Chief People Officer

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We are seeking an experienced and inclusive People Services leader to join our Board. This is a unique opportunity to influence organisation-wide transformation, lead cultural change, workforce modernisation, leadership development, education and research. Role-modelling the DBTH Way and working closely with colleagues and system partners, you will inspire a high-performing, inclusive culture where our people can thrive and deliver exceptional outcomes for our patients. As Chief People Officer and a voting board member, you will lead one of our most critical strategic agendas, shaping and delivering our People Plan and ensuring our workforce is equipped, engaged, and empowered to deliver our ambitions.

In our new Chief People Officer, experienced and inclusive People Services leader operating at or close to Board level and with a strong track record of delivering strategic leadership and organisational development in comparably large, complex, unionised and multi-professional environments. Bringing a track record of embedding cultural change, transformation, and continuous improvement, you will demonstrate credibility in building productive and progressive partnerships across a range of stakeholders. A values-led leader, you will combine strategic vision with operational delivery, bringing authenticity and a commitment to driving meaningful change.

The Chief People Officer is a key member of the Trust Board and Executive team at DBTH and is vital to ensuring the success of our operational and strategic plans, sharing corporate responsibility for the strategic direction of the Trust and delivery of the Trust’s vision and objectives. The postholder will lead the People & Organisational Development Directorate and the Education & Research Directorate, ensuring these functions are fit for purpose, providing an effective, proactive and efficient service to stakeholders across all aspects of the People agenda. The postholder is also the Executive lead for Freedom to Speak Up at the Trust and for the Guardian of Safe Working role.

The postholder will play an integral leadership role in shaping and delivering the People agenda across DBTH, including leadership and accountability for the strategic People Plan, Research & Innovation Plan and Culture & Leadership Programme. As the most senior lead for the People agenda, the postholder will visibly role-model the Trust values and DBTH Way and drive a values-based culture through a range of strategic initiatives, activities and in all the practices of the People & OD and Education & Research directorates.

As a key member of the Executive Team, they will have the ability to build credibility, inspire confidence and demonstrably influence people at all levels. An exceptional leader of people with drive, vision, a strategic mindset, clarity of purpose, and high levels of integrity.

Working for our organisation

DBTH is one of Yorkshire’s Leading acute trusts, serving a population of more than 440,000. Our services are based over three main hospital sites and several additional services employing over 7,000 colleagues.

At DBTH we have a comprehensive framework of behaviours that guide us in our daily working lives, these form the DBTH Way. We pride ourselves on our commitment to the values of We Care and now the DBTH Way builds upon these foundations, providing further clarity on what it means to embody these values in our everyday interactions.

As an organisation that supports flexible working, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.

As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applicants from all sectors of the community, particularly from under-represented groups including those with disabilities, members of our ethnic minorities and LGBTQ+ communities.

We offer a range of benefits to support our people including:

• Extensive range of learning opportunities
• NHS Pension Scheme
• Generous holiday entitlement in line with Terms & Conditions
• Comprehensive health and wellbeing support
• NHS Car Lease schemes and a range of salary sacrifice scheme
• Discounts on restaurants, getaways, shopping and finance through external providers.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

We look forward to exploring how you can contribute to the future success of Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals.

Further information can be found in the attached job description and person specification.

Person specification

Experience

• Experience of operating at a senior level (Board level or Deputy to Board Director level) within a comparably large, complex and unionised organisation
• Successful track record in the effective leadership of people and diverse teams including line management
• Recent experience of leading major complex organisational change, transformation and workforce development, working in partnership with unions to deliver effective outcomes
• Experience of building and sustaining effective and productive working relationships with a wide range of people at a local and regional level
• Experience in building successful partnership relationships with external stakeholders and experience of collaborative working with other organisations
• Demonstrable evidence of personal development and leadership in promoting a culture of diversity and inclusion, to improvements in outcomes or experience for staff and service users
• Good understanding and experience of leading all aspects of operational human resources management and employee relations
• Evidence of experience in strategy development and implementation in relation to the people and culture agenda
• Experience of leading and achieving success in continuous improvement
• Senior leadership experience in a provider NHS Trust
• Experience of working with Agenda for Change Terms and Conditions and Medical and Dental Terms and Conditions

Qualifications

• Professional qualification (e.g. Chartered Fellow of the CIPD)
• Evidence of continuous professional development
• Other leadership professional training or qualifications

Knowledge, Skills & Attributes

• Ability to establish rapport with colleagues from across the organisation and externally, including from other Trusts and partner organisations
• Strategic thinker with highly developed influencing, negotiation and advocacy skills, with the ability to use these internally and externally impactfully
• Compassionate and inclusive leadership approach, with track record of visible and effective leadership through a coaching approach
• Able to lead change management, cultural change programmes and organisational development, including the application of OD methodologies and approaches
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and ability to build strong relationships with clinical leaders and across professional groups
• Role model for our Trust values and the DBTH Way
• A good understanding of the wider NHS, health and care environment, its infrastructure and associated organisations and government policy
• Knowledge of Agenda for Change, Electronic Staff Record

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) when writing job applications

If you choose to use AI or other tools to assist in writing your application, it's essential to personalise this information, particularly your supporting statement.

While AI can help streamline the writing process, these tools cannot fully grasp the context or requirements of the job you’re applying for, nor can they accurately reflect your skills, knowledge, and experience. It is crucial that you personalise your supporting statement by articulating these in your unique voice.

Relying solely on AI to write your application or supporting statement is not advocated by DBTH and could negatively impact your chances of success in the application process.

1. Usually lack relevance and fail to address the key criteria outlined in the job description and person specification. May come across as generic and fail to distinguish you from other applicants.
2. May be ambiguous or open to misinterpretation. Without careful review and editing, the supporting statement could convey messages that are unclear or misconstrued by hiring managers
3. May include qualifications, skills, knowledge or experience that you do not possess, potentially leading to misrepresentation.

• Please note that all correspondence will be sent you to via email. If you are offered a job, information will be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system. In submitting an application form, you authorise our Trust to confirm any previous NHS service details via the ESR IAT process should you be appointed.
• We reserve the right to close down this advert early should there be a high number of applicants.
• The Trust is committed to its obligations in accordance with the Equality Act 2010, and we positively encourage applications from all sections of the community.
• All employment with the Trust is subject to a number of NHS Employment Checks being met to a satisfactory standard including verification of identity, eligibility to work in the United Kingdom, references and qualifications in addition to professional registration, a disclosure and barring records check and occupational health check if these are deemed to be a requirement for the position to be undertaken. The Trust is now passing the charge for undertaking a DBS check on to candidates in the event that they are successfully appointed into the post for which they have applied. Please note that this check will be charged for in two instalments when you commence employment with Doncaster & Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. By applying for this vacancy you are agreeing to this undertaking in the event you are successfully appointed.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (DBTH) is one of Yorkshire’s leading acute trusts, serving a population of more than 440,000 across South Yorkshire, North Nottinghamshire, and the surrounding areas.

With three main hospital sites and several additional services, DBTH is one of only five teaching hospitals in Yorkshire. We train 25% of all medical students in the region and 30% of all other healthcare professional students. Employing over 7,000 colleagues, every member of our team contributes to patient care and plays a vital role in our ongoing success.

While we operate across multiple sites, we are proud to foster a strong sense of community and identity, guided by the principles of the DBTH Way. This ensures our organisation is shaped by kindness, respect, and a commitment to supporting one another. Our accessible leadership team encourages every colleague to feel empowered, knowing they have the ability to make a positive difference.

We are proud that many of those in senior positions within the Trust began their careers here. We also celebrate our many long-serving colleagues, including one individual who is still going strong after more than 60 years of dedicated service at DBTH.

It is our goal to equip those who join Team DBTH with the tools and opportunities they need to develop their careers. Whether you spend one year or fifty with us, we are committed to helping you Develop, Belong, and Thrive, Here.