Health Inequalities and Workforce Lead

Vita Health Group NHS Talking Therapies – West Essex (WE), Bristol, North Somerset & South Gloucestershire (BNSSG), or Derby & Derbyshire

Are you driven by a passion for equity, inclusion, and meaningful system change? Do you want to shape a workforce and service model that truly meets the needs of diverse and underserved communities? If so, this is your opportunity to make a lasting impact.

About the Role

We are seeking a dynamic Health Inequalities & Workforce Lead to champion equitable access, inclusive workforce development, and deprivation-informed service transformation across one of our NHS Talking Therapies service areas. In this pivotal role, you will bring together strategic workforce planning with targeted health inequalities programmes to ensure our services reach and support those who need them most. You will work closely with local systems, communities, and partners to drive improvements aligned with Core20PLUS5, PCREF, and local ICS priorities. This is a hybrid role with the expectation you will be out in the local community in either BNSSG, WE or Derbyshire.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design and delivery of equitable access initiatives that reduce barriers for underserved groups.
• Drive inclusive workforce development, ensuring recruitment, progression, and retention practices reflect our commitment to EDI.
• Develop and implement strategic workforce plans that support sustainable, skilled, and representative teams.
• Champion staff wellbeing, embedding approaches that improve retention and create psychologically safe working environments.
• Oversee targeted health inequalities programmes, ensuring alignment with national and local frameworks.
• Collaborate with ICS partners, community organisations, and internal teams to embed deprivation-informed service transformation.
• Use data, insight, and lived experience to inform decision-making and drive continuous improvement.

What You’ll Bring

Essential Skills and Experience

• Degree-level qualification in a relevant field (E.g. public health, psychology, health & social care, social policy, organisational development)
• Evidence of ongoing professional development in areas such as equality, diversity & inclusion, behavioural science, health inequalities or population health.
• Significant (e.g. 3 years+) experience in workforce leadership, EDI or health inequalities
• Experience collaborating with VCSE partners and co-designing community-led interventions.
• Ability to manage cross-service programmes and deliver measurable outcomes
• Experience of customer/ICS interaction
• Understanding of Core20PLUS5, PCREF, deprivation-related drivers of inequality, and behavioural frameworks (e.g COM-B)
• Strong analytical capability, including working with IMD, population health, and service-level data.
• Microsoft Excel & PowerPoint ability – intermediate level minimum

Desirable Skills and Experience

• Postgraduate qualifications in public health, health inequalities, population health management, or related field
• Demonstrated experience of identifying and leading business changes that span multiple departments within the service
• Other software skills/knowledge such as Co-Pilot, AI tools, PowerAutomate
• Strong familiarity of using PowerBi for data analysis
• Ability to build, check & challenge workforce planning-operational models
• Training in: Behavioural science, Health equity impact assessments, Quality improvement, Project or programme management

Why Join Us?

This is a rare opportunity to shape the future of NHS Talking Therapies in a way that is bold, equitable, and transformative. You’ll be part of a forward-thinking team committed to tackling inequalities head-on and building a workforce that reflects the communities we serve. In addition to a competitive salary, we also offer the opportunity of a flexible work life balance and a comprehensive benefits package.

To progress your skills and enable career development we provide Continued Professional Development opportunities including secondments, management training, a mentoring scheme and regular events and webinars across a range of clinical disciplines. We are committed to equitably support the wellbeing of all employees as demonstrated by:

• Our association with the MINDFUL EMPLOYER Charter for Employers who are Positive About Mental Health.
• Our status as a Disability Confident Employer dedicated to ensuring that all candidates are treated fairly throughout the recruitment process.
• All disabled candidates that meet the minimum essential criteria will be considered for interview.
• Our Ethnicity Matters Scheme where all applicants for senior roles (£40,000+) from a minority ethnic group that meet the essential criteria will be considered for interview.
• Our sign up to the Armed Forces Covenant.
• Our status as a Menopause Friendly Committed employer.
• Our sign up to the Employer with Heart Charter.
• Our commitment to meet the standards outlined in the NHS Equality Delivery System (EDS).
• Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) and Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES).
• The provision of access to health and wellbeing services for colleagues which includes a team of trained Mental Health Advocates and an Employee Assistance Programme.
• An embedded “speaking up” culture facilitated by Freedom to Speak Up Guardians.