Assistant Director-People Partnering

Job Summary

The Assistant Director of People (Partnering) provides senior leadership and strategic direction to the Trust's People Business Partnering function. The postholder ensures people strategy, workforce planning, organisational change, culture, and leadership activities are effectively delivered across all divisions and corporate areas.

Working in close partnership with senior operational leaders, the role ensures the workforce is aligned to current and future service needs, drives improvement in people management capability, and supports the Trust to achieve its strategic objectives through excellence in workforce practice.

The postholder is a key member of the People Leadership Team (PLT), modelling Trust values and leading a high-performing, collaborative and future-focused Business Partnering service.

• Lead and develop the People Business Partnering function to deliver high‑quality, proactive and solution‑focused people support across divisions and corporate services.
• Act as the senior subject matter expert for strategic workforce advice, employment practice, organisational development considerations and change management.
• Ensure Business Partnering activity is aligned to Trust strategies, People Strategy, People Delivery Plan and operational performance priorities.
• Build strong, credible relationships with divisional triumvirates, senior clinicians and corporate leaders to influence workforce decisions and drive improvement.
• Strategically lead Job Evaluation.
• Strategically lead contracts (e.g., Occupational Health).

University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust is one of the largest and most modern in the country. Based across two sites – Royal Stoke Hospital in Stoke‑on‑Trent and County Hospital in Stafford – we serve around three million people and are highly regarded for our facilities, teaching and research. We are the specialist centre for major trauma for the North Midlands and North Wales.

All employees contribute value regardless of role, and we offer a wide range of development packages to help everyone fulfil their true potential.

We foster a culture of inclusion, providing equal opportunities for career development that are fair and transparent, and we are committed to being a diverse and inclusive employer.

Investing in and supporting our staff directly impacts the quality of care we deliver; our employees are as important as our patients.

• Appropriate CIPD Qualification.
• Experience of working in a complex environment in a relevant People Role.

• Expert understanding of employment law, NHS People policies, organisational change frameworks and workforce transformation.

• Highly developed management, leadership, coaching and influencing skills.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and requires a submission to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous convictions.

Applications from job seekers requiring current skilled‑worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications.

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information, please see the NHS Careers website.

Site:
Springfield Building, Royal Stoke Hospital, Newcastle Under Lyme, ST46QG

Contract:

Permanent
Working pattern:
Full‑time
Band 8b
Salary: £64,455 to £74,896 per year
Reference number:

-A