Head of Occupational Health - People Directorate in Wakefield

Salary: NHS agenda for change band 8B £66,582 -£77,368

Location: Wakefield

Contract: One Full time, permanent position

Are you an experienced clinical leader ready to shape the future of Occupational Health within a large, values driven organisation? West Yorkshire Police is seeking a dynamic and forward thinking Head of Occupational Health to spearhead the development and delivery of a high performing Occupational Health Service. This is a rare opportunity to take strategic ownership of a service supporting more than 11,000 officers, staff and volunteers, driving wellbeing, performance and organisational resilience across the Force.

Why Join the People Directorate/OH Team? Joining West Yorkshire Police’s Occupational Health team means becoming part of a service where your expertise genuinely shapes the future of how we support our people. You’ll join a unit that is evolving, with the opportunity to influence new pathways, strengthen clinical practice, and help build a modern, clinically led model that puts staff wellbeing at the centre of the organisation. Here, your voice matters: you’ll contribute to redesigning processes, improving access to care, and developing a more proactive, partnership driven approach to health and wellbeing. With growing organisational support, clear strategic priorities, and a commitment to embedding Occupational Health within the wider People Directorate, this is a place where you can guide meaningful change, support colleagues through physical and psychological challenges, and help shape a resilient, compassionate and forward looking OH service.

About the Role You will join a leadership team that genuinely prioritises wellbeing and supports innovative, evidence based practice. This is a highly influential role with visibility across the entire organisation and strong links to the senior leadership team. As the Head of Occupational Health, you will:

• Lead, manage and continuously develop an effective Occupational Health Service aligned to Force strategic objectives
• Model the Police Code of Ethics and champion Diversity, Equality and Inclusion across all Occupational Health activity
• Design and implement a proactive, cost effective OH strategy that meets legislative, organisational and clinical requirements
• Oversee performance, attendance and wellbeing frameworks for officers and staff
• Manage a multidisciplinary OH team including Senior OH Nurse Advisors, the Force Medical Advisor, psychological assessment teams, clinic staff and administrative colleagues
• Develop processes ensuring officers and staff are seen by the right OH professional at the right time
• Lead on clinical governance, quality standards and compliance with frameworks such as SEQOHS
• Drive continuous improvement through data insight, audits, performance monitoring and value for money analysis
• Act as a specialist advisor on Force policies impacting health and wellbeing

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver a high quality, compliant and responsive OH service
• Lead and inspire a multi disciplinary team
• Ensure compliance with legislation, professional standards and police specific regulations
• Build strong relationships with senior leaders, managers and staff associations
• Implement clinical protocols, governance frameworks and audit processes
• Ensure effective triage, referral management and clinical decision making pathways
• Oversee the OH budget and ensure efficient use of resources
• Promote equality, inclusion and ethical behaviours throughout all OH activity
• Represent OH in strategic discussions and policy development
• Improve service delivery through innovation, data insight and continuous evaluation

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Registered nurse or allied health professional with a specialist OH qualification (e.g., SCPHN)
• Significant experience in senior Occupational Health leadership roles
• Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams
• Experience designing and implementing OH strategy, policies and processes
• Strong knowledge of legislation, health surveillance and clinical governance
• Budget management experience
• High level IT skills including data reporting and analysis
• Ability to work confidently with senior stakeholders and manage competing priorities
• Full UK driving licence and ability to travel across West Yorkshire

Benefits/What We Offer West Yorkshire Police staff can access a wide range of benefits designed to support work–life balance, wellbeing, development and financial security. These include:

• Generous annual leave allowance - 29 days annual leave, rising to 34 days after five years of service (plus bank holidays)
• Flexible working options, including agile working arrangements to help you manage your professional and personal commitments
• Membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund, a secure Defined Benefit CARE (Career Average Revalued Earnings) pension scheme
• Access to savings, discounts and cashback rewards through staff schemes, including eligibility to purchase a Blue Light Card
• Access to a wide range of internal wellbeing services and support programmes
• Membership options for the Police Treatment Centre and The Police Children’s Charity (eligibility-dependent)
• Opportunities for career development and training
• Supportive HR policies, including maternity, paternity and other family-friendly provisions
• A meaningful career with a clear sense of purpose supporting policing services that protect communities
• Option to sign up to our Cycle to work scheme (eligibility-dependent)
• Opportunities to join staff networks, wellbeing groups, and sports clubs
• A comprehensive training package including our standard welcome induction, core leadership development, and access to specialist external courses as the role grows

Ready to Make Your Move? If you are an innovative clinical leader with the passion, expertise and resilience to drive an Occupational Health Service forward, we want to hear from you. Help shape a modern, high performing OH function at the heart of one of the UK’s largest police forces.

How to Apply Please provide a full CV and covering letter setting out your experience and expertise when responding to the question set out within the application process. To qualify you MUST redact all personal information including: Name Age Sex Address You must remove all personal information from the CV, otherwise your application will be rejected. Please also do not use your personal details as the file name of the CV. For further information, please contact Chief Inspector Peter Hall Peter.hall@westyorkshire.police.uk The successful candidate will be subject to personal and financial vetting checks prior to appointment. The vacancy will close on the 15th April 2026 at 23:55 hours.