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Go back Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

The closing date is 28 December 2025

We are looking to register a Divisional Head of Workforce who is a confident HR professional with strong influencing skills, expert knowledge of employment law and NHS workforce frameworks, and a passion for developing people and transforming services.

As a member of the Divisional Board, the Divisional Head of Workforce plays a pivotal role in leading HR provision across the Division, providing expert advice on the full spectrum of workforce matters. This senior role shapes and delivers strategic HR direction to support high-quality patient care, operational efficiency, workforce productivity, and the achievement of both Trust and Divisional objectives.

Working collaboratively with Divisional Directors, Heads of Nursing, Finance leads, and other senior stakeholders, the Divisional Head of Workforce drives forward planning, transformation initiatives, staff engagement, and workforce performance. The role also champions the embedding of best HR practice and the development of management capability across the Division.

In partnership with the Associate Directors of Workforce, the Divisional Head of Workforce will contribute to the delivery of the Trust's strategic workforce priorities, ensuring the Division remains a high-performing, engaged, and sustainable part of the organisation.

As a member of the Divisional Board, the Divisional Head of Workforce plays a pivotal role in leading HR provision across the Division, providing expert advice on the full spectrum of workforce matters. This senior role shapes and delivers strategic HR direction to support high-quality patient care, operational efficiency, workforce productivity, and the achievement of both Trust and Divisional objectives.

Working collaboratively with Divisional Directors, Heads of Nursing, Finance leads, and other senior stakeholders, the Divisional Head of Workforce drives forward planning, transformation initiatives, staff engagement, and workforce performance. The role also champions the embedding of best HR practice and the development of management capability across the Division.

In partnership with the Associate Directors of Workforce, the Divisional Head of Workforce contributes to the delivery of the Trust's strategic workforce priorities, ensuring the Division remains a high performing, engaged and sustainable part of the organisation.

Our Trust

Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust comprises Addenbrooke's Hospital and the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge. With over 13,000 staff and over 1100 beds the priorities of the Trust focus on a quality service which is all about people - patients, staff and partners. Recognised as providing 'outstanding' care to our patients and rated 'Good' overall by the Care Quality Commissioner, is testament to the skill and dedication of the people who work here. CUH's values - Together - Safe, Kind, Excellent - are at the heart of patient care, defining the way all staff work and behave. The Trust provides accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge, together with specialist services, dealing with rare or complex conditions for a regional, national and international population.CUH is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where we can all be ourselves. We value our differences and fully advocate and support an inclusive working environment where every individual can fulfil their potential. We want to ensure our people are truly representative of all the communities that we serve. We welcome applications for all positions in the organisation irrespective of people's age, disability, ethnicity, race, nationality, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity status or social economic background.

Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.

As per Home Office guidelines, please be aware that, unfortunately, the Trust is unable to offer sponsorship for this particular position.

The advert will close at midnight on 28 December 2025.

Interviews are due to be held on 14 January 2026.

At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.

On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only caf, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.

CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times.

Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.

We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.

• MCIPD qualified or equivalent proven HR skills and experience
• Evidence of further professional / personal development

• Significant experience of working in an HR function at a senior level in a large complex organisation
• Extensive experience demonstrating competence across complex employee relations matters, including performance management and direct involvement in complex disciplinary, and grievance cases
• Significant experience of complex, large organisational change programmes including TUPE and redundancies
• Experience of leading and managing a team, inspiring confidence and facilitating their development
• Experience of developing long ranging workforce plans, recruitment and retention and staff engagement strategies
• Proven track record in board member responsibility and active participation in creating and executing divisional business plans and CIP programmes
• Experience of working in an HR function in the NHS
• Experience of working in a unionised environment
• Experience of integrated workforce information systems
• Experience of contributing to regional network meetings when required
• -Policy review and development

• Specialist and expert knowledge of agenda for change terms and conditions
• Knowledge and understanding of key NHS and HR issues both local and national A
• Sound working knowledge of employment legislation and case law and its application a wide range of professional groups
• Understanding of the role of HR in the planning and delivery of the Trust Business Plan
• Sound knowledge, understanding and direct experience of best practice in people management issues
• Appreciation of the requirements of working in a large complex organisation

• Political awareness and sensitivity in particular when working with senior operational and clinical staff including Directors
• Proven problem-solving skills
• Able to work in a multi-disciplinary team
• Strategic awareness - able to align Workforce activities with wider Trust and Divisional objectives
• Planning and organisational skills - able to prioritise and work to tight timescales
• Ability to deliver bespoke and management training
• Self-motivated with resilience and tenacity
• Able to evaluate situations and assimilate information quickly
• Excellent IT skills including ability to use the full range of MS Office applications
• Responsive and outcome driven
• Highly effective interpersonal skills including negotiation and influencing skills
• Able to be assertive when appropriate
• Able to manage pressure
• Able to deal with emotionally difficult and challenging situations sometimes including verbal aggression
• Excellent verbal and written communication - able to draft well written and reasoned cases, investigation and appeal reports
• Able to identify, interpret and analyse workforce reports, financial reports, complex legal decisions and case law
• Improvement initiatives
• Proven coaching and facilitation skills
• Project management

• The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of Safe, Kind, Excellent.
• Customer focused and able to work within the Trust Values
• Ability to develop strong working relationships both internally and externally
• Able to attend meetings or conferences outside the region and outside normal working hours as required
• Undertake departmental and Trust induction
• Undertake mandatory training on ongoing basis
• -Maintains own continuing professional and personal development

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

Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust