Director of Adult Services

We are seeking an experienced and dynamicDirector of Adult Servicesto join our caring and progressive team on a fixed term basis. This is an exceptional opportunity for a senior operational leader with a proven track record of leading complex, diverse services and delivering sustainable improvements across multiple service areas.

The successful candidate will bring extensive operational management experience, demonstrating the ability to provide strategic leadership while maintaining a strong focus on operational performance, quality, patient experience, workforce development and financial sustainability. Experience of leading large multidisciplinary teams across a broad portfolio of services will be essential.

We are a close and supportive team that welcomes fresh thinking, innovation and collaborative leadership. If you can bring a professional approach, strong operational expertise and a commitment to delivering outstanding care, we would love to hear from you.

It is important to us that all our staff are aligned to our Values and, in particular, the behaviours we expect from KCHFT managers. As part of the selection process, applicants will be asked to complete two additional assessment activities alongside the competency-based interview. This extended selection process is designed to assess leadership style, operational decision-making and alignment with our values. Details of the exercises will be provided to shortlisted candidates. The provisional date of the selection event is 23 September 2026, although this may be subject to change.

Could you use your skills and experience to support the NHS to deliver great patient care? Great patient care needs great people to support clinical teams. That's where you come in.

As Director of Adult Services, you will provide strategic and operational leadership across a broad portfolio of adult services, ensuring high standards of performance, quality, patient experience and financial management. You will be responsible for leading multiple services and teams, working collaboratively with clinical and corporate colleagues to deliver organisational objectives and continuous service improvement.

We are looking for a leader with substantial experience of managing complex operational services at scale, who can demonstrate success in driving performance, leading service transformation, developing teams and managing competing priorities within a challenging healthcare environment.

Although NHS experience is advantageous, we welcome applications from senior leaders who can evidence extensive operational leadership across multiple services in other complex organisations. Most importantly, you will share our passion for delivering excellent care and improving outcomes for patients and service users.

This is a challenging and rewarding role that requires resilience, sound judgement and the ability to lead through change. In return, you will have the opportunity to make a significant contribution to the development of adult services and the experience of our patients, service users and staff.

Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust is due to integrate with Medway Community Healthcare on 1 October 2026. Following integration and to align our community services to the new Neighbourhood Model of care delivery, there will be a period of consultation which may result in changes affecting some services, teams or roles. Depending on the area you are applying to work in, this could include potential changes to your role, work base, reporting arrangements, or terms and conditions of employment. Any changes would be subject to consultation and managed sensitively and in line with relevant employment processes. Please do contact the recruiting manager if you have any concerns about this so they can answer any questions you might have.

Rated 'Outstanding' by CQC, we deliver high-quality care that improves the health of our communities. We are looking for people who share our values: Compassionate, Aspirational, Responsive and Excellent.

We are proud to be an inclusive, welcoming organisation and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We use protected characteristic information for monitoring only and it is not seen by recruiting managers, except where applicants choose to be considered under our disability guaranteed interview scheme.

We know life outside work matters.As a flexible working-friendly organisation, we welcome conversations about arrangements that help you thrive while supporting excellent care for our patients.

At KCHFT we strongly encourage colleagues in clinical and non-clinical roles who have direct or social contact with patients to be fully vaccinated. In this way we will be doing all we can to ensure your safety and that of your colleagues and the patients we serve.

Find out more about the community difference here.

Good luck! We can't wait to meet you and welcome you to #teamKCHFT, #cometocommunity.