Head of External Affairs

We are seeking a senior and experienced individual to lead our external affairs function. Reporting to the Managing Director and working closely with the Executive Group, you will shape and deliver a clear, coherent approach to external engagement across regional, national and international stakeholders. This is a strategic role focused on system positioning, stakeholder engagement and partnership development. You will build senior relationships across NHS, academia, government and industry, supporting LHP to operate as a recognised front door for health and life sciences collaboration., Develop and lead a coherent external affairs strategy aligned to LHP's system ambitions and priorities. Support the Managing Director and Executive Group in positioning LHP as the recognised convenor for health and life sciences across the city region. Shape and articulate a clear, consistent system narrative across partners, ensuring alignment in external messaging and positioning. To lead the development and implementation of LHP's communications plan and activities for managing the relationship with local leaders in the system (politicians, academic leaders, NHS leaders etc). Build and maintain senior relationships across NHS, academia, local government, industry and national bodies. Act as a key interface between LHP and external stakeholders, ensuring coordinated and strategic engagement. Lead the development of strategic approaches to influencing regional and national policy, investment and partnership opportunities. Coordinate LHP's role in major system opportunities including national initiatives, industry partnerships and regional growth agendas. Provide senior support to the Managing Director and Executive Group on external affairs, stakeholder strategy and engagement planning. Contribute to briefings, positioning papers and strategic communications for senior leaders Ensure effective coordination of external engagement activity across the partnership

You will have significant experience within the health and life sciences sector, strong political awareness and the ability to operate credibly at senior level. Experience of working with major industry partners and an understanding of research and innovation, including clinical trials, is essential,

• Degree or equivalent and subsequent experience in a related field
• Masters degree/postgraduate qualification in a related field, Significant experience in external affairs, stakeholder engagement or strategic partnerships within health, life sciences, public sector or related environments
• Experience of working at a senior level within complex multi partner systems
• Experience engaging with senior stakeholders across NHS, academia, government and industry
• Experience supporting organisational or system level positioning, influence or reputation
• Experience working across the research, innovation and translation pipeline
Desirable criteria
• Experience within the UK health and life sciences ecosystem, including clinical trials and commercial research
• Experience engaging with major industry partners including large pharmaceutical organisations and SMEs, High levels of political awareness, judgement and credibility
• Ability to operate effectively at a senior level with confidence and authority
• Excellent relationship building and influencing skills across complex stakeholder groups
• Strong strategic thinking and ability to translate vision into coordinated action
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including preparation of senior briefings
• Ability to convene, align and facilitate across organisational boundaries
Desirable criteria
• Facilitation and negotiation skills
• Ability to manage ambiguity and shape emerging opportunities
  
  Liverpool Health Partners is the Academic Health Science System for the Liverpool City Region, bringing together NHS, academic, industry and civic partners to deliver research, innovation and improved health outcomes., Liverpool Health Partners is the Academic Health Science System for the Liverpool City region, convening NHS, academic, civic and industry partners to deliver health, economic and societal benefit.
The Head of External Affairs is a leadership role responsible for shaping and delivering LHP's external relations strategy across regional, national and international stakeholders. The post holder will work closely with the Managing Director and Executive Group to position LHP as a coherent system level partnership and a recognised front door for health and life sciences collaboration. The role operates at a strategic level, focusing on stakeholder alignment, system positioning and partnership development. It requires strong judgement, political awareness and the ability to operate across organisational boundaries to support collective influence, reputation and impact. This role is focused on strategic external engagement, system narrative and partnership architecture., 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.