Strategic Workforce Planning Lead

Are you passionate about using data and insight to shape workforce strategy? Do you see the power of long-term planning in building a sustainable and future-ready NHS?
This is an exciting opportunity to become our Strategic Workforce Planning Lead at Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW). This influential role sits within our People & OD team and is central to shaping how we anticipate, plan, and respond to workforce needs across NHS Wales.
You’ll lead the design and delivery of workforce planning strategies that support our long-term organisational priorities and People Strategy. Collaborating across directorates, with national partners and strategic forums, your work will ensure we are ready for the future of healthcare and digital delivery.
Bring your strategic insight, data mindset, and planning expertise to a role that makes a real difference - both now and for years to come.
What You’ll Be Doing
You’ll lead the development of our rolling workforce plan aligned to the Integrated Medium Term Plan (IMTP), using data, scenario modelling, and labour market analysis to shape the future of DHCW’s workforce.
You’ll collaborate with Finance, Performance, and Digital teams to design sustainable and innovative workforce models that account for critical skills, evolving technology, and service delivery needs. You'll align plans to national agendas, such as the All-Wales Workforce Strategy, and build leadership capability in long-term workforce thinking.
You’ll also support the development of career pathways, contributing to how we attract, grow, and retain talent across DHCW, bringing real impact to our people strategy. Through close collaboration with HEIW, internal partners, and external stakeholders, your influence will stretch across NHS Wales.
Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW) is an expert national body and part of NHS Wales. We work in partnership with NHS Wales colleagues and other key stakeholders to provide national digital and data services which support the delivery of health and social care in Wales. Modern health and care services depend on good digital tools, data and information. DHCW runs or works with more than 100 services and delivers major national digital transformation programmes to support this. In addition, DHCW provides expert advice in relation to cyber security and information governance. We give frontline staff the digital tools which help them provide safer and more efficient care. We are also giving patients and the public digital tools to better manage their own health and wellbeing, empowering people to live healthier lives. We put people at the heart of what we do, working to the highest standards to deliver quality and make digital a force for good in health and care.
Working for DHCW offers lots of employee benefits, including flexible working, a competitive salary, 28 days of annual leave plus Bank Holidays and opportunities for career development. We are committed to recognising and celebrating our staff as the most valuable part of our organisation.
What We’re Looking For
- We’re looking for a leader who shares our values of collaboration, compassion, innovation, excellence, and inclusivity, and can bring them to life through their work.
- A strategic thinker and problem solver, with proven experience in leading workforce planning in complex organisations.
- Strong analytical skills, a confident understanding of workforce data, and the ability to translate insight into action.
- Forecasting and resource allocations skills and the ability to align workforce planning with budgetary and financial constraints.
- Comfortable leading cross-functional work, advising senior leaders, and engaging with national forums.
- Strong understanding of the value of inclusive, data-driven planning, bringing deep knowledge of horizon scanning, labour markets, and scenario modelling.

Experience of the NHS or health sector is desirable, along with qualifications in workforce planning or strategic HR. Above all, you’re someone who believes workforce strategy is key to sustainable, people-centred transformation.
How will you support the embedding of a Workforce Planning Mindset in DHCW
Interviews for the role will take place on Tuesday the 7th October 2025.
The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; Welsh and/or English speakers are equally welcome to apply.