Reports to: Chief Executive Officer

Location: Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, Exeter – hybrid working (3 days on-site, 2 from home per week) plus occasional travel across Devon and fortnightly visits to our head office in Clyst St Mary.

Contract: Full-time (37.5 hours per week), with flexibility to discuss part-time options.

Salary: £40,000 to £42,000 per annum, depending on experience.

The Company:

Exeter Leukaemia Fund (ELF) is a registered charity providing vital support to patients with blood cancer and other disorders, who attend the Haematology Centre at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (RD&E).

Our vision is that everyone affected by blood cancer or a blood disorder in the South West receives compassionate, tailored support. We aim to lighten the load for patients and their families from diagnosis, through treatment and beyond, both in hospital and out in the community.

Joining ELF means being part of a small, passionate team that truly makes a difference. You’ll work alongside colleagues who care deeply about the people we support and about each other. We offer a flexible, supportive working environment and real opportunities for professional development, all while contributing to work that genuinely changes lives.

The Role:

We’re looking for a compassionate and motivated Head of Patient Services to lead the delivery and development of our support services for haematology patients and their families.

This is a key leadership role working as part of our senior management team, responsible for ensuring our services have maximum impact, are delivered safely and continue to meet the changing needs of those we support. You’ll oversee a small, dedicated team providing counselling, wellbeing and practical support, and you’ll act as the charity’s Safeguarding Lead.

You’ll also play a key part in shaping the future of ELF’s services. Working closely with the CEO and Board of Trustees, you’ll use insights from our recent partnership with the University of Exeter MBA Programme to develop and evaluate new services.

Your responsibilities will include:

·       Leading the delivery of ELF’s patient and family support services in line with our strategy.

·       Managing and developing the services team, including counsellors, drivers, and wellbeing staff.

·       Acting as Safeguarding Lead, ensuring policies, training and reporting are robust and compliant.

·       Working with the NHS Haematology Team and other partners to provide joined-up, holistic support.

·       Overseeing service budgets and ensuring accurate record-keeping and reporting against KPIs.

·       Introducing evaluation processes to measure impact and inform service improvement.

·       Managing the counselling and wellbeing programme, including triaging referrals and overseeing bank counsellors.

·       Designing and delivering patient and family support groups in collaboration with ELF and NHS colleagues.

·       Championing the voices of patients and families, representing ELF in meetings with donors, supporters and healthcare partners.

The Person:

We’re looking for a compassionate and experienced leader who understands what it means to support patients and families during some of their most challenging moments. You’ll be someone with a background in nursing, counselling or a related field, who’s motivated by making a difference and confident in leading people and services that deliver genuine impact.

You’ll bring:

·       Substantial experience working within a healthcare or counselling setting, ideally with a background in nursing, counselling, or a similar discipline.

·       Experience leading teams and managing services to deliver high-quality support.

·       A solid understanding of safeguarding, including how to manage processes and promote best practice.

·       Experience supporting volunteers or professionals in a health or wellbeing context.

·       Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work collaboratively with NHS colleagues, trustees and partner organisations.

·       Excellent organisational and leadership skills, with a practical, empathetic approach to problem-solving.

·       The ability to evaluate services, measure impact and use insight to drive improvement.

Experience working with people affected by cancer would be an advantage, but we welcome candidates from a range of health and wellbeing backgrounds. Previous safeguarding experience or qualifications would be beneficial, though we’re happy to provide training and ongoing support for the right person. Leadership or management qualifications would also be helpful but aren’t essential.

This role can be offered on a full-time or part-time basis (minimum three days per week). We can be flexible with how the hours are structured across the week, but we ask that the role holder works during core hours and is available to occasionally attend meetings or events outside standard hours.

This is a hybrid position, with three days per week on-site at the hospital, approximately two days working from home, and attendance at our head office in Clyst St Mary around once a fortnight. The role will also involve some travel across Devon to meet with partners and stakeholders, so a full driving licence and access to a car are essential.

The Rewards:

In return, we offer:

·       A salary of £40,000–£42,000 per annum (pro rata for part-time hours)

·       Hybrid working (typically 3 days on-site, 2 from home, with flexibility)

·       25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata)

·       Pension scheme and Blue Light discount

·       Paid volunteering days and access to a free counselling service for all staff

·       A supportive, values-driven culture that encourages professional growth

If you’re ready to use your clinical or counselling expertise to make a real difference, we’d love to hear from you.

At ELF, we know that different perspectives make us stronger. We’re committed to building a team that reflects the diverse communities we support and to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and heard.

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and life experiences, including those with lived experience of the issues we support. If there’s anything we can do to make the application or interview process more accessible for you, please let us know – we’re here to help.

Closing date for applications will be Friday 24^th October.

No agencies please.