Associate Director of Strategy & Planning: Sponsorship Available

Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Job summary

An opportunity has arisen for an experienced, compassionate & highly motivated Associate Director of Strategy & Planning to join Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.

This exciting opportunity comes at an important time for our organisation as we continue to transform & improve our services and deliver the ambitions of our Making a Difference 2026-2029 Strategy.

Main duties of the job

The AD of Strategy & Planning is responsible for the establishment & running of the Trustwide Business Planning/Operational Planning processes & outputs & the ongoing oversight & monitoring of progress towards the implementation of the Trust Strategy.

The post holder will work with the Deputy Director of Strategy & Partnerships to develop & implement a robust planning & monitoring process to ensure our plans link strategic horizon scanning, national & local priorities, service opportunities, partnership initiatives & implementation of the Trust’s strategies.

The role will also support & develop the capability and skills of the organisation to undertake integrated planning at all levels, from directorates, divisions & at Trust level. The post holder will work closely leadership teams of the Care Groups, corporate services & members of the Trust Management Group to co-produce & implement the planning framework

The post holder will work closely with the Deputy Director of Strategy & Partnerships & other senior colleagues to coordinate development of Trust wide plans to support the implementation of the Strategy & the monitoring framework for delivery of plans.

The role will develop & deploy mechanisms & processes to bring insight from diverse information sources (qualitative & quantitative) to prompt & inform strategic & tactical decision making, assess opportunities & lead the development & delivery of a complex programme of insight & strategic change for the organisation.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Minimum of Masters or equivalent level qualification plus specialist experience of planning, performance, management, systems and leadership at a strategic level
  • Extensive specialist knowledge, expertise and experience, acquired through advanced professional training put into practical effect over a significant period of time, programme management, project management and performance management (including or with a good working knowledge of Managing Successful Programmes, PRINCE2 and Benefits Realisation)

Training

Desirable

  • Computer literacy and able to use relevant IT systems

Experience

Essential

  • Significant experience of strategic planning at an organisational level
  • Experience of programme and project management
  • Delivering objectives to timescales within a complex and challenging environment
  • Experience of working autonomously and using initiative to drive improvements
  • Track record of developing effective working relationships with senior leaders, operational managers and partners
  • Achieving results through working with others who are not under direct management control
  • Using and triangulating a range of data sources

Desirable

  • Experience of planning in the NHS or health and care systems
  • Experience of working with clinical teams
  • Experience of leading strategic change programmes

Knowledge

Essential

  • An applied knowledge of strategy development and organisational planning, including relevant tools and techniques
  • A good understanding of the wider context and challenges facing the NHS
  • A sound understanding of change management models and service transformation

Desirable

  • An applied knowledge of NHS planning guidance
  • An understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing community and mental health providers

Skills

Essential

  • Highly developed planning skills, with a demonstrable track record in the development of credible plans at an organisational level.
  • Ability to work at both the strategic level and with operational teams on the detail to support delivery of plans
  • Highly analytical and numerate, able to interpret, summarise and present a range of different sources of complex information and data
  • Ability to lead colleagues in scenario planning and the modelling of demand and capacity
  • Excellent communication skills including oral and written, able to communicate at all levels internally and with external partners and able to facilitate constructive dialogue
  • Ability to develop and present plans that are cohesive and though complex, are articulated simply and easily understood
  • Successful relationship management skills, able to engage at all levels and with a collaborative style that promotes effective joint working
  • Able to strike a balance between challenge and support and skilled at constructively challenging colleagues where necessary
  • Resilient in dealing with challenging and sensitive situations and managing conflict
  • Team leadership and all aspects of managing staff
  • Flexible attitude and approach to working in a changing environment
  • Proficiency in IT skills and ability to use relevant software packages

Desirable

  • Skills in the technical aspects of NHS planning

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).

Closing Date: 15 November 2026

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