Assistant Director of Strategic Workforce Planning in Cardiff

Main area Strategic Workforce Planning Grade Band 8c Contract Permanent Hours

• Full time
• Flexible working

37.5 hours per week (An agile working model to allow flexibility between home and office-based working.) Job ref 082-AC

Employer Health Education and Improvement Wales Employer type NHS Site Ty Dysgu Town Cardiff Salary £80,698 - £92,984 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 07/09/ :59

Assistant Director of Strategic Workforce Planning

Band 8c

We are committed to promoting inclusion at HEIW and we welcome applications from everybody recognising the value that diversity brings to our workforce. To work in the UK, candidates who are not UK or Republic of Ireland (ROI) nationals require sponsorship via a Skilled Worker Visa, unless they have permission to work via another route. Please note that HEIW does not currently hold a licence to appoint skilled workers from overseas by sponsoring them to work in the UK. If successful, candidates from outside of the UK or ROI would be responsible for obtaining their own sponsorship or visa to enable them to work for HEIW - Work in the UK .

This vacancy may close early if it receives a high number of applications. Please complete and submit your application in good time to avoid disappointment.

The salary scale for a Band 3 has been adjusted as part of the NHS Agenda for Change pay award for 2026/2027 and will be implemented in August 2026 backdated to 01 April 2026 where applicable.

Job overview

HEIW is seeking an experienced and influential senior leader to join us as Assistant Director of Strategic Workforce Planning. This is a key national role, providing expert leadership across NHS Wales to shape a sustainable workforce through evidence-led planning that responds to current and future service, population and policy needs.

The successful candidate will lead national workforce planning, using workforce intelligence, forecasting, modelling and horizon scanning to anticipate future workforce requirements and support transformation across national, regional and organisational levels.

The successful candidate will lead the development of strategic and operational workforce planning approaches, using workforce intelligence, forecasting, modelling and horizon scanning to support transformation across national, regional and organisational levels. Working closely with Welsh Government, NHS Wales organisations and wider partners, they will help build workforce planning capability and provide high-quality advice to senior leaders on complex workforce challenges and opportunities.

We are looking for someone with substantial senior-level experience in strategic workforce planning, workforce transformation or a related field, with strong analytical, communication and influencing skills. This is an excellent opportunity to play a leading role in shaping the future NHS Wales workforce and supporting high-quality, sustainable care for the people of Wales.

Main duties of the job

• Provide expert strategic workforce planning advice, insight and direction to HEIW and NHS Wales.
• Lead the development of national workforce planning approaches, guidance and methodologies.
• Use horizon scanning, workforce intelligence, forecasting, modelling and scenario planning to inform workforce decisions.
• Shape future workforce models across NHS Wales to support sustainable services and transformation.
• Anticipate workforce risks, supply challenges and future skills needs using evidence and data.
• Support the production of operational and strategic workforce plans for professions and services across NHS Wales.
• Work with internal and external stakeholders to ensure workforce information and analysis informs service planning, transformation and education commissioning.
• Represent HEIW in national forums and provide senior leadership across workforce planning, intelligence, capacity and capability building.

Working for our organisation

Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) is the strategic workforce body for NHS Wales with statutory functions that include education and training, workforce planning, workforce development and transformation, leadership and succession planning, and careers. Our purpose is to develop a workforce that delivers excellent care to patients/service users and excellent population health. We are a Special Health Authority working closely with our partners; Social Care Wales, education providers, professional and regulatory bodies and Welsh Government.

HEIW's is committed to developing an internal culture of choice. Our Values reflect our thoughts, feelings and beliefs in how we will, and will not, behave and treat others:

- Respect for All in every contact we have with others,

- Ideas that Improve: Harnessing creativity and continuously innovating, evaluating and improving,

- Together as a Team: Working with colleagues across NHS Wales and with partner organisations.

HEIW received the HPMA Award for Employee Engagement in 2019.

What you can expect:

• a corporate induction and 90 day Welcome itinerary,
• a meaningful values based performance appraisal process,
• the opportunity to impact upon health and social care services and the lives and wellbeing of the people of Wales.

Many of our colleagues and stakeholders have commented on the buzz and atmosphere we create by working together as "One HEIW Team". Do you want to join that team?

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents or

Person specification

Qualifications and Knowledge

• Specialist knowledge in strategic workforce planning, workforce transformation or a related post graduate qualification in Strategic Workforce Planning
• CIPD qualification and membership, or willingness to achieve within two years of appointment
• Highly developed knowledge of strategic workforce planning, workforce intelligence, capacity and capability building, service improvement and change management
• Strong understanding of the strategic, political, policy and social context affecting workforce planning and service delivery across NHS Wales
• Accredited coach at post-graduate diploma level, or equivalent coaching experience at senior or executive level.

Experience

• Substantial experience of operating at a senior level within a complex organisation or system
• Significant experience of leading complex strategic programmes or portfolios involving multiple stakeholders, competing priorities, organisational change and delivery through influence as well as direct management
• Proven track record of developing strategic workforce plans, workforce strategies or major workforce transformation programmes at organisational, regional or national level
• Experience of applying workforce intelligence, management information and evidence to support strategic planning, decision-making and assurance
• Experience of working with senior professional, clinical and managerial colleagues and building effective partnerships across organisational boundaries
• Experience of working closely and effectively with trade union representatives and professional bodies
• Experience of preparing reports, presenting complex information and providing advice or recommendations to senior groups, Boards, Committees or national stakeholders
• Experience of providing strategic oversight and accountability for complex programmes, including governance, assurance, risk, resources, outcomes and value for money
• Experience of budgetary management, budget setting and effective resource management
• Experience of line management, staff development and supporting high standards of performance
• Experience of designing, developing or implementing effective HR, workforce information or workforce planning systems

It is essential that your application demonstrates how you meet the job description / person specification for this post.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

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