Key responsibilities: The Head of Planning will take a lead on the following areas of work, supported by a Senior Programme Manager. Overall leadership for the Annual Planning Process Overall responsibility for running to Trusts Annual Planning process, working in close partnership with the Trusts Finance team. This includes overall accountability for leading on the governance of the process, templates, and for being the overall point of contact and lead for planning in the organisation. The post-holder will be expected to ensure continuous improvement of the process. They will need to work creatively with all relevant leads within the Trust to ensure that the process and outputs are meaningful and support improving health outcomes for our patients and our populations. The post-holder will also need to ensure that all outputs meet high quality standards. Throughout the Annual Planning process, ensure engagement with relevant governance groups and committees and, as required, with external partners. Throughout the year, ensure review of progress against plan working with the Head of Strategy, reporting to Executives and to the Board as required. Support the Board and Executive Committees and provide thought leadership to enable prioritisation of initiatives as part of the planning process, aligning with the Trust Strategy. External Planning Act as main lead and point of contact with ICBs for Annual Planning process. Our Clinical Directorate teams all lead individual relevant contract negotiations and planning discussions at Place and with ICBs. There is however a need for the Trust to have an overall link for the planning process to present the Trust overall position. This notably involves working across Finance, Performance and Workforce to coordinate official submissions to the Planning process. Coordinate the work to build the Trusts view of required investment and rationale for this to support the Trusts position working with the ICB Strategic Commissioning function. Coordinate Trusts input to ICB Planning process and Tripartite meetings with ICB and Regional team. Line Management: Line Manage the Senior Programme Manager responsible for Planning. Joint responsibilities, working alongside the Head of Strategy: Trust-wide strategy development and alignment Support the Strategy Development process and ongoing Strategy delivery work, ensuring a constant link between planning and strategy. Ensure delivery of the Strategy and the Trust-wide programmes identified in our Strategy Delivery Plan are integrated as part of the Annual Planning process. Lead and support trust-wide programmes as required The post-holder will be required to take a lead on Trust-wide pieces of work, either as a single lead or jointly with the Head of Strategy. Potential areas of work currently being explored for 2025/26 onward include developing the Trust Population Health approach and our Trusts Culture Development work working with our Organisational Development team. Leadership: Leadership as part of the Senior Leadership Team of the Strategy team, provide line management, support and develop the team. Play a senior Leadership role in the organisation, upholding and embodying our Trusts value and helping us be a great Place to work. Deputise for the Deputy Director of Strategy and the Executive Director of Strategy as required and contribute to the working of the directorate and the Trust by participating in those activities agreed with the Executive Director of Strategy. Please refer to the job description and guidance notes attached for further information on this role