Associate Director National Programmes

Health-Education-and-Improvement-Wales; Nantgarw; Hybrid; GBP 81,000 - 93,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Job summary

Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) is seeking an Associate Director for National Programmes. The role leads the national programme function, aligning workforce plans with NHS Wales priorities and the HEIW strategy.

The post holder will work closely with the Mental Health Lead and other senior stakeholders to drive delivery across planned care, urgent and emergency care, and community care. The post requires a Masters level qualification or equivalent, extensive NHS planning and

Qualifications

• Masters level qualification or equivalent demonstrable experience.
• Extensive knowledge of NHS planning, performance management and programme management.
• Experience in developing and implementing service-facing workforce plans.
• Strong analytical, negotiation and influencing skills; excellent communication.

Responsibilities

• Lead the national programme function to align with NHS Wales priorities and HEIW strategy.
• Develop and implement service-facing workforce plans and priorities.
• Coordinate with NHS Performance and Improvement to ensure effective interfaces.
• Provide leadership and management across a multi-disciplinary team.

Skills

NHS planning

Programme management

Performance management

Business planning

Data analysis

Leadership

Welsh speaker

Education

Master's degree (relevant field)

Tools

Information systems

Job description

Main area National Programmes Grade Band 8c Contract Permanent Hours

• Full time
• Flexible working

37.5 hours per week (An agile working model to allow flexibility between home and office-based working.) Job ref 082-AC041-0826

Employer Health Education and Improvement Wales Employer type NHS Site Ty Dysgu Town Nantgarw Salary £80,698 - £92,984 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 31/08/2026 23:59

Associate Director National Programmes

Band 8c

We are committed to promoting inclusion at HEIW and we welcome applications from everybody recognising the value that diversity brings to our workforce. To work in the UK, candidates who are not UK or Republic of Ireland (ROI) nationals require sponsorship via a Skilled Worker Visa, unless they have permission to work via another route. Please note that HEIW does not currently hold a licence to appoint skilled workers from overseas by sponsoring them to work in the UK. If successful, candidates from outside of the UK or ROI would be responsible for obtaining their own sponsorship or visa to enable them to work for HEIW - Work in the UK .

This vacancy may close early if it receives a high number of applications. Please complete and submit your application in good time to avoid disappointment.

The salary scale for a Band 3 has been adjusted as part of the NHS Agenda for Change pay award for 2026/2027 and will be implemented in August 2026 backdated to 01 April 2026 where applicable.

Job overview

The postholder will undertake a strategic role leading on the development of an effective work programme that contributes towards the delivery of national priorities across the following national programme* areas:

• Planned Care (including diagnostics, cancer & genomics)


• Urgent and Emergency Care


• Enhanced Community Care.

Mental health is also a key national priority, and there is a separate team in place within HEIW leading implementation of a National Strategic Mental Health Workforce Plan. The postholder will work closely with the Mental Health Lead to ensure synergy across the respective areas.

The postholder will lead the national programme function to drive HEIW priorities and ensure alignment with the IMTP and Education and Training Plan and will be responsible for the development and implementation of service-facing workforce plans ensuring an effective interface with the NHS Performance and Improvement across these areas.

Main duties of the job

Lead the national programme function within HEIW and acting as the key interface with national programmes to ensure that workforce plans and priorities reflects the needs of the NHS across Wales.

Leading the development, production and implementation of service-facing workforce plans and workforce priorities that are aligned with national priorities.

Responsible for overseeing the delivery strategic service-based workforce plans/ priorities within HEIW through a series of internal working arrangements adopting a programme management approach to delivery.

Working for our organisation

Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) is the strategic workforce body for NHS Wales with statutory functions that include education and training, workforce planning, workforce development and transformation, leadership and succession planning, and careers. Our purpose is to develop a workforce that delivers excellent care to patients/service users and excellent population health. We are a Special Health Authority working closely with our partners; Social Care Wales, education providers, professional and regulatory bodies and Welsh Government.

HEIW’s is committed to developing an internal culture of choice. Our Values reflect our thoughts, feelings and beliefs in how we will, and will not, behave and treat others:

• Respect for All in every contact we have with others,


• Ideas that Improve: Harnessing creativity and continuously innovating, evaluating and improving,


• Together as a Team: Working with colleagues across NHS Wales and with partner organisations.

HEIW received the HPMA Award for Employee Engagement in 2019.

What you can expect:

• a corporate induction and 90 day Welcome itinerary,


• a meaningful values based performance appraisal process,


• the opportunity to impact upon health and social care services and the lives and wellbeing of the people of Wales.

Many of our colleagues and stakeholders have commented on the buzz and atmosphere we create by working together as \"One HEIW Team\". Do you want to join that team?

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents.

Person specification

Qualifications and Knowledge

• Masters level qualification within relevant field, or equivalent demonstrable experience.


• Extensive specialist knowledge over a range of disciplines. E.g., NHS planning, performance management, programme management, business planning, clinical services, information systems, research & development, finance and HR services.


• In depth knowledge of service management within the health sector


• Understanding of Welsh Government, NHS Executive and organisations principles and standards of governance, policies, strategies, and plans


• Evidence of relevant continuous professional development.


• Experience of benefits management.

Experience

• Extensive experience of NHS Service/operational management and planning.


• Experience of producing high level reports, policies, plans, business cases and strategies.


• Experience of managing, implementing and measuring change in a complex environment.


• Analysis and interpretation of data.


• Previous experience of working in the NHS or public sector

Skills and Attributes

• Ability to analyse and interpret complex data sets.


• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills.


• Presentation and training skills.


• Able to establish good working relationships at all levels internally and externally.


• Highly developed negotiation and influencing skills.


• High attention to detail.


• Ability to organise own workload and that of a team.


• Strong team player.


• Demonstrates initiative, decisiveness, compassionate leadership and self-compassion.


• Welsh Speaker (Level 1) or willingness to work towards.

Other

• Ability to travel across Wales and wider where appropriate.

It is essential that your application demonstrates how you meet the job description / person specification for this post.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Name Sam Donohue Job title Executive Director Nursing, Health Professions Email address [emailprotected]