Associate Director- Programme Delivery

Associate Director – Programme Delivery

Base

The Beehive, Crawley/Gatwick, West Sussex

Reports to

Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Direct reports

Heads of Portfolio, Programme Managers

Budgetary responsibilities

Up to £500k per project – Up to £1.5m in total

Salary Banding

up to £88k per annum

Contract

Permanent

Closing Date

• 3rd August 2026
• Job Purpose

The Associate Director(s) will have full managerial responsibility for the development and delivery of a portfolio of projects.

This includes team and project performance, client satisfaction, the quality of work delivered and financial oversight of projects.

The role exists to specifically influence, lead and deliver successfully in a complex, multi‑organisational and multi‑professional networked context.

As part of the senior leadership team of Health Innovation Kent Surrey Sussex (Health Innovation KSS), the postholder will lead engagement, planning and delivery of work related to all of the KSS Integrated Care System (ICS).

Key Responsibilities

• Stakeholder Leadership
• Supports the COO with IC relations on behalf of Health Innovation KSS and national stakeholder relationships, building support and commitment for the networks portfolio of programmes and projects.
• Builds long‑term networks & relationships in localities and contributes to the delivery of the content of locality support plans and the organisation’s business plan.
• Uses highly developed specialist knowledge in stakeholder engagement to persuade, influence and manage change in a complex and sometimes contentious context.
• Income Generation
• As a senior post, the postholder is expected to make a significant contribution to income generation for the organisation, including growth of the IC localities accounts.
• Identifies new opportunities as part of the organisation’s income generation and business growth effort.
• Uses knowledge in innovation, programme and project management to achieve sales and growth through business development, stakeholder engagement and public relations.
• Development and Delivery of Innovation Projects
• Full managerial responsibility for the development and delivery of a portfolio of projects, including financial responsibility, team and project performance, client satisfaction and quality of work delivered.
• Responds confidently to changing customer needs across the systems.
• Applies specialist knowledge in programme and project management, performance management, stakeholder engagement and leadership, financial management, public relations, team leadership and advanced persuasion skills.
• Team Leadership and Development
• Professional lead and line manager of multiple project teams, ensuring a strong, positive culture and dealing with staff problems and performance management.
• Line management of Heads of Portfolio and Programme Managers, supporting them in delivering outcomes and professional development.
• Manages part‑time, flexible and networked multidisciplinary teams.
• Contributes to the transfer of professional knowledge, maximises potential through development and supports the growth of professional capability within the Health Innovation Network.
• Promotes new ideas and organizes key events to support organisational culture.
• Key Result Areas
• Leadership, Ambassadorial Function and Capability Building
• Delegated authority as Health Innovation KSS representative for work theme across all member and client organisations.
• Identifies and resolves tensions with members and clients, securing commitment and resources.
• Represents Health Innovation KSS at regional or national level as required.
• Negociates with others to achieve best outcomes and adopts a flexible approach to competing demands.
• Colonises the practical spread and adoption of new innovations beyond current portfolios.
• Enables others to deliver, including those not under direct line management.
• Contributes to organisational leadership at core team and executive meetings.
• Builds positive working relationships to support an effective matrix approach.
• Works across boundaries and fosters relations with all Health Innovation members, client organisations and other stakeholders.
• Programme and Project Management and Leadership
• Translates business development opportunities into new projects or increased revenue.
• Sets up new projects from scratch and oversees delivery.
• Plans and manages complex activities, adjusting plans and strategies as required.
• Manages complex and contentious information with large, sometimes hostile groups.
• Builds impact by introducing evidence‑based interventions.
• Develops plans, objectives and actions to meet project goals.
• Secures evidence and analytics to inform decisions and mitigate risks.
• Promotes quality frameworks such as NICE standards.
• Contributes to strategic planning and business prioritisation.
• Ensures local populations benefit from research programmes and innovations.
• Highlights and reports innovative approaches to education and training.
• Works with executive team and senior leadership.
• Partner with staff at all levels to achieve corporate goals.
• Proposes role changes to advance organisational objectives.
• Establishes robust governance for project activities.
• Secures project resources.
• Performance Management and Reporting
• Leads negotiations on milestones and metrics for project success.
• Performs substantial analytical and reporting work within unpredictable patterns.
• Agrees milestones and metrics with Service Delivery Director for reporting to executive team and board.
• Ensures robust contract, performance and financial management.
• Develops project documentation for tracking progress.
• Delivers performance reports and corrective action plans to executive team and board.
• Provides expert advice and leads negotiations for resolution.
• Financial Responsibilities and People Management
• Accountable for work theme budget up to £500k per project and £1.5m in total.
• Seeks additional income from other sources and leads partnership development.
• Delivers value for money and greater budget efficiency.
• Provides expertise and training across the organisation.
• Manages, motivates, appraises and develops staff and provides performance reviews.
• Recruits and manages project teams in a matrix structure.
• Ensures staff receive training, mentorship and development plans.
• Academic and Industry Engagement
• Supports strategic objectives to grow the innovation pipeline and practice adoption.
• Leads identification and maintenance of a pool of health system experts.
• Manages day‑to‑day relationships with industry partners.
• Engagement with Service Users, Experts and Others
• Develops and manages comprehensive expert resources.
• Co‑designs with public, patients and service users to address inequity.
• Maintains the highest professional standard of public and patient contact.
• Acts as strategic adviser to charities and voluntary organisations.
• Builds relationships with national and local charities and voluntary groups.
• Secures local community experts for projects and activities.
• Information Management
• Collaborates to develop, manage and maintain information systems across the work theme.
• Partners with suppliers, public health observatories and commissioners to monitor quality and value.
• Secures evidence and analytics to support innovation.

Education and Professional Development

• Maintains and improves advanced theoretical, professional and practical knowledge.
• Develops own skills, provides information for team development.
• Participates in personal objective setting and review.
• Demonstrates high standards of integrity and confidentiality.
• Corporate Contribution
• Leads from the front and acts as role model to support organisational values.
• Proactively participates in corporate initiatives and functions as a senior leadership member.
• Contribution to Income Generation, Commercial Development and Change Agendas
• Makes a defined contribution to the income generation and sales pipeline.
• Leads defined change projects that improve outcomes and value for the taxpayer.
• Works with Communications to develop strategies for relevant work themes.
• Achieves growth by securing new business through business development and stakeholder engagement.
• Strategic Thinking and Strategic Account Planning
• Leads the development of core project strategies and oversees implementation reporting.
• Engages stakeholders to support the defined strategy and tailors contributions as required.
• Special Requirements
• Deputises for members of the Executive Management Group as required.
• May work irregular hours and travel extensively across Kent, Surrey and Sussex and beyond, including international travel when required.
• General Responsibilities
• Active member of senior leadership team.
• Promotes the vision and values of the organisation.
• Shares knowledge and works collaboratively with national and local voluntary sector organisations.
• Ensures effective communications within and between teams.
• Engages in regular performance reviews and commits to personal development plans.
• Values and Behaviours

Health Innovation KSS has developed a clear vision for the direction of the company.

A set of values and behaviours underpin this vision and will be assessed during recruitment, selection and appraisal processes.

Person Specification

Qualifications / Education – Essential

• Educated to masters level or equivalent and supplemented by specialist training in project and/or programme management.
• Experience in a senior project delivery role.
• Evidence of continuous professional development; record of CPD shows strong self‑development ethos.
• Knowledge and Experience – Essential
• Highly developed specialist knowledge and skills in programme and project leadership, management and delivery; achieving sales and growth through business development, performance management, stakeholder engagement and leadership, financial management, public relations, team leadership and advanced persuasion skills.
• Substantial and successful track record of operational, programme and project management acquired over a significant period.
• Experience working in a fast‑paced, complex environment, collaborating with diverse stakeholders and managing cross‑organisation work.
• Deep understanding of current health and social care policy nationally and in the southeast, and appreciation of its implications on engagement.
• Strong project management experience with a track record of successful delivery.
• Experience working effectively across boundaries with multiple organisations.
• Previous responsibility for a budget, involved in budget setting and working knowledge of financial processes.
• Experience testing and developing new services and/or business models based on client and customer needs.
• Experience leading and presenting at workshops and seminars.
• Experience developing and implementing communication and engagement activities that grow commitment and drive behaviour and culture change.
• Significant operational knowledge of health and/or social care.
• Experience building consensus and driving change and performance improvement in systems and culture.

Desirable

• Appreciation of relationships within and between health and social care systems, Departments of Health, NHS England, local authorities, individual providers, commissioning organisations and the link between health and social care.
• Familiarity with Kent, Surrey and Sussex and its stakeholders.
• Network of stakeholders from around the KSS patch.

Skills and Abilities

• Highly developed communication skills, adapting tone for different audiences.
• Self‑reliance and ability to work unsupervised, building confidence of the executive team.
• Ability to provide and receive complex, sensitive or contentious information to large groups.
• Strong people management skills, including performance management and professional development.
• Proactive, creative and flexible approach to identifying opportunities and shaping partnerships.
• Ability to engage and influence a broad range of professional groups at all levels of seniority.
• Political nous and negotiation skills on behalf of Health Innovation KSS.
• High level analytical skills and ability to draw qualitative and quantitative data and present clearly.
• Ability to analyse numerical and written data, assess options and draw conclusions.
• High level critical thinking skills.
• Ability to develop, maintain and monitor information systems to support innovation initiatives.
• Sound judgement in absence of clear guidelines.
• Leadership, vision, strategic thinking and planning with highly developed political skills.
• Ability to work on own initiative and organise workload, allocating work as necessary.
• Ability to make autonomous decisions on difficult issues.
• Ability to handle rapidly changing and ambiguous environments.
• Comfortable with financial information.
• Advanced IT skills including collaborative working tools and Microsoft Office.
• Personal Style and Behaviour
• Flexibility of style to reflect the needs of a small organisation.
• Understanding of own strengths and limitations and impact on others.
• Confidence, determination, perseverance and resilience to overcome obstacles.
• Collegiate knowledge sharer.
• Highly results‑oriented with a strong drive to deliver impact.
• Strong sense of personal and team accountability, delivers on commitments.
• High levels of personal integrity.
• Positive, proactive and ‘can‑do’ attitude.
• Responsibility for own actions.
• Ability to handle change effectively.
• Flexibility and adaptability to work.
• Self‑awareness.
• Values diversity and looks for opportunities to improve equality.
• Respectful of the company’s core values.
• Networker with a range of loose connections to create collaborations.
• Maintains a positive attitude in challenging circumstances.
• Influential leader with flair and energy.
• Other Requirements
• Reliable work record.
• Demonstrates flexibility within working patterns and prepared for flexible hours.
• Able to work flexibly across a wide geographical area.
• Specific Responsibilities for Associate Director of Programme Delivery

In addition to responsibilities outlined in the main job description, the following responsibilities are specific to the role:

• Active role in the senior leadership team.
• Ongoing leadership, management and oversight of work to support the spread of innovation into practice.
• Demonstrates impact through organisational work.
• Manages assurance processes and reports locally, regionally and nationally.
• Develops strategic and operational plans for agreed projects within the innovation adoption portfolio.
• Supports members of the wider professional group.
• Business development in line with main job description commitments.
• Manages budgets, monitors income and expenditure.
• Provides leadership to support the Professional Group and drive excellence.
• Identifies needs of the system and local populations for Health Innovation Kent Surrey Sussex.
• Supports national groups as required.
• Location

The role will cover the whole Kent, Surrey, Sussex geography and requires travel within the area.

• Key Stakeholders
• Primary care, community teams, acute teams, mental health teams, commissioners, voluntary sector, public health, third sector colleagues and others.
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