HIWE - National Programme Lead

Job Overview

The National Programme Manager will be responsible for driving the design and implementation of Health Innovation Network national programmes. They will develop and be responsible for the realisation of all change benefits identified in the programme. This requires significant work to be completed in planning, organisational design, service delivery implementation, financial modelling and engagement. As well as ensuring robust programme and project governance in place to secure successful delivery. They will direct radical change, using a facilitative approach, within a complex mix of organisations to improve outcomes for service users and staff.

This role will involve extremely complex and often contentious negotiations with senior directors and managers. The post holder will engage a range of very senior key stakeholders in the delivery of project objectives to secure optimal service and health outcomes. The key benefit will be to make significant, sustainable, and affordable improvement in the quality-of-service delivery that is ambitious and far reaching.

Band 8C role subject to final banding.

Main duties of the job

The post-holder will be responsible for establishing, managing and developing and delivering a suite of ongoing national programmes and supporting and coordinating the development of annual and longer-term national business plans and supporting/enabling initiatives.

Lead the delivery of national programmes through each implementation phase

Design and deliver a metrics framework used to track programme progress through each implementation phase (working closely with Unity Insights)

Be prepared to constructively challenge Health Innovation Network (HIN) colleagues where there are unexpected delays in programme implementation. Provide proactive support to these HINs to ensure that the programme has a viable recovery plan and escalate delivery concerns to the Lead HIN Director and Director for National programmes in a timely way, for further discussion and resolution

Working for our organisation

Health Innovation West of England is part of the national Health Innovation Network, established by NHS England to spread proven health innovation at pace and scale.

We connect and collaborate with our local NHS and care organisations, universities, industry, the voluntary and charity sectors to support transformation across whole health and social care systems, with a clear focus on improving outcomes for citizens.

We are an NHS organisation and employment with Health Innovation West of England is through the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust.

Based on the UWE Bristol campus, we support agile working, including the opportunity to work from home. You will need to be able to travel to our office or occasionally to other locations in the West of England and nationally for in-person meetings and events.

We value a workforce where people’s varied backgrounds and experiences bring different perspectives and fresh ideas, resulting in the development and spread of transformational innovation. We encourage applications from diverse communities to ensure our team is dynamic, vibrant and reflects the populations we serve.

Find out more about us at or follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram or Bluesky.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

Please find attached to the vacancy a detailed person specification and job description for further information about this role.

Person specification

Knowledge and Experience

Essential criteria

• Considerable experience of working in a senior management role within the NHS, or equivalent.
• Extensive experience of working in a complex, multi-agency environment and across organisational boundaries (and by influence.
• Successful complex change management experience, with a proven track record and demonstrated ability of working collaboratively with a variety of organisational levels to deliver programme goals
• Experience of service improvement methodologies and applied knowledge of how they can be deployed in different settings. Proven track record of delivering budget management and budget setting, including financial planning for service change
• Proven track record of leading and directly managing, performance managing and developing staff.
• A comprehensive understanding of the dynamics of systems of health and the constituent elements e.g. government targets and cost controls, and political astuteness.
• Proven track records of working successfully with clinicians from a variety of backgrounds and seniority.
• Substantial experience of working with service users and carers and/or the local community.
• Broad experience and evidence of working in partnership with NHS organisations at all levels to deliver change and modernisation
• Expert knowledge of NHS targets, definitions and service improvement methodologies
• Experience of risk, issue and project change Management
• Experience of managing major strategic initiatives with multiple project workstreams
• Experience of working across organisational boundaries and of delivering projects across multi-disciplinary sites working with multiple stakeholders
• Experience and knowledge of the national Quality Improvement agenda including policy
• Will be an experienced manager preferably with NHS background and a track record of delivery of high-profile programmes of work as well as evidence of a completer/finisher approach to delivery

Desirable criteria

• Knowledge of a wider range of useful tools used during the implementation of change
• Understanding of the social and health inequalities and experience in work to address these
• Experience of working in different parts of the health care system

Qualification and Experience

Essential criteria

• Educated to Masters degree level or equivalent level in experience and further training
• APM Project Management Qualification (PMQ)
• MSP qualification or equivalent

Desirable criteria

• Post graduate qualifications in service improvement methodology or equivalent Project/Programme Management.

Specific Skills

Essential criteria

• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Highly developed motivational, influencing and negotiating skills with proven experience of success at senior levels of organisations and across organisations including with clinicians and directors.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively at all levels with a wide variety of stakeholders
• Able to present effectively, to a wide variety of audiences in an engaging manner that makes information clear and obtains buy in sometimes in the face of opposition.
• Able to work independently as required, to tight deadlines and to prioritise effectively against conflicting priorities
• Able to work as part of a team and able to lead and direct multi skilled teams.
• Able to set own agenda and able to provide leadership, motivation and inspiration to facilitate collaborative working across the agenda.
• Able to formulate and implement long term strategic programme plans which impacts on the whole organisation including developing operational frameworks.
• Experience of collecting and interpreting information to support change programmes and the ability to use Word and Excel.
• Able to identify and assess a clear pathway through a complex situation which leads to a clear output involving a number of difference parties and opinions.

Please note - Due to recent changes in UK immigration and visa rules applicants who do not currently have the right to work in the UK may not be considered unless an alternative right to work solution can be provided. Candidates requiring sponsorship (or will need sponsorship at the end of a current visa e.g. those with graduate visa's) should review the eligibility criteria on the gov.uk website before applying: Prove your right to work to an employer: Overview - GOV.UK

Documents to download

• Job Description (PDF, 424.0KB)
• Join the RUH (PDF, 1.3MB)

Further details / informal visits contact

Name Rhys Blake Job title Director of Corporate and Delivery Email address ***email_hidden*** Telephone number View phone number on uk.workus.org