Care Group Director (Planned Care)

We're now seeking an exceptional Director of Planned Care to join our Executive leadership team and help shape the next chapter of our organisation., Reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer, you will lead our Planned Care Group, providing strategic and operational leadership across community mental health services, talking therapies, outreach and other planned care pathways. Working in partnership with senior clinical leaders, you will be accountable for operational performance, quality, finance, workforce, transformation and governance, ensuring our services continue to improve outcomes whilst delivering exceptional care closer to home. This is a role with significant influence across the organisation and wider North Central London system, offering the opportunity to shape services, develop partnerships and improve the lives of the communities we serve.

We're looking for an inspiring, collaborative and values-led executive leader who can demonstrate:

• Significant senior operational leadership experience within a large, complex healthcare organisation.
• A track record of delivering high-quality services alongside sustained operational and financial improvement.
• Experience leading large multidisciplinary teams through transformation and organisational change.
• Strong partnership working across integrated care systems, local authorities and wider health and care partners.
• Excellent strategic thinking, political awareness and the ability to influence at Board and system level.
• A commitment to equality, inclusion and reducing health inequalities for diverse communities.
• The ability to create compassionate, high-performing cultures where colleagues feel empowered to deliver their very best., Educated to Masters' level or equivalent experience at board level
• Postgraduate or Leadership/ management qualification, Substantial and relevant Proven experience at senior management level with responsibility for operations in complex health/social care setting (service director or equivalent)
• Experience and evidence of delivering high standards of performance to achieve national and local targets within a complex healthcare setting
• Experience of business planning in complex organisations
• Strong knowledge and experience of complex finance and budgetary planning, management and cost improvement
• Experience of managing large-scale organisational change in a complex environment
• Experience of delivering efficiency and productivity targets at operational level
• Experience of working effectively in partnership with other organisations
• Experience of dealing with difficult situations including the resolution of conflict and influencing others to accept demanding outcomes
• Demonstratable knowledge of the relationship between the department of Health, NHSE/I and ICS
• Experience of operational planning with a track record of delivery to deadlines
• Significant experience and evidence of creative strategic thinking.
• Recent evidence and experience of positive leadership skills and the ability to transform and lead a team to work effectively together.
• Experience of translating strategic goals into effective operational plans and objectives
• Substantial and relevant senior management experience in a key healthcare operational role.
• Demonstrate achievements in improving patient care, meeting NHS targets and managing within budgets., Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills necessary to establish and maintain
• Ability to anticipate and plan for change
• Demonstrate an ability to lead and motivate individuals and teams
• Highly numerate and high level of analytical/problem solving skills, High levels of resilience, tenacity, self-belief in own abilities and integrity
• Team worker as well as individual achiever
• Able to manage a range of responsibilities at the same time, giving priority to all dimensions of the role appropriately, and meeting necessary deadlines
• Supportive, caring, respectful
• Must have operational experience working in a MH setting, and have sound understanding of the NHS current legislation, national strategy and regulatory frameworks.
• Proven ability to be intellectually flexible and to be able to look beyond existing processes and ways of working to produce more effective service delivery.
• Specialist knowledge and experience is required over a large number of specialties to include Human Resources, Finance, Performance Management, Planning and Communications in additional to extensive operational management knowledge
• Demonstrable understanding of quality and risk management issues and standards, Evidence of a sound understanding in operational management continuous improvement methodologies
• Experience of working with multi- agency committees and establishing relationships with external organisations
  
  North London NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest and most ambitious mental health providers in the country. Formed in November 2024 following the merger of Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust and Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust, we serve a diverse population of 1.8 million people across five London boroughs with an annual turnover of over £670 million and more than 6,000 colleagues., Why North London Foundation Trust?
This is far more than an operational leadership role. You'll be joining an ambitious Executive Team committed to delivering our vision of Better Mental Health. Better Lives. Better Communities. You'll help shape services across one of the most diverse populations in the country whilst leading transformation, innovation and continuous improvement at scale. If you're motivated by making a genuine difference to patients, communities and colleagues, we'd love to hear from you.