Head of Children's Specialist Services

Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust

The closing date is 04 May 2025

Job summary

Are you looking to lead and shape how we deliver care to our local population in Northamptonshire in an 'Outstanding' organisation?

We are looking to recruit an enthusiastic and passionate leader to our Head of Service position; the successful candidate will be a registered practitioner (Registered Nurse (Child)/Occupational /Physio Therapist/SALT/Social Worker) who has experience in managing and leading children's services and multi-disciplinary teams.

As the successful candidate, you will join our supportive and innovative Senior Management Team and will be responsible for a range of our more specialist community services including our ASD/ADHD team, Community Paediatric and Specialist Children's Community Nurses.

The role will be based in Northampton however there is an expectation of visible leadership in multiple bases across the county.

NHFT have a strong track record for continuous innovation in our Children's , Learning Disability and Autism Services with coproduction at the centre of what we do. This is an exciting time to join and lead the services whilst we evolve and work in our local system and with our commissioners; we are looking for a senior leader who can hold our vision, attitudes and values and take a lead role in transforming our services.

Main duties of the job

You will work collaboratively with a range of stakeholders to ensure services meet and align to national and local standards, drive service transformation and improvement, and keep service users and carers at the centre of everything we do.

You will be responsible for the line management and supervision of those reporting directly to you. You will be responsible for the delivery against all performance indicators for your service and ensure that the services are operating efficiently, adding value whilst maintaining and improving quality and safety.

Alongside your Senior Management Team colleagues, you will be responsible for developing and contributing to strategies and policy to ensure that we deliver clinical governance priorities, quality improvement, people, finance and performance objectives. You will assume a lead role in transformation programmes as we work to meet the ambitions of the NHS Long Term Plan and other local and national agendas especially SEND.

You will work alongside 2 other Heads of Services in the SMT; this may include sharing responsibilities and being a 'critical friend'. You will deputise on occasion for the Assistant Director.

You will lead the delivery of quality improvement projects and co-lead our coproduction groups which have a focus on recovery, inclusion and improving the quality and delivery of care.

About us

As part of our supportive and innovative Senior Management Team, you will work in partnership with NHFT services and stakeholders from across the local system to ensure we continue to provide caring and compassionate services.

NHFT is an integrated primary care and mental health Trust, providing physical, mental health and specialty services in both hospital settings and out in the community. Because we put the person at the centre of all we do, we focus on delivering care that is as easy to access as possible. This means many of our services can be provided at home, work or in schools.We also provide health services to various prisons and detention centres in Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire.

Date posted

22 April 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£62,215 to £72,293 a year pa pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

270-TG026-ACS

Job locations

St. Mary's Hospital

London Road

Kettering

NN14 7PW


Job description

Job responsibilities

For further information on the advertised role, please refer to the job description located under the Supporting Documents heading. The full person specification can be accessed under the About You Section of the document.

Job description

Job responsibilities

For further information on the advertised role, please refer to the job description located under the Supporting Documents heading. The full person specification can be accessed under the About You Section of the document.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Managing and leading multi-disciplinary teams in a mental health service
  • Band 8a or equivalent experience
  • Registered Mental Health Nurse/Occupational Therapist/Social Worker

Desirable

  • Managing and leading mental health services in the community
  • Experience working as part of an Integrated Care system

Experience

Essential

  • Using Coproduction in service improvement and redesign
  • Quality Improvement/Project Management Experience

Desirable

  • Experience in leading transformation and service development

Personal Statement

Essential

  • Personal statement demonstrates suitability for role

Desirable

  • With examples, personal statement demonstrates values and behaviours consistent with NHFT Leadership behaviours
Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Managing and leading multi-disciplinary teams in a mental health service
  • Band 8a or equivalent experience
  • Registered Mental Health Nurse/Occupational Therapist/Social Worker

Desirable

  • Managing and leading mental health services in the community
  • Experience working as part of an Integrated Care system

Experience

Essential

  • Using Coproduction in service improvement and redesign
  • Quality Improvement/Project Management Experience

Desirable

  • Experience in leading transformation and service development

Personal Statement

Essential

  • Personal statement demonstrates suitability for role

Desirable

  • With examples, personal statement demonstrates values and behaviours consistent with NHFT Leadership behaviours

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.

UK Registration

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

Additional information

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.

UK Registration

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

Employer details

Employer name

Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust

Address

St. Mary's Hospital

London Road

Kettering

NN14 7PW


Employer's website

https://www.nhft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust

Address

St. Mary's Hospital

London Road

Kettering

NN14 7PW


Employer's website

https://www.nhft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


For questions about the job, contact:

Assistant Director

Claire Gibson

claire.gibson@nhft.nhs.uk

07917586176

Date posted

22 April 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£62,215 to £72,293 a year pa pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

270-TG026-ACS

Job locations

St. Mary's Hospital

London Road

Kettering

NN14 7PW


Supporting documents

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