Job summary

We are seeking experienced, compassionate and highly motivated senior leaders to join Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust as Deputy Care Group Director/s.

These exciting opportunities come at an important time for our organisation as we continue to transform and improve our services and deliver the ambitions of our Making a Difference 2026-2029 Strategy.

These roles offer an excellent opportunity to broaden your senior leadership experience, influence the future direction of our services and make a tangible difference to our patients, families, carers, colleagues and communities.

Main duties of the job

As Deputy Care Group Director, you will be a key member of the Care Group senior Leadership Team, providing visible, compassionate and effective strategic and operational leadership. Working collaboratively alongside the Care Group Directors, Care Group Nurse Directors, Care Group Associate Medical Directors, Chief Psychological Officer and senior Allied Health Professional (AHP) leaders, you will bring together operational, nursing, medical, psychological and AHP leadership to ensure our services are safe, effective, inclusive and sustainable.

You will translate strategic priorities into effective operational delivery, maintaining a strong focus on quality, patient safety, performance, workforce and financial management, while creating a culture that supports innovation, continuous improvement and high-quality care. This is a role with significant scope to influence.

You will build strong relationships across professional and organisational boundaries, working with operational teams, nurses, medical colleagues, psychologists, AHPs and the wider multidisciplinary workforce, alongside corporate colleagues, partners and communities to improve services and outcomes.

About us

#TeamNottsHC comprises over 11,000 dedicated colleagues who #MakeADifference every day. We deliver intellectual disability, mental health, community health, forensic, and offender healthcare services across Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, and South Yorkshire. Our care is provided from over 200 sites, spanning community locations, acute settings, and secure environments, including prisons.

We are one of the largest mental health and community Trusts in the East Midlands and one of Nottinghamshire's biggest employers. We also host national and regional services, such as the National High Secure Deaf Service and the Nottingham Centre for Transgender Health.

We offer a variety of employee-led staff networks, including Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) groups, the Green Champions network, the Freedom to Speak Up network, the Health and Wellbeing Champions network, and the Menopause Champions network. These networks play a vital role in supporting our diverse workforce and promoting a culture of inclusivity.

The health and wellbeing of colleagues is a top priority. We invest significantly in this through our in-house occupational health and staff counselling services, supported by a dedicated Health and Wellbeing team.

The Trust is committed to reducing its carbon emissions, with a specialised Energy and Environmental team working to ensure compliance with environmental legislation, enhance our environmental performance, and achieve our net-zero commitment.

Details

Date posted

01 October 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8d

Salary

£94,356 to £108,814 a year per annum (pro rata for part time)

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

186-867-26-MH

Job locations

Highbury Hospital

Highbury Road

Bulwell, Nottingham

NG6 9DR

United Kingdom

Job description

Job responsibilities

About our Trust

The Forensics Care Group delivers care across the full secure care pathway from high secure to community-based forensic services. We provide services through our key forensic sites at Arnold Lodge Regional Medium Secure Unit, Rampton High Secure Hospital, Wathwood Medium Secure Hospital and The Wells Road Centre Low Secure Unit in Nottingham and Community Forensics Care Unit. Our services are based in Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire and Leicester.

The Mental Health Care Group includes our Adult Mental Health Crisis & Community Care Unit, Adult Mental Health Inpatient Care Unit, the Older Peoples Care Unit and the Children, Young People & Families Care Unit which includes Public Health, Physical Health, Forensic and Mental Health Services.

The Community and Specialist Care Group, compromises of three separate care units, community physical health services for Nottinghamshire (both urgent and planned care), Transgender Health and specialist services of which the largest is our Intellectual and Developmental Disability Services (IDD).

Our Making a Difference 20262029 Strategy sets out our ambition to help people live safer, healthier and more fulfilling lives through high-quality, inclusive physical and mental healthcare. As Deputy Care Group Director, you will play an important role in translating our four strategic pledges into action:We put patients first ensuring care is safe, effective and continuously improving, with patients, families and carers at the heart of how we design and deliver services.We join up care strengthening collaboration across the Trust and with our partners, supporting integrated and neighbourhood approaches to care and improving connections between physical and mental healthcare.We support our people providing visible and compassionate leadership and creating an environment where colleagues across all professions feel safe, supported, valued and able to perform at their best.We use our resources wisely and responsibly ensuring services are operationally and financially sustainable and embracing innovation, digital opportunities and new ways of working to deliver the best possible outcomesHow we achieve our ambitions matters. Our values of Trust, Honesty, Respect, Compassion and Teamwork underpin everything we do. We are looking for leaders who will actively role-model these values, creating an open and inclusive culture where people feel listened to, supported and empowered to improve. You will recognise and champion the contribution of our diverse professional workforce, including nursing, medicine, psychology, Allied Health Professionals and our wider clinical and non-clinical teams. You will understand that the best outcomes for patients and communities are achieved through genuine multidisciplinary leadership, collaboration and partnership.You will be an accomplished and credible senior leader with significant management and leadership experience within a complex healthcare environment. You will combine strategic thinking with a strong grip on operational delivery, demonstrating the confidence and resilience to navigate complexity, lead change and maintain momentum when priorities compete. You will build trusted relationships working collectively to provide strong multidisciplinary leadership and ensuring quality, safety and patient experience remain central to decision-making.You will be someone who values professional diversity, actively seeks different perspectives and creates the conditions in which all professions can contribute their expertise to improving care. Above all, you will be a visible, inclusive, compassionate and values-driven leader, committed to improving outcomes for the people and communities we serve.If successful, the role/s you will be offered will be based upon your skills, knowledge, experience and business need at time of appointment.Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. The cost of the DBS application is £26.40 (standard) or £54.40 (enhanced), this cost will be deducted from your salary over the first 2 months of employment.You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. An annual fee of £16 per year applies

Job description Job responsibilities About our Trust The Forensics Care Group delivers care across the full secure care pathway from high secure to community-based forensic services. We provide services through our key forensic sites at Arnold Lodge Regional Medium Secure Unit, Rampton High Secure Hospital, Wathwood Medium Secure Hospital and The Wells Road Centre Low Secure Unit in Nottingham and Community Forensics Care Unit. Our services are based in Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire and Leicester. The Mental Health Care Group includes our Adult Mental Health Crisis & Community Care Unit, Adult Mental Health Inpatient Care Unit, the Older Peoples Care Unit and the Children, Young People & Families Care Unit which includes Public Health, Physical Health, Forensic and Mental Health Services. The Community and Specialist Care Group, compromises of three separate care units, community physical health services for Nottinghamshire (both urgent and planned care), Transgender Health and specialist services of which the largest is our Intellectual and Developmental Disability Services (IDD). Our Making a Difference 20262029 Strategy sets out our ambition to help people live safer, healthier and more fulfilling lives through high-quality, inclusive physical and mental healthcare. As Deputy Care Group Director, you will play an important role in translating our four strategic pledges into action:We put patients first ensuring care is safe, effective and continuously improving, with patients, families and carers at the heart of how we design and deliver services.We join up care strengthening collaboration across the Trust and with our partners, supporting integrated and neighbourhood approaches to care and improving connections between physical and mental healthcare.We support our people providing visible and compassionate leadership and creating an environment where colleagues across all professions feel safe, supported, valued and able to perform at their best.We use our resources wisely and responsibly ensuring services are operationally and financially sustainable and embracing innovation, digital opportunities and new ways of working to deliver the best possible outcomesHow we achieve our ambitions matters. Our values of Trust, Honesty, Respect, Compassion and Teamwork underpin everything we do. We are looking for leaders who will actively role-model these values, creating an open and inclusive culture where people feel listened to, supported and empowered to improve. You will recognise and champion the contribution of our diverse professional workforce, including nursing, medicine, psychology, Allied Health Professionals and our wider clinical and non-clinical teams. You will understand that the best outcomes for patients and communities are achieved through genuine multidisciplinary leadership, collaboration and partnership.You will be an accomplished and credible senior leader with significant management and leadership experience within a complex healthcare environment. You will combine strategic thinking with a strong grip on operational delivery, demonstrating the confidence and resilience to navigate complexity, lead change and maintain momentum when priorities compete. You will build trusted relationships working collectively to provide strong multidisciplinary leadership and ensuring quality, safety and patient experience remain central to decision-making.You will be someone who values professional diversity, actively seeks different perspectives and creates the conditions in which all professions can contribute their expertise to improving care. Above all, you will be a visible, inclusive, compassionate and values-driven leader, committed to improving outcomes for the people and communities we serve.If successful, the role/s you will be offered will be based upon your skills, knowledge, experience and business need at time of appointment.Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. The cost of the DBS application is £26.40 (standard) or £54.40 (enhanced), this cost will be deducted from your salary over the first 2 months of employment.You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. An annual fee of £16 per year applies

Person Specification

Contractual Requirements

Essential

• Full UK driving licence and ability to travel

Qualifications

Essential

• Professional qualification or equivalent experience across health or social care to masters level
• Management qualification or equivalent

Desirable

• Postgraduate qualification (MPA, MBA, MSc in leadership/management or similar)

Experience

Essential

• Experience at a senior / strategic level in a leadership role in large, complex public sector organisations (not always requiring clinical background)
• Experience working at senior leadership level, supporting senior leaders and operating within formal governance frameworks
• Proven ability to influence, coordinate and integrate across organisational boundaries
• Strong understanding of NHS governance, performance management, risk and assurance.
• Experience of managing sensitive and complex issues requiring high levels of judgement and discretion.
• Demonstrable people management and leadership experience.
• Ability to work effectively under pressure and manage competing priorities

Desirable

• Experience of system working (ICS, provider collaboratives or regional structures).
• Experience supporting financial recovery or major improvement programmes.

Person Specification Contractual Requirements Essential Full UK driving licence and ability to travel Qualifications Essential Professional qualification or equivalent experience across health or social care to masters level Management qualification or equivalent Desirable Postgraduate qualification (MPA, MBA, MSc in leadership/management or similar) Experience Essential Experience at a senior / strategic level in a leadership role in large, complex public sector organisations (not always requiring clinical background) Experience working at senior leadership level, supporting senior leaders and operating within formal governance frameworks Proven ability to influence, coordinate and integrate across organisational boundaries Strong understanding of NHS governance, performance management, risk and assurance. Experience of managing sensitive and complex issues requiring high levels of judgement and discretion. Demonstrable people management and leadership experience. Ability to work effectively under pressure and manage competing priorities Desirable Experience of system working (ICS, provider collaboratives or regional structures). Experience supporting financial recovery or major improvement programmes.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Additional information 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. Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab). From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Highbury Hospital

Highbury Road

Bulwell, Nottingham

NG6 9DR

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.nottinghamshirehealthcare.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Highbury Hospital

Highbury Road

Bulwell, Nottingham

NG6 9DR

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.nottinghamshirehealthcare.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)