Head of CAMHS (MK)

Main area Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Grade NHS Af C: Band 8c Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (plus on-call duties / out of hours) Job ref 333-D-MK-MH-1339

Site Eaglestone Health Centre, Milton Keynes University Hospital Town Milton Keynes Salary £79,504 - £91,609 per annum (pro rata if P/T) Salary period Yearly Closing Today at 23:59

CNWL (Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust) has almost 8,000 staff providing integrated healthcare to a third of London's population, Milton Keynes and areas beyond.

We involve service users, carers, the public, staff and partner organisations in the way that we are run.

Our catchment area spans diverse communities, with over 100 first languages spoken.

It contains areas of great affluence as well as areas of much deprivation.

We are committed to providing services that meet the needs of the people who use them, and we actively encourage involvement from local people who can help make a difference.

We’re proud of our diversity and we continue to undertake new initiatives to advance equality for LGBT+, BME and people with disabilities to promote good relations and understanding between our staff.

Job overview

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a highly motivated and innovative Head of CAMHS for Community CAMHS services in Milton Keynes.

The role of Head of CAMHS is a pivotal role, responsible for the effective operational management and strategic development of the CNWL 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.

Main duties of the job

• 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.
• 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

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

• Technical Qualifications
• Educated to Masters level in a health or social care discipline or equivalent senior-level work experience
• A recognised senior management qualification in leadership, policy, strategy, business management or other relevant field
• Evidence of on-going personal and professional development

Experience

• 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) on various sites within a multi-disciplinary setting Record of successful leadership in an operational capacity
• Experience of policy development and strategic planning resulting in change management projects/programmes
• Experience of successful interagency partnership working
• Ability to negotiate complex contracts with the approval senior management
• Experience of working within statutory and other regulatory frameworks within which mental health and social care services operate and translating these at an operational level
• Experience in leading/ coaching successful Quality Improvement projects
• Experience of developing programmes designed to improve user and carer involvement
• Experience of managing a diverse workforce
• Excellent presentation skills
• Experience of organising and chairing of small and large steering groups
• Experience of running services which address population health inequalities
• Personal Characteristics
• Self‑awareness: knows own strengths and weaknesses and empowers others to ensure goals are achieved; adopts a ‘can do’ approach
• Self‑management: demonstrates resilience; recognises the anxieties of others and helps them to manage appropriately; absorbs criticism constructively; recognises and delivers to the ‘greater good’
• Personal integrity: has a strong commitment to openness, honesty, inclusiveness and high standards
• Analytical rigour: encourages rigour and provides critical challenge in determining outcomes; presents data and conclusions in a logical and defensible way; undertakes robust risk and impact management; seeks others’ views to test own thinking
• Decision making: Sensitive to complex political and organisational issues; weighs up available information and applies sound and timely judgement; considers consequences, impacts and implications; decisive in times of change, challenge
• Communication: builds rapport through consistent, confident and open communication style; routinely checks for understanding to test receipt of messages; energises, convinces and persuades; encourages honesty of message
• Relationships: awareness of, and works collaboratively with key decision makers in area of operation; promotes partnership and collaborative working within teams; demonstrates the ability to seek out and harness the views and contributions of others
• Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI can be used as a support tool, not a replacement for the applicant’s own work.

Applications must remain personal, accurate, and reflective of the candidate’s real experience.

AI-generated content must not misrepresent skills, qualifications, or experience.

Over reliance on AI-generated content is discouraged and may diminish the applicant's chances of success.

We monitor applications for any behaviour that could create an unfair advantage, and we check all references carefully.

You are likely to be tested on your experience at interview, so be honest and make sure all the information in your application is correct.

Please note that the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is prohibited during the interview process.

The successful applicant may have contact with patients or service users.

As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients and service users when working on our healthcare settings.

• Due to the high response levels we receive for some vacancies, we may expire any of them prior to the advertised closing date and advise you to submit your application as soon as possible.
• Applications from job seekers who require sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications.

Before submitting your application and to avoid disappointment please check that you are eligible under the UKVI points based system.

• Our Agenda for Change employment contracts are subject to a contractual 13 week probationary period.
• If you are offered a job, information will be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.
• Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

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