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Job summary

Main area
Executive management
Grade
Executives / VSM: Executives / VSM
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
095-8125194-TS
Employer
NHS Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board
Employer type
NHS
Site
Gail House
Town
Maidstone
Closing
13/07/2026 23:59
Interview date
22/07/2026

Employer heading

NHS Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board logo

Chief Commissioning Officer

Executives / VSM: Executives / VSM

Job overview

Applications for this role will need to be made via Odgers using the below link:
https://www.odgers.com/en-gb/opportunities/?r=0#AssignDetail.aspx?guid=96301

This is a defining moment for NHS Kent and Medway. We are building a different kind of integrated care board, a high-performing strategic commissioning organisation that designs the shape of healthcare in our system, sets the model of care we expect to see, aligns resources to that model, and holds partners to account for delivery through commissioning based on population health requirements.

Our role is not to manage the day-to-day running of services. Our role is to be the architect of system change so that every pound spent, every pathway and every partnership is directed towards better outcomes, greater equity and stronger value for the population we serve.

Main duties of the job

Kent and Medway faces profound challenges. Our population is growing and ageing. The number of people aged 85 and over is projected to rise sharply over the next 20 years, and prevalence of multiple long-term conditions is closely linked to deprivation, ethnicity, unemployment, housing insecurity and social isolation. Health inequalities remain persistent and significant, demand continues to rise, and system performance remains fragile. These pressures require more than incremental change. They require a confident commissioner with the authority, analytical grip and system leadership to reshape how care is designed and delivered.

That is why the Chief Commissioning Officer is such an important appointment. This role will help define the architecture of our future system. It will connect prevention, population health, quality, safety, clinical transformation and outcomes into one coherent commissioning approach. The postholder will bring authoritative leadership to the board, ensure our decisions are grounded in evidence and outcomes, and strengthen how we translate strategy into delivery across providers, places, primary care and wider partners.

If you are motivated by the opportunity to help design the future of a whole system, improve outcomes at scale and bring clear leadership to that task, this is an exceptional role at a pivotal moment and we would like to hear from you.

Working for our organisation

We are committed to a culture that supports all staff at NHS Kent and Medway to be the best version of themselves.

Our ability to improve outcomes for our population depends on how effectively clinical, operational, financial and strategic professionals work together to make informed commissioning decisions. That’s why our workforce works a minimum of two days-a-week on-site, with the expectation that all one-to-ones are held face-to-face and that colleagues will regularly visit the services we are commissioning to understand more about them.

We believe regular on-site working supports stronger collaboration, faster problem-solving, peer learning, visible leadership and the integration of colleagues into our organisation. We also know that culture is built through shared experiences and day-to-day interactions.

We are a flexible working friendly organisation; we aim to support you to work flexibly in a way that will suit you and us.

We work with staff to agree objectives through regular supervision, annual appraisal and access to training opportunities.

We are committed to equal opportunities and diversity. In order to reflect the diversity of our population, we positively encourage applications from all areas of the community regardless of gender, race, faith, disability, age or sexual orientation.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The job description and person specification gives you all the information you need about this role. Please look carefully at the criteria in the person specification and tell us what you have done that shows you meet this.

Still have questions? The recruiting manager would love to hear from you, their contact details can be found in the job advert.

We can get a lot of applications for some roles so to be in with the best chance of being shortlisted please make sure you apply as soon as possible. A vacancy may close early if there is a lot of interest in the job.

If you need an application form in an alternative format please let our recruitment team know so they can help you with this.

All information you supply on your application should, to the best of your knowledge, be true and accurate.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Educated to Master’s level in a relevant subject or equivalent level of experience
  • Evidence of sustained personal and professional development

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Substantial Board‑level and / or system operational delivery and improvement experience within a regulatory or similar environment
  • Proven board level experience leading and delivering complex change and strategy development programmes at scale in a politically sensitive environment.
  • Extensive experience of Strategic commissioning, contracting and procurement in a healthcare setting.

Skills

Essential criteria
  • Advanced data‑literacy and analytical capability, converting insights into strategic decisions
  • Ability to provide effective strategic commissioning leadership, mentorship and professional development at a very senor level.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Disability confident committed

Application numbers

This vacancy may close early if it receives a high number of applications. Please complete and submit your application in good time to avoid disappointment.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Emma Jonas
Job title
Recruitment Partner
Email address
[email protected]
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