Deputy Director Transformation Strategy Unit

The Transformation Directorate of NHS England is responsible for delivering a transformed, technology-enabled future for the NHS. We run technology services on which patients and staff depend every day, and we deliver one of the most complex change programmes in government – building services ranging from the NHS App to the Federated Data Platform to ensuring hospitals have electronic patient record systems.

But we know there is the potential to go much further, to fully embrace the opportunities of technology-enabled transformation, to fundamentally rethink and redesign services, and to bring technology teams together with the rest of the NHS. This job is at the heart of that mission.

The job of the Deputy Director of Transformation Strategy is to design, articulate, and bring to life a tech-enabled vision for the future, and to then work with the rest of the organisation to bring it to life – ensuring better and more sustainable outcomes for patients.

You will work alongside the Finance and Portfolio Office teams of the Directorate, meaning you can play an active role in shaping our investment, prioritisation, and programme management decisions. Through this partnership, the role of the Transformation Strategy, Finance, and Delivery sub directorate is to set the strategy for transforming the system, and to line up investment and programme delivery decisions behind it. This will include leading our input into the forthcoming 10 Year Plan.

1. Lead the design of the overall transformation strategy for the NHS;
2. Drive the integration of technology, digital, data, and improvement with wider NHS England strategy, policy, and delivery, helping shift the NHS to be a fully tech-enabled service;
3. Work very closely with wider NHS England, DHSC, and System colleagues in order to ensure the transformation strategy is aligned with operational and other priorities, and to ensure transformation is a whole-team effort;
4. Ensure alignment with broader strategic objectives and priorities, including collaborating with the NHS England Strategy team, Life Sciences & Innovation Strategy team, and Data Strategy team;
5. Lead Transformation input into the development of national strategies such as the Long Term Workforce Plan or 10 Year Plan, setting out a powerful vision for a technology-enabled future;
6. Build partnerships with external organisations and stakeholders, including system leaders and patients, ensuring we build the strategy collaboratively and make best use of all available evidence and expertise;
7. Work closely with colleagues across Transformation, notably in the Finance and Transformation Portfolio Office teams, in order to embed the strategy through programme delivery and financial allocations.

The NHS England board have set out the top-level purpose for the new organisation to lead the NHS in England to deliver high-quality services for all, which will inform the detailed design work and we will achieve this purpose by:

1. Enabling local systems and providers to improve the health of their people and patients and reduce health inequalities.
2. Making the NHS a great place to work, where our people can make a difference and achieve their potential.
3. Working collaboratively to ensure our healthcare workforce has the right knowledge, skills, values and behaviours to deliver accessible, compassionate care.
4. Optimising the use of digital technology, research, and innovation.
5. Delivering value for money.

If you would like to know more or require further information, please visit NHS England.

Colleagues with a contractual office base are expected to spend, on average, at least 40% of their time working in-person.

Staff recruited from outside the NHS will usually be appointed at the bottom of the pay band.

NHS England hold a Sponsor Licence; this means that we may be able to sponsor you providing the Home Office requirements are met. To be eligible for sponsorship through the Skilled Worker route you’ll usually need to be paid the ‘standard’ salary rate of at least £38,700 per year, or the ‘going rate’ for your job, whichever is higher.

The successful candidate will need exceptional strategy development, leadership, communication, and collaboration skills in order to ensure the NHS as a whole buys into the vision and comes together to deliver it. You will also need to have experience of putting strategies into delivery, and of tackling cross-cutting problems, not to mention real ambition and vision for the future of the NHS.

The post holder must be able to work at pace in an environment of unparalleled complexity, and to bring together big picture thinking with programme delivery in order to not only set the vision but also play a role in executing it. The successful candidate can expect a high level of senior exposure, including to the Executive of NHS England, and should expect engagement with system leaders to be a regular part of the role.

This role has the potential to make a huge difference to the future of the NHS. It would be perfect for someone who likes to ‘get their hands dirty’ and to co-create a vision for the future.

1. Expert knowledge and experience of developing business transformation strategies and plans which take advantage of technology and/or operational improvement methodologies.
2. In depth expert knowledge acquired over a significant period of time in the following areas:

• Health or care service transformation
• Digital health technology
• Digital transformation
• Transformation of business processes using technology-based approaches

• Understanding of the benefits, challenges and barriers to implementing strategies
• And understanding of how to benchmark, appraise, and prioritise strategic options

Following shortlisting, candidates will be invited to a Staff Engagement Exercise at which they will be asked to give a brief presentation and lead a 30-minute discussion with colleagues from the Directorate. Further guidance has been provided - please refer to the supporting document.

The second stage will be a standard panel interview lasting approximately 50 minutes which includes candidates giving a brief presentation.

You can find further details about the job, in the attached Job Description and other supporting documents.

Please note this job vacancy is based in either Wellington Place, Leeds LS1 4AP, Wellington House, London SE1 8UG.