Job summary PLEASE NOTE THAT WE WILL ONLY ACCEPT APPLICATIONS FROM STAFF CURRENTLY EMPLOYED BY NHS WALES. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN APPLYING FOR THIS SECONDMENT POSITION, YOU MUST OBTAIN PERMISSION FROM YOUR CURRENT LINE MANAGER PRIOR TO APPLYING. Secondment to 31st January 2027 Are you a highly skilled Improvement Manager who has a passion for Improvement Science? Are you looking for your next career challenge to be a highly visible role as part of a team supporting safety improvement work? Following the promotion of the existing post holder, we are seeking a highly skilled Improvement Lead to join the Quality, Safety and Improvement Team within the NHS Executive. The successful candidate will have a national role co-ordinating and leading improvement support on a priority area of work. You will be responsible for establishing and managing a team of Improvement Managers, that provides improvement safety support and coaching with colleagues across Mid and West Wales. In April 2024, we joined the NHS Executive. This is a fantastic opportunity to create comprehensive and innovative offers of support to the service. As an Improvement Lead, you will be required to foster strong relationships with our NHS Executive partners, Health Boards, Trusts, Care and third sector organisations. We can offer excellent learning opportunities that will support you to further develop your skills. You will have the opportunity to work closely with national and international improvement experts. Main duties of the job Working to the Head of Programme you will be part of a team of four regional Improvement Leads with responsibility to lead the other staff and work agenda of the Programme Division. In addition to the other leads wider Programme Division, you will also work closely with expert Clinical Leads, the QS&I Leadership Team, and leads from our expert specialist teams. Candidates need to be able to demonstrate excellent leadership, management and emotional intelligence skills. The base for the role is subject to negotiation - locations could be Matrix House, Swansea; Capital Quarter 2 in Cardiff; or Clwyddian House in Wrexham. The successful postholder will also be able to fulfil some of their duties working at home. Candidates are asked to note that although there is a regional component to this job, this is a national role. Regular and frequent travel across Wales is required as well as an expectation of overnight stays. Occasional travel elsewhere in the UK or internationally is also sometimes required. If this role meets the criteria for the next step in your career interested candidates are invited to contact Iain Roberts, Head of Programme. About us The NHS Executive works in partnership for and on behalf of Welsh Government, in and with the NHS in Wales and is hosted by Public Health Wales. Our key purpose is to drive improvements in the quality and safety of care - resulting in better and more equitable outcomes, access and patient experience, reduced variation, and improvements in population health. We do this by providing strong leadership and strategic direction - enabling, supporting, and directing NHS Wales to transform clinical services in line with national priorities and standards. To find out more about working for us and the benefits we offer please visit https://phw.nhs.wales/careers/ For guidance on the application process, please visit https://phw.nhs.wales/working-for-us/applicant-information-and-guidance/ Date posted 30 January 2025 Pay scheme Agenda for change Band Band 8b Salary £63,150 to £73,379 a year per annum Contract Secondment Working pattern Full-time Reference number 028-AC030-0125 Job locations Capital Quarter 2 Cardiff CF10 4BZ Job description Job responsibilities You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents or please click Apply now to view in Trac. The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; English and/or Welsh speakers are equally welcome to apply. Job description Job responsibilities You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents or please click Apply now to view in Trac. The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; English and/or Welsh speakers are equally welcome to apply. Person Specification Qualifications Essential Educated to relevant Masters Degree level (e.g. Masters Degree in Health, Continuous Improvement, Change Management or Education, Masters Degree in Clinical Governance or Core Academic Subject) Equivalent combination of Educational/Change management and Improvement Science knowledge/qualification such as Improvement in Practice : (e.g. CIPD / Training and Development related qualification or courses covering professional development, workforce redesign, Change Management, Learning and development, Organisational Culture theories) Appropriate demonstrable experience (E.g. Significant experience working in a similar environment at Masters Level). Desirable Recognised formal Continuous improvement qualification e.g. IHI Improvement Adviser Evidence of teaching skills qualification for example TAP qualification. Evidence of a formal coaching qualification such as ILM level 3 or 5. Experience Essential Significant management experience in a senior role including staff management, ideally within the NHS Experience of successfully leading and implementing projects / programmes at a national level. Expertise in innovating, designing and delivering highly specialist change management and continuous improvement services. Expertise in delivering highly specialist project and programme management services and extensive experience in tailoring methodologies to suite the local environment Experience of managing budgets. Experience of working with commercial suppliers and external agencies. Experience of working with and influencing senior clinicians Experience of working with Health Board Executive Teams Experience of preparing reports and information for Senior Clinicians, Health Boards and Welsh Government. Experience of successfully leading and implementing project driven change management Desirable Published articles Evidence of sharing good practice via abstracts, posters, articles etc. Skills and Abilities Essential Ability to communicate complex technical concepts and analysis effectively to different organisations and audiences; including formal presentations e.g. Board level and UK wide conferences. Demonstrate an ability to provide, receive and record both routine and complex communications, electronically, orally and written. Ability to overcome barriers associated with conveying highly complex technical information to a non-technical audience. Ability to train multi-disciplinary groups including clinical staff in continuous improvement skills. Ability to organise, plan and prioritise a complex strategic programme to meet appropriate deadlines typically involving other disciplines/organisations. Ability to work closely with people in other disciplines and form professional working relationships. Demonstrate an ability to carry out analysis, interpretation and comparison of complex change management and continuous improvement training issues, and to act as an expert reference point. Ability to gain an understanding of other professionals 'problem solving' requirements To present and showcase achievements and progress of the programme in Wales to worldwide audiences through international conferences Ability to communicate effectively across different levels of an organisation. Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with team members and other staff. Can demonstrate initiative, creativity, flexibility and a personal ethos of continuous improvement. Show an ability to gain an understanding of other professionals 'problem solving' requirements. Ability to focus, concentrate and accurately complete tasks within given timeframes whilst dealing with unscheduled interruptions e.g., changing priorities. Ability to manage an improvement programme across organisations. Ability to translate strategy into action. Demonstrable additional specialist knowledge and expertise e.g. advanced presentation and facilitation skills. Knowledge of NHS Change Management and Continuous Improvement agenda and methodologies Knowledge of the broader NHS Modernisation Agenda. Understand the requirements of Information Governance in relation to the NHS. Demonstrable additional specialist knowledge and expertise e.g. advanced presentation and facilitation skills Desirable Ability to speak Welsh / willingness to learn. Other Essential Willingness and ability to travel. Desirable Ability to carry resources. Welsh Speaking Personal Attributes Essential Able to meet the frequent travel needs of the post. The post holder will be required to travel to any location as required by the organisation which may be remote and distant and may mean frequent overnight stays away from home. Flexible to meet the needs of the service. Able to act independently, decisively and effectively in leading a programme Ability to watch and listen to and interpret key messages and respond appropriately Able to effectively and appropriately deal with criticism and challenging people and situations. Ability to positively and creatively challenge current thinking in order to develop new and better policy & operational working practices. Able to significantly influence others who are based externally, to achieve national targets without any direct authority Commitment to principles of change management Commitment to ongoing learning Person Specification Qualifications Essential Educated to relevant Masters Degree level (e.g. Masters Degree in Health, Continuous Improvement, Change Management or Education, Masters Degree in Clinical Governance or Core Academic Subject) Equivalent combination of Educational/Change management and Improvement Science knowledge/qualification such as Improvement in Practice : (e.g. CIPD / Training and Development related qualification or courses covering professional development, workforce redesign, Change Management, Learning and development, Organisational Culture theories) Appropriate demonstrable experience (E.g. Significant experience working in a similar environment at Masters Level). Desirable Recognised formal Continuous improvement qualification e.g. IHI Improvement Adviser Evidence of teaching skills qualification for example TAP qualification. Evidence of a formal coaching qualification such as ILM level 3 or 5. Experience Essential Significant management experience in a senior role including staff management, ideally within the NHS Experience of successfully leading and implementing projects / programmes at a national level. Expertise in innovating, designing and delivering highly specialist change management and continuous improvement services. Expertise in delivering highly specialist project and programme management services and extensive experience in tailoring methodologies to suite the local environment Experience of managing budgets. Experience of working with commercial suppliers and external agencies. Experience of working with and influencing senior clinicians Experience of working with Health Board Executive Teams Experience of preparing reports and information for Senior Clinicians, Health Boards and Welsh Government. Experience of successfully leading and implementing project driven change management Desirable Published articles Evidence of sharing good practice via abstracts, posters, articles etc. Skills and Abilities Essential Ability to communicate complex technical concepts and analysis effectively to different organisations and audiences; including formal presentations e.g. Board level and UK wide conferences. Demonstrate an ability to provide, receive and record both routine and complex communications, electronically, orally and written. Ability to overcome barriers associated with conveying highly complex technical information to a non-technical audience. Ability to train multi-disciplinary groups including clinical staff in continuous improvement skills. Ability to organise, plan and prioritise a complex strategic programme to meet appropriate deadlines typically involving other disciplines/organisations. Ability to work closely with people in other disciplines and form professional working relationships. Demonstrate an ability to carry out analysis, interpretation and comparison of complex change management and continuous improvement training issues, and to act as an expert reference point. Ability to gain an understanding of other professionals 'problem solving' requirements To present and showcase achievements and progress of the programme in Wales to worldwide audiences through international conferences Ability to communicate effectively across different levels of an organisation. Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with team members and other staff. Can demonstrate initiative, creativity, flexibility and a personal ethos of continuous improvement. Show an ability to gain an understanding of other professionals 'problem solving' requirements. Ability to focus, concentrate and accurately complete tasks within given timeframes whilst dealing with unscheduled interruptions e.g., changing priorities. Ability to manage an improvement programme across organisations. Ability to translate strategy into action. Demonstrable additional specialist knowledge and expertise e.g. advanced presentation and facilitation skills. Knowledge of NHS Change Management and Continuous Improvement agenda and methodologies Knowledge of the broader NHS Modernisation Agenda. Understand the requirements of Information Governance in relation to the NHS. Demonstrable additional specialist knowledge and expertise e.g. advanced presentation and facilitation skills Desirable Ability to speak Welsh / willingness to learn. Other Essential Willingness and ability to travel. Desirable Ability to carry resources. Welsh Speaking Personal Attributes Essential Able to meet the frequent travel needs of the post. The post holder will be required to travel to any location as required by the organisation which may be remote and distant and may mean frequent overnight stays away from home. Flexible to meet the needs of the service. Able to act independently, decisively and effectively in leading a programme Ability to watch and listen to and interpret key messages and respond appropriately Able to effectively and appropriately deal with criticism and challenging people and situations. Ability to positively and creatively challenge current thinking in order to develop new and better policy & operational working practices. Able to significantly influence others who are based externally, to achieve national targets without any direct authority Commitment to principles of change management Commitment to ongoing learning 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 Public Health Wales Address Capital Quarter 2 Cardiff CF10 4BZ Employer's website https://phw.nhs.wales/ (Opens in a new tab)