Head of Long Term Services West

Job summary

Are you an experienced NHS leader ready to shape the future of adult community nursing services? Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a dynamic Head of Service to lead our Adults Long Term Services across ten Primary Care Network areas in West Kent on a 6 month basis.

This pivotal role offers the opportunity to drive strategic service development, ensure high-quality care delivery, and champion clinical excellence. You'll work closely with the Assistant Director to define service strategy, oversee performance, and empower teams to deliver transformative care. As part of our senior leadership team, you'll collaborate with partners across health and social care, including Primary Care, Acute Trusts, Hospices, and Social Services.

If you're passionate about improving patient outcomes, fostering innovation, and leading with compassion, we'd love to hear from you.

As Head of Service, you'll be responsible for the operational and strategic leadership of Community Nursing Services. You'll manage performance, quality, workforce planning, and financial control, ensuring services meet national standards. Key responsibilities include leading service transformation, managing Operational Managers, overseeing clinical governance, and driving quality improvement. You'll analyse complex data, develop strategic plans, and represent the locality at quality and performance meetings.

The role also involves contributing to policy development, managing budgets, and supporting staff development. You'll deputise for the Assistant Director and play a key role in shaping the future of community care in Kent.

Additional working pattern: 30 hours per week over 4 days Monday to Friday, plus requirement to be part of the On Call manager rota which would involve weekends and out of hours.

Rated 'outstanding' by the CQC, we've got a passion for delivering high standards of patient care and excellent services to improve the health of our communities. To do this we need outstanding people who share our values: compassionate, aspirational, responsive, excellent.

We know a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion leads to better patient care and a happier workforce. We pride ourselves in being diverse and welcome applications from people with varied backgrounds, perspectives and experiences.

We ask for information about your protected characteristics on our application forms. This isn't visible to anyone involved with shortlisting or interviewing you, except when you choose to be considered under the guaranteed interview scheme due to disability. Short listers will see two ticks alongside your application to ensure they apply the principles of the scheme to your submission.

The data we collect helps us to ensure we are attracting diversity in our applicants, that all our colleagues have equitable access to career opportunities and supports us on our journey to being a Great Place to Work.

As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want you to be able to work in a way that is best for us, for our patients and for you. Talk to us about a flexible working arrangement that won't involve sacrificing time for personal interests or family commitments. We'll support you to work flexibly in a way that will suits us both.

See where you can go with KCHFT career pathways.

As a community Trust many of our roles require individuals to be able to drive to perform their duties. As such you will be asked to confirm you have a full UK driving licence where driving is a requirement of the role to be able to proceed with your application. We are committed to supporting candidates with disabilities into employment, if you are unable to drive due to a disability, please contact the Recruitment Team via  quoting the vacancy reference number so we can support you further.

The job description and person specification gives you all the information you supply on your application should be true and accurate. If you need an application form in an alternative format please let our recruitment team know.

• Registered Healthcare Professional;
  Registered nurse
• Evidence of Management Qualification or relevant experience
• Full UK/EU driving licence

• Master's degree level qualification or equivalent experience relevant to management and leadership

• Leading and implementing change management and expertise
• Experience at Senior Management level within the NHS
• Management of budgets
• Successfully leading and motivating staff
• Extensive clinical governance, patient safety and quality improvement experience
• Evidence of applying national policy locally and involvement in effective strategic planning and development
• lear understanding of health services infrastructure and its relationship to partner organisations
• Experience of effective partnership working across the health and social care platform

• Experience of remodelling and restructuring services within…