Director of Strategy and Transformation

Job Summary Are you a visionary leader with a passion for driving strategic change in healthcare? We are seeking a Director of Strategy and Transformation to join our Executive Team and play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our organisation. This is an opportunity to lead the delivery of 'Our Journey to Change', the Trust's strategic vision, ensuring that planning, performance, partnerships and quality improvement are aligned to deliver a positive impact for the people and communities we serve. As Director of Strategy and Transformation, you will be responsible for co‑creating a strategically aligned business plan that integrates workforce, finance, estates, and operational priorities. You will oversee the delivery of the Trust's strategy, fulfil assigned objectives within the business plan, and actively support colleagues in achieving theirs. As a member of the Trust Board, you will contribute to the fulfilment of statutory and corporate duties, while providing informed advice, guidance, assurance, and constructive challenge at the Board of Directors. In your capacity as lead Director for the Provider Collaborative and Strategic Partnerships, you will manage clinical subcontracts held by the Trust and oversee the commissioning of high‑quality services. This is a full‑time post with a salary of £134,225 per annum. Main duties of the job As Director of Strategy and Transformation, you will promote effective engagement and reputation management with service users, members and system members. You will ensure legal and statutory compliance and uphold the highest standards of transparency and accountability. You will participate in the Council of Governors and serve on various Board sub‑committees. Your responsibilities will include contributing to Serious Incident Panels and HR panels, chairing and participating in Executive Group sub‑committees, as well as chairing and joining multiple Programme and Project Boards, along with other working and governance groups. You will lead the regular monitoring of the market to ensure that all key opportunities and threats are identified and managed appropriately including ensuring the organisation has an understanding of the wider context in which it operates. In conjunction with Care Groups, you will lead the development and submission of high‑quality tender documents that respond to the detailed requirements set out in the invitation to tender specifications and within the timescales set by the commissioners. You will support the development of the Annual Quality Account / Report, ensuring that it is published in line with the timescales set and meets the requirements of the Department of Health and NHSE, verifying this through an external assurance opinion from external audit. About Us We are the Mental Health & Learning Disability NHS Trust for County Durham and Darlington, Teesside, North Yorkshire, York and Selby. From education and prevention, to crisis and specialist care – our talented and compassionate teams work in partnership with our patients, communities and partners to help the people of our region feel safe, understood, believed in and cared for. We nurture the recovery journey of anyone in need of our help. In Our Trust, everyone has a say in how they are supported and treated because we listen to every person in our care until they feel understood. Our patients, their families and carers work together with us towards better mental health. We're committed to new thinking that improves the wellbeing of our region. We connect with our communities and partners to get mental health care right, in areas that really need it. Details Date posted: 09 December 2025 Pay scheme: Very senior manager (VSM) Salary: £134,225 per annum Contract: Permanent Working pattern: Full‑time Reference number: 346-CORP-102-25-A Job locations:West Park HospitalEdward Pease WayDarlingtonDL2 2TS Job responsibilities We are looking for a strategic, values‑driven leader who has extensive experience in strategic planning, transformation, and governance at a senior level. You will understand the complexities of the NHS and wider health and care systems and will be confident working at Board level and engaging with a wide range of stakeholders. You will bring a collaborative, inclusive leadership style and a strong commitment to supporting our Journey to Change. The Director of Strategy and Transformation will be able to lead complex programmes and drive innovation and improvement across the organisation. You will represent the organisation at the highest levels externally in your own right, representing the Trust's view, influencing policy and strategy and supporting systems level decision making. You will sit on, and in some cases lead, a variety of place and system level programme boards, steering groups, collaborative committees and other significant meetings. As Director of Strategy and Transformation, you will ensure that the commissioning undertaken by the Trust is integrated with those of the wider system at place, ICP and ICS level enabling the Trust to fulfil a role as system leader across its footprint. As part of this, you will work with other parts of the system (at place, ICP, ICS level) to identify an overall vision and the outcomes required for mental health and learning disability services within that system, ensuring that this also aligns with and supports the wider health and social care system. You will be part of a strong Executive Team, working in a Trust that values co‑creation, continuous improvement and meaningful engagement with staff, service users, our local community and partner organisations. Formal interviews: Tuesday 13th January in person at West Park Hospital Full details of the role and responsibilities can be found in the attached job description. Due to an issue in our systems we are re‑advertising this post. If you have already applied, please note that the JD is slightly updated but any applications that are already in the system will be carried through for shortlisting. Person Specification Essential - Qualifications Master's Degree level education or equivalent training/qualification or demonstrable experience equivalent to masters level (must include Degree qualification and independently assessed work at Master's level) Understanding of the impact of regulatory frameworks and statutory regulations and how that affects the way an organisation functions Evidence of strong continuing professional development Essential - Knowledge Specialist knowledge of the financial framework and commissioning processes in the NHS. Strong business acumen and commercial experience or demonstrate potential to develop this. Comprehensive understanding of policy and strategic issues within NHS. Understanding of innovation and evidence base in relation to all areas of the directorate. Highly developed knowledge of complex national guidance and legislation and commissioning in the NHS. Extensive knowledge of the role of financial management across an organisation and the contribution that strategic planning and performance management can successfully make to this. Essential - Experience Significant experience of working in a complex organisation at a senior level in a planning, commissioning and/or performance role where a high degree of strategic and political awareness is required. Track record of significant achievement within a senior planning, business development and performance role. Experience of working across systems, including influencing decision making, strategy development and deployment at system level where diplomacy, compromise and acting without precedent was frequently required. Advanced theoretical and practical knowledge and implementation of strategic planning, business development and performance management processes, systems and models and/or practical experience (preferably gained within the NHS). Significant experience of taking the lead in the development of a range of plans including organisation wide strategic plans, business plans and departmental operational plans and establishing monitoring arrangements. Considerable experience in leading the development of strategic planning, commissioning and/or performance management services in order to facilitate service development. Experience of coordinating strategic intelligence into organisations. Managing and working with multidisciplinary teams within and across organisation. Evidence of being an effective team leader and player. Successful partnership working with other healthcare and partner agencies. Experience of programme and project management. Strong commitment to collective leadership, especially with clinical and lived experience colleagues. Essential - Skills Excellent communication skills. An agent of change, able to shape the future, to enthuse and to influence colleagues and partners. Highly developed skills in the interpretation, manipulation and analysis of data in order to identify trends, exceptions and variances to facilitate evidence-based decision making throughout the organisation. Highly developed presentation skills with the ability to communicate ideas, issues and visions successfully to a variety of audiences. Understanding of financial management. Ability to build strong relationships with stakeholders, professional leaders and operational managers. Demonstrably open to new ideas and a management style that empowers others and encourages innovation. Politically aware. Strong personal values that align with Trust values and the ability to model these as a corporate leader. Ability to achieve results and targets and drive for best performance. Excellent negotiating skills and a gifted influencer. Skilled planning practitioner, adept at co‑ordination. Confidence and resilience; ability to prioritise effectively under pressure. Commitment to openness, honesty, inclusiveness and high standards. Evidence of strong customer focus and a drive to improve services and patient care/experience. A compassionate, inclusive and empowering leader who gets the best out of teams and continually strives for improvement. Significant ability in making judgements where it is necessary to take into account a variety of information where there is no precedent or where expert opinions may conflict or differ. 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. 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. Employer details Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust West Park Hospital Edward Pease Way Darlington DL2 2TS Employer's website: https://www.tewv.nhs.uk/ Seniority level Executive Employment type Full‑time Job function Management Strategic Management Services #J-18808-Ljbffr