the Lung Cancer Screening Programme across the country. This will involve oversight of funding flows, support to progress large scale procurements, day to day operational oversight and planning towards national rollout.

o Leading our Early Diagnosis Programmes (Bowel Cancer) team to effectively implement ColoFIT and to facilitate the roll out of the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme to a lower threshold of 80ug/gm.

o Leading our genomics programme to deliver the NHS JewishBRCA testing programme, the Retrospective Genetic Testing programme and to build a programme of work around Direct to patient testing pathways for cancer susceptibility genes.

Working closely with partner programmes and organisations including: imaging and diagnostics, screening and vaccinations, DHSC and others to ensure their priorities and deliverables are aligned to the National Cancer Programme's objectives.

Engaging extensively with stakeholders such as charities, Royal Colleges, professional associations and patients to ensure they are part of the design and delivery of Cancer Programme projects.

You will have a detailed understanding of cancer delivery, experience of working at a national level, strong relationships with Cancer Alliances and regional cancer leads, and experience of delivering programmes to diagnose more cancers at an early stage

About us

The NHS England board have set out the top-level purpose for the new organisation to lead the NHS in England to deliver high-quality services for all, which will inform the detailed design work and we will achieve this purpose by:

Enabling local systems and providers to improve the health of their people and patients and reduce health inequalities.
Making the NHS a great place to work, where our people can make a difference and achieve their potential.
Working collaboratively to ensure our healthcare workforce has the right knowledge, skills, values and behaviours to deliver accessible, compassionate care
Optimising the use of digital technology, research, and innovation
Delivering value for money.

If you would like to know more or require further information, please visithttps://www.england.nhs.uk/.

Colleagues with a contractual office base are expected to spend, on average, at least 40% of their time working in-person.

Staff recruited from outside the NHS will usually be appointed at the bottom of the pay band.

If you are successful at interview, we will run an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) in the Electronic Staff Record system (ESR). This transfer gathers valuable information from a previous or current NHS employer to support the onboarding process, including; statutory and mandatory competency status, Continuous Service Dates (CSD), and annual leave entitlement. You will have the opportunity throughout the recruitment process to inform us if you do not consent.

Date posted

15 August 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8c

Salary

£76,965 to £88,682 a year

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

990-ECC&D-16737-E

Job locations

Any NHS England office

Wellington Place/Wellington House

Leeds/London

SE1 8UG

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see the attached Job Description and Assignment Brief for further details on the role.

If you like what you have read and think you have the skills and experience, we need then don't delay, apply today! We get lots of applications for our roles and so we sometimes have to close our posts early. Don't miss out!

Please note that the reason for the fixed term of this contract is maternity cover.

Secondments

Applicants from within the NHS will be offered on a secondment basis only, agreement should be obtained from their employer prior to submitting the application.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see the attached Job Description and Assignment Brief for further details on the role.

Please note that the reason for the fixed term of this contract is maternity cover.

Secondments

Applicants from within the NHS will be offered on a secondment basis only, agreement should be obtained from their employer prior to submitting the application.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Educated to masters level or equivalent level of experience of working at a senior level in specialist area.

Knowledge and experience

Essential

Experience of programme management in a large scale organisation, and operating within complex organisational structures.
Subject matter expertise across a number of key areas relating to public service delivery.
Must have an understanding of the background to and aims of current healthcare policy and appreciate the implications of this on engagement

Skills and capabilities

Essential

Ability to build excellent collaborative networks, influence and work through others
Ability to deal with ambiguity and complexity, whilst working at pace
Leadership skills and the ability to build, lead, develop and motivate high performing teams, including strong feedback and coaching skills
Provide and receive highly complex, sensitive and contentious information, negotiate with senior stakeholders on difficult and controversial issues, and present complex and sensitive information to large and influential groups.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Educated to masters level or equivalent level of experience of working at a senior level in specialist area.

Knowledge and experience

Essential

Experience of programme management in a large scale organisation, and operating within complex organisational structures.
Subject matter expertise across a number of key areas relating to public service delivery.
Must have an understanding of the background to and aims of current healthcare policy and appreciate the implications of this on engagement

Skills and capabilities

Essential

Ability to build excellent collaborative networks, influence and work through others
Ability to deal with ambiguity and complexity, whilst working at pace
Leadership skills and the ability to build, lead, develop and motivate high performing teams, including strong feedback and coaching skills
Provide and receive highly complex, sensitive and contentious information, negotiate with senior stakeholders on difficult and controversial issues, and present complex and sensitive information to large and influential groups.

Employer details

Employer name

NHS England

Address

Any NHS England office

Wellington Place/Wellington House

Leeds/London

SE1 8UG

Employer's website

https://www.england.nhs.uk/about/working-for/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

NHS England

Address

Any NHS England office

Wellington Place/Wellington House

Leeds/London

SE1 8UG

Employer's website

https://www.england.nhs.uk/about/working-for/ (Opens in a new tab)