Programme Manager

Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust; Daresbury; On-site; GBP 58,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Programme Manager to lead a National and Local Neurodiversity Transformation Programme. You will coordinate a portfolio of work, translate priorities into delivery plans and manage governance, risks and stakeholder engagement.

You will mobilise partners across NHS organisations and care systems, applying improvement methods to drive measurable outcomes and foster collaboration across complex networks.

Qualifications

• Masters degree or equivalent experience.
• Demonstrable experience of Innovation and Improvement methodology in healthcare settings.
• PRINCE2, MSP or equivalent qualifications in project management or relevant experience.
• Experience of working at a senior or sub senior level in a complex organisation.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate the delivery of a national and local Neurodiversity Transformation Programme, ensuring projects are planned, governed and delivered to agreed quality, timescale and resource requirements.
• Develop and maintain project plans, managing risks, issues and dependencies, and ensuring effective stakeholder engagement, governance and reporting arrangements.
• Mobilise and influence partners across health and care systems to support delivery, adoption and sustainability of improvement initiatives.
• Provide programme leadership across complex networks and partnerships, fostering collaboration between NHS organisations and other stakeholders.

Skills

Programme management

Stakeholder management

Leadership

Facilitation

Influencing

Education

Masters degree

Tools

PRINCE2

MSP

Job description

Employer Liverpool Heart & Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Vanguard House Town Daresbury Salary £57,528 - £64,750 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 23/08/2026 23:59 Interview date 01/09/2026

NHS AfC: Band 8a

As the largest single site specialist heart and chest hospital in the UK, we, at Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, have a clear vision to bethe best cardiothoracic integrated healthcare organisation

We provide specialist services in cardiothoracic surgery, cardiology, respiratory medicine including adult cystic fibrosis and diagnostic imaging, both in the hospital and out in the community.

We serve a catchment area of 2.8 million people, spanning Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales and the Isle of Man, and increasingly we receive referrals from outside these areas for highly specialised services such as aortics.

Heart and lung disease continue to be amongst the biggest killers in the UK and the communities we serve are marked by increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease, higher levels of heart failure, hypertension, coronary artery disease and an ageing population.

Our reputation for strong performance is important in delivering the best care for our patients and high quality clinical services. This is underpinned by a culture of research and innovation, delivered in modern estate and facilitated by technology. New and upgraded clinical areas are designed with patients and families fully involved to deliver their needs.

As part of our long term plan, we aim to form strong clinical and organisational relationships where possible. There is clear evidence that partnerships improve patient care and enhance quality and we aim to collaborate with a range of other providers and professionals with the aimto extending access and improve quality.

Our vision is underpinned by five strategic goals:

• Quality:to deliver the highest quality, safest and best experience for patients and their families by providing reliable care
• Service and Innovation:to develop our service portfolio for patients by developing innovative models of care
• Value:to maintain financial viability, enhance service delivery and develop new models of care to improve the health of our patients and safely reduce costs
• Workforce:to be the best NHS Employer by 2019 by attracting and retaining the best staff to deliver excellent patient care
• Stakeholders:to develop productive relationships with key stakeholders in order to enhance our profile and reputation.

Our Mission

“Excellent, Compassionate and Safe care for every patient, every day”

Job overview

The Patient Safety and Care Improvement Team has an exciting opportunity for a Programme Manager to support the delivery of a national and local Neurodiversity Transformation Programme. The Programme Manager will lead and coordinate a portfolio of work aligned to the Programme, translating national and regional priorities into clear delivery plans. The post holder will be confident managing a rolling programme of work, responding flexibly to changes in scope, priorities and timescales while maintaining high standards of delivery. They will use programme and project management approaches, innovation and improvement methods, data and insight to support delivery, monitor progress and inform decision-making. Much of the work will be delivered collaboratively with and through NHS partners, Integrated Care Systems and wider stakeholders. The role therefore requires strong relationship management, facilitation, communication and influencing skills, alongside the ability to work across organisational boundaries, manage complexity and support improvement in outcomes.

Main duties of the job

Lead and coordinate the delivery of a national and local Neurodiversity Transformation Programme, ensuring projects are planned, governed and delivered to agreed quality, timescale and resource requirements. Responsible for developing and maintaining project plans, managing risks, issues and dependencies, and ensuring effective stakeholder engagement, governance and reporting arrangements. Mobilise and influence partners across health and care systems to support delivery, adoption and sustainability of improvement initiatives.

Provide programme leadership across complex networks and partnerships, fostering collaboration between NHS organisations, Integrated Care Systems, Health Innovation Networks and other stakeholders. Build and maintain strong professional relationships, acting as a trusted and credible partner who can facilitate discussion, manage conflict and reconcile differing perspectives where required.

Support the implementation of a new model of care for ADHD services through improvement activity, applying programme management, improvement science and change methodologies to drive measurable improvements in quality and patient outcomes. Promote the sharing and adoption of best practice, encourage innovation and continuous quality improvement, and ensure effective communication across diverse stakeholder groups.

Working for our organisation

Health Innovation North West Coast (HINWC) is one of 15 Health Innovation Networks (HINs) established by the NHS in England to accelerate the spread of innovations.

Health Innovation North West Coasted are hosted by Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital. As the largest single site specialist heart and chest hospital in the UK, we, at Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, have a clear vision to be the best cardiothoracic integrated healthcare organisation.

We provide specialist services in cardiothoracic surgery, cardiology, respiratory medicine both in the hospital and out in the community.

We serve a catchment area of 2.8 million people, spanning Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales and the Isle of Man, and increasingly we receive referrals from outside these areas for highly specialised services such as aortics.

Our reputation for strong performance is important in delivering the best care for our patients and high quality clinical services. This is underpinned by a culture of research and innovation, delivered in modern estate and our encouragement of flexible working in a variety of forms.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES

PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT

• Mobilise and lead stakeholders in the delivery of project plans, allocating tasks as appropriate, identifying risks, issues and dependencies, considering best practice and current options and ultimately making decisions in the best interest of the project. Be responsible for a high standard of work supporting the delivery of projects on time, to quality standards and in a cost-effective manner. Maintain project initiation documents and associated plans with regular team meetings to monitor progress and resources.
• Pro-actively manage stakeholders, respond to and resolve conflict when this arises through facilitation or other appropriate mechanisms. Demonstrate effective stakeholder management.
• Work with and support other project and programme managers and team members as and when required.
• Advocate the projects at senior and executive levels and ensure active engagement and sponsorship within NHS as a whole.
• Ensure that the projects maintain business focus, have clear authority and that the context, including risks, is actively managed in alignment with the strategic priorities of NHS.

MANAGERIAL/LEADERSHIP

• To support effective mental health and neurodiversity network arrangements which are embedded in the NHS adding value to patients, professionals and constituent organisations
• To manage the planning, delivery and assurance of nationally commissioned mental health and neurodiversity projects

To develop and use specialist mental health and neurodiversity knowledge and experience of network models and improvement science to achieve step changes in quality across complex pathways and systems of care.

To manage and maintain credibility with all the key players within the network community, fostering a culture of collaboration for the delivery of equitable, high quality care. At times this will include acting as an ‘honest broker’ reconciling conflicting views and interests.

• To understand, communicate and implement national policy through network improvement activities. To keep abreast of national best practice, ensuring this is shared and widespread adoption secured through advanced influencing skills.
• To foster a culture of innovation, through working in collaboration externally with health, academic and education structures.

ORGANISATIONAL

• Contribute to the strategic planning of team projects, identifying interdependencies across projects/functions, potential impacts on the wider organisation, resource requirements and building in contingency and adjustments as necessary
• Contribute to short, medium- and long-term business plans, achieving quality outcomes.
• To ensure links and collaboration between the system where there are synergies in pathways and work priorities.
• To work with other structures, including health Innovation Networks, aligning innovation, education, informatics and quality improvement.
• Uphold Health Innovation North West Coast and NHS policies and principles on the promotion of equality. Create an inclusive working environment where diversity is valued, everyone can contribute, and we meet our duty to uphold and promote equality.

To work with national level bodies ensuring alignment of policy and service transformation for patients.

To play an active role in corporate activities (for example team meetings and timeouts) and information for corporate publications (for example, newsletters, blogs).

Health Innovation North West Coast expects all staff to share the values that are important tothe NHS and its partners and members, and behave in a way that is consistent with these values. The post holder will be expected at all times to take responsibility for their own actions, support multi-disciplinary and partnership working and develop a working environment of courtesy, fairness and mutual respect. Large scale networks like those in which the Health Innovation North West Coast operates rely on collaborative working, and the post holder must recognise their role asan ambassador forHealth Innovation North West Coast in their dealings with other colleagues and organisations.

Person specification

Qualifications & Education

• Educated to Masters degree or equivalent experience
• Demonstrable experience of Innovation and Improvement methodology and its use in healthcare settings
• PRINCE2, MSP or equivalent qualifications in project management or relevant experience
• Experience of working at a senior or sub senior level in a complex organisation
• Evidence of personal development through formal courses and/or experience

Knowledge & Experience

• Significant experience within a project/programme management role within a network focused organisation
• Comprehensive experience of successfully managing project
• Experience of creating and managing ongoing productive relationships with a wide variety of stakeholders.
• Management and delivery of multi- stakeholder events
• Experience of writing concise and effective reports for professional forums
• Experience in designing and implementing programmes in clinical areas
• Extensive knowledge of Mental Health and Neurodiveristy acquired through clinical and/or post graduate diploma or equivalent experience.
• Understanding of the background to and aims of current mental health and neurodiversity policy and appreciate the implications of this on engagement.
• Have an appreciation of the relationship between the ICS and individual provider and commissioning organisations.
• Experience of identifying and interpreting national policy.
• Knowledge and experience of implementing changes to working methods and evaluating its effectiveness
• Understanding of theory and practice of how to innovate and its application in health and care organisations.
• Evidence of experience within an NHS, health environment, relevant charity
• Evidence of working with community and voluntary groups

Values & Behaviours

• A strong desire to improve performance and make a difference to patient outcomes.
• Must be able to prioritise own work effectively and be able to direct activities of others.
• Commitment to and focused on quality, promotes high standards in all they do.
• Able to make a connection between their work and the benefit to patients and the public.
• Ability to operate in a valuedriven style consistent with the values of the public services and specifically with the new organisational values
• Works across boundaries, looks for collective success, listens, involves, respects and learns from the contribution of others
• Values diversity and difference; operates with integrity and openness
• Works well with others, is positive and helpful, listens,involves, respects and learns from the contribution of others.
• Actively develops themselves and supports others to do the same.
• Thorough understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships both in terms of day -to -day working practices, but also in relation to management systems.

Skills & Abilities

• Must be able to use initiative to decide relevant actions and make recommendations with the aim of improving deliverables and compliance to policies
• Strategic thinking - ability to anticipate problems before they arise
• Experience of researching best practice, interpreting its relevance and processes/ practices which could be implemented successfully to achieve system reform.
• Ability to make decisions autonomously, when required, on difficult and contentious issues where there may be a number of courses of action, working to tight and often changing timescales.
• Must be able to provide and receive highly complex, sensitive or contentious information, negotiate with senior stakeholders on difficult and controversial issues, and present complex and sensitive information to large and influential groups.
• Ability to negotiate on difficult and controversial issues including performance and change.
• Ability to analyse complex facts and situations and develop a range of options.
• Ability to interact effectively as part of a team

Work Related Requirements

• Ability to comply with the travel requirements of the post and undertake work - related journeys within the NWC area (regularly), nationally (occasionally) and internationally (occasionally if in the interests of the organisation).
• Must be able to work outside traditional office hours on occasions and work flexibly.
• Extensive knowledge of Mental Health and Neurodiveristy and appreciate its implications on programme delivery
• Have an appreciation of the relationship between the ICS and individual provider and commissioning organisations.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early. Therefore, interested applicants are advised to apply as early as possible.

Please review the job description and person specification carefully before applying to ensure that you meet the essential requirements for the post.

All applicants will be contacted and informed by email whether they were successfully shortlisted for interview.

As part of you pre-employment checks we will be required to obtain satisfactory references. We require at least one written reference from your current or most recent employer. We are only able to accept references from a professional work email address.

Employers are expected to implement the Care Certificate for all applicable new starters from April 2015. The Care Certificate aims to equip health and social care support workers with the knowledge and skills which they need to provide safe, compassionate care. We expect all new starters in clinical, patient facing posts (bands 1-4) to complete all 15 standards of the Care Certificate, within their first 6 months with the Trust.

Flexible Working applications will be considered in line the Trusts flexible working policies.

The Trust is a no-smoking site.

We reserve the right to close adverts earlier than the closing date should we receive sufficient applications and so urge you to submit your application as soon as possible.

Please note UKVI guidelines prohibits sponsorship for all Band 2 and 3 posts. Guidelines state that many other posts are also not eligible for sponsorship. Please use UKVI guidance on Skilled Worker Visas to determine whether you would be eligible for sponsorship if you were to gain a conditional offer for this role.

If you are a Skilled Worker/ Health and Care visa applicant and you are coming to work in an occupation defined by the relevant Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code, you will be required to provide a criminal record certificate from any country you have lived in for 12 months or more in the last 10 years, this is also applicable for your adult dependants.

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