Job summary
We are seeking an interpersonally talented and strategic bridge-builder, to join our Trust board in the exciting new post of Director for Lived Experience.
The post holder will be responsible for establishing and maintaining the highest levels of Lived Experience Practice and amplifying the voice of those using services within decision-making at all levels of the organisation.
This post will become Trust Recovery Lead, building on nearly a decade of co-produced led development of recovery focused work across our local healthcare system, which has involved the recruitment and development of explicit lived experience roles within the workforce (including leadership positions); co-production developments/consultation, and our well established, peer-led Wellbeing and Recovery College.
Much learning has taken place during this time, and we currently find ourselves at a new juncture with decisions needed around the next chapter and the sustainability of this work. The Trust is seeking to structurally embed this work within all that we do, and hence is committing to this Board level Directorship. The aim is for this post to provide leadership for lived experience practice; bring the experiential lens to Trust Board decision-making, and facilitate the cultural changes needed to infuse and propagate best practice around shared decision-making, so it can become evident at every level, from Board to the ward and therapy/treatment room.
Main duties of the job
The successful candidate will be highly skilled and experienced in lived experience practice with significant experience working strategically, and with a good understanding of organisational complexities within the NHS and a willingness to work collaboratively within this setting. They will have personal experience of life-altering health condition(s), with considerable use of secondary health services, in which they have experienced significant power imbalances.
You will be supported in this role by senior colleagues who have been part of the co-produced developments of the last years.
This is an exciting opportunity for advancing lived experience leadership at the highest level and we believe the first such Trust Board Directorship in the NHS.
If you have the skills, experiences and enthusiasm to step into this role and to support our Trust in the next chapter of our journey, your application is warmly welcome.
If you are interested in this post, please submit any questions to LE.Director@mpft.nhs.uk by 14 December. A Q&A video, answering the questions will be sent to all who have requested this by 19 December and a transcript of the video will be attached to the advertisement, to assist all ahead of the application closing date, 8 January. Short-listing will be completed by week ending 13 January. All short-listed candidates will be offered the opportunity for individual informal discussion ahead of the interviews, which are planned for 30 January, in-person in Stafford.
About us
Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, is an award winning organisation with 9000+ staff and one of the largest integrated Health and Social Care providers, covering services in Staffordshire, Shropshire and across the UK.
Demonstrating our strong commitment to EDI and in context of our objective aligned to the growth of diversity across the workforce; we are particularly seeking applications from individuals who may be from under-represented groups, such as black, Asian or other ethnic groups, individuals with a disability, or LGBTQ+ who meet the specific criteria.
We are embedding values based and inclusive recruitment practices to ensure that all applicants, from any backgrounds, have an equal chance of success in achieving a role with us.
We pride ourselves on staff wellbeing and development and offer:
SOOTHE resources - supporting physical, mental and financial health. In addition to the support offered from our OH provider TP Health
Counselling support and lifestyle information with advice on personal matters
"In our Gift", a platform for your voice to be heard to inform change
Opportunity to purchase additional leave
Opportunities for flexible working (role dependent)
Career development opportunities/coaching plus access to training programs
Innovative research training program -Supporting the advancement of Research Skill
Child Care Vouchers Scheme
Recognition and engagement through staff LOVE and long service awards & Engagement Surveys
NHS discounts available
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description and personal specification for the Director for Lived Experience role.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description and personal specification for the Director for Lived Experience role.
Person Specification
Education, Qualifications and Training
Essential
- Educated to Masters degree level or equivalent level of experience of working at a senior level in a senior, strategic LXP role
- Coaching and/or facilitative approach in supporting others
- Leaderships skills
- Evidence of continuing professional and personal development
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Experience of a life altering health condition, with significant use of secondary health services in which significant power imbalances have been experienced
- A rich training or significant experience in utilising own lived experience in leadership/strategic roles
- An ability to highly skilfully utilise own lived- experience at a senior level, to communicate this approach effectively and proven ability of developing systems to support this
- To have a deep understanding of power dynamics and an ability to understand and identify how these play out in a large organisation
- Able to demonstrate how has previously used lived experience in roles to develop lived experience workforce or broker spaces for co-production
- To have a strong strategic vision aligned to core purpose of role and able to demonstrate skills to communicate and implement that vision
- Able to maintain awareness of strategic aims and not lose sight of this in the detail
- Experience of working at or near Board level within a complex organisation and advising on highly complex matters
- Track record in delivering and implementing strategic developments within the NHS or across a complex business
- Experience of capacity planning and translating organisation strategy and vision into operational objectives
- To fully understand coproduction and to support the organisation in moving toward this way of working
- Demonstrable experience of building, maintaining, and utilising successful relationships with all people of different backgrounds within complex organisations
- An understanding of healthcare planning process and key national healthcare issues
- Demonstrate strong and credible leadership in being able to pull people together across multiple background teams and motivate them to deliver common aims and targets
- Demonstrate significant experience of situational leadership, human resource management and people development.
Desirable
- Knowledge of the strategic direction of the local health economy
- Knowledge and experience of handling the media
Leadership and Management Skills
Essential
- Highly effective communication skills - must be able to articulate complex issues to a wide range of recipients, both written and verbally
- Excellent interpersonal skills with ability to come along side people and services to facilitate change
- Excellent presentation skills with the ability to engage and influence diverse audiences
- Able to utilise information technology as required to fulfil the role
Behaviours and Values
Essential
- Flexibility in working patterns to meet the needs of the service
- Able to participate as a team member
- Able to demonstrate ways in which have supported or been mindful of own wellbeing in previous roles
- Is of good health and character as per Fit and Proper Person Regulations requirements
- Willing to accept additional responsibilities as delegated by senior staff
- Displays Trust Values
- Able and willing to travel across the Trust, and as necessary, to fulfil the requirements of the role
Personal attributes
Essential
- Compassion and empathy
- A desire to reduce power dynamics
- Courageous
- Awareness of the complex issues of working across organisations and disciplines
- A desire to build and sustain a lived experience workforce
- Ability to work with high degree of autonomy and use own initiative
- Ability to work flexibly and adapt quickly to changes/managing competing priorities
- Drive to achieve high quality of work with significant attention to detail
- Ability to critically analyse and manage own work
- Exercise tact and diplomacy
Person Specification
Education, Qualifications and Training
Essential
- Educated to Masters degree level or equivalent level of experience of working at a senior level in a senior, strategic LXP role
- Coaching and/or facilitative approach in supporting others
- Leaderships skills
- Evidence of continuing professional and personal development
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Experience of a life altering health condition, with significant use of secondary health services in which significant power imbalances have been experienced
- A rich training or significant experience in utilising own lived experience in leadership/strategic roles
- An ability to highly skilfully utilise own lived- experience at a senior level, to communicate this approach effectively and proven ability of developing systems to support this
- To have a deep understanding of power dynamics and an ability to understand and identify how these play out in a large organisation
- Able to demonstrate how has previously used lived experience in roles to develop lived experience workforce or broker spaces for co-production
- To have a strong strategic vision aligned to core purpose of role and able to demonstrate skills to communicate and implement that vision
- Able to maintain awareness of strategic aims and not lose sight of this in the detail
- Experience of working at or near Board level within a complex organisation and advising on highly complex matters
- Track record in delivering and implementing strategic developments within the NHS or across a complex business
- Experience of capacity planning and translating organisation strategy and vision into operational objectives
- To fully understand coproduction and to support the organisation in moving toward this way of working
- Demonstrable experience of building, maintaining, and utilising successful relationships with all people of different backgrounds within complex organisations
- An understanding of healthcare planning process and key national healthcare issues
- Demonstrate strong and credible leadership in being able to pull people together across multiple background teams and motivate them to deliver common aims and targets
- Demonstrate significant experience of situational leadership, human resource management and people development.
Desirable
- Knowledge of the strategic direction of the local health economy
- Knowledge and experience of handling the media
Leadership and Management Skills
Essential
- Highly effective communication skills - must be able to articulate complex issues to a wide range of recipients, both written and verbally
- Excellent interpersonal skills with ability to come along side people and services to facilitate change
- Excellent presentation skills with the ability to engage and influence diverse audiences
- Able to utilise information technology as required to fulfil the role
Behaviours and Values
Essential
- Flexibility in working patterns to meet the needs of the service
- Able to participate as a team member
- Able to demonstrate ways in which have supported or been mindful of own wellbeing in previous roles
- Is of good health and character as per Fit and Proper Person Regulations requirements
- Willing to accept additional responsibilities as delegated by senior staff
- Displays Trust Values
- Able and willing to travel across the Trust, and as necessary, to fulfil the requirements of the role
Personal attributes
Essential
- Compassion and empathy
- A desire to reduce power dynamics
- Courageous
- Awareness of the complex issues of working across organisations and disciplines
- A desire to build and sustain a lived experience workforce
- Ability to work with high degree of autonomy and use own initiative
- Ability to work flexibly and adapt quickly to changes/managing competing priorities
- Drive to achieve high quality of work with significant attention to detail
- Ability to critically analyse and manage own work
- Exercise tact and diplomacy
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.
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).
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.
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).
