Associate Director of People Effectiveness

Lead the People Effectiveness portfolio for the UHL Group, bringing together OD, culture, leadership and management development, skills and talent, EDI, Colleague Experience and wellbeing.

• Design and deliver large-scale organisational development and culture change that supports the Group model, strengthens collaboration across hospitals and services, and improves colleague experience.
• Shape a Group-wide leadership and skills offer that builds capability for today's challenges and tomorrow's system leadership - from first-line managers to Senior leaders.
• Champion a whole-organisation approach to colleague experience, ensuring inclusion, equity, wellbeing and psychological safety are embedded into how work is designed and led.
• Use people data, insight and evidence to understand organisational challenges, prioritise interventions and demonstrate impact.
• Act as a trusted senior advisor and thinking partner to the executive team and senior leaders on organisational effectiveness, change and systems working.
• Lead, develop and grow a high-performing People Effectiveness team, aligned to the new People Shared Service and capable of working at enterprise scale.
• Ensure strong alignment with statutory, regulatory and professional requirements, while keeping the focus on what really makes a difference to people and patients.
• Represent the Group across regional and national networks, influencing and learning as part of the wider NHS and public sector system., · Lead translation of Liverpool 2030 and Group strategy into a 3-5 year People Effectiveness roadmap and annual priorities with clear outcomes and measures.
· Provide senior advice and support to Hospital Leadership and Corporate Leadership teams on organisational readiness, leadership capability, culture and workforce risks. · Ensure People Effectiveness priorities align to the strengthened Group operating model, corporate services redesign and major transformation programmes. · Support the Group Chief People Officer and Senior People Leadership Team in delivering Group-wide cultural improvement priorities and the national People Strategy, ensuring alignment with emerging national directives and NHS England expectations. Ensure effective implementation of national NHS People initiatives across UHLG, providing assurance that required standards and performance targets are met. Governance, Assurance and Performance Management · Establish governance structures for People Effectiveness programmes (e.g., programme boards, assurance reviews and executive reporting). · Define and monitor KPIs and dashboards, including leading and lagging indicators (culture, leadership capability, engagement, retention, inclusion and skills). · Provide regular reporting to relevant Executive/ Hospital / Corporate / People committees, identifying risks, mitigations and decisions required. · Lead performance improvement activity across People Effectiveness functions, embedding continuous improvement methodologies, customer feedback loops, and KPI-driven service enhancement. · Provide assurance to external bodies (e.g., CQC, NHSE) on cultural, leadership and organisational development standards, ensuring compliance with regulatory expectations. Operating Model and Partnership with Hospital People Teams · Work to clear accountabilities between the People Effectiveness Centre of Expertise and Hospital People Teams, ensuring strong "design authority" and effective local delivery. · Ensure Hospital People Teams have practical toolkits, interventions and implementation support to embed frameworks locally. · Build feedback loops so local intelligence informs Group priorities and continuous improvement. · Develop strong relationships with Senior Leaders and hospital-based People teams to translate strategy into practical action, ensuring interventions are accessible, usable and embedded. · Build effective partnerships with system and external partners, suppliers and regional networks critical to People Effectiveness delivery and workforce development. Organisational Development, Culture and Behavioural Change · Set Group-wide expectations for culture and leadership behaviors aligned to UHLG values and Liverpool 2030 ambitions. · Sponsor and assure culture diagnostics, leadership team development and behavioural change programmes in priority areas. · Provide senior oversight for complex change programmes, ensuring robust engagement, psychological safety and change readiness. · Embed a culture of continuous improvement across People and Organisational Effectiveness / cultural development activity, using structured performance tools, diagnostics and feedback mechanisms. · Build OD and Effectiveness capacity and capability across UHLG through coaching, facilitation and development of Senior and local leaders. · Work with People Leadership Teams to assurance that cultural improvement plans are in place across hospitals and that organisational culture and Colleague Experience targets (including CQC-relevant cultural measures) are actively monitored. Leadership, Talent, Learning, Skills and Capability · Provide leadership oversight of leadership development, talent management and succession planning for priority and critical roles. · Ensure learning, education and skills plans are aligned to emerging service models and workforce transformation, including values-based development and leadership standards. · Work with education, clinical and corporate partners to ensure workforce capability meets current and future needs. · Drive the Group approach to coaching and mentoring, through the Leadership Learning and skills portfolio, ensuring a consistent, high-quality offer that supports leadership and talent pipelines. · Provide oversight of statutory/mandatory training frameworks where they interface with People Effectiveness (working with Group L&D/education leads to ensure compliance). · Strengthen talent management capability across the Group by embedding competency-based development approaches where appropriate. Colleague Experience, Wellbeing, Engagement and Retention · Provide senior oversight of Staff Survey governance, engagement and listening strategies; ensure intelligence drives action. · Develop and ensure delivery of a comprehensive wellbeing and staff support offer in partnership with Occupational Health, trade unions and external providers - Ensuring retention and wellbeing strategies are evidence-based, targeted and measured. · Monitor workforce risk areas and coordinate rapid response with Hospital People Teams. · Lead the People Experience function, ensuring consistent engagement with seldom-heard groups and using insight to influence Group-wide priorities and interventions - Based on the needs and wants of our diverse, multi-generational workforce. Inclusion and Equality · Provide visible leadership for equity, diversity and inclusion across all People Effectiveness programmes, ensuring EDI principles are fully embedded in policies, interventions and Group People processes. · Demonstrate Leadership and support for the Head of EDI to provide and mainstream Equality and Diversity good practice into all areas of the People Effectiveness and Group People agenda and associated plans. · Ensure equity and inclusion outcomes are embedded across all People programmes and local People plans, through Equality Impact assessments and framework. · Provide oversight of improvement trajectories (e.g., WRES/WDES-style measures) and ensure clear actions and accountability. Leadership and Line Management · Line manage senior specialist Heads of Service within the People Effectiveness portfolio (e.g., Heads of Service) as delegated. · Build a psychologically safe, high-performing specialist team culture aligned to UHLG values. · Role model collaborative, inclusive leadership and effective system influence. Professional advice and guidance to managers and key stakeholders · Deliver professional and a high-quality consultancy service that establishes and provides the link between the required strategic and operational outcomes and effective people solutions. · Ensure the service responds and provides expert advice in the interpretation of the People priorities within the Liverpool 2030 Strategy and local People plans and objectives. · Support the commitment to a positive employee relations climate, ensuring that effective consultation forums and staff involvement principles are supported by the People Effectiveness leads, to promote and maintain productive partnership working with staff and trade unions · Ensure the People Effectiveness service operates on customer service principles, supporting Leaders / Managers and colleagues through high-quality professional consultancy and evidence-based People solutions. Development and Implementation of specific Policy and Project areas. · Work with the central People Operations/ People Effectiveness and Local People teams to develop integrated and accessible People policies that achieve a balance between individual aspirations, external stakeholders and organisational requirements. · Contribute to development of communication and consultation frameworks for organisational change, ensuring accessible, consistent and high-quality colleague engagement approaches across UHLG. · Ensure recognition and reward principles are reflected within OD, culture and People Experience plans where appropriate. · Contribute to the development and implementation of effective consultation frameworks and engagement approaches within organisational change processes and practices. · Contribute to the development of the Workforce Plan, development of skills and career paths required to support new ways of working and enhanced roles in the Trust. Review alongside new roles and educational pathways (e.g. Apprenticeships) to ensure the organisation has access to staff with the correct values and behaviours. · Work in partnership with regional and national teams and plans to meet the requirements of the future workforce and NHS 10 year plan. Financial Stewardship · Prepare and present business cases and investment proposals relating to People Effectiveness, ensuring effective use of resources and alignment to strategic priorities. · Provide oversight of external OD/EDI/L&D partner contracts and SLAs, ensuring value for money and effective supplier performance. · Oversight and management of Multi-strand People Effectiveness budget including assurance of appropriate spend and associated benefits and impact.


• Experience leading cultural change and organisational development programmes at scale within a complex environment."
• Experience designing or overseeing performance improvement approaches within People/OD functions.
• Experience engaging seldom-heard staff groups and using staff insight to shape organisational priorities.
• Substantial broad-based senior manager experience gained within a large complex organisation
• Experience of managing and developing staff
• Experience of working with Board Level colleagues in pursuit of Organisational objectives
• Proven track record of implementing employment initiatives within a complex environment
• Demonstrable experience of managing change programmes in a complex environment
• Experience of managing staff and organisational performance issues, Working knowledge of current employment law and best practice
• Knowledge of competency-based development frameworks and how these support talent and leadership pipelines.
• Understanding of recognition and reward principles and how they contribute to culture and employee experience.
• Awareness of key NHS Strategic plan and frameworks, modernisation, planning and delivery processes
• Knowledge of role redesign and changing workforce processes
• Strategic, customer focus and practical understanding of the relationship between People strategy & policy and business objectives
• Knowledge of OD / EDI / Colleague Experience strategies and national principles and guidance.
• Knowledge of good practice in ED&I, Effective leadership skills that inspire others to achieve and exceed objectives
• Highly developed coaching and facilitation skills to build capability across leadership teams and Senior managers.
• Ability to lead organisations through rapid change, ensuring change readiness and psychological safety.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Ability to build credibility quickly and sustain it
• Excellent organisation skills with the ability to respond effectively to multiple priorities
• Ability to work in a climate of rapid change and in a matrix framework of delivery
• Political awareness and ability to influence and work with stakeholders at all levels
• Effective negotiation and influencing skills
• Project Management skills, Demonstrates strong systems-thinking capability, understanding how People Effectiveness contributes to high-quality healthcare outcomes.
• Flexible and willing to commit to achieving results and meeting deadlines
• Sets high standards and motivated to achieve these
• Initiative - sees opportunities and acts on them - proactive rather than reactive approach
• Responds positively to a team ethos with a focus on the achievement of organisational goals.
• Able to adapt style to the needs of a diverse environment
• Has high degree of personal integrity
• Is able to stand back and think about the broader perspective in order to identify the best way forward
• Focuses on how People Effectiveness can contribute to high quality healthcare
• Demonstrates the drive and passion to deliver to a standard of excellence, realising opportunities and striving for improvement.
• Commitment to customer service principles and standards within a People Shared Service model
• Commitment to the principles of modern employment practices
• Commitment to mainstream equality & diversity through People Policies, Procedures and Services., CIPD, first degree or equivalent qualifications, Masters level qualification in relevant topic or equivalent, Evidence of continuing professional development, Coaching / mentoring qualification., Formal Project Management Training
  
  This role sits at the heart of a defining phase for the UHL Group, shaping how people, culture and leadership drive success now and for the future. As we deliver the University Hospitals of Liverpool 2030 strategy, establish the UHL Group model, and embed a new Group People Shared Service, we are seeking an Associate Director of People Effectiveness to help shape how a large, complex and diverse workforce experiences work, leadership and change.
This role is about how we organise, lead, develop and support our people so they can deliver outstanding care now and into the future. You will lead a broad portfolio spanning organisational development, culture and engagement, leadership and skills, colleague experience, wellbeing, EDI, workforce transformation and people analytics, creating the conditions where people can thrive. Working closely with executive leaders, hospital leadership teams and system partners, you will translate strategy into lived experience-ensuring Liverpool 2030 is felt in how people are led, how change happens, and how it feels to work across the Group. Interviews will take place on 13th May and will include a presentation., NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group (UHL Group) was formed on 1 November 2024, born from a shared aim to improve the care we provide our communities. We are one of the largest employers in region, with over 18,900 colleagues who are dedicated to caring for our communities - from birth and beyond. For the 630,000 people across Merseyside, we are their local NHS. We provide general and emergency hospital care, alongside highly specialised regional services that extend to more than two million people in the North West. We operate from five hospital sites: Aintree University Hospital is the single receiving site for adult major trauma patients in Cheshire and Merseyside, and hosts a number of regional services including an award-winning stroke facility. Broadgreen Hospital is home to several elective surgical, diagnostic and treatment services, together with specialist patient rehabilitation. Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital provide specialist services in cardiothoracic surgery, cardiology and respiratory medicine, both in the hospital and out in the community. Liverpool Women's Hospital specialises in the health of women and babies, delivering over 7,200 babies in the UK's largest single site maternity hospital each year. The Royal Liverpool University Hospital is the largest hospital in the country to provide inpatients with 100% single en-suite bedrooms and mainly focuses on complex planned care and specialist services.

Note: Under current Home Office Immigration Rules we are currently unable to offer right to work visa sponsorship for Band 2 and 3 roles with a salary of less than £25,000 pa as they do not meet the UK Visas & Immigration criteria. Only those applicants who demonstrate clearly how they meet our person specification will be shortlisted for interview. We reserve the right to close any vacancies from further applications when we have received a minimum number of applications from which to make a shortlist. Please ensure you apply without delay if you wish to be considered for this role. Candidates applying for the role of Healthcare Assistant on the staff bank should note that due to the nature of the role, workers must be aged 18 or above when commencing in post. Applicants are therefore welcome from those aged over 18 or within 3 months' of their 18^th birthday. The Trust is committed to promoting a healthy work-life balance and achieve fair, equitable and consistent practice. We welcome flexible working requests and will consider a variety of flexible working arrangements from day one of your employment. Not all roles are suitable for every flexible working opportunity all of the time. Flexible working options may include reduced hours, compressed hours, fixed shifts, time back in lieu and home working. The Trust is committed to promoting equality and diversity; we value the contribution of individual talent, skills, knowledge and experience and aim for a workforce demography representative of the local community. We encourage applicants from the following groups that are currently under-represented in our workforce black, Asian and minority ethnic, lesbian, gay, bisexual and Transgender (LGBTQ+), disabled, male and age 16-24. Trust policy requires that the cost of submitting & processing the successful applicant/s DBS application be recovered via salary deduction following start in post. The amount of £26.50 (standard disclosure) or £54.50 (enhanced disclosure) will be deducted from salary, in manageable monthly instalments for up to 3 months following commencement of employment. Bank posts require upfront payment. From April 2017, Skilled visa applicants and their adult dependant(s) will be required to provide a criminal record certificate from each country they have lived in consecutively for 12 months or more in the past ten years. Applicants requiring sponsorship may wish to determine the likelihood of obtaining sponsorship for this position by assessing themselves against the criteria on the gov.uk website - https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa. This organisation has a zero-tolerance approach to the abuse of children, young people and vulnerable adults. All staff must ensure they adhere to the organisations safeguarding children and adults' policy and comply with the Local Safeguarding Children and Adult Board procedures. Staff should be mindful of their responsibility to safeguard children and adults in any activity performed on behalf of the organisation in line with the requirements of statutory guidance and legislation. All employees (and volunteers)are expected maintain their safeguarding knowledge and skills by completing mandatory safeguarding training which includes understanding and recognising the signs of abuse and neglect and taking appropriate action. As an organisation, we have adopted the Merseyside Domestic abuse workplace scheme which supports our staff who are experiencing Domestic Abuse /any forms of sexual violence. If you have any personal requirements that will enable you to participate in our recruitment process please contact a member of the Recruitment Services by phone on at the earliest opportunity to ensure that measures can be put in place to enable your application for this post. Please note: new entrants to the NHS will commence on the first pay point of the relevant band.