Chief People Officer

Job Summary

The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) is at a pivotal stage in its development, and our next Chief People Officer will play a fundamental role in shaping the future of our workforce, ensuring our people feel valued, supported, and empowered to deliver outstanding care to the communities we serve. Alongside the appointment of Thom Lafferty as our new CEO, this is an exciting opportunity to join our executive team.

This is a crucial time for PAHT as we embark on the development of our new Clinical Strategy and continue our journey towards a state-of-the-art new hospital, a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform healthcare for our community. While construction has been delayed until 2032, our commitment to modernising our services, improving patient care, and fostering a thriving workforce has never been stronger. The Chief People Officer will be instrumental in driving this transformation, ensuring that our people strategy is aligned with our evolving needs and that we remain an employer of choice.

Interviews will take place on Wednesday 23 April 2025.

Main Duties of the Job

As an anchor institution in West Essex, we play a vital role in employment, skills development, and economic growth in the region. We take pride in our position as a lead employer for West Essex, working collaboratively with system partners to build a flexible, skilled, and sustainable workforce that meets the challenges of today and the future. Our new Chief People Officer will lead this agenda, working in partnership to deliver workforce transformation, leadership development, and staff wellbeing initiatives that create a culture of inclusion, collaboration, and excellence.

This role will also be instrumental in delivering national NHS workforce priorities, including the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, the People Promise, and EDI agenda. The successful candidate will champion a compassionate and inclusive culture, ensuring that our people feel supported, engaged, and empowered to develop their careers within a high-performing, forward-thinking organisation.

About Us

We are a district general hospital at the heart of our community, with over 4,000 dedicated staff providing services across The Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, the Herts and Essex Hospital in Bishop's Stortford, and St Margaret's Hospital in Epping. Working closely with our partners across the Herts and West Essex Integrated Care System, we are committed to transforming the way healthcare is delivered to a population of over 500,000 people. Our vision is to be modern, integrated, and outstanding in all that we do, underpinned by our PAHT 2030 strategy and the core values of patient at heart, everyday excellence, and creative collaboration.

Date Posted: 24 February 2025

Pay Scheme: Very senior manager (VSM)

Salary: Depending on experience

Contract: Permanent

Working Pattern: Full-time

Reference Number: 292-6989187-CORP

Job Locations: The Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow, CM20 1DR

Job Description & Responsibilities

We are looking for a dynamic and strategic leader who can bring fresh thinking, strong collaboration, and a clear vision to our people agenda. The successful candidate will have extensive experience in workforce leadership within a complex healthcare or public sector setting, with a track record of driving cultural transformation, workforce modernisation, and financial sustainability. They will be a visible and inspiring leader, with the ability to build strong relationships internally and externally, influencing national and regional workforce policy while ensuring that PAHT remains at the forefront of NHS workforce innovation.

This is a rare opportunity to make a lasting impact on the future of our people, our organisation, and the communities we serve. If you share our ambition and are passionate about shaping the future of workforce leadership in the NHS, we encourage you to speak with our partners at Alumni Global.

Person Specification

Education and Qualification

Essential

1. Education
2. Education

Desirable

1. Education

Experience

Essential

1. Experience
2. Experience

Desirable

1. Experience

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration.

Employer Details

Employer Name: The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust

Address: The Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow, CM20 1DR

Employer's Website: https://www.pah.nhs.uk