EPR Programme Director

Pennine Care NHS FT; Ashton-under-Lyne; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider is seeking an experienced EPR Programme Director to lead a multi-year initiative for a unified Electronic Patient Record across NHS organizations. The ideal candidate will have proven leadership in large-scale EPR implementations, excellent communication skills, and experience in managing multi-disciplinary teams. This critical role focuses on delivering improved patient care and operational efficiency in mental health services.

Benefits

Professional development opportunities

Supportive team environment

Qualifications

• Educated to Master's level or equivalent by experience.
• Proven leadership of large-scale EPR implementations.
• Experience in business case development (SOC, OBC, FBC).

Responsibilities

• Overall leadership of the joint EPR Programme.
• Ensure successful implementation of EPR.
• Coordinate planning, resourcing, and governance structures.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Organizational skills

Education

Master's level education

Formal qualification in programme management

Lean, Agile, or Six Sigma certification

Tools

EPR systems

Interoperability standards

Job description

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced, motivated individual with excellent communication, interpersonal and organisational skills to work as an EPR Programme Director leading on the delivery of a unified Electronic Patient Record (EPR) across GMMH NHS FT and PCFT.

This joint programme is a significant, multi-year transformation initiative requiring a strategic, collaborative leader who can operate across complex organisational boundaries. The postholder will ensure successful implementation of the EPR, transitioning from mobilisation through business case approval and into operational delivery and go-live readiness, with a sharp focus on clinical safety, stakeholder engagement, and digital maturity.

The postholder will establish and lead a large, multi-disciplinary team, and coordinate a federated governance model that enables both Trusts to retain appropriate organisational oversight and decision-making responsibilities while working within a shared framework for programme delivery, assurance, and accountability. This includes designing joint governance forums, clarifying roles and responsibilities across both organisations, and ensuring that programme decisions are informed by clinical, operational, digital and financial leads from each Trust.

They will serve as the central point of leadership across the partnership, ensuring the programme delivers to time, scope, and budget, whilst also realising long-term strategic benefits and improving patient care.

Main duties of the job

• Overall leadership of the joint EPR Programme.
• Define and deliver the joint EPR programme strategy, aligned to the Trusts' digital strategies, ICS priorities and national frameworks.
• Lead the development of business cases (SOC, OBC, FBC), ensuring they meet NHS assurance requirements.
• Oversee all stages of programme planning, implementation and benefits realisation, including procurement, contract negotiation and configuration.
• Establish effective programme governance, reporting to executive SROs, Boards and system partners.
• Coordinate joint planning, resourcing and governance structures across both Trusts.
• Translate strategic aims into clear operational plans with measurable outcomes.
• Establish the Benefits Realisation Strategy for the EPR programme, and approach to monitoring release of benefits.
• Build and lead a high-performing joint programme team, including programme managers, technical leads, clinical safety officers and training staff.

About us

PCFT: We are proud to provide high quality mental health and learning disability services, both inpatient and in the community across five boroughs of Greater Manchester Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport and Tameside and Glossop.

Our vision is for a happier and more hopeful life for everyone in our communities and our staff work hard to deliver the very best care for the people who use our services. We're proud of #PennineCarePeople and do everything we can to make sure we're a great place to work.

GMMH: The Trust employs over 7000 members of staff, who deliver services from more than 122 locations.

We provide inpatient and community-based mental health care for people living in Bolton, the city of Manchester, Salford, Trafford and the borough of Wigan, and a wide range of specialist mental health and substance misuse services across Greater Manchester, the northwest of England and beyond.

Our people enjoy their work, have opportunities to learn and develop their skills and are encouraged to generate new ideas that improve care for our service users. All individuals regardless of race, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership are encouraged to apply for this post. We would also encourage applications from individuals with a lived experience of mental illness, either individually or as a carer.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Educated to Master's level or equivalent by experience
• Formal qualification in programme management (e.g. MSP, PRINCE2)- Evidence of ongoing CPD
• Lean, Agile, or Six Sigma certification
• Relevant clinical or health informatics training

Experience

• Proven leadership of large-scale, multi-organisation EPR implementations within NHS or regulated healthcare setting
• Experience of shaping and delivering complex digital transformation programmes
• Experience in business case development (SOC, OBC, FBC)
• Experience in financial and contractual oversight of programmes in excess of £10m
• Experience working at board level and with clinical, digital and corporate stakeholders
• Experience line managing multi-disciplinary teams and building performance-focused cultures
• Experience working with ICS-level governance structures
• Experience deploying AI or advanced analytics in a healthcare setting

Knowledge

• Strong understanding of EPR systems (e.g. RiO, Paris, Epic, Cerner) and interoperability standards
• Demonstrable understanding of NHS standards (e.g. DSPT, ITIL, API standards, ICS digital frameworks)
• Working knowledge of NHS change models (e.g. ADKAR, NHS Change Model) Understanding of AI, automation and digital literacy in the NHS context
• Recognised contributions to national forums or professional bodies
• Participation in national working groups or advisory boards

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.