Head of Strategy, Planning & QI – Band 8B: Sponsorship Available

Job summary

This key leadership role within Lincolnshire Community and Hospitals Group (LCHG) supports the Group Assistant Director of Strategy and Planning in delivering the organisation’s strategic vision, objectives and transformation priorities. The post holder leads the development and delivery of strategic and operational plans across clinical and corporate services, ensuring alignment with Integrated Care System (ICS) priorities, the Joint Forward Plan, financial plans and efficiency requirements.

The role oversees annual planning and assurance processes, working with Executive Directors and senior leaders to ensure effective governance, stakeholder engagement and delivery of robust plans. It provides leadership to Business Partners supporting care groups with strategy, planning and improvement activities.

A key focus is developing organisational improvement capability through Quality Improvement training, coaching and the promotion of best-practice methodologies. The post holder supports delivery of the Integrated Improvement Plan, Outstanding Care Improvement System and wider transformation programmes.

The role also leads the monitoring, reporting and assurance of strategic programmes, ensuring progress is tracked, risks are managed, recovery actions implemented and governance requirements met. Success requires strong partnership working across organisational boundaries, particularly to support delivery of the Lincolnshire System Joint Forward Plan and wider system priorities.

Main duties of the job

The Head of Strategy, Planning and Quality Improvement provides strategic leadership for the development and delivery of Lincolnshire Community and Hospitals Group (LCHG) strategy, annual planning processes and quality improvement programmes. The post holder leads the organisation’s contribution to NHS England and system planning, ensuring alignment with national priorities, the Joint Forward Plan, financial requirements and long-term objectives.

The role is responsible for developing, implementing and evaluating operational and strategic plans while strengthening organisational improvement capability. Working with clinical, operational and corporate leaders, the post holder supports improvement, transformation and change programmes that enhance patient outcomes, staff experience and organisational performance.

Key responsibilities include analysing national policy, identifying strategic risks and opportunities, supporting planning and efficiency programmes, and developing system partnerships. The role also leads the Quality Improvement function, overseeing training, coaching and capability development, and promoting improvement methodologies across LCHG.

The post holder ensures robust governance, assurance and performance reporting, monitors delivery and benefits realisation, manages departmental resources and budgets, and supports innovation, organisational learning and continuous improvement to deliver the Group’s vision and system-wide ambitions

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to Masters level or equivalent experience
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Significant role related and personal development training commensurate with a senior manager post

Desirable

• Evidence of relevant professional management training and/or qualification
• QSIR Associate
• Project Management Qualification; Prince 2 or equivalent
• Management Qualification

Skills/ competencies

Essential

• Exceptional leadership and communication skills with experience of dealing directly and effectively with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Sophisticated leadership and influencing skills, building compassionate cultures where individuals and teams thrive at organisation, partnership, and system levels.
• Strong critical thinking and strategic problem solving.
• Strong analytical understanding, skills and knowledge, including development predictive modelling and development of multi-dimensional complex qualitative and quantitative measurements of effect.
• Evidence of exceptional communication skills (verbal, written and presentation) that engender community confidence, strong collaborations, and partnership.
• Strong negotiation and arbitration skills
• Analytical rigour, numeracy, and financial management skills.
• Skills in leading and knowledge of strategic benchmarking and evaluation approaches.
• Business management skills

Desirable

• Strong facilitation skills and evidence of improvement training delivery in large, multi-disciplinary organisation

Knowledge

Essential

• A deep knowledge of the breadth of challenges faced within health & social care at the strategic level.
• Specialist knowledge of complex NHS planning and modelling.
• Understanding of quality improvement methodology and expectations from national stakeholders including NHS England and Improvement
• Detailed specialist breadth of knowledge of strategy development approaches and applicability across large complex organisations.
• Detailed breadth of knowledge and skills in leading strategic assessment, planning and execution in large complex organisations
• Breadth of knowledge of performance management and frameworks for performance management.
• Breadth of knowledge in regulation in the NHS, Governance and policies and ability to translate into annual plans.

Desirable

• Knowledge of the GIRFT
• Successful application of lean and six sigma techniques including Lean problem solving, process mapping and basic analytical tools.

Experience

Essential

• Significant leadership experience of working successfully as head of departmental function or equivalent in a complex organisation; NHS or public sector
• Significant experience of developing and implementing strategy and strategic planning at a senior level in a large complex organisation.
• Significant senior management experience of functions such as finance, performance, recruitment and risk management within a large complex organisation
• Experience of managing strategic partnerships across regional and national boundaries.
• Experience of working in rapidly evolving or entrepreneurial and innovative team and organisation which is undergoing rapid change. Experience of delivering transformation at pace.
• Experience of managing direct and indirect team resources.
• Experience and ability to successfully engage and present at strategic board level
• Experience of working across multiple organisations to produce joint strategic plans
• Experience of budget and contract management
• Experience establishing processes around planning, control, reporting, documentation and evaluation.
• Experience of organisational scenario planning, risk management and modelling

Desirable

• Wide experience of using databases, spreadsheets and analytical tools.
• Experience of an acute trust

Special attributes, specific requirements

Essential

• The ability to lead the development of a long term strategic plan and undertake problem resolution and action to enable delivery.
• Demonstrable ability to prioritise strategic activity effectively in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous environment.
• Ability to use own initiative within sphere of responsibility.
• Demonstrable ability to develop strong and productive working relationships and networks with a wide variety of internal/external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability at exercising tact and diplomacy.
• Demonstrated ability to analyse situations, assess risk and to provide a reasoned resolution.
• A methodical approach to their work, experience in promoting and challenging efficiency and behold a well-developed level of judgement.
• Able to travel to different sites, as required

Desirable

• Familiarity with clinical service management issues
• Successful business case development and implementation
• Able to travel attend events outside the Trust area as required

Personal Qualities

Essential

• A strong compassionate and collaborative leadership skills enabling individuals and teams to thrive.

Closing Date: 20 September 2026