Deputy Chief People Officer (People & Culture)

Job Summary Deputy Chief People Officer – Culture & Safety (Band 9) – lead a Trust‑wide culture improvement strategy, shaping a workplace where everyone feels they belong, can speak up, and can deliver outstanding care. Job Details Date posted: 11 February 2026 Band: 9 Salary: £109,179 – £125,637 per annum Contract: Permanent Working pattern: Full‑time, flexible, home/remote Job location: University Hospitals of Northamptonshire – Cliftonville, Northampton NN1 5BD Reference number: 265‑7781264‑COR Key Responsibilities In partnership with the Chief People Officer, lead the development and delivery of the UHN People Plan and associated strategies, monitoring key people metrics and contributing to continuous improvement of people services. Lead People Plan pledge service functions, measuring service impact with quantitative and qualitative information. Collaborate with workforce planning teams to develop and deliver workforce plans that align with corporate priorities, finance, and service strategy. Drive operational excellence by standardising, simplifying and streamlining processes, ensuring customer focus and cost efficiency. Develop and manage KPIs, dashboards and governance frameworks at system, trust, programme and project levels. Represent the Chief People Officer at internal and external meetings, including executive and board meetings. Act as a change agent, providing senior‑level leadership, and promoting a positive image of UHN. Participate in the on‑call rota and manage budgets for strategic and operational business plans. Lead employment governance, ensuring risk mitigation around DBS, right to work, professional registration, fixed‑term contracts and safeguarding. Ensure compliance with CQC, NHSLA, internal audit and legislation and manage risk reporting. Person Specification – Essential Education / Training: Master’s level or equivalent experience, with evidence of continuing professional development and membership of a relevant professional body (e.g. FCIPD). Experience: Senior complex HR leadership (public or not‑for‑profit sector), strategic/technical HR & OD advice to NHS, board exposure, large‑scale change delivery, budget management and national partnership relationships. Knowledge: Employment law, national NHS staff survey, quality improvement methodologies. Skills: Ability to analyse complex data for executive decision making, make difficult decisions, lead teams, build staff capacity, maintain resilience, demonstrate high emotional intelligence, promote group values and apply equality, diversity and inclusion principles. Desirables: Practitioner level programme/project management qualification, people systems procurement experience, disruptive innovation examples. Person Specification – Desirable Track record of delivering large‑scale change and knowledge of quality improvement methodologies. People systems procurement experience (e.g. rostering). Examples of positive use of disruptive innovation to deliver sustainable change. Key Competencies / Personal Qualities Positive 'can‑do' confidence and high self‑awareness of emotions. Desire to make a real difference to people’s health and working lives. Resilience, emotional intelligence and ability to model group values under pressure. Equal Opportunities Statement UHN encourages applications from people who identify from all protected groups. We sign the Armed Forces Covenant and achieve the Silver Award under the Armed Forces Employer Recognition Scheme. Additional Information Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check: Required. Certificate of Sponsorship: Applications for skilled worker sponsorship will be considered. UK Registration: Applicants must have current UK professional registration. #J-18808-Ljbffr