Psychological Professional Lead for TT

NELFT NHS Foundation Trust; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

NELFT NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Psychological Professions Lead for Talking Therapies to drive transformation and quality across the service. Reporting to the Deputy Director of Psychological Professions, you will lead large teams, oversee performance, budgets and governance, and partner with Place Partnerships and ICBs to improve access and outcomes.

You will champion inclusive, person-centred care, support workforce development, and embed values of kindness and collaboration across the

Qualifications

• Senior leadership experience within the NHS or public sector.
• Proven track record of large-scale service transformation.
• Experience of Talking Therapies is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead, transform and grow Talking Therapies services across NELFT.
• Ensure clinical governance, budget and performance accountability.
• Engage with partners and Integrated Care Boards to shape service design.

Skills

Senior leadership experience

Public sector leadership

Talking Therapies experience

Job description

Are you an inspiring clinical leader ready to shape the future of talking therapies across NELFT ?

NELFT is seeking an exceptional Psychological Professions Lead for Talking Therapist to lead and transform Talking Therapies. You will work with the Talking Therapies Clinical Director, the Talking Therapies Operational Assistant Director and the Integrated Care Director to bring leadership in your team. You will work closely with the PLACE leads , sustaining and improving clinical performance, and growing the service offer. You will line manage the supervise senior clinical staff. You will representation your borough in the relevant leadership meetings. This is a rare opportunity to change how we offer services at scale to meet our distinct populations, influencing our offer within Integrated Neighbourhood Teams, working with a range of partners to grow our services. and deliver high‑quality, inclusive and person‑centred care.

Why join us?

At NELFT, our values are more than words. We are kind, we are respectful, and we work together with our communities. As an Assistant Director, you will play a pivotal role in embedding these values while driving system-wide improvement for some of the most diverse communities in the country.

You’ll be joining a forward‑thinking organisation with a strong reputation for partnership working, innovation and integrated care.

About the role

Reporting to the Deputy Director of Psychological Professions for Talking Therapies , and working closely with the Operational Assistant Director.

You will be accountable for quality, performance, finance and clinical governance, leading large teams through change , ensuring close links with PLACE ,while maintaining a relentless focus on patient experience and outcomes.

This is a highly influential role with system‑level impact, requiring confident engagement with Integrated Care Boards, Place Partnerships, Primary Care, voluntary sector partners and service user groups.

What you’ll be doing

• Leading, developing and transforming Talking Therapies services across NELFT
• Playing a pivotal role in the Talking Therapies Collaborative, working with commissioners and providers across the North East London system
• Building and sustaining strong partnerships across the wider system
• Holding senior accountability for clinical provision, budgets, productivity and cost improvement programmes
• Holding accountability for performance
• Driving quality, safety and regulatory compliance (including CQC and statutory responsibilities)
• Championing co‑production, inclusion and community engagement
• Developing an empowered, representative and high‑performing workforce
• Contributing to Trust‑wide strategy, planning and governance
• Acting as an on‑call senior manager as part of the leadership rota

Who we’re looking for

You’ll be a senior public sector clinical leader with a strong track record of delivering improvement in complex environments. Ideally you will have previous experience of Talking Therapies. You will bring:

• Senior leadership experience within the NHS, local government or wider public sector
• Proven success in leading large‑scale service transformation and change
• Strong clinical acumen
• Experience of partnership working across organisational boundaries
• Credibility with clinicians, senior managers and external stakeholders
• An inclusive, values‑driven leadership style that inspires trust and confidence

What matters most is your ability to lead with purpose, deliver through others and improve lives.

Starting with NELFT

NELFT place a great deal of importance on new starters being properly welcomed and inducted into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and will undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks which will include mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process new starters will have the opportunity to also meet the executive team, senior managers and attend a number of drop‑in sessions focusing on engagement, health and wellbeing and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.

Probationary Period

This post will be subject to a probationary period. Internal applicants are exempt from the probationary period (unless you are an internal applicant currently part way through a probationary period or currently a bank member of staff).

High Cost Area Supplement – Outer London (B&D, Redbridge, Havering and Waltham Forest, CEME)

This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 15% of the basic salary (with a minimum of £4,714 to a maximum of £5,941 p.a. pro rata for part time).

Working for Us

Joining #TeamNELFT means you’ll become part of a welcoming and supportive working environment. We’re CQC rated Good, and we want you to join us on the journey towards an Outstanding rating. NELFT has sites across North East London and Essex. We provide community and mental healthcare services to adults and children within these areas.

The Trust has award-winning equality and diversity initiatives, along with staff health and wellbeing activities. We invest significantly in your development because when you feel valued and supported, we can deliver the highest quality care to our patients. We are a Level 3 Disability Confident Leader, have been recognised in the Working Families Top 10 Employers benchmark for five consecutive years, and hold a Carers UK Level 1 Accreditation. Through our staff networks and training opportunities, we strive to foster a just and compassionate culture at NELFT.