Associate Director of Strategy & Planning
Job summary
An opportunity has arisen for an experienced, compassionate & highly motivated Associate Director of Strategy & Planning to join Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. This exciting opportunity comes at an important time for our organisation as we continue to transform & improve our services and deliver the ambitions of our Making a Difference 2026-2029 Strategy.
Main duties of the job
The AD of Strategy & Planning is responsible for the establishment & running of the Trustwide Business Planning/Operational Planning processes & outputs & the ongoing oversight & monitoring of progress towards the implementation of the Trust Strategy.
The post holder will work with the Deputy Director of Strategy & Partnerships to develop & implement a robust planning & monitoring process to ensure our plans link strategic horizon scanning, national & local priorities, service opportunities, partnership initiatives & implementation of the Trust's strategies.
The role will also support & develop the capability and skills of the organisation to undertake integrated planning at all levels, from directorates, divisions & at Trust level.
The post holder will work closely leadership teams of the Care Groups, corporate services & members of the Trust Management Group to co-produce & implement the planning framework The post holder will work closely with the Deputy Director of Strategy & Partnerships & other senior colleagues to coordinate development of Trust wide plans to support the implementation of the Strategy & the monitoring framework for delivery of plans.
The role will develop & deploy mechanisms & processes to bring insight from diverse information sources (qualitative & quantitative) to prompt & inform strategic & tactical decision making, assess opportunities & lead the development & delivery of a complex programme of insight & strategic change for the organisation. About us #TeamNottsHC comprises over 10,500 dedicated colleagues who #MakeADifference every day.
We deliver intellectual disability, mental health, community health and forensic health services across Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire and South Yorkshire. Our care is provided from over 80 sites, spanning community locations, acute settings and secure environments. We are one of the largest mental health and community health Trusts in the East Midlands and one of Nottinghamshire's biggest employers.
We also host national and regional services, such as the National High Secure Deaf Service and the Nottingham Centre for Transgender Health. We offer a variety of employee-led staff networks, including Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) groups, the Green Champions network, the Freedom to Speak Up network, the Health and Wellbeing Champions network, and the Menopause Champions network.
These networks play a vital role in supporting our diverse workforce and promoting a culture of inclusivity. The health and wellbeing of colleagues is a top priority. We invest significantly in this through our in-house occupational health and staff counselling services, supported by a dedicated Health and Wellbeing team.
The Trust is committed to reducing its carbon emissions, with a specialised Energy and Environmental team working to ensure compliance with environmental legislation, enhance our environmental performance, and achieve our net-zero commitment.
Job responsibilities
Strategic Planning Lead the development of the Trust multi-year planning process and implementation of national planning guidance through the annual planning round at Care Unit level. Provide insight on national planning guidance, relating guidance to specific local circumstances and make recommendations to the Board, Senior Leadership Team and Executive Team.
Ensure that Trust strategic plans and planning processes align with national requirements including guidance set out by NHS England. Support operational, corporate and finance colleagues with the planning processes including the production of annual and longer-term plans and reports as required by the Executive Team and Board Committees.
In liaison with the operational and finance colleagues, review the development of cases for major revenue investment that require approval by the Trusts internal governance structures, ensuring that the business case meets NHSE, Department of Health and Treasury requirements. Provide education and training to senior management colleagues within Care Groups on strategy, planning, and business case development processes, as required.
Strategy Development Manage the overall planning and strategy development process for the Trust, including developing the capability of the organisation to develop robust plans, monitoring and evaluation processes that will deliver the NHS Long Term Plan, the ICBs priorities, and the organisations strategic priorities. Manage the development and implementation of a Trust strategy and any subsequent re-fresh.
Ensure that processes are in place to support the Board in the review of the strategy and that the Board are routinely advised of progress against the strategic milestones. Horizon scan across national and international healthcare and other markets, bringing best practice and innovation to the ongoing development of the Trust strategy and transformation programmes.
Ensure the annual plan supports delivery of the Trust Strategy and is aligned with the Board Assurance Framework Ensure that proposals put forward in the internal and external business planning cycle(s) are consistent with the Trusts long-term objectives and priorities.
Insights and problem solving Make judgements involving highly complex facts or situations which require the analysis, interpretation, and comparison of a range of options in order to lead the development and delivery of a complex programme of insight and strategic change for the organisation.
Interrogate and analyse a range of data sets in order to deliver insight and intelligence to colleagues within the Care Groups and Transformation team to support the delivery of the Transformation agenda. Establish a systematic approach the use of insight, moving beyond reactive insights by proactively identifying potential issues and opportunities.
This will include the development of mechanisms for continuous monitoring and early detection of emerging challenges, allowing the Trust to anticipate risks and opportunities. Act as a strategic problem-solving resource, "parachuting in" to assist in the resolution of wicked/complex issues within the Trust.
This involves taking a hands-on approach to understand, analyse, and resolve critical challenges that may arise, ensuring a swift and effective response. Lead comprehensive service reviews, integrating this approach into the strategic planning framework. This includes evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of existing services, identifying areas for improvement, and aligning service portfolios with the organisation's long-term objectives.
Person Specification
Qualifications · Essential
Minimum of Masters or equivalent level qualification plus specialist experience of planning, performance, management, systems and leadership at a strategic level Extensive specialist knowledge, expertise and experience, acquired through advanced professional training put into practical effect over a significant period of time, programme management, project management and performance management (including or with a good working knowledge of Managing Successful Programmes, PRINCE2 and Benefits Realisation)
Training · Desirable
Computer literacy and able to use relevant IT systems
Experience · Essential
Significant experience of strategic planning at an organisational level Experience of programme and project management Delivering objectives to timescales within a complex and challenging environment Experience of working autonomously and using initiative to drive improvements Track record of developing effective working relationships with senior leaders, operational managers and partners Achieving results through working with others who are not under direct management control Using and triangulating a range of data sources
Desirable
Experience of planning in the NHS or health and care systems Experience of working with clinical teams Experience of leading strategic change programmes
Knowledge · Essential
An applied knowledge of strategy development and organisational planning, including relevant tools and techniques A good understanding of the wider context and challenges facing the NHS A sound understanding of change management models and service transformation
Desirable
An applied knowledge of NHS planning guidance An understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing community and mental health providers
Skills · Essential
Highly developed planning skills, with a demonstrable track record in the development of credible plans at an organisational level.
Ability to work at both the strategic level and with operational teams on the detail to support delivery of plans Highly analytical and numerate, able to interpret, summarise and present a range of different sources of complex information and data Ability to lead colleagues in scenario planning and the modelling of demand and capacity Excellent communication skills including oral and written, able to communicate at all levels internally and with external partners and able to facilitate constructive dialogue Ability to develop and present plans that are cohesive and though complex, are articulated simply and easily understood Successful relationship management skills, able to engage at all levels and with a collaborative style that promotes effective joint working Able to strike a balance between challenge and support and skilled at constructively challenging colleagues where necessary Resilient in dealing with challenging and sensitive situations and managing conflict Team leadership and all aspects of managing staff Flexible attitude and approach to working in a changing environment Proficiency in IT skills and ability to use relevant software packages
Desirable
Skills in the technical aspects of NHS planning
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab) . From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab) .
