Head of Profession Occupational Therapy

NHS; Gloucester; On-site; GBP 64,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent NHS organization is seeking a Head of Profession for Occupational Therapy to lead, motivate, and manage a committed team while ensuring the delivery of high-quality services. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in Occupational Therapy and proven leadership experience. This fixed term role offers a salary between £64,455 to £74,896 annually, working in a collaborative and supportive environment.

Qualifications

• Evidence of successful multi-agency partnership working.
• Evidence of sustained practice development and achievement in previous posts.
• Experience of research, quality improvement, audit or evaluation processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of evidence-based best practice.
• Champion the Workforce ensuring they have the right skills.
• Provide leadership to ensure the occupational therapy workforce is engaged.

Skills

Leadership in health services

Quality improvement

Occupational Therapy expertise

Education

Masters qualification in Occupational Therapy

Registered Occupational Therapist with the HCPC

Job description

Job Summary

This role is offered on a fixed term/secondment basis for 12 months.

Internal applicants who wish to be considered for a secondment opportunity should discuss with their line manager the suitability of a possible secondment.

An exciting senior leadership secondment opportunity within Occupational Therapy has become available within Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust. The Head of Profession for Occupational Therapy is an important senior position within the organisation and will deliver robust professional leadership and engagement, drive high standards of care, and quality outcomes for the people we serve.

The post holder will provide positive and visible leadership through a collaborative, creative, motivational, and problem‑solving approach. They will drive a culture of continuous quality improvement, innovation and best patient experience.

Main Duties

Working as part of the senior leadership team, this post requires collaborative working with a range of operational, professional and corporate colleagues to ensure that the profession continues to deliver outstanding care and is equipped to meet the new and emerging opportunities ahead of us. They will live their values and be a role model for highly credible and compassionate clinical leadership.

• Lead the development of evidence‑based best practice, including innovative and evolving Occupational Therapy roles within the Trust and wider system.
• Support the Trusts commitment to outstanding standards of quality governance, set and monitor quality standards, and ensure that care is safe, effective and well‑led.
• Champion the Workforce ensuring they have the right skills and support to deliver high quality services and work in partnership with operational colleagues to identify service priorities.
• Demonstrate expert knowledge of Occupational Therapy across the whole range of Trust services: physical health, mental health, learning disability and children’s services.
• Ensure collaborative working with Occupational Therapy across the Trust and system.
• Work collaboratively with operational managers and lead professionals to ensure that Occupational Therapy development needs are identified and addressed in Service Development Plans, providing professional support to lead occupational therapists.
• Provide leadership to ensure the occupational therapy workforce is engaged in delivering the quality and operational priorities of the organisation.
• Embed a culture of continuous learning and quality improvement.
• Lead on the development of occupational therapy role modernisation and innovation within the Trust, working with colleagues in other professional groups to improve the effective and efficient delivery of services.
• Provide professional occupational therapy advice in accordance with the Trust disciplinary and untoward incident policies.
• Provide recommendations for occupational therapy strategic workforce development, ensuring that there is a clear understanding of the discipline to support delivery of the NHS Plan in primary, secondary and community care and that the Trust contributes to the development of courses/education programmes.

Person Specification

Experience (Essential)

• Evidence of successful multi‑agency partnership working.
• Evidence of sustained practice development and achievement in previous posts.
• Experience of research, quality improvement, audit or evaluation processes.
• Masters qualification or equivalent work at this level.
• Advanced knowledge and extensive expertise of Occupational Therapy across a range of mental health, physical community health and learning disability practice areas, gained through substantial experience as a senior occupational therapist operating at least at team manager or clinical specialist level in numerous settings and representing a broad range of care environments and client groups.
• Evidence of leading successful change management and quality improvement programmes.

Experience (Desirable)

• Experience of multi‑professional AHP leadership.
• Experience of service transformation.
• Membership of national committees, focus groups, advisory groups or special interest groups relevant to service.

Qualifications (Essential)

• Registered Occupational Therapist with the HCPC.

Qualifications (Desirable)

• Teaching qualification and/or experience in Occupational Therapy education.

Knowledge (Essential)

• Specialist knowledge of Occupational Therapy interventions.
• Sound understanding of the modernisation and development issues facing health care services.

Knowledge (Desirable)

• Portfolio includes publications, presentations and professional conference contributions.
• Evidence of a range of teaching styles and workshops delivered to diverse audiences.

Additional Information

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 visit https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/work-visas.

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

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see https://www.nhs.uk/careers/.

Employer Details

Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust

Edward Jenner Court, 1010 Pioneer Avenue, Business Park, Brockworth, GL3 4AW

Website: https://www.ghc.nhs.uk/who-we-are/jobs/

Compensation and Contract

Band: 8b

Salary: £64,455 to £74,896 a year per annum (pro rata)

Contract: Fixed term

Duration: 12 months

Working pattern: Full‑time, Job share

Location

Edward Jenner Court, 1010 Pioneer Avenue, Business Park, Brockworth, GL3 4AW

Key Dates

Date posted: 05 November 2025

Reference

327-25-928