Job Description

As we look to the future, we are excited to be making progress in our plans to build a new health and care campus for West Suffolk, co-producing these plans with staff, stakeholders and partners. Our new Chief People Officer (CPO) will play a pivotal leadership role in this development as we design and deliver a new healthcare facility for our population.



The CPO will be the executive lead for the resourcing, leadership, support and development of staff and volunteers at WSFT, and the ongoing cultural development of the organisation that enables people to perform at their best



Together with other executive members of the Board of Directors, the CPO will demonstrate inspirational and compassionate leadership to the entire workforce, ensuring that staff, and volunteers are supported and motivated to provide the safest and best patient care, and are at the heart of quality improvement and organisational development



If you are inspired to join us, we would love to hear from you. For an informal discussion with Ewen Cameron, Chief Executive, please contact Gemma Wixley on 01284 713301.

The CPO will:

Develop and communicate a strategic workforce vision and framework for WSFT so that our clinical divisions (acute and community) and corporate directorates are supported to formulate long-term workforce and education plans that ensure we have the people and skills we need in the future, actively engaging with staff and stakeholders (including patients, families and carers) to ensure their views and experience are at the heart of this process Lead, inspire and develop the workforce directorate, in order to deliver efficient, effective, values-driven and future focused HR, learning and organisational development services, enhancing staff experience, building capability and capacity, ensuring the safety, inclusivity and wellbeing of staff Hold and effectively discharge the executive lead roles pertaining to HR business partnering, employee relations, recruitment, temporary staffing, medical staffing, workforce information, learning and development, organisational and cultural development, health and wellbeing, occupational health, equality diversity and inclusion, staff engagement, mandatory training, moving and handling, volunteering, and knowledge and library services ensuring service alignment to Trust strategy and future workforce and organisational/system needs Ensure appropriate governance, controls, policies and procedures are in place, fully accessible, adopted and updated, to enable compliance with regulatory and statutory requirements related to people management, including workforce inequalities Lead the development of an inclusive and respectful working environment for all staff from all backgrounds, heritage and protected characteristics, taking positive action to continually develop the culture of WSFT as a place that is fair and inclusive for everyone who works here, as well as delivering to our statutory duties related to being an inclusive workforce Provide comprehensive advice and support to the Board of Directors on all matters pertaining to employment, staff development, inclusivity, wellbeing and staff experience, as well as crisis and incident management for complex people issues when required. Lead the growth of the MyWiSH charity to support the Trust's income generation ambitions, building strong partnerships with individuals and organisations locally and regionally through the work of the team. Direct the overall approach to internal and external communications, supporting the communications team to engage effectively across and beyond the organisation, in order to build and maintain public confidence in the Trust's services, and support the development of our culture

As part of the Fit and Proper Person Framework, all Board appointees will undergo the FPP test as part of the recruitment process and annually thereafter.



#BeKnown at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust. By us. By our patients. By our community



We are a busy, friendly, rural NHS Trust providing high-quality care and compassion to more than a quarter of a million people across west Suffolk. We care for, treat and support people in hospital, at home and in various community settings.



The West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds provides acute and secondary care services (emergency department, maternity and neonatal services, day surgery unit, eye treatment centre, Macmillan unit and children's ward). It has 400+ beds and is a partner teaching hospital of the University of Cambridge.



Adult and paediatric community services, provided in collaboration with West Suffolk Alliance partners, include a range of nursing, therapy, specialist, and ongoing temporary care and rehabilitation, some at our Newmarket Community Hospital.



We do our utmost to achieve outstanding clinical outcomes for patients and our values of fairness, inclusivity, respect, safety and team work guide how we work and behave as a team.



With nearly 5,000 staff, from all over the world, we strive to make our organisation a great place to work. Whatever your role or ambition, we want to help you be the best you can be.



We promote a diverse and inclusive community where everyone's voice counts and you can #BeKnown for whoever you are.



Join us. What will you #BeKnown for?



Please review the job description and person specification.