Programme Director

Role overview

The Programme Director is a senior leadership position responsible for setting the direction, shaping the design and overseeing delivery of one or more large, intricate and high-risk programmes that are central to the Trust’s strategic goals. This role provides visible leadership across the organisation and the wider system, making sure programmes create measurable gains in quality, outcomes, performance, productivity, workforce sustainability and value for money. It turns strategic priorities into a clear programme structure, strong governance, effective stakeholder involvement and disciplined execution, while keeping patient benefit, operational improvement and long-term sustainable change at the centre.

Key responsibilities

• Direct the creation, mobilisation and implementation of complex strategic programmes, ensuring they are aligned with Trust priorities, legal duties and system plans.
• Provide senior leadership to multidisciplinary programme teams and foster a culture that is high-performing, accountable and focused on delivery.
• Build and maintain programme strategies, business cases, delivery plans, milestone trackers, benefit realisation frameworks and resourcing plans.
• Put in place strong governance, assurance and reporting arrangements, with clear escalation of risks, issues, dependencies and decisions to the correct forum.
• Collaborate with clinical, operational and corporate leaders to shape and deliver service transformation, pathway redesign and new operating models.
• Lead engagement and communication with stakeholders to build commitment, address resistance to change and sustain confidence in delivery.
• Guide the development of option appraisals, impact assessments and evidence-led recommendations for executive and Board decisions.
• Manage programme budgets, including planning, forecasting, tracking benefits and ensuring value for money.
• Ensure programmes are backed by appropriate analytical insight, demand and capacity assumptions, workforce planning and performance measurement.

Key relationships

• Chief Executive, Executive Directors and senior leadership teams
• Local authority leaders, divisional directors, general managers and service managers
• Programme sponsors, senior responsible owners and programme board members
• Corporate functions including finance, workforce, digital, estates, communications, procurement, governance and business intelligence
• Clinical, professional and non-clinical colleagues across the Trust
• Integrated Care Board, independent care providers, local authority partners and wider system stakeholders
• People receiving care, carers, public representatives and partner organisations where co-production is needed
• External agencies, regulators, suppliers and consultants involved in programme delivery

Additional information

For an informal discussion or more details, contact Simon Tapley, Chief Strategy and Planning Officer, by email at [email protected] or by telephone on 07815149927.