Associate Director of Strategy & Planning

Nhs-1; Nottingham; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 92,000; Full time

Job summary

Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an experienced Associate Director of Strategy & Planning to lead the multi-year planning process and oversee the implementation of the Trust’s strategy. The role requires senior leadership to coordinate national guidance with local priorities and manage a complex programme of insight and strategic change.

The post holder will work in a hybrid setting, interacting with Care Groups, corporate services and the Trust Management Group to

Qualifications

• Masters or equivalent level qualification with strategic planning leadership experience.
• Experience in programme management and performance management.
• Experience planning in the NHS or health and care systems.
• Excellent communication and relationship management with senior leaders.
• Proficiency in IT and relevant software.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Trust-wide planning processes and annual planning round.
• Provide insights on national planning guidance and align with local needs.
• Develop and monitor a robust planning framework linked to strategy.
• Coordinate horizon scanning and identify opportunities for strategic change.
• Develop capability for integrated planning across directorates and Care Groups.

Skills

Strategic planning

Programme management

Data analysis

NHS planning guidance

Communication

Education

Masters or equivalent

Tools

IT systems

Job description

Main area Associate Director of Strategy & Partnerships Grade NHS AfC: Band 8c Contract Permanent: Hybrid working Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Hybrid working) Job ref 186-953-26-CS

Employer Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site DMH Town Nottingham Salary £79,504 - £91,609 per annum (pro rata for part time) Salary period Yearly Closing 15/11/2026 23:59 Interview date 27/11/2026

Associate Director of Strategy & Planning

NHS AfC: Band 8c

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Job overview

An opportunity has arisen for an experienced, compassionate & highly motivated Associate Director of Strategy & Planning to join Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.

This exciting opportunity comes at an important time for our organisation as we continue to transform & improve our services and deliver the ambitions of our Making a Difference 2026-2029 Strategy.

Main duties of the job

The AD of Strategy & Planning is responsible for the establishment & running of the Trustwide Business Planning/Operational Planning processes & outputs & the ongoing oversight & monitoring of progress towards the implementation of the Trust Strategy.

The post holder will work with the Deputy Director of Strategy & Partnerships to develop & implement a robust planning & monitoring process to ensure our plans link strategic horizon scanning, national & local priorities, service opportunities, partnership initiatives & implementation of the Trust’s strategies.

The role will also support & develop the capability and skills of the organisation to undertake integrated planning at all levels, from directorates, divisions & at Trust level. The post holder will work closely leadership teams of the Care Groups, corporate services & members of the Trust Management Group to co-produce & implement the planning framework

The post holder will work closely with the Deputy Director of Strategy & Partnerships & other senior colleagues to coordinate development of Trust wide plans to support the implementation of the Strategy & the monitoring framework for delivery of plans.

The role will develop & deploy mechanisms & processes to bring insight from diverse information sources (qualitative & quantitative) to prompt & inform strategic & tactical decision making, assess opportunities & lead the development & delivery of a complex programme of insight & strategic change for the organisation.

Working for our organisation

#TeamNottsHC comprises over 10,500 dedicated colleagues who #MakeADifference every day. We deliver intellectual disability, mental health, community health and forensic health services across Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire and South Yorkshire. Our care is provided from over 80 sites, spanning community locations, acute settings and secure environments.

We are one of the largest mental health and community health Trusts in the East Midlands and one of Nottinghamshire's biggest employers. We also host national and regional services, such as the National High Secure Deaf Service and the Nottingham Centre for Transgender Health.

We offer a variety of employee-led staff networks, including Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) groups, the Green Champions network, the Freedom to Speak Up network, the Health and Wellbeing Champions network, and the Menopause Champions network. These networks play a vital role in supporting our diverse workforce and promoting a culture of inclusivity.

The health and wellbeing of colleagues is a top priority. We invest significantly in this through our in-house occupational health and staff counselling services, supported by a dedicated Health and Wellbeing team.

The Trust is committed to reducing its carbon emissions, with a specialised Energy and Environmental team working to ensure compliance with environmental legislation, enhance our environmental performance, and achieve our net-zero commitment.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Strategic Planning

Lead the development of the Trust multi-year planning process and implementation of national planning guidance through the annual planning round at Care Unit level.

Provide insight on national planning guidance, relating guidance to specific local circumstances and make recommendations to the Board, Senior Leadership Team and Executive Team.

Ensure that Trust strategic plans and planning processes align with national requirements including guidance set out by NHS England.

Support operational, corporate and finance colleagues with the planning processes including the production of annual and longer-term plans and reports as required by the Executive Team and Board Committees.

In liaison with the operational and finance colleagues, review the development of cases for major revenue investment that require approval by the Trusts’ internal governance structures, ensuring that the business case meets NHSE, Department of Health and Treasury requirements.

Provide education and training to senior management colleagues within Care Groups on strategy, planning, and business case development processes, as required.

Manage the overall planning and strategy development process for the Trust, including developing the capability of the organisation to develop robust plans, monitoring and evaluation processes that will deliver the NHS Long Term Plan, the ICBs’ priorities, and the organisation’s strategic priorities.

Manage the development and implementation of a Trust strategy and any subsequent re-fresh. Ensure that processes are in place to support the Board in the review of the strategy and that the Board are routinely advised of progress against the strategic milestones.

Horizon scan across national and international healthcare and other markets, bringing best practice and innovation to the ongoing development of the Trust strategy and transformation programmes.

Ensure the annual plan supports delivery of the Trust Strategy and is aligned with the Board Assurance Framework

Ensure that proposals put forward in the internal and external business planning cycle(s) are consistent with the Trust’s long-term objectives and priorities.

Insights and problem solving

Make judgements involving highly complex facts or situations which require the analysis, interpretation, and comparison of a range of options in order to lead the development and delivery of a complex programme of insight and strategic change for the organisation.

Interrogate and analyse a range of data sets in order to deliver insight and intelligence to colleagues within the Care Groups and Transformation team to support the delivery of the Transformation agenda.

Establish a systematic approach the use of insight, moving beyond reactive insights by proactively identifying potential issues and opportunities. This will include the development of mechanisms for continuous monitoring and early detection of emerging challenges, allowing the Trust to anticipate risks and opportunities.

Act as a strategic problem-solving resource, "parachuting in" to assist in the resolution of wicked/complex issues within the Trust. This involves taking a hands-on approach to understand, analyse, and resolve critical challenges that may arise, ensuring a swift and effective response.

Lead comprehensive service reviews, integrating this approach into the strategic planning framework. This includes evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of existing services, identifying areas for improvement, and aligning service portfolios with the organisation's long-term objectives.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Minimum of Masters or equivalent level qualification plus specialist experience of planning, performance, management, systems and leadership at a strategic level
• Extensive specialist knowledge, expertise and experience, acquired through advanced professional training put into practical effect over a significant period of time, programme management, project management and performance management (including or with a good working knowledge of Managing Successful Programmes, PRINCE2 and Benefits Realisation)

Training

• Computer literacy and able to use relevant IT systems

Experience

• Significant experience of strategic planning at an organisational level
• Experience of programme and project management
• Delivering objectives to timescales within a complex and challenging environment
• Experience of working autonomously and using initiative to drive improvements
• Track record of developing effective working relationships with senior leaders, operational managers and partners
• Achieving results through working with others who are not under direct management control
• Using and triangulating a range of data sources
• Experience of planning in the NHS or health and care systems
• Experience of working with clinical teams
• Experience of leading strategic change programmes

Knowledge

• An applied knowledge of strategy development and organisational planning, including relevant tools and techniques
• A good understanding of the wider context and challenges facing the NHS
• A sound understanding of change management models and service transformation
• An applied knowledge of NHS planning guidance
• An understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing community and mental health providers

Skills

• Highly developed planning skills, with a demonstrable track record in the development of credible plans at an organisational level.
• Ability to work at both the strategic level and with operational teams on the detail to support delivery of plans
• Highly analytical and numerate, able to interpret, summarise and present a range of different sources of complex information and data
• Ability to lead colleagues in scenario planning and the modelling of demand and capacity
• Excellent communication skills including oral and written, able to communicate at all levels internally and with external partners and able to facilitate constructive dialogue
• Ability to develop and present plans that are cohesive and though complex, are articulated simply and easily understood
• Successful relationship management skills, able to engage at all levels and with a collaborative style that promotes effective joint working
• Able to strike a balance between challenge and support and skilled at constructively challenging colleagues where necessary
• Resilient in dealing with challenging and sensitive situations and managing conflict
• Team leadership and all aspects of managing staff
• Flexible attitude and approach to working in a changing environment
• Proficiency in IT skills and ability to use relevant software packages
• Skills in the technical aspects of NHS planning

Additional Information

• We reserve the right to close the post early once we have received a sufficient number of applicants.
• The Trust believes in treating everyone with dignity and respect and encourages applications from all sectors of the community. We guarantee an interview to candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum essential criteria.
• In submitting an application form, you authorise Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust to confirm from your previous or current NHS employer and other prior employers; previous NHS service details and personal data held about you. This data will be transferred using NHS Electronic Staff Record and third party systems via an automated process and only used for the purposes of obtaining and maintaining accurate employment records, should you be appointed to the post. Should you require any further information please refer our Privacy Policy shown on the Trust website, please click here for more information.
• For eligible posts, DBS disclosures are mandatory before commencement of employment. If you are in a position that is deemed a regulated adult and/or child care role, you will not be able to start your employment until we have received a satisfactory DBS Disclosure. The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Convictions which would otherwise be considered as 'spent' will also be checked as part of an Enhanced DBS Disclosure.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

This post will require a submission for Disclosure to check for any unspent criminal convictions.

Name Paula Vaughan Job title Deputy Director of Strategy & Partnerships Email address [emailprotected] Additional information

Should you require any further information, please contact Paula Vaughan in the first instance via email at [emailprotected]