Associate Director of People - Learning, Culture and Inclusion in Upton

Overview

Our values of Kind, Empowered, Responsible and Inclusive are more than words--they are the foundation of how we care for patients and support one another. We are investing significantly in our people agenda, including delivery of our People Commitment, leadership development programmes, wellbeing initiatives, health inequalities work, equality, diversity and inclusion programmes, and the Trust-wide Kindness Campaign. The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in leading and integrating these priorities. Reporting directly to the Chief People Officer, you will provide strategic leadership for learning, organisational development, culture, colleague experience, wellbeing and inclusion across the Trust. You will lead the development and implementation of innovative strategies that strengthen leadership capability, promote a values‑led culture, improve staff experience and advance equality, diversity and inclusion. Working closely with Executive Directors, senior leaders, staff networks and system partners, you will ensure our workforce agenda supports the delivery of outstanding patient care while making Clatterbridge an exceptional place to work. This role offers significant scope to influence organisational culture and shape how we develop, engage and support our people for the future.

Responsibilities

You will lead the development and implementation of innovative strategies that strengthen leadership capability, promote a values‑led culture, improve staff experience and advance equality, diversity and inclusion across the Trust. By working closely with Executive Directors, senior leaders, staff networks and system partners, you will ensure the workforce agenda supports the delivery of outstanding patient care while making Clatterbridge an exceptional place to work. You will also influence organisational culture and shape how we develop, engage and support our people for the future.

Qualifications

• Master's degree or equivalent level qualification in Human Resources, Organisational Development, Leadership, Education, Learning & Development, EDI or related discipline, or equivalent senior‑level experience.
• Significant senior leadership experience within Organisational Development, Workforce, Learning and Development, Culture and/or Inclusion functions.
• Experience of leading large‑scale organisational development and culture transformation programmes within a complex organisation.
• Experience of developing and implementing workforce, learning, leadership and inclusion strategies.
• Experience of leading multidisciplinary teams and managing senior professional staff.
• Experience of leading culture change and improvement programmes.
• Experience of developing and implementing talent management and succession planning frameworks.
• Experience of leading leadership development initiatives and building leadership capability across organisations.
• Experience of improving staff engagement, organisational culture and employee experience through evidence‑based interventions.
• Experience of leading Equality, Diversity and Inclusion programmes and delivering measurable improvements in workforce equality outcomes.
• Experience of developing and monitoring organisational performance indicators and assurance frameworks.
• Experience of managing significant budgets and resources.
• Experience of partnership working across health systems, education providers and external stakeholders.
• Experience of working collaboratively with trade unions, staff‑side representatives and staff networks.
• Experience within the NHS or wider public sector.
• Experience of supporting regulatory inspections and workforce assurance processes.
• Experience of leading organisation‑wide culture diagnostics and interventions.
• Experience of implementing NHS People Promise priorities.
• Experience of managing apprenticeship programmes and apprenticeship levy utilisation.
• Comprehensive knowledge of Organisational Development theory and practice.
• Expert understanding of culture transformation methodologies and approaches.
• Comprehensive knowledge of workforce development, learning and leadership frameworks.
• Understanding of talent management, succession planning and workforce planning principles.
• Knowledge of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion legislation and best practice.
• Knowledge of workforce equality standards including WRES, WDES and Equality Delivery System requirements.
• Understanding of staff engagement methodologies and employee experience improvement approaches.
• Understanding of health inequalities and the role of NHS organisations as Anchor Institutions.
• Understanding of NHS workforce priorities and national people strategies.
• Knowledge of mandatory, statutory and role‑essential training requirements and associated governance frameworks.
• Knowledge of NHS Leadership Competency Frameworks and national leadership standards.
• Understanding of educational commissioning and workforce pipeline development.

Skills

• Ability to think strategically and translate organisational priorities into practical delivery plans.
• Exceptional leadership and people‑management skills.
• Ability to influence, negotiate and build credibility with senior stakeholders.
• Visible and authentic leadership style.
• Passionate about inclusion, equity and colleague experience.
• Commitment to continuous improvement and organisational learning.
• Resilient and adaptable in complex and changing environments.
• Ability to inspire confidence and engage others in a shared vision.
• Strong commitment to NHS values and behaviours.
• Demonstrates political awareness and sound judgement.
• Promotes a culture of openness, learning and psychological safety.
• Ability to lead complex change programmes across organisational boundaries.
• Ability to interpret complex workforce data and translate findings into strategic action.
• Ability to establish performance frameworks and monitor delivery against KPIs.
• Strong programme and project‑management skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and deliver outcomes within challenging timescales.
• Ability to build collaborative relationships and partnerships.
• Ability to challenge constructively and support organisational improvement.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills.
• Financial and resource management skills.