Deputy Chief People Officer – Workforce: Sponsorship Available

Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Job summary

Are you an ambitious and experienced NHS people leader ready to shape the workforce of the future?

We are looking for an outstanding Deputy Chief People Officer (Workforce) to join our senior People leadership team. This is a highly strategic and transformational role, offering the opportunity to modernise workforce services, influence organisational priorities and help ensure we have the right people, with the right skills, in the right place to deliver excellent care now and in the future.

We are seeking a credible, values-led leader with significant senior-level NHS experience and a strong track record of delivering strategic workforce change in a complex environment. You will bring expertise across People Partnering, employee relations, workforce planning, resourcing, workforce systems and data, together with the energy and influence to turn ambition into delivery.

This is an exciting opportunity to make a lasting difference: to our colleagues, our services and the communities we serve. If you are collaborative, curious and passionate about creating modern, responsive and people-centred workforce services, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Main duties of the job

Working closely with the Chief People Officer, executive colleagues and leaders across the organisation, you will provide visible and inclusive leadership across a broad workforce portfolio. You will lead the development of an effective People Partnering model, strengthen employee relations and build constructive relationships with staff-side colleagues, while supporting leaders to resolve issues early, fairly and compassionately.

You will also lead the transformation of our workforce systems and People Services, using digital solutions and automation to simplify processes, improve experience and release capacity for higher-value work. High-quality management information, workforce analytics and insight will be central to your approach, enabling leaders to understand trends, make evidence-based decisions and drive meaningful change.

Attraction and resourcing will be another key priority. You will shape inclusive, innovative approaches to recruitment, retention and workforce supply, translating service and organisational ambitions into practical workforce plans that are sustainable and fit for the future.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Educted to Masters level with a degree or equivalent experience and competencies or extensive relevant senior experience
  • Evidence of continuing professional development including management studies to Masters level or above or equivalent experience
  • Membership of an appropriate professional body – FCIPD

Desirable

  • Qualified at practitioner level of a recognised programme/project management methodology

Knowledge/Experience

Essential

  • Experience of senior complex leadership in Human Resources practice ideally in the Public or not for Profit Sector
  • Experience of providing strategic and technical HR&OD advice to the NHS or comparable organisations
  • Track record of delivery at Director/Senior management level, including exposure at Board
  • Track record of delivering large scale change and knowledge of quality improvement methodologies and evidence
  • Tactical understanding of employment law issues
  • Experience of large budget management
  • Experience of making relationships with national bodies, higher educational institutions and system partners and a track record of gaining support and investment

Desirable

  • Has current understanding and broad knowledge of the NHS context including knowledge of the national agenda, the ICS and group model development
  • People systems procurement experience e.g. rostering

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Closing Date: 1 November 2026

To apply for this job please visit apps.trac.jobs.