1

Executive Director of People and Organisation DevelopmentAppointment Brief

Join our teamBe part of something bigger

2 3

Contents

About us

About Chester

Our purpose

Our vision and values

Our strategy

Our people strategy

Our vision for joined up care

The role

Job descrription

Person specification

Terms of Appointment

How to apply

5

6

6

7/8

9

10

13

14

15

20

23

24

Welcome from ourChief Executive

Thank you for showing an interest in the Executive Director of People and Organisation Development role.

I am delighted to share with you what we see as an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic and experienced professional to join the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in what is a key role within the leadership of the organisation.

In this candidate brief you will find more information about our Trust and further details about the role. I am proud of the excellent reputation the Countess has for delivering high quality patient care, with many of our areas having achieved the highest level of national accreditation, in particular those relating to clinical outcomes and patient safety.

We have an excellent record of success in delivering a comprehensive range of services to our local population and we have substantially invested in our infrastructure and our people over recent years and this has been recognised by a number of external awards, but there is always room for improvement!

Our aim is to be the preferred hospital of choice not only for our traditional community but for patients from the wider catchment area.

Our primary aim is to continue to provide a comprehensive, high quality, and accessible range of emergency and elective services for all our patients.

Of course, there are challenges too. I don’t think there has ever been a more interesting or challenging time to join the Countess of Chester.

Now living through a global pandemic, the NHS is facing its biggest financial challenge alongside significant changes in how our services are commissioned and delivered. The impact of Covid-19 on our staff and populations will be felt for years to come; however, through this our staff have demonstrated their resilience and a significant ability to innovate. We have found new and efficient ways to ensure we continue to safely provide effective care to our patients. To move beyond the pandemic and to recover from the disruption to services that it has caused, we need to continue to rethink how we work effectively with our partners and our communities to ensure we deliver

4 5

About us

The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust consists of a 600 bedded large district General Hospital, which provides its services on the Countess of Chester Health Park, and a 64 bedded Intermediate Care Service at Ellesmere Port Hospital.

With a budget of circa £270m, the Trust employs over 5,500 staff and provides acute emergency and elective services, primary care direct access services and obstetric services to a population of approximately 265,000 residents – mainly in Chester and its surrounding rural areas, Ellesmere Port and Neston and also to service users from the Deeside area of Flintshire which has a population of approximately 157,000. There are more than 500,000 service user attendances at the hospital every year, ranging from a simple outpatient appointment to major cancer surgery.

The Countess of Chester Hospital has an excellent reputation for delivering high quality patient care and is nationally accredited at the highest levels in many areas, in particular those relating to clinical outcomes and patient safety.

Our aim is to be the preferred hospital of choice for our traditional community, and a preferred hospital of choice for patients from a wider area, and to continue to provide a comprehensive, high quality, and accessible range of emergency and elective services to all our patients. We want our patients to be assured that they will receive their care as rapidly as possible in a first-class environment, be treated with courtesy and dignity, and be confident that the outcome of their clinical care will be of the highest standards and safety.

The Countess of Chester Hospital has an excellent reputation for delivering high quality patient care and is nationally accredited at the highest levels in many areas, in particular those relating to clinical outcomes and patient safety.

sustainable health and care services to our populations in the future, and particularly as many of our population are aging.

You will appreciate, therefore, that we are at a critical point in our development and this opportunity requires an effective leader, communicator and experienced Director

of People who can support the Trust and its Board of Directors on this journey.

I look forward to receiving your application.

Yours faithfully

Dr Susan Gilby Chief Executive Officer

6 7

About Chester

Our purpose

Chester is a town in Cheshire, England with a population of approximately 120,000.

Positioned on the River Dee, on the border with Wales, Chester is a beautifully preserved city with an array of periodic buildings and features that remind locals and visitors of its medieval and historical heritage.

Chester is a thriving city with many attractions for people of all ages and interests. From its traditional markets and historical buildings, to its trendy bars and boutique shops, there is something to keep everyone entertained. In the highly unlikely event that the attractions and facilities of Chester aren’t enough to excite you, Chester is less than

At the Countess of Chester Hospital our purpose is:• To provide excellent, safe

and effective health and care to the population we serve; working with partners to improve the health, wellbeing and lives of service users in Cheshire West and North Wales;

• Working collaboratively with a range of partners in health and social care to enable health and care within the appropriate setting;

30 miles away from the city of Liverpool (European Capital of Culture 2008), as well as other regions in the North-west of England, such as Wirral and Manchester. In addition, as Chester is located near to the Welsh border, it is only a short distance away from the many picturesque tourist spots in North Wales - perfect for a break.

Rail links are extremely regular from all areas, and due to the fact that the Countess is positioned directly opposite the local station - Bache (on the Wirral line) - it is easily accessible to and from any locations across the UK.

• Being an efficient organisation that maximises the use and impact of technology in the health care of its users; and

• Being a chosen destination for those who wish to work in the NHS

“We will improve the lives of our community and provide excellence in healthcare, through partnership and innovation.”

8 9

Our valuesOur Trust values and behaviours guide the way we do things here.

Our Values are:

SafeAvoiding harm and reducing risk to all;

KindConsiderate and non-judgemental;

EffectiveConsistently maximising resources to deliver excellent and reliable care.

We expect our staff to demonstrate the following behaviours -

• Working Together to get the best outcomes for the patients and the Trust

• Respect and Fairness so that everyone feels like a valued member of the Trust

• Positive Attitude to create a great environment for our patients, my colleagues and myself

• Achieving Excellence to continuously improve our care for patients, our people and our finances

• Leading People by creating an environment in which everyone can do the best job possible

Our strategy

The Corporate Strategy will be supported by our newly-developed Clinical Strategy, which describes the direction of clinical services over the next five years.

Priorities include reducing outpatient activity on-site and increasing the use of technology to provide digital alternatives where appropriate. We also began work to develop and plan the replacement of

its existing electronic patient record (EPR) system. This is a complex programme of whole hospital clinical transformation and is the largest strategic change the organisation has ever undertaken. EPR+ will transform the way we provide care for patients in all areas and will make us a safer and smarter acute hospital, as we move towards becoming a more digitally mature organisation.

Our Five-Year Corporate Strategy will define our approach to a range of considerations including workforce, estates, digital strategy, education, and research and innovation, corporate social responsibility and environmental impact.

10 11

Our people strategyWe employ around 5700 staff (including temporary bank staff). 10% of our staff belong to black, or minority ethnic backgrounds.

We support our Staff to speak up to improve patient safety and create a Workplace that cultivates an open and transparent culture where every member of staff is able to raise their concerns safely, and ensure action is taken to resolve issues quickly and effectively.

Our Organisational Strategy has been developed to steer the achievement of the vision and reflects the changes we need to make to deliver excellent and safe care in the future. Our people who will be delivering these services (both directly and indirectly) need and deserve our utmost commitment in supporting them to make this change to ensure we deliver the right care in the right place at the right time.

We are aiming to become expert in recruiting, leading, motivating, developing and releasing staff across the local population. We wish to benefit from having an expert clinical workforce and to be among the best places to work where our staff report a positive employment experience that will make other healthcare professionals want to join us.

By 2025, system design will have been driven by the implementation of the

Cheshire West Local Plan, of which we are a co-author and co-owner. It is likely that secondary healthcare provision in West Cheshire and Cheshire will have been reorganised, and this will impact the shape of our workforce in many ways. We are committed to keeping our workforce informed of planned future service changes and involving them in their creation.

We have three key strategic aims around Availability, Capability and Experience.

AvailabilitySustaining safe levels of staff availabilityStrategic workforce planning This will enable us to make the best use of our people and skills. We will ensure we have the right numbers of staff, with the right skills mix enabling us to reduce our dependency on agency staff and consequently improve the efficient use of our resources. We will also develop opportunities for work experience, apprenticeships and volunteering to create a pipeline of future employees.

New ways of delivering care We will embrace new ways of working to facilitate the delivery of our Clinical Strategy, as well as to enable us to utilise our estate to best effect.

System collaborationSharing resources, working in a smarter way as required through development of place-based strategy, linked to local sector forward plans. We will work with our partners and other healthcare providers in developing and delivering new models of care.

CapabilityImproving staff capabilityEducation, training & developmentWe will work to develop a broad range of development opportunities for staff across all levels and professions within the Trust in order to attract and retain the right people to work at COCH. We will empower our staff to help themselves to manage their learning and develop their careers by offering a range of blended learning approaches.

Leadership and line managementBuilding on existing potential to develop confident, capable and compassionate leaders and managers at all levels. We recognise that workforce health and wellbeing is an important element in supporting our levels of capability and maintaining the

health, safety and wellbeing of our staff is vital for our success.

Performance management Ensure our people understand how they contribute to the corporate objectives of the Trust and work towards achieving excellence, utilising continuous improvement methods and effective performance management.

ExperienceCurating a positive staff experienceStaff engagementWe will develop new staff engagement approaches to listen and respond to staff issues and continue to implement our new Employee Relations Framework where staff feel they are listened to, valued, involved and informed and where everyone upholds the values and behaviours making the Countess of Chester Hospital a great place to work.

Fair and equitable place to workA workplace that is diverse, inclusive and respectful, where staff are recognised for their efforts, flexibility and commitment.

12 13

HR Capability

Avai

labi

lity

Capability

Next 6 months 2021 priorities

2022 priorities and beyond

Health and WellbeingPsychological wellness

Safe workplaces

E, D and I AgendaInvolvement, engagement and improvement for all

Effective recruitmentCareer Pathways(apprenticeships)

Flexibility/ways of working

(e.g org design & shape as of now)

Depending on nature of service

Talent retention

Retention strategy

Recognition/reward

Leadershipand cultureManagement development

Values & behaviours

New ways of delivering care

New roles and new ways of working/ICP/

Care group working

Growing the workforce

Pipeline, growing our own

Development across systems

‘Care beyond the Walls’

Workshare agreements

Safe working environment Where staff health and wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do, so that staff feel able to ask for support and have access to appropriate interventions at the earliest opportunity.

We will work to create an appropriate work-life balance for our staff through modern fit for-purpose policies and procedures. We will develop a strategy promoting physical & psychological health & wellbeing.

Our vision for joined up care

The ICP is a collaboration of six organisations – NHS providers, GP federations and Cheshire West and Chester Council’s adult social care and public health services. Its care model is based on nine ‘care communities’ in which GPs, local groups and community teams provide care and support for populations ranging from 20,000 to 70,000 people.

The ICP’s transformation goals are to: • Understand and actively

mobilise the population• Actively promote self-care,

self-service and develop community assets

• Actively divert people to the most effective and efficient access points

• Support and encourage the flow of people to the right resources

• Provide care and support to people with complex needs through multiagency teams

• Support community professionals with advice and expertise from hospital-based colleagues.

We know local people are passionate about NHS and care services – we are too. At a time when demand is rising faster than budgets, we need to do more to protect and improve local services. Continuing with more of the same is not an option – a different approach is required.

In Cheshire West we have a strong track record of working together but we know we can do even better to deliver long-term changes that are backed by investment. Our plans to further join up care in Cheshire West have been carefully thought through, led by clinicians and frontline staff and shaped by the experiences of local people.

Joining up health and care will help the people of Cheshire West live longer, healthier lives at home, or in a homely setting. Patients will be at the centre of all decisions and will receive higher standards of quality and safety.

In the last 12 months, we have developed closer joint working with partners across the Cheshire system in supporting three key areas of work: • Grip and control • Collaboration at scale • Transformation

The demands and pressures on acute services have been as strong as ever. However, we have seen exceptional progress and results in our operational and financial performance and achievements against standards. We have achieved our control total with a small surplus at the end of the year. This is well over and above what we could have hoped for a year ago.

The Countess of Chester Hospital is the host organisation for Cheshire West Integrated Care Partnership (ICP).

14 15

The Countess of Chester Hospital has an excellent reputation for delivering high quality patient care and is nationally accredited at the highest levels in many areas, in particular those relating to

clinical outcomes and patient safety. We have continued to achieve our accreditations in spite of Covid-19 pressures, and this remains high on our agenda for 2020/21.

The roleThis is an opportunity to join our Trust at a pivotal moment, having created a new organisational strategy and finalising a new People strategy, which will take us on a journey of continuous improvement towards being a high-performing, inclusive and supportive place to work, as well as an organisation that puts patient experience at the heart of its success.

The post holder is accountable for the development of a skilled and effective workforce that has the capability and capacity to deliver high quality services in line with the Trust’s vision, values and Strategic objectives.

Key Areas of Responsibility• Develop and lead the

implementation of the Trust’s People Strategy;

• Lead work to embed the Trust’s values by developing a culture of engagement and inclusivity throughout the Trust;

• Develop productive working relationships with our Trade Union representative; Non- Executive Directors and Staff Governors;

• Support the development of our clinical divisions and corporate services to increase organisational effectiveness and the delivery of high quality, effective and efficient patient services.

• The post holder is accountable for ensuring the availability of effective and efficient workforce support services across the whole organisation, and will act as a strategic level business partner for the Board and Executive Team providing human resources and workforce advice, solutions and support.

• The post holder will work within the Executive Team and will routinely attend Trust Board meetings and associated committees.

Job description

Specific ResponsibilitiesThe Director of People & OD will be specifically responsible for the following:• Lead the implementation of

the People and Organisation Development Strategy and associated action plans that foster an organisational culture that is in line with the Trust’s vision, values and strategic objectives.

• Work with the Board and senior leaders in the Trust to develop leadership capacity and capability within the organisation at all levels to support enhanced performance and develop an engaged, motivated and flexible workforce,

• Develop and implement programmes of workforce development to promote a safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led service to our patients and their carers.

• Utilise national and local methods for obtaining feedback on organisational climate and staff views to improve the quality of working life so that staff feel valued, motivated, supported and involved.

• Ensure that equality and diversity are championed and fully integrated into all aspects of the workforce and organisation development agenda.

• Work collaboratively with external partners and influence the work of the Local and Regional workforce forums to provide the best possible outcomes

for our local communities.• Be accountable for the

development and delivery of the workforce and OD elements of CQC and other regulatory assessments, working alongside the Medical Director & Deputy CEO and Director of Nursing & Quality.

Leadership of the Trust• Provide leadership, vision

and direction for the People and OD function within the Trust and for all managers with line management responsibilities.

• Lead and manage the People & OD directorate and to ensure the provision of a professional, high quality, responsive and efficient workforce as well as respond to the diverse needs of the workforce.

• Advise and report to the Executive Team on key matters relating to workforce supply, performance and human resources management.

• To advise the Board on legislative and case law developments, and minimise potential service disruption to the organisation caused by any employee relation issues.

• Advise Executive Directors and Trust managers in the application of effective reward and recognition systems.

• Ensure that workforce functions, processes and policies are fully compliant with external requirements,

16 17

and that effective systems are in place for the monitoring of workforce performance against NHSE/I and other regulatory bodies compliance frameworks.

• Participate in the Directors’ on-call rota.

Organisation Development• Ensure that the Trust has

an effective approach to talent management and succession planning.

• Work closely with other Executive Directors and Divisional leaders as the expert to introduce new, flexible roles and ways of working, putting workforce redesign at the heart of service transformation.

• Work with the Executive Directors and other senior leaders in the Trust to ensure that workforce activity (i.e. workforce planning, recruitment, performance management, and employee engagement) supports current and future service requirements.

• To lead and successfully deliver a programme of organisation development for the Trust, that supports transformation and continual improvement.

• To ensure the provision of highly skilled professional contributions from services within the portfolio i.e. Organisation Development, Human Resources, Education, Learning and Development, Equality, Diversity & inclusion, and Occupational Health.

Human Resources and Employee Relations• To ensure that effective

performance management, monitoring and reporting systems are in place to provide accurate human resources, workforce, training and development information.

• Develop, implement and monitor effective and relevant employment policies and procedures that foster good employee relations and which comply with employment legislation and relevant codes of practice.

• Ensure that comprehensive and professional employment advice and support are provided for managers, clinicians and other staff across the Trust, investigating and advising on very complex employment issues.

• Lead on the development of the Trust’s workforce planning and development capability to ensure that the organisation has effective workforce information systems in place to support management reporting, performance management and workforce modelling.

• Ensure that robust agreements, plans and effective organisational change processes are developed with Trade Unions and staff representatives to handle changes within the Trust.

• Lead the development, implementation and

18 19

evaluation of initiatives, programmes and activities to promote staff health and well-being.

• Develop and pursue a strategy to ensure good and effective employee relations in which a genuine partnership approach with staff and their Trade Unions and professional organisations contributes to the provision of high quality services.

Education, Learning and Development• With the Director of Nursing

& Quality to ensure that the Trust commissions appropriate levels of pre-and post-registration training to meet future service needs, and that CPD investment links to organisational priorities and plans.

• Ensure that the Trust maximises its opportunities for education and development through the Apprenticeship Levy.

• Ensure the improvement, efficient delivery and cost effectiveness of the Trust’s non clinical statutory and mandatory training provision.

• Ensure that effective monitoring information on statutory and mandatory training is captured and is made available to managers through effective use of the learning system.

• Ensure that there is a culture of continuous professional development embedded

within the Trust.• Work with current

educational partners to ensure the Trust’s strategic aims are achieved whilst supporting the development or new and innovative educational partnerships.

Corporate Responsibilities• To fulfil statutory

responsibilities as a member of the Board of Directors, ensuring that the Trust is compliant with national policy and practice in all areas of the post holder’s key responsibilities.

• At all times, comply with the standards of conduct for Directors.

• Responsible, as part of the team of Directors, for contributing to the strategic direction of the Trust and for the quality of service and care provided to our patients.

• Active contribution towards the continued corporate development of the Trust, coordinating key areas as directed by and agreed with the Board of Directors.

• Provide expert advice and support to the Chair, Chief Executive and other Executive Directors as required on specific senior employee relations or other workforce issues

• Provide expert confidential, professional advice and support to the Remuneration Committees

• Lead the delivery of robust and timely Workforce and OD Service to the Trust

• Role model and uphold the Trust’s values and behaviours.

• To participate on the executive on-call rota.

Patient Responsibilities• To develop a culture and

workforce that values and includes the contribution of patients and communities equitably.

• To ensure the Trust’s workforce is fit for purpose and can respond quickly to service developments and changes, relating both within the Trust and working our partner organisations to develop care at the most appropriate point for patients.

Financial Responsibilities• Manage the workforce &

OD Directorate budget to meet the Trust’s strategic and operational business plans.

• To ensure areas of responsibility are delivered in a way that is consistent with the Trust financial and efficiency, productivity and

cost improvement plans.• To engage with the

executive directors and Board of Directors to support determination of the cost and benefit of service improvements and the capability of the workforce to deliver the agreed programme.

Stakeholder Responsibilities• The Director of People

& OD has responsibility to improve and sustain relationships with key stakeholders and build a positive image of the Trust through responsive internal and external communications.

• The Director of People & OD has the responsibility to nurture an organisational culture that respects ‘differences’ as valuable assets and a workforce that values a diverse range of opinions, beliefs and backgrounds, seeing them as part of a wider seamless team, across disciplines and organisational boundaries.

• The Director of People &

20 21

OD has the responsibility to work with key partners to agree ambitious system improvement goals, to jointly agree the responsibility and approach with executive colleagues across organisations and to ensure alignment with the strategic improvement goals of the organisation.

• The Director of People & OD has to think conceptually and simplify complexity to create clarity, bringing together disparate cultures, issues and strands of information to create scenarios and think beyond current circumstances in order to plan flexibly for the longer term.

Person specificationKnowledge and experience• Demonstrable track record

in leading, motivating and managing teams both directly and indirectly to achieve significant sustainable service improvements and results

• Highly developed problem solving, analytical and interpretive skills with a proven ability to analyse and interpret data to identify trends and variances

• Ability to analyse both strategic and operational problems and develop innovative and practical

solutions and to progress these through to implementation

• Significant management experience

• Ability to respond and deliver in a complex and rapidly changing environment where there is a high level of ambiguity and fixed time constraints

• Ability to delegate work and to supervise work in progress to required timescales

• Good knowledge of Employee Law

• Ability to form successful partnerships with a wide

Health & Safety / Infection Control• The Director of People &

OD under the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, must take reasonable care for the health and safety of him/herself and for other persons who may be affected by his/her acts or omissions at work. The Act also states that he/she must not intentionally or recklessly interfere with or misuse anything provided in the interests of health, safety and welfare. He/she is also required to make him/herself aware of the Trust’s health and safety policies and to report any accidents/incidents.

range of internal and external stakeholders

• Excellent stakeholder management skills

• Keyboard and IT skills and will be required to use a range of applications including PowerPoint and Word

• Experience of leading and delivering service improvement and change projects across a complex organisation

• A thorough understanding and practical experience of delivering staff engagement initiatives, team development, leadership and management and development

• Experience at a senior

management or professional level, with experience of managing diverse teams and financial/budgetary responsibilities, within a healthcare or similar complex organisation

• Experience of undertaking organisation/team diagnostic needs assessments and analysis

• Experience of presenting to and facilitating small and large diverse groups at all levels

• Understanding of the Equality Act and the Trust‘s legal obligations

Personal Attributes• Ability to work closely and

collaboratively with team

22 23

members and external parties

• Flexible and willing to commit to achieving results and

• meeting deadlines• Initiative – sees

opportunities and acts on them – proactive rather than reactive approach

• Able to work autonomously• Able to adapt style to

the needs of a diverse environment

• Excellent influencing skills• Ability to work under

pressure and to assess and manage competing priorities

• Highly effective interpersonal skills to facilitate collaborative working with a wide range of stakeholders to develop mature relationships with key partners and to develop effective networks

• Excellent leadership skills – ability to negotiate and influence others across boundaries in a complex environment

• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral, with a proven

• Ability to communicate effectively at all levels

• Highly effective presentational, facilitation and training skills

Desirable Criteria• Working knowledge of

funding streams and how to access them

• Experience of procurement and management of external consultancy contracts

• Operating as a Director at Board level within a large and complex organisation (including interim and long term acting up)

• Director experience gained in the NHS

Qualifications• Member of Chartered

Institute of Personnel Development (MCIPD) – which is equivalent to a Master’s Degree or relevant/equivalent experience.

• Post-Graduate Degree in Human Resources Leadership or Management or equivalent

• Evidence of Continuous Professional Development

Terms of appointment

Job Title: Executive Director of People & Organisation Development

Accountable to: Chief Executive Officer

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer

Key relationships: InternalExecutive Directors; Trust Chair; Non-Executive Direc-tors; Clinical Leads; Divisional Directors; Business Managers; Associate Directors of Nursing; Allied Health Professionals; Corporate and Professional Heads of Service; Staff Side Representatives; JLNCC Chair

ExternalRegulatory bodies NHSE/I; Leadership Academy HR&OD Networks; C&M Regional HR Network; NW Regional HR Network; Full Time Officers

Equality and DiversityThe Trust is committed to val-uing diversity in employment, service delivery practices and its general environment. An expectation of all leadership posts within the Trust is that each individual will take re-sponsibility for promoting in-clusive and accessible service provision, staff development

and a culture that values and respects difference.

Code of ConductThe Director of People & OD is required to adhere to the standards of conduct expect-ed of all NHS managers set out in the Code of Conduct for NHS Managers and the Nolan Principles.

The Fit and Proper Persons TestAs a Board member the role holder must satisfy the fit and proper persons requirement for Directors, regulation 5 of the Health and Social Care Act 2014, and will be asked to make a written declaration to this effect annually. The role holder has a responsibility to notify the Trust of any change in circumstances and any in-formation that comes to light indicating that they do not sat-isfy the regulation may require investigation and could result in dismissal.

24 25

How to apply

Saxton Bampfylde Ltd is acting as an employment agency advisor to the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS FT on this appointment.

Candidates should apply for this role through our website at www.saxbam.com/appointments using code ZARAPA.

Click on the ‘apply’ button and follow the instructions to upload a CV and cover letter and complete the online equal opportunities monitoring* form.

The closing date for applications isnoon on Friday 1 October 2021.

*The equal opportunities monitoring online form will not be shared with anyone involved in assessing your application. Please complete as part of the application process.

LONDON9 Savoy Street

London WC2E 7EG

EDINBURGH46 Melville Street

Edinburgh EH3 7HF

saxbam.com

Partners in Panorama - Search around the worldpanoramasearch.com