Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board
Deputy Director of People Services and Organisational Development
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Job Overview
This is a pivotal and influential leadership role within Betsi Cadwaladr UHB, and we are seeking an exceptional People leader with the vision, credibility and ambition to help shape the future of our workforce and organisational culture.
As the largest employer in North Wales, we serve a diverse population across a complex healthcare system. We are on a significant improvement and transformation journey, and our people are at the heart of delivering outstanding services for patients, communities and colleagues.
This highly visible role provides strategic and operational leadership across the full range of People Services and OD functions. Working closely with the Board, Executive Team, senior clinical and operational leaders, trade unions and system partners, you will help ensure that our workforce strategies, policies, systems and development programmes support the delivery of safe, effective and high-performing services.
You will champion compassionate leadership, staff engagement and continuous improvement, ensuring the Health Board continues to develop as an employer of choice.
We are looking for a highly accomplished senior People professional with substantial experience gained within a large, complex healthcare organisation or similarly complex environment. You will have a proven track record of delivering transformational change, developing workforce strategies, leading large multidisciplinary teams, and influencing at Board and system-partnership level.
Main duties of the job
- Leading the development and delivery of workforce, organisational development and cultural improvement strategies to support a compassionate, inclusive and high-performing organisation.
- Providing strategic advice and professional expertise to the Board, Executive Team, senior leaders and clinicians on complex workforce and organisational issues.
- Driving workforce sustainability through effective workforce planning, redesign, talent management, succession planning and leadership development programmes.
- Leading major organisational change and improvement programmes, ensuring workforce considerations are fully integrated into service transformation and improvement plans.
- Building strong partnerships with trade unions, professional bodies, Welsh Government, NHS Wales organisations and other key stakeholders.
- Providing assurance on workforce risks, performance, governance, regulatory compliance and delivery of national workforce priorities.
- Managing budgets and resources within the Directorate, ensuring efficient, effective and financially sustainable People Services provision.
- Deputising for the Executive Director of People Services and OD, representing the Directorate at Board, Executive and external meetings as required.
Working for our organisation
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) is the largest health organisation in Wales, with a budget of £1.7 billion and a workforce of over 19,000 staff. The Health Board provides primary, community, mental health and acute hospital services for the population of North Wales.
BCUHB provides a full range of primary, community, mental health, acute and specialist hospital services across 3 acute hospitals, 22 community hospitals and a network of over 90 health centres, clinics, community health team bases and mental health units. BCUHB also coordinates or provides the work of 113 GP practices and the NHS services provided by dentists, opticians and pharmacists across the region.
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The Health Board is an integrated health system which strives to excellent compassionate care delivered in partnership with the public and other statutory and third sector organisations. BCUHB has a developed relationship with the universities in North Wales and with the University of Bangor is seeking medical school status and operates in a research-rich learning culture.
Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities
Key Recruitment Dates
- Closing Date for Applications: Midnight on 23 September
- Shortlisting Panel Meeting: 25 September
- Selection Event and Interviews: 2 October at Carlton Court, St Asaph
Please note: The Welsh translation of the job description and recruitment information is currently being completed and is expected to be available from 10 September 2026. We will publish the translated documents on the vacancy page as soon as they are available.
Candidates are encouraged to refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification for further information.
For further information and an informal discussion regarding this opportunity please contact Katy Littler, Business Support Manager to Executive Director of People Services and OD.
Person specification
Qualifications And Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (FCIPD)
- Educated to Master degree level relevant to the field of expertise or equivalent senior level of work experience
- Evidence of continual professional development and recent management and leadership development
- Post Graduate Management or leadership qualification or equivalent experience
- Current professional Employment Law Legislation knowledge
- High level of understanding of current national policy and issues, government strategies, compliance and standards that may impact employers and healthcare services
- In depth professional knowledge in a number of disciplines acquired through a breadth of knowledge or experience i.e. finance management, staff management, information systems, organisational theory and practice
Desirable criteria
- Mediation qualifications
- Coaching
- Psychometric Analysis
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience in delivering cultural change programmes and values underpinned by Strategic Values and behavioural frameworks
- Experience of working in a senior role within HR in a large, complex healthcare environment or similar large and complex environment.
- Experience of leading a team and delivering excellence through others
- Experience of budget management and complex service reconfiguration at a senior level and demonstrating measurable service improvements and cost improvement delivery
- Significant experience of staff management and collaborative working with partner organisations, staff representatives/ Trade Unions
- Project management
- Demonstrable experience of leading on policy and strategy development
- Ability to demonstrate experience and delivery of a wide range of Organisational Development and HR management strategies and practices
- Experience of providing assurance and workforce performance reporting to Boards, Executive Teams and senior committees
- Experience of leading large-scale workforce transformation, workforce redesign and organisational improvement programmes
- Experience of developing and implementing workforce strategies that align with organisational objectives and national priorities
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Skills And Competencies
Essential criteria
- Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills, able to interpret and compare highly complex facts, situations and strategies, developing a range of options as the work will focus on major organisational change and developments and therefore highly effective communication skills are required
- Exceptional management and leadership skills with a proven record of introducing organisation and/or system wide change
- Advanced engagement skills, able to influence and negotiate with colleagues on all levels (internally and externally)
- Advanced change management skills, proven track record demonstrating ability to implement and sustain change in a complex environment
- Excellent presentational, communication and interpersonal skills
- Developed interpersonal and influencing skills
- Effective IT skills, including the ability to operate Microsoft Office software packages to include Word, Excel, Outlook (email), PowerPoint and navigate the internet
- Time management skills essential in order to prioritise workload and delegated projects. Numerous projects being undertaken at any one time, with changing priorities therefore need ability to be able to transfer thoughts quickly
- Able to interpret guidance and legislation in relation to the role
- Ability to influence at Board, Executive and system-partnership level
- Demonstrable political awareness, organisational sensitivity and resilience when working in complex environments
- Ability to perform effectively under pressure and deliver high-quality outcomes within competing priorities and tight timescales
Specific Attributes
Essential Criteria
- Strategic thinker with ability to work as part of a team and able to work on own initiative and prioritise workload
- Personally resilient and able to manage complexity and work in an ambiguous or changing environment
- Pro-active, solutions-driven and keen to achieve consistently high standards of work, dealing with highly complex facts, situations and strategies, and developing a range of options
- Ability to manage complex clinical and operational situations that involve staff from all levels within an organisation. Able to work across organisational boundaries
- Strong, professional leadership qualities, assertive, self-confident, enthusiastic and self-aware
- Team focussed
- Ability to lead, manage, develop and motivate all staff within sphere of responsibility
- Reliable, adaptable and dependable
- Ability to travel between sites in a timely manner
- Flexible approach to needs of the service
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