Deputy Chief People Officer

NHS; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 109,000 - 126,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare institution in the UK is seeking a Deputy Chief People Officer to lead their People strategy. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in senior HR leadership with a focus on strategic management and organizational change. Responsibilities include workforce planning, partnership with senior management, and fostering a positive working environment. Salary ranges from £109,179 to £125,637 per year based on experience.

Qualifications

• Educated to Masters level with relevant senior experience.
• Experience of senior complex leadership ideally in the Public or not for Profit Sector.
• Track record of delivering large scale change.

Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of the UHN People strategy.
• Work on workforce planning and resourcing.
• Support the Chief People Officer in leadership and management.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic HR management

Data analysis for decision making

Change management

Education

Masters level education

Membership of a professional HR body (e.g. FCIPD)

Job description

Overview

We are seeking a Deputy Chief People Officer to join the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire. If you are a compassionate, collaborative, and innovative senior People professional, we hope this role will be of interest to you.

The UHN Group includes Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust, with a combined turnover of around £900M and 11,000 employees. Together, KGH and NGH serve a population of two million people. As a university teaching hospital, we focus on teaching, research, and developing strong academic partnerships to improve patient outcomes and create exciting opportunities for colleagues.

As a member of the senior People team, the Deputy Chief People Officer plays a key role in leading the delivery of the UHN People strategy. You will act as a role model for organisational values and behaviours, supporting the Chief People Officer in leadership and people management across UHN.

Main duties of the job

There are two deputy roles - this role leads on workforce planning and resourcing, performance and productivity and business partnering. As the Deputy CPO Workforce, you will work closely with your counterpart who leads on culture, learning and development and OD/inclusion. With a wide-ranging portfolio including strategy, policy, and transformation, you will ensure the People directorate\'s structure and functions support the organisation\'s strategic and performance priorities by developing high levels of workforce engagement and performance.

At UHN, we aim to make tomorrow better than today for our patients and colleagues. Through compassionate, inclusive leadership, we will create a positive environment for all. Transforming our services and using digital solutions to optimise staff experience will be critical to our success. If you share our core values, have a passion for improving the working lives of all colleagues, and want to make a difference, this could be the role for you.

About us

Our Excellence Values

• Compassion
• Accountability
• Respect
• Integrity
• Courage

UHN encourages applications from people who identify from all protected groups. We understand that we need to work with colleagues from diverse backgrounds and make sure the environment they work in is inclusive and collaborative.

We recognise the valuable contribution that the Armed Forces community make to our organisation. We have signed the Armed Forces Covenant and achieved Silver Award under the Armed Forces Employer Recognition Scheme. We have active networks that promote and support colleagues from all backgrounds to ensure everyone feels supported and has a sense of belonging working for UHN.

Details

Date posted: 17 September 2025

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 9

Salary: £109,179 to £125,637 per year / Pro Rata

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Full-time, Flexible working, Home or remote working

Reference number: 264-7456209-COR

Job locations: University Hospitals of Northamptonshire, Rothwell Road, Kettering, NN16 8UZ

Job description

For a full list of all roles and responsibilities, please see the attached job description and person specification.

Person Specification

Education, Training and Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to Masters level with a degree or equivalent experience and competencies or extensive relevant senior experience.
• Evidence of continuing professional development including management studies to Masters level or above or equivalent experience
• Membership of an appropriate professional body - FCIPD Knowledge / experience

Desirable

• Qualified at practitioner level of a recognised programme/project management methodology

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• Experience of senior complex leadership in Human Resources practice ideally in the Public or not for Profit Sector
• Experience of providing strategic and technical HR&OD advice to the NHS or comparable organisations
• Track record of delivery at Director/Senior management level, including exposure at Board
• Track record of delivering large scale change and knowledge of quality improvement methodologies and evidence
• Tactical understanding of employment law issues
• Experience of large budget management
• Experience of making relationships with national bodies, higher educational institutions and system partners and a track record of gaining support and investment

Desirable

• Track record of delivering large scale change and knowledge of quality improvement methodologies and evidence
• People systems procurement experience e.g. rostering

Skills

Essential

• Able to interpret extremely complex and multifaceted data and information to inform decision making at Executive level
• Able to take difficult and challenging decisions that support strategic aims and long-term vision
• Lead a team successfully
• Experience of building staff capacity and capability

Key Competencies/Personal Qualities and Attributes

Essential

• Maintain a positive, \'can do\' sense of confidence
• A high degree of self-awareness of own emotions, the impact on the emotions and behaviours of others and being sensitive to the needs, values and beliefs of others in personal interactions
• Desire to make a real difference to people\'s health and to the working lives of staff so they can contribute to and/or deliver an excellent patient experience.

Other information

Disclosure and Barring Service Check: This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and a DBS check may be required.

Certificate of Sponsorship: Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information please note that skilled worker sponsorship is discussed separately. UK registration requirements apply as appropriate.

UK Registration: Applicants must have current UK professional registration.

Employer details: Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, University Hospitals of Northamptonshire, Rothwell Road, Kettering, NN16 8UZ

Employer's website: https://www.kgh.nhs.uk/working-for-us