Head of Urgent Care in Birmingham

Reporting to the Assistant Director of Urgent Care, the Head of Urgent Care will provide senior leadership across urgent care commissioning for the cluster.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic development and delivery of urgent care programmes across the cluster.
• Work seamlessly with the ICB hosted regional i UEC team (Commissioning leads for West Midlands Emergency Ambulance and NHS 111).
• Commission key urgent care services for the cluster, including GP Out of Hours, Urgent Treatment Centres (UTCs), and associated services.
• Drive performance improvement and ensure delivery against national and local operational standards.
• Lead complex programmes across matrix teams and partner organisations.
• Develop strong relationships with providers, NHS England regional teams and partner ICB commissioning leads.
• Support robust programme management, governance and reporting arrangements.
• Represent the ICB at regional and national forums, conferences and stakeholder events.
• Line‑manage and develop a high‑performing urgent care team, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Contribute to the ICB’s value‑based approach, supporting equitable and effective use of resources to improve population health outcomes.
• Lead the Directorate and team to plan and execute workstream and programmes effectively.
• Lead procurement and contract management services, ensuring alignment with statutory, regulatory and NHS requirements.
• Align activities with core strategic anchors: Commissioning for Value & Outcomes, Accelerating Neighbourhood Health at Pace, Making the Best Use of Digital Solutions, Financial Discipline/2% Productivity, Advancing Health Equity Integrated Partnership.
• Act as host commissioner for GP Out of Hours services, Urgent Treatment Centres and 111 services, managing the commissioned and funded functions delegated by partner ICBs.
• Provide system leadership, assurance and coordination across multiple commissioning organisations while maintaining clear accountability to the host ICB and contributing ICBs.

• Accountability for

• Leading commissioning and management of GP Out of Hours, UTCs and associated services on behalf of the cluster.
• Acting as the primary interface with providers, ensuring delivery against contractual, quality, performance and financial requirements.
• Coordinating contributions from partner ICBs and providing assurance on contract performance, risks and mitigations.
• Managing governance, reporting and escalation arrangements for multi‑ICB commissioned services.
• Supporting system‑wide planning, resilience and transformation requirements related to GP Out of Hours, UTCs and 111 services in line with national policy and guidance.
• Providing and receiving highly complex, sensitive and contentious information, negotiating with senior stakeholders on difficult issues, and presenting complex information to influential groups.
• Persuading board and senior managers of the merits of different options, innovation and new market opportunities.
• Planning and organising a broad range of highly complex activities, formulating and adjusting plans to reflect changing circumstances.
• Developing performance improvement and innovation plans in partnership with stakeholders.
• Using information sources to enable efficient and effective planning.
• Manage the team within the constraints of the NHS strategic plan, including budget responsibility, financial setting and knowledge of financial processes.
• Adaptable to a busy environment with unpredictable work patterns, frequent interruptions and changing priorities.

Qualifications and Experience

• Understanding of the background and aims of current healthcare policy in the Black Country, Birmingham and Solihull, and appreciation of its implications for engagement.
• Awareness of the relationship between the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England, individual providers and commissioning organisations.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office with intermediate keyboard skills.
• Previous responsibility for a budget, involvement in budget setting and working knowledge of financial processes.
• Member of a relevant professional body and evidence of post‑qualifying and continuing professional development.
• Commitment to continuing professional development.
• Educated to Masters level or an equivalent level of experience at a senior specialist level.
• Extensive specialist knowledge acquired through postgraduate diploma or equivalent training, plus further specialist experience to a Masters‑level equivalent.
• Demonstrated knowledge of equality of opportunity, diversity, and the equality agenda.
• Understanding of the Confidentiality and Data Protection Act.
• Equivalence of knowledge and experience equivalent to senior specialist level in the relevant field.

Skills and Competencies

• Strong problem‑solving skills and ability to respond to sudden, unexpected demands.
• Analytical capability to assess highly complex facts and situations and develop a range of options.
• Decision‑making ability in difficult and contentious situations, with autonomy when required.
• Strategic thinking to anticipate and resolve problems before they arise.
• Capacity to work under pressure and meet tight, often changing deadlines.
• Direct line management skills, including job management and performance appraisal.
• Ability to maintain focus within unpredictable work patterns and changing priorities.
• Skill in delivering results through managing others and using a range of levers in the absence of direct line responsibility.
• Effective relationship‑management skills with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Independent work ability, organising workload and allocating tasks as necessary.
• Maintaining confidentiality and trust in all professional activities.
• Adaptability, flexibility and resilience in the face of uncertainty and change.
• Experience in procurement of high‑value contracts that require detailed analysis, comparison and assessment.
• Demonstrated knowledge of equality, diversity and inclusion principles.
• Capability to use initiative to decide relevant actions, make recommendations and improve deliverables.
• Comfortable with tight timescales and changing demands while working autonomously.
• Skill for continuous professional development and staying current in the specialist field.
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