Chief People Officer

Chief People Officer The closing date is 23 November 2025.

As Chief People Officer, play a central role in shaping the future of Gloucestershire Hospitals. This is an opportunity to lead with purpose and impact, championing a culture where our people feel valued, inspired and empowered to deliver outstanding care for our communities.

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive and a key member of the Board, you will set the strategic direction for all aspects of People and Organisational Development. Lead the design and delivery of an ambitious, evidence-driven people strategy that fosters inclusion, supports transformation and builds leadership capability at every level.

Your influence will extend across the organisation as you inspire a high-performing workforce through innovative approaches to engagement, talent and wellbeing, driving cultural transformation, embedding restorative and just practices that enable openness, accountability and continuous learning. As well as leading workforce transformation in line with the Trust's strategic goals and the NHS 10-Year Plan.

You will direct the organisation's equality, diversity and inclusion agenda, ensuring every colleague has the opportunity to grow, contribute and belong, while developing world-class HR systems that strengthen capability and deliver operational excellence. Join an ambitious and values-driven Executive Team, united by a vision to make Gloucestershire Hospitals an exceptional place to work and to receive care.

Main duties of the job Hear from our team:

As Chief People Officer, you will provide strategic leadership across all aspects of our People and Organisational Development agenda. You will drive workforce transformation and delivery, ensuring the Trust is future-ready and our people are supported to deliver exceptional care.

You will champion equality, diversity and inclusion, restorative just and learning culture, leadership capability, and organisational development, all underpinned by robust workforce planning and performance, and digital transformation and workforce analytics.

Your key focus will be to provide exceptional HR leadership, drive transformation of HR systems and processes, empowering managers and strengthening accountability at every level. Through teaching, learning and co-production, you will amplify the staff voice and nurture a culture of openness, growth and collaboration.

As an Executive Director, you will play a key role in shaping strategic engagement and decision-making across the Trust, ensuring that our people strategy drives both organisational excellence and outstanding patient outcomes.

Key dates:

Stakeholder focus groups and Interviews: Tuesday 9 and Wednesday 10 December

About us Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was formed in 2004, which was established following a reconfiguration of health services in Gloucestershire. We provide acute hospital services from two large district general hospitals, Gloucestershire Royal Hospital and Cheltenham General Hospital. As well as maternity services at Stroud Maternity Hospital.

With a team of over 9,000 employees, representing over 95 nationalities, we are proud to be the largest employer in Gloucestershire. Bringing together a mix of cultures and experiences to the care that we deliver. The Trust continues to work closely with partners and local communities to improve health and wellbeing to ensure access to services.

We take pride in placing people at the centre of everything we do, working together as a united team. Driven by a shared ambition to continually grow, develop, and learn, we recognise and value every contribution. By combining our experience and skills, we not only support our vibrant, diverse communities, but also support one another.

Gloucestershire is a county with a strong sense of community and stunning landscapes. From its historic towns to its celebrated Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, it offers excellent schools, lively cultural festivals and a quality of life that makes it an inspiring place to live and work.

Job responsibilities As Chief People Officer, you will provide executive leadership across strategic workforce management, cultural transformation, and organisational governance. Operating at Board and Executive level, the post holder will shape organisational strategy, drive performance and take collective accountability for delivering the Trust's objectives.

The role will oversee large budgets, ensuring workforce efficiency and financial sustainability within the people function, while acting as a trusted advisor to the Chief Executive, Board and senior leaders on complex workforce and compliance matters. Champion cultural change and organisational development, leading Trust-wide Equality, Diversity and Inclusion initiatives and embedding social value principles such as local employment and apprenticeship programmes.

As the Board lead for cultural transformation, they will embed a Restorative, Just and Learning Culture that promotes psychological safety, openness, and continuous improvement across both clinical and organisational practice. They will strengthen leadership capability at all levels through targeted development, succession planning, and robust talent pipelines, and will foster strong, collaborative partnerships with trade unions, staff governors and employees to amplify staff voice and embed co-production in policy and practice.

For an informal conversation about the post please contact our Recruitment Consultant, James McLeod or call

Person Specification Qualifications

• Educated to Master's degree level or equivalent
• Pass the CQC's Fit and Proper Persons test to hold an executive public position
• CIPD Fellow
• Evidence of continuing professional development, with project management/leadership being particularly desirable
• Good knowledge of NHS regulatory frameworks, safety, financial procedures and statutory regulations

Knowledge and Skills

• Track record of successful organisation wide project management, including as Senior Responsible Office (SRO)/Sponsor of significant, formal programmes and projects
• Substantial change management capability with proven and measurable results, based on and promoting positive culture and organisational values
• Highly developed leadership, negotiation and influencing skills with the ability to motivate and engage individuals
• Ability to use quantitative and qualitative information to stimulate performance improvement and provide assurance on data integrity
• Ability to set out a clear direction, inspire others and assume command
• Ability to grasp critical issues and distil them into clear and manageable priorities, weighing both the costs and benefits
• Ability to interpret and communicate a compelling Trust vision to all stakeholders, develop prioritised objectives and monitor a coherent delivery plan
• Ability to contribute to effective board, system and organisation working, and monitor compliance with risk management, legal, ethical, clinical, social and environmental requirements
• Ability to provide coaching and mentoring at the appropriate levels, encouraging and promoting a culture of openness, honesty and clarity
• Competent in the use of IT systems and tools
• Demonstrable understanding of the structure and framework of the NHS and how the Trust delivers care within this
• Ability to think laterally and creatively to develop innovative plans and identify new business opportunities, commercial acumen
• Understanding of different environments in which the Trust operates - ability to assess opportunities for innovation, revenue generation, partnership and enhanced care

Experience

• Evidence of formal management development
• Proven previous experience leading organisations to drive improvements in leadership, preferably in NHS organisations
• Proven track record of strategic HR, OD and workforce management and delivery at a senior level in a large, complex, service-focused organisation, including staff management, change management, performance management, and service improvement
• Thorough knowledge and understanding of the concepts and practices of integrated workforce planning in complex organisations, analysing, synthesising and using complex data as the basis for strategic and tactical decisions, and scenario planning
• Experience of consultation, negotiation and influencing different stakeholders
• Experience of building personal and professional credibility with Board, Management Team, staff, the public and the media
• Experience of designing and implementing consistent HR systems and processes that empower managers
• Demonstrable knowledge of the NHS financial regime and probity, and considerable proven experience of budgetary management
• Experience of substantial management responsibility, built on extensive knowledge and understanding of financial, management and clinical issues associated with a large NHS Trust
• Experience of working with partners on shared service models
• Experience of utilizing AI and/or RPA to improve efficient work practices across functions

Personal Attributes

• Embraces accountability, demonstrates ongoing resilience and the highest levels of integrity and professionalism
• Highly developed emotional intelligence
• Professional courage - able to demonstrate ability to take difficult decisions and manage risk . click apply for full job details