Job Description

Are you passionate about making a real difference in mental health care? At Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust, we believe that communities thrive when mental health support is woven into everyday life. Our bold vision is to create communities where people don't just live with mental illness, but live well--and we're looking for someone with your expertise to help us achieve this.
As our new Temporary Staffing Lead, you'll play a pivotal role in ensuring safe staffing and delivering high-quality care across the Trust. You'll have the opportunity to influence every stage of the temporary staffing process, working closely with both internal teams and external partners to meet the dynamic resourcing needs of our services. Your leadership will be key in streamlining operations, reducing agency spend, and upholding the highest standards of governance and quality.
This is a role for someone who thrives on collaboration and innovation. You'll be the main operational contact for external staffing suppliers, ensuring compliance, negotiating contracts, and building strong relationships that support our mission. Your work will directly impact patient care, helping us deliver on our promise of excellence and compassion.
If you're ready to join a values-driven organisation where your skills and ideas are truly valued, we'd love to hear from you. Join us and help shape the future of mental health care in Kent and Medway.
Main duties of the job

• Champion safe and effective staffing by coordinating all bank and agency workers, ensuring our teams have the support they need to deliver excellent patient care.
• Build and nurture strong relationships with external staffing suppliers, acting as the key point of contact to resolve queries and uphold our high standards.
• Oversee and continually improve systems and processes for booking and managing temporary staff, making sure they are efficient, fair, and easy to use for everyone.
• Monitor compliance with policies, procedures, and training requirements, so that every temporary worker is fully prepared and supported in their role.
• Provide clear, accurate data and insights on temporary staffing, helping leaders make informed decisions that benefit our staff and the people we care for.
• Work closely with colleagues across the Trust and our partners to align temporary staffing practices, always striving for consistency and best value.
• Support the professional development and wellbeing of temporary staffing team members, fostering a positive, inclusive, and respectful working environment.
• Uphold and promote the Trust's values in every aspect of temporary staffing, ensuring our standards of honesty, fairness, and respect are reflected in all we do.

About us
We are the Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust. We care for the mental health and wellbeing of people across Kent and Medway. Our teams support adults with a wide range of mental health needs. Because we cover the whole county and both hospital and community settings, we can make care more joined up and easier to access for the 1.8 million people of Kent and Medway. Rated 'Good' by the CQC, we care for over 2,000 people in our hospitals and 54,000 in the community each year.
Our vision is simple: We are here to help communities not just live with mental illness, but live well. It's why we're passionate about working with communities to make mental health care better for everyone. And everything we do is guided by our values caring, inclusive, curious and confident.
Join us - if you share our passion for better mental health care and want to be part of a team that's doing well together.
Details
Date posted
28 November 2025
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 6
Salary
38,682 to 46,580 a year per annum
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-time, Flexible working, Home or remote working
Reference number
380-SS0704-A
Job locations
Eastern & Coastal Area Office, Canterbury
Littlebourne Road
Canterbury
CT1 1AZ
Job description
Job responsibilities
The team is currently based at home for 80% of the working week, with 20% being spent on-site in Canterbury, in accordance with our current hybrid working policy.
You will join a friendly, enthusiastic, and fun team, who all strive for excellence.
Please refer to the attached job description for the full details on the responsibilities and person specification Job description
Job responsibilities
The team is currently based at home for 80% of the working week, with 20% being spent on-site in Canterbury, in accordance with our current hybrid working policy.
You will join a friendly, enthusiastic, and fun team, who all strive for excellence.
Please refer to the attached job description for the full details on the responsibilities and person specification
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Educated to degree level in a Human Resources, business or equivalent professional experience.
• Evidence of IT Literacy
• Strong knowledge of the use of Excel and BI reporting
• 4 x GCSEs (or equivalent) at Grade C or above

Desirable

• CIPD Qualification

Experience
Essential

• Experience of temporary staffing supplier management, inclusive of rates negotiation, compliance and communication of working practices.
• Experience of temporary staffing in high volume, scarce-skill markets.

Desirable

• Previous experience in agency temporary staffing at high volumes.
• Previous experience of working in Human Resources dept or NHS experience.

Skills
Essential

• An understanding of supplier contracts and negotiation requirements.
• Demonstrable understanding of Agency Worker Regulations, Working Time Directive, IR35 and other relevant legislation.
• IT literate with proficient use of Microsoft Office and the internet

Desirable

• Knowledge of NHS Framework guidelines, compliance requirements and NHS temporary staffing strategy.
• An understanding of NHS training and induction requirements for temporary workforce.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Educated to degree level in a Human Resources, business or equivalent professional experience.
• Evidence of IT Literacy
• Strong knowledge of the use of Excel and BI reporting
• 4 x GCSEs (or equivalent) at Grade C or above

Desirable

• CIPD Qualification

Experience
Essential

• Experience of temporary staffing supplier management, inclusive of rates negotiation, compliance and communication of working practices.
• Experience of temporary staffing in high volume, scarce-skill markets.

Desirable

• Previous experience in agency temporary staffing at high volumes.
• Previous experience of working in Human Resources dept or NHS experience.

Skills
Essential

• An understanding of supplier contracts and negotiation requirements.
• Demonstrable understanding of Agency Worker Regulations, Working Time Directive, IR35 and other relevant legislation.
• IT literate with proficient use of Microsoft Office and the internet

Desirable

• Knowledge of NHS Framework guidelines, compliance requirements and NHS temporary staffing strategy.
• An understanding of NHS training and induction requirements for temporary workforce.

Skills Required