At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead teams to improve primary care and community services, ensuring safe and effective care.
- Company: Join the CQC, a mission-driven organisation dedicated to enhancing healthcare standards.
- Benefits: Enjoy 27+ days of annual leave, NHS pension, training opportunities, and wellbeing initiatives.
- Other info: We value diversity and encourage applications from all backgrounds.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on healthcare by shaping policies and driving improvements in community services.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership and regulatory expertise in primary care and community services.
The predicted salary is between 75183 - 75183 £ per year.
Contracted Hours: Full time, 37 hours per week
Contract Type: Permanent
Location: Homebased, with travel as required
Closing Date: Wednesday 10 June 2026 at 11:59pm
Interviews will be held in July 2026 face to face in our London Office (date tbc)
Make a difference
Every role at CQC contributes to our mission. If you’re looking for a new role in Operations - Primary Care and Community Services, that gives a true sense of meaning and purpose, then you’ve found it! As a Deputy Director, you’ll help shape the future of primary care and community services by driving improvement and ensuring people receive safe, effective and compassionate care.
Picture this
Imagine leading a team that makes a real difference every day - where your decisions influence care standards for thousands of people.
As a Deputy Director in the Primary Care and Community Services inspectorate, you could be:
- Leading a strategic programme to improve access and quality in GP practices, urgent care centres and community services working with providers to deliver measurable change.
- Responding to emerging risks by guiding regulatory decisions that protect people and uphold CQC standards.
The role
You’ll play an important part in delivering our mission. In this role, you’ll:
- Lead and inspire teams: Build high-performing, inclusive teams that deliver regulatory priorities and drive improvement in primary and community care.
- Shape sector strategy: Use your expertise to influence policy and operational approaches, ensuring better outcomes for people and communities.
- Manage regulatory activity: Oversee complex decisions and enforcement actions, ensuring risks are managed and standards upheld.
Show Us
We’ll be looking for the following specific skills, knowledge and experience in your application form:
- Proven leadership experience: Leading diverse teams and driving change effectively in complex, fast-moving environments.
- Regulatory and sector expertise: Strong understanding of primary care and community services regulation, policy, and operational delivery, with experience applying this knowledge to influence outcomes.
- Stakeholder engagement: Proven ability to build partnerships and influence at senior levels to deliver improvement and innovation.
The Benefits
- Annual leave starting at 27 days per year, rising to 32.5 days with service, plus bank holidays (usually 8 days per year).
- Training and development opportunities.
- Wellbeing initiatives, such as gym discounts and meditation.
- NHS pension scheme, with around 14% employer contribution.
- Discount schemes (including eligibility for a Blue Light card, at a cost of £4.99 and valid for 2 years), reward vouchers, car leasing and more!
Equity for all
We know job descriptions can feel intimidating. Research shows they can cause some people to doubt whether they’re a good fit. This happens more often to people from underrepresented groups (e.g. ethnic minority backgrounds). If this role interests you, we encourage you to apply. Your unique perspective, skills, and experience could be exactly what we need.
We want every candidate to feel supported and able to do their best. If you need adjustments to our process, we’ll work with you to remove any barriers. Visit our accessibility page for more on this.
We promote a workplace where fairness, respect and inclusion are a priority. Diverse teams make our work better, help us deliver our mission and make our culture stronger.
We Welcome Applications From Everyone, And Colleagues Can Find Support And Community Among Our Many Employee Networks. This Includes People Of Any Age, Sex, Gender identity or expression, Sexual orientation, Religion or belief, Ethnicity, Disability.
Values and vision
We are guided by our core values, which shape our work and our culture.
- Excellence – being a high-performing organisation.
- Caring – treating everyone with dignity and respect.
- Integrity – doing the right thing.
- Teamwork – learning from each other to be the best we can.
We are a disability confident employer and a carer confident employer.
Deputy Director – Primary Care and Community Services, South Region (London) employer: Care Quality Commission
CQC is an exceptional employer that prioritises meaningful work and employee well-being, offering a supportive home-based environment with travel opportunities across London. With a strong commitment to professional development, generous annual leave, and a focus on diversity and inclusion, employees are empowered to lead impactful change in primary care and community services. Join us to be part of a high-performing team dedicated to improving care standards and making a real difference in people's lives.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Deputy Director – Primary Care and Community Services, South Region (London)
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the healthcare sector, especially those who work in primary care and community services. A friendly chat can lead to insider info about the role and even a referral!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by researching CQC’s recent initiatives and challenges in primary care. This shows you’re genuinely interested and ready to contribute to their mission of improving care standards.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your leadership stories! Think of specific examples where you’ve led teams or driven change in complex environments. Be ready to share how you can inspire and manage diverse teams effectively.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets the attention it deserves. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take that extra step to connect with us directly.
We think you need these skills to ace Deputy Director – Primary Care and Community Services, South Region (London)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your application to highlight how your experience aligns with the role. Use keywords from the job description to show us you understand what we're looking for.
Showcase Your Leadership Skills:As a Deputy Director, leadership is key! Share specific examples of how you've led teams and driven change in previous roles. We want to see your impact!
Engage with Stakeholders:Demonstrate your ability to build partnerships and influence at senior levels. Include examples of how you've successfully engaged with stakeholders to deliver improvements.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss any important updates!
How to prepare for a job interview at Care Quality Commission
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of primary care and community services regulation. Understand the current challenges and trends in the sector, as well as the CQC's mission and values. This will help you demonstrate your expertise and show that you're genuinely interested in making a difference.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've successfully led diverse teams and driven change in complex environments. Think about specific situations where your leadership made a measurable impact. This will help you illustrate your ability to inspire and manage teams effectively.
✨Engage with Stakeholders
Be ready to discuss your experience in building partnerships and influencing at senior levels. Think of instances where you've collaborated with stakeholders to deliver improvements. This will highlight your ability to engage and communicate effectively, which is crucial for this role.
✨Align with CQC Values
Familiarise yourself with the CQC's core values: Excellence, Caring, Integrity, and Teamwork. Prepare to discuss how your personal values align with these principles and provide examples of how you've embodied them in your previous roles. This will show that you're a good cultural fit for the organisation.
