Band 8c Associate Director of People

Band 8c Associate Director of People

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust

Closing date: 20 July 2026

University Hospitals Birmingham is one of the largest and most complex NHS Trusts in the country, with over 26,000 colleagues across four hospital sites. In recent years we have made real progress in strengthening culture and engagement, with colleagues increasingly describing UHB as a place where they feel listened to, valued and connected. As we look ahead, we are clear that the next phase of our journey, our Year of Empowerment, requires visible, values‑driven leadership that enables our people to lead, act and resolve with confidence at every level.

This Associate Director of People role is central to that ambition. Supporting Group Clinical Support and corporate Services, representing about 8,500 colleagues, the post holder will play a critical role in translating People Strategy into consistent, lived practice across these essential services. Reporting to the Chief People Officer and working closely with senior operational and clinical leaders, the role carries significant leadership accountability.

It operates as a trusted partner on workforce, culture and organisational performance, ensuring alignment with Trust priorities while maintaining a strong focus on delivery, colleague experience and measurable organisational impact.

This is a visible, delivery‑focused leadership role requiring a strong understanding of operational pressures and the ability to respond with pace, clarity and sound judgment. The Associate Director will ensure people strategy is effectively implemented, embedding consistent approaches to workforce planning, leadership and organisational development that support both immediate service needs and long‑term sustainability.

Employee relations is a core element, with a clear expectation to move beyond reactive practice. The role leads approaches that prioritise early intervention, strengthen management capability and support timely, constructive resolution, contributing to a psychologically safe and inclusive working environment.

The post holder will lead with the Trust's behavioural framework in every aspect of delivery, ensuring that being Kind, Connected and Bold is reflected in leadership practice, decision‑making and outcomes. They will also build leadership capability across services through coaching and support, enabling managers to confidently lead teams and address challenges early. Working within a devolved model, the role balances local ownership with Trust‑wide consistency, contributing to continuous improvement across the People function.

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust strives to have an inclusive culture where everyone feels like they belong, can thrive, knows that they add value and feels valued. We develop compassionate and culturally competent leaders, are values driven in all that we do, and create a welcoming and inclusive workplace that thrives on diversity. We want to attract and recruit talented individuals from all backgrounds and support the diversity you bring to achieve your full potential.

For staff with a disability, including physical disability, long‑term health condition, mental health or neurodiverse condition, we are committed to making reasonable adjustments needed to carry out the role.

• Educated to postgraduate degree or equivalent level of experience.
• Evidence of continuous personal and professional development.
• Desirable to have a mediation qualification.

• Experience in a senior HR and OD position.
• Proven track record of achievement in a complex, people‑facing organisation.
• Significant employee relations experience including undertaking highly complex and contentious investigations.
• Experience in leading diverse services and programmes across different functions, and leading and facilitating stakeholders through major change.
• Experience building workforce plans and new workforce models that are underpinned by robust quantitative workforce analysis.
• Proven ability to evaluate and optimise business cases and to construct effective business models for…