At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead primary care transformation and commissioning for better health outcomes.
- Company: Join a forward-thinking Integrated Care Board dedicated to community health.
- Benefits: Enjoy 27 days holiday, flexible working, and excellent career development opportunities.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with strong governance and innovative culture.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on healthcare while shaping the future of primary care services.
- Qualifications: Masters level education and extensive experience in primary care commissioning required.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 75000 £ per year.
We are seeking an experienced and strategic leader to join our team as Associate Director of Primary Care. This is a pivotal senior role within the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board (ICB), leading the commissioning, contracting, performance and transformation of primary care services across the system. You will play a key role in shaping the future of primary care by driving innovation, transformation and service improvement, ensuring robust governance, financial sustainability and high performance across all commissioned services. This is an ideal opportunity for a credible and influential leader with a strong track record in primary care commissioning and transformation, who is passionate about improving outcomes and reducing inequalities.
Main duties of the job
- Provide senior leadership for primary care commissioning, contracting, assurance and performance management across the ICB.
- Lead the development and delivery of strategic programmes that support transformation, innovation and continuous improvement in primary care services.
- Oversee the commissioning cycle for existing and new services, ensuring robust contract management and delivery of outcomes.
- Develop and implement a clear, prioritised work programme aligned to national, regional and local priorities.
- Work collaboratively with GP practices, Primary Care Networks (PCNs), system partners and NHS England to deliver integrated care and neighbourhood working.
- Drive improvements in quality, access, performance and population health outcomes using data, insight and evidence-based approaches.
- Provide expert advice and leadership on complex commissioning, contractual and performance issues, ensuring risks are effectively managed.
- Lead the development of the primary care provider market, supporting resilience and future‑fit service models.
- Ensure strong governance, procurement and compliance processes are in place across all primary care commissioning activity.
About us
The postholder will provide expert leadership to the Primary Care Team, working closely with senior system partners, NHS England, and primary care providers to deliver high-quality, sustainable services that meet the needs of our population. We offer excellent employment opportunities to new and existing staff. We aim to be a model employer by embedding best HR practice and to support new ways of working. We pride ourselves on offering good working conditions, job security, lifelong learning, fair pay and benefits, staff involvement and a balance between work and personal life. We enjoy a forward thinking and innovative culture and our vision is to have healthy people, living healthy lives in healthy communities. We understand the only way to deliver this is to have the right people with the right skills.
Here is a summary of some of the benefits and services which are on offer to staff:
- 27 days paid minimum holiday and bank holiday entitlement.
- Sick pay policy.
- Occupational health services including staff counselling services.
- Flexible working and family friendly policies.
- Flexible retirement and retirement vouchers.
Job responsibilities
As a Subject Matter Expert (SME) has (or can draw down on) technical/legal/financial capabilities to analyse and make decisions in highly complex/expensive/time bound issues. Where a complex programme is at risk the Associate Director would be required to use their expertise to appraise options and find solutions that mitigate risk to the organisation, residents and partners. Support the development and delivery of outcomes-based commissioning and performance plans against the defined priorities and promoting innovation and supporting excellence across ICS performance. Support strategic commissioning using all steps within the commissioning cycle to deliver realised benefits and continuous improvement ensuring clinical leadership is central to the delivery of all the commissioning activities. To use the commissioning cycle to develop a rigorous approach to all stages for both existing and new services and maintain the rigorous technical management of the current contracting arrangements. Use evidence based approaches and population health management to inform commissioning decisions, ensuring that effective engagement and consultation applies to existing and new services and those we seek to decommission.
Exercise expert judgement in interpreting complex, ambiguous or conflicting information from multiple systems, providing authoritative recommendations that inform high‑risk commissioning, contractual and performance decisions. Ability to navigate complex working environments at place level and work innovatively to develop solutions to challenging market conditions. Ensure that the contracting and assurance programme of work remains high quality and effective across the ICB. Provide strategic leadership in the design and application of system‑wide analytical methods, performance models and decision‑support tools used across the ICB and IC Systems. Interpreting and implementing national policy and direction, using local population health intelligence to drive the primary care commissioning and performance approach. Develop performance management reports for ICB Executive Review a rich mix of performance, operational and financial data and identify key areas for performance improvement and future commissioning. Develop and implement qualitative and quantitative measures to determine performance against the organisational strategy. Report progress against the strategy through personal representation at senior management forums and by written reports to appropriate boards and groups of staff. Challenge ways of working and persuade, motivate, and influence other senior managers to realign their practice where necessary and ensure appropriate governance routes are used for all decision making relating to Primary Care services.
Person Specification
Knowledge, Training and Experience
- Educated to masters level or equivalent level of experience of working at a senior level in the primary care commissioning and transformation area.
- Have an understanding of the background to and aims of current healthcare policy and appreciate the implications of this on engagement.
- Experience of identifying and interpreting national policy.
- Extensive knowledge of primary care commissioning and transformation areas acquired through post graduate diploma or equivalent experience or training plus further specialist knowledge or experience to masters level equivalent.
Communication and Relationship Skills
- Must be able to provide and receive highly complex, sensitive, or contentious information, negotiate with senior stakeholders on difficult and controversial issues, and present complex and sensitive information to large and influential groups.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
Analytical and Judgement Skills
- Ability to analyse complex facts and situations and develop a range of options for service provision.
- Must be able to use initiative to decide relevant actions and make recommendations with the aim of improving deliverables and compliance to policies.
Planning and Organisational Skills
- Experience of leading large Programmes.
- Experience of leading on Annual Business Planning Processes.
- Office environment; Standard keyboard skills.
Responsibility for Patient/Client care
- Ability to be accountable for the delivery and performance of clinical services.
- Experience of engaging directly with service providers in relation to the performance and quality of the clinical services being provided.
- Experience of development and implementing policy and service development guidelines.
- Experience of developing service specifications to inform commissioning and contracting.
- Experience as a budget holder and being able to manage large complex service budgets and contractual arrangements.
- Line management experience of a single function and department.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Associate Director of Primary Care in Eastleigh employer: Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB (104)
Join the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board as an Associate Director of Primary Care, where you will be part of a forward-thinking organisation dedicated to improving health outcomes in our communities. We offer a supportive work culture that prioritises employee well-being with flexible working options, generous holiday entitlements, and opportunities for lifelong learning and professional development. As a model employer, we are committed to fostering innovation and collaboration, ensuring that our staff have the resources and support needed to thrive in their roles.
Contact Details:
Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB (104) Recruitment Team
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We think you need these skills to ace Associate Director of Primary Care in Eastleigh
Some tips for your application 🫡
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How to prepare for a job interview at Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB (104)
✨Showcase Your Administrative Skills
In health sciences administration, being organised is key. Make sure you can demonstrate your skills in managing schedules, paperwork, and data accurately. Be ready to discuss specific tools you've used, like electronic health record systems or scheduling software, and how they improved efficiency in your past experiences.
✨Know Your Regulations
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