Group Director of Transformation and Digital

Job Summary

We are a newly formed group model across Ashford and St Peter's NHS Foundation Trust and Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust brought together by our shared ambition for improving health outcomes for our communities. We are seeking to recruit to the role of Group Director of Transformation and Digital and this is the first jointly appointed executive group role after the Chief Executive.

This is a pivotal leadership appointment for our Trusts that will help us to realise our future potential. The successful candidate will play a central part in shaping and delivering transformation across our organisations. As a key member of the executive teams in both organisations, they will be responsible for the development and implementation of strategic transformation plans, including the group's digital roadmap.

Closing date for applications is: Sunday 4th May 2025.

Following a long list meeting of the Selection Panel, successful candidates will be invited to attend preliminary interviews with Odgers Berndtson w/c 5th and 12th May 2025. The final interview process with Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust will take place on Monday 2nd June 2025.

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND HOW TO APPLY

The preferred method of application is online at: www.odgers.com/93640. Or please call Donna Fendick on 020 7529 6314 for further discussion in confidence about this opportunity.

Main duties of the job

We are seeking a candidate with the vision and ambition to lead us through this next phase in the transformation of how we deliver our services. At its heart, the successful candidate will play a key role in helping us to identify improvement opportunities to enhance patient experience and clinical outcomes whilst delivering greater efficiency and supporting the financial sustainability of both organisations. From horizon-scanning, the development of strategic transformation plans and the adoption of health innovation tools, this role is also very practical, ensuring that these improvements make an impact on the front line of clinical service delivery.

About Us

In October 2024, the boards of Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust agreed to form a group model - bringing together two high-performing organisations with shared geography, overlapping populations, and complementary expertise.

While both organisations remain independent - with their own executive teams, boards, and councils of governors - this model allows us to work more closely to deliver better care, create new opportunities for our people, and respond to the challenges facing the NHS with greater scale and pace.

This isn't a merger or acquisition. There are no plans to close services or hospitals. Our group model is about clinically-led collaboration that improves consistency, accelerates improvement, and supports innovation across both trusts - while maintaining strong local leadership and accountability. In January 2025, Louise Stead was appointed as Group Chief Executive to oversee this new phase of partnership.

A Joint Transformation Committee has also been established to shape the group's strategic direction and drive shared priorities. We're already seeing the benefits of coming together. From the new Surrey Surgical Centre at Ashford Hospital to the recently refurbished Cancer Centre at Royal Surrey, we're delivering ambitious, patient-focused projects as a collective. Clinical and corporate teams across both trusts are working together.

Date posted

08 April 2025

Pay scheme

Very senior manager (VSM)

Salary

Depending on experience

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

323-SM3887-LM

Job locations

Ashford and St Peters Hospitals & Royal Surrey sites, Chertsey / Guildford, KT16 0PZ

Job Description

Job responsibilities

The successful post-holder will bring excellent leadership and influencing skills with the capability to work across all parts of our organisations as well as with the local health and social care system to drive forward collaborative programmes of change.

Person Specification

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. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.

Employer details

Employer name: Ashford & St. Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address: Ashford and St Peters Hospitals & Royal Surrey sites, Chertsey / Guildford, KT16 0PZ

Employer's website: https://www.ashfordstpeters.nhs.uk/