Head of Service

Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust; Oxford; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare trust in Oxfordshire is seeking experienced Heads of Service for Adult & Older Adult Mental Health and Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services. These roles focus on transformational leadership, strategic change, and service development while ensuring compliance with Care Quality Commission standards. Candidates must possess strong leadership qualities and a commitment to enhancing mental health outcomes across various sectors. Competitive benefits and career progression opportunities are offered.

Benefits

Excellent opportunities for career progression

27 days annual leave plus bank holidays

NHS Discount

Pension scheme

Qualifications

• Experience as an operational leader in mental health services.
• Ability to influence strategy and drive service development.
• Experience in managing governance across quality and performance.

Responsibilities

• Lead change, empower teams, and influence mental health service strategy.
• Ensure compliance with CQC standards for safety and quality.
• Oversee financial, workforce, and performance management.

Skills

Substantial experience managing health and social care staff

Adaptability

Strong partnership skills

Commitment to improving mental health outcomes

Job description

Do you have Substantial experience managing health and social care staff, building and maintaining relationships with key stakeholder? Do you have substantial experience of directly leading substantial change? Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust seeks two strategic leaders to head either Adult & Older Adult Mental Health (AMH/OAMH) or Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in Oxfordshire. These career‑defining roles offer the chance to lead transformational change in a Trust known for innovation, collaboration, and compassionate care. The Heads of Service will shape the future of mental health services by leading change, empowering teams, influencing strategy, and driving service development aligned with local and national priorities. They will oversee either AMH/OAMH or CAMHS pathways, uphold Trust values, and manage governance across quality, safety, finance, HR, and performance. Collaboration with other service leads and support teams is essential to meet strategic goals. You will be an experienced operational leader seeking growth. Key qualities include adaptability, strong partnership skills, and a commitment to improving mental health outcomes across health, social care, and VCSE sectors— even in challenging contexts.

Key responsibilities

• Quality
• Workforce
• Finance
• Performance
• Strategic change
• Stakeholder engagement/partnership

The Head of Service will own these domains within reporting service(s) as well as being expected to contribute significantly to the Directorate‑wide approach across them. The Head of Service will use all reasonable endeavours to ensure that reporting service(s) comply with the five CQC domains:

• Safe: people are protected from abuse and avoidable harm
• Effective: people's care, treatment and support achieve good outcomes, promotes a good quality of life, and is based on the best available evidence
• Caring: the service(s) involves and treats people with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect
• Responsive: service(s) meet people's needs
• Well‑led: leadership, management and governance assure the delivery of high‑quality and person‑centred care, supports learning and innovation, and promotes an open and fair culture

Oxford Health is a great place to work. To be able to showcase yourself when making an application you are encouraged to read the “candidate guide to making an application” which is attached to all roles. Please include details of qualifications (including years these were gained particularly if we need to assess for clinical roles that these are still valid) and tailor your supporting statement to the role you are applying for, addressing the essential criteria found in the JD. As a Trust we provide physical, mental health and social care for people of all ages across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and North East Somerset. Our services are delivered at community bases, hospitals, clinics and people's homes, delivering care as close to home as possible. Our vision is that no matter who or where you are, you will receive: “Outstanding care delivered by an outstanding team”.

Benefits

• Excellent opportunities for career progression
• Individual and Trust‑wide learning and development
• 27 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days with continuous service
• NHS Discount
• Pension scheme
• Lease car scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Mental Health First Aiders
• Staff accommodation (waiting lists may apply)
• Staff networking and support groups