Programme Manager People Services Transformation

NHS Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board; Maidstone; On-site; GBP 58,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

NHS Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board in Maidstone is seeking a People Services Transformation Programme Manager to lead complex transformation initiatives within People Services, translating strategic priorities into effective implementation, organisational readiness and sustainable business change.

You will work across Digital, Finance, People Services and operational teams, leading defined workstreams, developing plans, ensuring governance, and reporting on benefits and outcomes to senior

Qualifications

• Educated to Master's level or equivalent in programme management or a related discipline.
• Formal programme or project management qualification (MSP, PRINCE2, APM or equivalent) or equivalent experience.
• Experience of programme governance, risk management and benefits realisation.
• Experience facilitating workshops and engaging stakeholders across organisational boundaries.

Responsibilities

• Lead defined workstreams within the Future Workforce Solution and South East Scaling People Services programmes, developing detailed plans and maintaining governance.
• Manage organisational readiness and change activities including change impact assessments and business readiness planning.
• Provide high-quality reports, dashboards and recommendations to programme leadership and support the transition of new services into business as usual.

Skills

Programme management

Stakeholder engagement

Change management

Workshops facilitation

Governance & risk

Education

Master's degree or equivalent in programme management or related discipline

PRINCE2/MSP/APM or equivalent certification

Job description

Employer NHS Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board Employer type NHS Site Gail House Town Maidstone Salary £57,528 - £64,750 pro rata, per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 08/10/2026 23:59 Interview date 12/10/2026

NHS AfC: Band 8a

Job overview

Please note: at this stage, the role is open only to colleagues currently employed by the Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board (ICB) and Southeast Integrated Care Boards; and current at-risk employees within Kent and Medway NHS Trusts.

This is an exciting opportunity to join NHS Kent and Medway as a People Services Transformation Programme Manager, supporting the delivery of complex transformation programmes that will shape the future of People Services across Kent and Medway and the wider South East. Working as part of the People Services Transformation Team, you will combine expert programme and change management skills to turn strategic priorities into effective implementation, organisational readiness and sustainable business change.

You will work across organisational boundaries with programme leaders, Digital, Finance, People Services, operational teams and regional partners to deliver new operating models, processes, technologies and shared services.

Main duties of the job

You will lead defined workstreams within the Future Workforce Solution and South East Scaling People Services programmes, developing detailed plans, coordinating delivery and maintaining effective governance, risk and assurance arrangements. You will lead organisational readiness and change activities, including change impact assessments, business readiness planning, process redesign and adoption of new ways of working.

You will work closely with stakeholders and subject matter experts across multiple organisations, facilitate workshops and engagement, monitor benefits and outcomes, and identify opportunities for service improvement and standardisation. You will also provide high-quality reports, dashboards and recommendations to programme leadership and support the successful transition of new services and ways of working into business as usual.

Working for our organisation

We are committed to a culture that supports all staff at NHS Kent and Medway to be the best version of themselves.

Our ability to improve outcomes for our population depends on how effectively clinical, operational, financial and strategic professionals work together to make informed commissioning decisions. That’s why our workforce works a minimum of two days-a-week on-site, with the expectation that all one-to-ones are held face-to-face and that colleagues will regularly visit the services we are commissioning to understand more about them.

We believe regular on-site working supports stronger collaboration, faster problem-solving, peer learning, visible leadership and the integration of colleagues into our organisation. We also know that culture is built through shared experiences and day-to-day interactions.

We are a flexible working friendly organisation; we aim to support you to work flexibly in a way that will suit you and us.

We work with staff to agree objectives through regular supervision, annual appraisal and access to training opportunities.

We are committed to equal opportunities and diversity. In order to reflect the diversity of our population, we positively encourage applications from all areas of the community regardless of gender, race, faith, disability, age or sexual orientation.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The job description and person specification gives you all the information you need about this role. Please look carefully at the criteria in the person specification and tell us what you have done that shows you meet this.

Still have questions? The recruiting manager would love to hear from you, their contact details can be found in the job advert.

Person specification

Qualifications and Experience

• Educated to Master's level or equivalent experience in programme management, organisational change or a related discipline.
• Formal programme or project management qualification (MSP, PRINCE2, APM or equivalent) or equivalent experience
• Experience of programme governance, risk management and benefits realisation
• Experience facilitating workshops and engaging stakeholders across organisational boundaries

Experience

• Experience delivering complex transformation programmes within the NHS or public sector.
• Experience working across multidisciplinary teams
• Experience of shared services or operating model transformation.
• Experience implementing workforce, HR or ERP systems.
• Must be able to provide and receive 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.
• Needs to have a 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 for the south east

Name Laura Copas Job title Director of People Services Transformation Email address [e-mail]