Women and Children's Division Improvement Programme Manager

Job overview

Women and Children's Division Improvement Programme Manager (Band 8b)

Are you an experienced programme manager with a passion for quality improvement and delivering meaningful change in healthcare? We are seeking a dynamic and highly motivated Improvement Programme Manager to join the Women and Children's Division leadership team to cover Maternity Leave of the current post holder.

This exciting role provides the opportunity to lead complex improvement programmes that directly support the delivery of safe, effective and high-quality services for women, babies, children and families. Working closely with senior clinical, operational and corporate leaders, you will shape and drive divisional priorities, oversee governance and assurance processes, and ensure readiness against key external requirements including CNST and regulatory standards.

We are looking for someone who combines strong programme and project management expertise with excellent relationship-building skills, strategic thinking and a proven ability to deliver results in complex environments. In return, you will have the opportunity to influence service improvement at scale, work alongside passionate multidisciplinary teams and make a lasting impact on patient outcomes across our services.

Main duties of the job

As the Women and Children's Division Improvement Programme Manager, you will lead the development, delivery and oversight of major improvement programmes across the division. Working as part of the divisional leadership team, you will ensure projects are effectively planned, monitored and delivered, with clear benefits, robust governance arrangements and measurable outcomes.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading complex transformation, quality improvement and service development programmes.
• Developing project plans, governance frameworks, risk registers and reporting mechanisms.
• Supporting divisional readiness for external reviews, accreditation programmes and regulatory requirements, including CNST standards.
• Producing high-quality reports, analysis and presentations for senior leaders, executive teams and governance groups

We are particularly interested in candidates who can demonstrate:

• Significant programme or project management experience within healthcare or similarly complex organisations.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills and the ability to influence at senior and executive level.
• Strong analytical skills and experience interpreting performance, quality, risk or financial data.
• Experience of governance, assurance and compliance processes.

This role would suit an ambitious improvement leader who enjoys translating strategy into action and delivering tangible improvements across healthcare services.

Working for our organisation

Working for our organisation

At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always deliver Excellent Care Everywhere, as shown in our Outstanding for Caring CQC rating. Your uniqueness and experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of staff networks to help break down barriers, and can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 3) and a Veteran Aware Trust.

Candidate Pack

Flexible Working: If you would like to explore potential options regarding flexible working please speak with the appropriate recruiting/line manager.

This vacancy is advertised as a time-limited opportunity is expected to be undertaken on a secondment basis. Before applying, employees must discuss the opportunity with their current line manager to confirm whether they may be released from their substantive role if successful. Release to undertake a secondment is not an automatic entitlement and must be agreed by all relevant parties: the employee, their current line manager, and the recruiting line manager.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

This role is eligible for visa sponsorship under the UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker route however sponsorship can only be provided where applicants meet the specific requirements set by UKVI, including the relevant skill and salary thresholds (£25000), and any role-specific criteria.

The Women and Children's Division Improvement Programme Manager is a senior leadership role responsible for coordinating and delivering a portfolio of improvement, transformation and assurance programmes across the Women's and Children's Division. Working directly with the divisional leadership team, the post-holder will ensure that strategic priorities are translated into effective programmes of work that deliver demonstrable improvements in quality, safety, performance and patient outcomes.

The role requires close collaboration with senior clinical, operational and corporate colleagues to identify opportunities for improvement, establish robust governance arrangements and support the successful delivery of complex projects from initiation through to implementation and evaluation. The post-holder will provide expert programme management support across a wide range of divisional priorities, ensuring that projects remain aligned with organisational objectives and national requirements.

A significant aspect of the role is assuring compliance with external standards and accreditation requirements, including oversight of evidence management, assurance processes and readiness activities. The post-holder will work closely with services to ensure that evidence is robust, governance arrangements are effective and improvement actions are delivered sustainably.

The successful candidate will lead the development of reporting mechanisms, benefits realisation frameworks and performance monitoring systems that provide clear visibility of progress, risks and outcomes. They will produce reports and briefings for divisional and executive audiences, supporting informed decision-making and enabling timely escalation of emerging issues.

As a recognised expert in programme delivery and continuous improvement, the post-holder will champion the use of structured improvement methodologies across the division, promoting a culture that empowers teams to identify opportunities, solve problems and embed sustainable change. They will facilitate workshops, support service redesign initiatives and help build organisational capability through coaching and practical guidance.

The role involves extensive partnership working with a broad range of stakeholders including divisional directors, clinical directors, heads of nursing, operational managers, finance, workforce, performance and corporate teams. The post-holder will build effective relationships across organisational boundaries, fostering collaboration and influencing at all levels to achieve shared objectives.

Operating in a complex and fast-paced environment, the post-holder will manage multiple priorities simultaneously, balancing strategic objectives with operational demands. They will be expected to exercise judgement, initiative and professional autonomy whilst providing assurance that programme delivery remains on track and that intended benefits are realised.

Key Relationships

The post-holder will work closely with:

• The Women and Children's Divisional Quadrumvirate and wider divisional leadership team.
• Clinical Directors, Heads of Nursing, Service Managers and Operational Leads.
• Executive Directors, including members of the Trust Executive team.
• Corporate services including Finance, Workforce, Information, Governance, Risk and Performance teams.
• The Trust's Programme Management Office and Kaizen Office.
• Frontline clinical and non-clinical teams involved in improvement programmes.
• External partners, regulators and stakeholders where programme requirements necessitate engagement.

This role offers an exceptional opportunity to influence improvement across a large and diverse division, working alongside senior leaders and frontline teams to deliver lasting improvements for women, children, families and staff.

Person specification

Experience & Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Educated to masters level in relevant discipline or equivalent experience.
• Knowledge in area of own specialism and of staff and project/improvement managment.
• Ability to make judgements involving highly complex facts or situations through interpretation & comparison of a range of options.
• Ability to formulate long term/forward plans for the team managed and for projects supported.
• Experience managing CNST Maternity Incentive Scheme submissions

Desirable criteria

• Accredited improvement qualification.
• GB certified
• Experience in a continuous improvement system, ideally in the NHS
• Coaching qualification
• Training qualification
• Accredited lean qualification
• Project management qualification
• Staff management qualification
• Experience of using formalised coaching methods
• Practical experience of implementing lean/continuous improvement methodologies.
• Contributes to planning and formulation of strategies for delivering project support to the clinical divisions.

People Management and Development

Essential criteria

• Evidence of commitment to professional development.
• Must be able to deal with conflict and remain calm to resolve difficult issues.
• Ability to build relationship quickly with operational and senior leaders.

Desirable criteria

• Experience of leading a team of staff.
• Experience of coaching others to achieve results.

Skills

Essential criteria

• To plan and prioritise objectives within the workstream and own work.
• Programme management knowledge, quality and risk management knowledge.
• Advanced IT skills in particular Powerpoint, Excel & Outlook and management of data/evidence.
• Perseverance and tenacity to manage change.
• Ability to work with finance colleagues to test financial assumptions at all stages of delivery.

Desirable criteria

• Experience of managing large-scale NHS projects including definition, design and delivery.
• Proven training skills.
• Ability to translate analysis of performance data into discussions which may redirect or change the perceived outcome requirements.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Essential criteria

• Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role)
• Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues

Important information for applicants:

A Note on AI Use in Applications

UHSussex values authenticity and encourages applicants to ensure that all application materials accurately reflect their own skills, experience, knowledge and motivations. Candidates may use AI and digital tools to support the preparation of applications, for example to assist with spelling, grammar, structure or accessibility needs. However, applicants remain responsible for the content submitted and should ensure that it genuinely represents their own abilities and experience. Where there are reasonable concerns that an application does not authentically reflect the applicant's own knowledge, skills, experience or suitability for the role, the Trust reserves the right to explore this further and, where authenticity cannot be satisfactorily demonstrated, to reject the application.

Bank Workers: Bank workers are welcome to apply for any of our vacancies but please note if you are successful at interview there will be a delay in confirming a start date due to the Trust's current financial controls.

Closing Adverts Early: In the event of exceptional interest, we may close adverts earlier than specified.

Some of our adverts are capped for a limited number of applications; therefore, the advert will close once the cap has been reached. We therefore encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible if you are interested in the position to prevent you from missing out on applying for the opportunity.

Flexible Working: If you would like to explore potential options regarding flexible working please speak with the appropriate recruiting/line manager.

DBS Checks: As part of our commitment to a safe working environment, we undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service check on all new employees where the role is eligible for a criminal record check . We make offers in line with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1975.

Skilled Worker Visa: Applications for Skilled Worker sponsorship are welcome for the roles that meet the Visa and Immigrations eligibility criteria. For further information please visit the gov.uk website searching for Skilled Worker. It is your responsibility as the applicant to ensure that you meet this criteria.

UHSussex reserves the right to close the role early if we receive a high volume of applications