NELFT NHS Foundation Trust
Assistant Director

How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Are you ready to shape the future of integrated health and care in Barking and Dagenham?
Join NELFT as an Assistant Director and play a pivotal role in transforming adult health services across Barking and Dagenham. Working collaboratively with partners across the health and care system, you will lead innovative approaches to neighbourhood care, empower our workforce and drive improvements that make a meaningful difference to patients and local communities.
This is an opportunity to combine strategic influence with operational leadership, strengthen partnerships and help shape more joined-up, accessible and sustainable services.
As a compassionate and inclusive leader, you will champion new ways of working, support the development of integrated neighbourhood teams and drive improvements in quality, patient experience and population health.
Main duties of the job
As Assistant Director you will provide strategic and operational leadership across adult health services, driving service transformation and delivering high-quality, person-centred care.
Working closely with clinical and operational colleagues, system partners and local communities, you will translate strategic priorities into meaningful improvements in service delivery, patient outcomes and population health.
Your Key Responsibilities Will Include
- Strategic leadership and transformation: Lead the development and delivery of integrated models of care, supporting neighbourhood health services and innovative ways of working.
- Partnership working: Build strong relationships with NHS partners, local authorities, primary care, social care and voluntary sector organisations to deliver shared priorities.
- Quality and patient experience: Drive improvements in service quality, access, patient flow and outcomes, ensuring services meet the needs of local communities.
- Workforce leadership: Inspire, empower and develop multidisciplinary teams, championing compassionate leadership and supporting staff through organisational change.
- Operational and financial management: Ensure effective service performance, financial sustainability, governance and risk management.
- Population health: Champion preventative approaches, tackle health inequalities and ensure patients, carers and communities have a voice in shaping services.
Reasons to use Rodeo
I’m in my final year doing Economics and I don’t know whether to apply for grad schemes now or do a masters first. What do you think?
Honest answer — it depends on where you want to end up. A lot of top grad schemes (Big 4, civil service, banking) don’t need a masters. Let’s look at the ones you’d be competitive for now, and we can decide if a masters actually adds anything.
Also worth knowing: most autumn 2026 applications are open now. Timing matters more than you think.
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
Graduate Consultant — 2026 Scheme
Why you're a good match
StrongYour economics background and your summer at a regional bank line up with what PwC looks for on the consulting scheme. Applications close in four weeks.
See breakdownIt searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Why you're a good match
You’ve got the grades and the economics background, and your bank internship is exactly the experience this scheme looks for. Apply soon — deadlines close within the month.
Experience fit
Your summer at the bank plus your econometrics coursework map directly to the day-one responsibilities on this scheme — client modelling, market briefings, and deal support.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
You will be an experienced, inclusive and values-led senior leader with a proven ability to manage complex services, influence across organisational boundaries and deliver sustainable transformation.
Working for Us
Joining #TeamNELFT means you’ll become part of a welcoming and supportive working environment. We’re CQC rated Good, and we want you to join us on the journey towards an Outstanding rating. NELFT has sites across North East London and Essex. We provide community and mental healthcare services to adults and children within these areas.
The Trust has award-winning equality and diversity initiatives, along with staff health and wellbeing activities. We invest significantly in your development because when you feel valued and supported, we can deliver the highest quality care to our patients. We are a Level 3 Disability Confident Leader, have been recognised in the Working Families Top 10 Employers benchmark for five consecutive years, and hold a Carers UK Level 1 Accreditation. Through our staff networks and training opportunities, we strive to foster a just and compassionate culture at NELFT.
Our Values 2025 - 2030
Working with our colleagues, patients and carers we have co-produced three new values that we aim to embed within our culture here at NELFT.
They Are
- We are kind.
- We are respectful.
- We work together with our communities.
These three values help us to strive to provide the best care by the best people.
Starting with NELFT
NELFT place a great deal of importance on new starters being properly welcomed and inducted into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and will undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks which will include mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process new starters will have the opportunity to also meet the executive team, senior managers, and attend a number of drop-in sessions focusing on engagement, health and wellbeing and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Goodmayes Hospital.


Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Probationary Period
This post will be subject to a probationary period.
High Cost Area Supplement Outer London (B&D, Redbridge, Havering and Waltham Forest, CEME)
This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 15% of the basic salary (with a minimum of £4,714 to a maximum of £5,941 p.a. pro rata for part time).
Use of AI
We value applications that genuinely reflect each candidate’s own skills, experience and motivations. We therefore strongly discourage the use of AI-generated content in applications.
Applications should be written in your own words and accurately represent your knowledge, skills and experience.
We reserve the right to reject an application where we reasonably believe AI has been used to generate or materially contribute to its content.
Please See The Attached Job Description And Person Specification
for more information about this role and working at North East London NHS Foundation Trust. We encourage you to refer to this when completing your application.
We welcome your application even if you do not meet all the criteria listed in the person specification. Please apply as soon as possible as some posts close early to limit the number of applications.
Name: Sangita Lall
Job title: Deputy Director
Contact Number: 0300 555 1201 ext 58008
Email: Sangita.lall@nhs.net
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Location