Job summary
- Main area
- Planned Care
- Grade
- VSM
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 455-NLFT-0994
- Employer
- North London NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- St Pancras Hospital
- Town
- London
- Salary
- £100,000 - £200,000 Per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 02/08/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Care Group Director (Planned Care)
VSM
Thank you for your interest in North London NHS Foundation Trust (NLFT).
As of 1 April 2026, NLFT has formally merged with Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust—marking the start of an exciting new chapter. This is a unique opportunity to join a forward-thinking organisation at a time of transformation, where we are strengthening access to mental health services, responding more effectively to complex and specialist needs, and advancing our work in education, research and innovation.
By bringing together our combined expertise, we are building a stronger, more collaborative Trust—one that delivers consistent, high-quality care and improved outcomes for the diverse communities we serve.
At the heart of our approach is The North London Way. We are committed to:
- Working collaboratively at every level, guided by our shared values
- Shaping a positive, inclusive culture where staff and service users thrive
- Empowering our teams with the skills, tools and autonomy to drive meaningful change
- Delivering excellence and continuously improving the quality of care we provide
- Embedding research, innovation and technology across our services
- Taking a trauma-informed approach in everything we do
We are proud to be an inclusive employer that values diversity. We actively welcome applicants from all backgrounds, particularly from our local communities, and are committed to creating opportunities for everyone—including apprentices, veterans and care leavers.
The North London Way to deliver: Better Mental Health, Better Lives, Better Communities.
Our trust website is: https://www.northlondonmentalhealth.nhs.uk/
As a values‑driven Trust, we recruit through our values. Our selection processes focus on behaviours, attitudes, and examples that reflect our organisational values and commitment to compassionate, high‑quality care.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a set of technology that can perform various tasks that typically required human intelligence. Your application is your opportunity to demonstrate to us how you meet the requirements of the role.
We recognise that AI tools can support accessibility, equity and confidence for applicants. However, it’s important that examples and responses genuinely reflect your own experience and abilities, as these will be explored further during the selection process. AI must not be used to provide misleading or false information during any stage of the application journey.
Further guidance can be found in the NLPSS Applicant Toolkit https://royalfree.pagetiger.com/cuuomnr/1.
North London NHS Foundation Trust is committed to fair and transparent recruitment and requires applicants to provide accurate information, as misleading details may affect their application or employment and may be verified in line with the Fraud Act 2006. For further information please visit https://royalfree.pagetiger.com/cuuomnr/1.
Job overview
Shape the future of mental health services across North London
North London NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest and most ambitious mental health providers in the country. Formed in November 2024 following the merger of Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust and Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust, we serve a diverse population of 1.8 million people across five London boroughs with an annual turnover of over £670 million and more than 6,000 colleagues.
We're now seeking an exceptional Director of Planned Care to join our Executive leadership team and help shape the next chapter of our organisation.
Main duties of the job
The opportunity
Reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer, you will lead our Planned Care Group, providing strategic and operational leadership across community mental health services, talking therapies, outreach and other planned care pathways.
Working in partnership with senior clinical leaders, you will be accountable for operational performance, quality, finance, workforce, transformation and governance, ensuring our services continue to improve outcomes whilst delivering exceptional care closer to home.
This is a role with significant influence across the organisation and wider North Central London system, offering the opportunity to shape services, develop partnerships and improve the lives of the communities we serve.
Working for our organisation
Why North London Foundation Trust?
This is far more than an operational leadership role.
You'll be joining an ambitious Executive Team committed to delivering our vision of Better Mental Health. Better Lives. Better Communities. You'll help shape services across one of the most diverse populations in the country whilst leading transformation, innovation and continuous improvement at scale.
If you're motivated by making a genuine difference to patients, communities and colleagues, we'd love to hear from you.
Informal conversations
For a confidential discussion about this opportunity, please contact our recruitment partners at Hunter Healthcare.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
About you
We're looking for an inspiring, collaborative and values-led executive leader who can demonstrate:
- Significant senior operational leadership experience within a large, complex healthcare organisation.
- A track record of delivering high-quality services alongside sustained operational and financial improvement.
- Experience leading large multidisciplinary teams through transformation and organisational change.
- Strong partnership working across integrated care systems, local authorities and wider health and care partners.
- Excellent strategic thinking, political awareness and the ability to influence at Board and system level.
- A commitment to equality, inclusion and reducing health inequalities for diverse communities.
- The ability to create compassionate, high-performing cultures where colleagues feel empowered to deliver their very best.
Person specification
Education
Essential criteria
- Educated to Masters’ level or equivalent experience at board level
- Postgraduate or Leadership/ management qualification
EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE
Essential criteria
- Substantial and relevant Proven experience at senior management level with responsibility for operations in complex health/social care setting (service director or equivalent)
- Experience and evidence of delivering high standards of performance to achieve national and local targets within a complex healthcare setting
- Experience of business planning in complex organisations
- Strong knowledge and experience of complex finance and budgetary planning, management and cost improvement
- Experience of managing large-scale organisational change in a complex environment
- Experience of delivering efficiency and productivity targets at operational level
- Experience of working effectively in partnership with other organisations
- Experience of dealing with difficult situations including the resolution of conflict and influencing others to accept demanding outcomes
- Demonstratable knowledge of the relationship between the department of Health, NHSE/I and ICS
- Experience of operational planning with a track record of delivery to deadlines
- Significant experience and evidence of creative strategic thinking.
- Recent evidence and experience of positive leadership skills and the ability to transform and lead a team to work effectively together.
- Experience of translating strategic goals into effective operational plans and objectives
- Substantial and relevant senior management experience in a key healthcare operational role.
- Demonstrate achievements in improving patient care, meeting NHS targets and managing within budgets.
Desirable criteria
- Experience and evidence of formal project management
SKILLS, ABILITIES & VALUES
Essential criteria
- Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills necessary to establish and maintain
- Ability to anticipate and plan for change
- Demonstrate an ability to lead and motivate individuals and teams
- Highly numerate and high level of analytical/problem solving skills
PERSONAL QUALITIES
Essential criteria
- High levels of resilience, tenacity, self-belief in own abilities and integrity
- Team worker as well as individual achiever
- Able to manage a range of responsibilities at the same time, giving priority to all dimensions of the role appropriately, and meeting necessary deadlines
- Supportive, caring, respectful
- Must have operational experience working in a MH setting, and have sound understanding of the NHS current legislation, national strategy and regulatory frameworks.
- Proven ability to be intellectually flexible and to be able to look beyond existing processes and ways of working to produce more effective service delivery.
- Specialist knowledge and experience is required over a large number of specialties to include Human Resources, Finance, Performance Management, Planning and Communications in additional to extensive operational management knowledge
- Demonstrable understanding of quality and risk management issues and standards
Desirable criteria
- Evidence of a sound understanding in operational management continuous improvement methodologies
- Experience of working with multi- agency committees and establishing relationships with external organisations
Applicant requirements
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Finn McNulty
- Job title
- Associate Partner – Executive Search
- Email address
- [email protected]
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