Head of CAMHS

Job Overview
Band 8C Head of CAMHS x 2 posts 1 based in London CAMHS services and 1 based in Milton Keynes CAMHS (location to be confirmed following interview round)
Location:
London and Milton Keynes (on-site/ in person)

Hours:
37.5 per week (some unsociable hours and on-call manager duties)

Salary:
Band 8C

Contract:
Permanent

Are you an experienced operational or clinical leader with experience in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services with a passion for transforming services? Do you thrive in a dynamic environment where your operational expertise and strategic vision can make a real difference for young people and their families?

If so, we want to hear from you.

Interview will be taking place on 15th December at 350 Euston Road, CNWL Trust HQ.
Main duties of the job

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a highly motivated and innovative Head of CAMHS in Milton Keynes. This is a pivotal role, responsible for the effective operational management and strategic development of our CAMHS provision, ensuring high-quality, safe, and responsive care for children, young people, and their families.

You will work closely with the Service Director, Clinical Director, and a wide range of internal and external stakeholders—including service users, parents, commissioners, local authorities, schools, and voluntary sector partners—to deliver service improvements, drive quality, and champion co-production.

Working for our organisation

Why Join Us?

• Be part of a forward-thinking, supportive leadership team.
• Shape the future of CAMHS across CNWL services across London and Milton Keynes, making a tangible impact on young people's lives.
• Access to ongoing professional development and leadership opportunities.
• Work in a collaborative environment that values innovation, co-production, and continuous improvement.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day operational leadership for CAMHS, ensuring services meet performance, quality, workforce, and financial targets.
• Lead the clinical transformation agenda, implementing innovative service development strategies and quality improvement initiatives.
• Foster a positive, inclusive culture that prioritises staff wellbeing and models compassionate leadership.
• Develop and maintain effective partnerships with stakeholders to ensure services meet the needs of the local community.
• Identify and pursue new business opportunities, supporting tender processes and the implementation of the CAMHS Long Term Plan.
• Ensure robust governance, compliance with statutory frameworks, and delivery within budget.
• Champion co-production, establishing forums for parent/carer and service user involvement.

About You

• Educated to Master's level in a health or social care discipline (or equivalent senior-level experience), with a relevant professional qualification.
• Significant clinical, operational and management experience in mental health services, ideally within CAMHS or a similar setting.
• A registered healthcare professional (Desirable)
• Proven track record of successful leadership, service development, and change management.
• Strong understanding of the policy and regulatory landscape for mental health and social care.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and partnership-building skills.
• Demonstrable commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion.
• Analytical, resilient, and able to inspire and motivate multidisciplinary teams.

Person specification

Qualifications
Essential criteria

• Educated to Master's level in a health or social care discipline, or equivalent senior-level work experience.
• Recognised senior management qualification in leadership, policy, strategy, business management, or other relevant field.
• Evidence of ongoing personal and professional development.

Desirable criteria

• Relevant professional clinical qualification/registration

Experience
Essential criteria

• Current and extensive operational (including budget/financial) and management experience of mental health services, at a middle management level, in a health or social care organisation
• Proven experience of managing a sector or borough multidisciplinary team (including senior managers and clinicians) across multiple sites
• Record of successful leadership in an operational capacity.
• Experience of successful interagency partnership working.
• Experience of working within statutory and regulatory frameworks for mental health and social care services, and translating these at an operational level.
• Experience in leading/coaching successful quality improvement projects.
• Experience of policy development and strategic planning resulting in change management projects/programmes
• Ability to negotiate complex contracts with the approval senior management
• Experience of managing a diverse workforce
• Experience of organising and chairing of small and large steering groups

Leadership Competencies

Essential criteria

• Sensitive to complex political and organisational issues; applies sound and timely judgement; decisive in times of change and ambiguity.
• Builds rapport through confident, open communication; energises, convinces, and persuades; encourages honesty.
• Works collaboratively with key decision makers; promotes partnership and collaborative working; seeks and harnesses the views of others.
• Champions measurable achievement of outcomes; makes best use of diverse talent and resources; negotiates work targets and resources.
• Commitment to inclusion for staff and inclusive services for patients from all population groups

Desirable criteria

• Detailed knowledge of policy agenda in Mental Health services