Final

Generic Job Description

Job Title Chief of Staff

Job Family Business Management and Support

Band 9

Context

The Business Management and Support Job Family provides a generic job

description for each Agenda for Change Band 2-9, to recognise the broad and

varied business management and support needs of the organisation. Roles in this

job family are engaged in the provision of strategic, managerial and administrative

support services to NHS England and NHS Improvement Executives, Directors,

Managers and Teams. Through Private Office and Business Support roles. Roles

may involve clerical and administrative support, developing and implementing

policy and processes, or providing specialist, expert advice and support. The job

family supports the Business Management and Support Framework.

This generic job description provides an overview of roles and responsibilities at

this this pay band within this job family. Please refer to Assignment Brief (including

Specialism Person Specification) for a detailed description of the role.

Please refer to the Appendix to JD for further important information.

The organisation operates a flexible resourcing model which means that postholders appointed to time limited programmes will be flexibly deployed to an alternative programme within NHS England and NHS Improvement when their existing programme comes to an end.

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Job Role and Duties

The postholder will lead a team in delivering an effective service by managing the

provision of strategic and operational management support and advisory services

with corporate responsibility for major policy and service development throughout

NHS England and NHS Improvement.

Key responsibilities will include:

Planning & Organising

Provide assurance on the progress and delivery of corporate objectives,

financial stability, QIPP, improved health outcomes and reduced health

inequalities in line with the organisations Assurance Framework

requirement.

Proactively manage the key risks and issues associated with ensuring

appropriate actions are taken to mitigate or respond, reporting as necessary

to the Chief Executive, NHS Executive Group, and other key stakeholders.

Work with other Senior Leaders to support system transformation and the

development of Sustainability and Transformation Partnerships (STPs) and

Integrated Care Systems (ICS).

Develop and manage a robust integrated performance framework across

the organisation in support of statutory requirements.

Lead on the development and management of key programmes of

sustained service improvement and concepts of innovation.

Lead Business Management & Support, ensuring the production of timely,

consistent and accurate information at all levels to support effective delivery

of strategic plans.

Ensure that plans are aligned with the wider healthcare strategic plans,

work collaboratively to further integration and enable patient and public

engagement in all relevant areas of the portfolio.

Develop plans for the delivery of responsibilities including identifying

interdependencies, managing risks, modelling the potential impacts on the

wider organisation, determining resource requirements and building in

contingencies, where necessary.

Manage and actively promote the relationships with key stakeholders,

providing senior support to improve health and care through efficiency

improvement and cost reduction, project management and change

management.

Service Improvement

Lead service improvement workshops and present recommendations / improvement strategies.

Identify examples of national and international best practice and to ensure that NHS England and NHS Improvement benefits from relevant innovations in healthcare.

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Ensure appropriate system and processes are in place to enable the implementation of the strategy plans in NHS England, NHS Improvement and the wider healthcare community.

Responsible for Business Management & Support, and all Business Management related information systems within the organisation.

Analysis & Judgment

Drawing from experience and expertise in other academic fields and

industries, ensures that the organisation benefits from relevant innovations.

Continuously improve office information systems and procedures. Review

systems and processes as necessary.

Undertake financial project work, analysis and interpretation, assessment of

options, initiative and judgement.

Frequently working with a range of data, facts and situations often requiring

analysis and interpretation on a range of options making decisions on the

most appropriate approach to develop policies, strategies or business

plans, where prolonged concentration is required, and interruptions are

regular.

Offer advice in areas where expert opinion differs.

Communication

Lead as the expert; integrating systems and managing effective working

relationships with the appropriate stakeholders on a range of business

sensitive issues.

Manage and represent the organisation in highly sensitive, political and

antagonistic situations, delivering difficult messages to high-level, hostile

audiences dealing with complex and conflicting issues, to achieve

successful outcomes.

Link with managers and members of other initiatives to address inter-

dependencies and ensure alignment.

Employ effective communication, negotiation and influencing skills to enable

an effective business management with staff and stakeholders at all levels

(including senior management) who may hold differing and contentious

views.

Effective stakeholder management across different departments and at all

levels, maintaining relationships with key and high-profile stakeholders,

such as key strategic regional and national policy makers.

Ensure patient and public contact is of the highest standard.

Model collaborative and influencing style, negotiating to achieve best

outcomes.

Financial Management

Budget setting across a range of services/areas, managing and monitoring

related activity, liaising with finance colleagues to ensure appropriate

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costing and ensure compliance with Standing Financial instructions and

Standing Orders.

Develop commissioning service models that ensures value for money and

promote excellence.

Constantly strive for value for money and greater efficiency in the use of

these budgets and to ensure that they operate in recurrent financial balance

year on year.

Support compliance with the organisations Standing Orders and Standing

Financial Instructions.

Set and manage the budgetary implications of activity.

People Management

Lead staff in Business Management and Support, ensuring that all are

supported in their development and continual learning, building a

collaborative working environment and an innovative culture.

Leading multiple departments in different functions to ensure the

plan/deliverables are met in a timely manner, to the required standards and

within budget.

Transfer expertise and knowledge as appropriate, regarding innovation

issues throughout the team and also externally to Directors and lead

providers – including developing and delivering formal briefing / training to

promote innovation.

To manage, motivate, inspire and develop staff within the team to ensure

that they can deliver the responsibilities of the NHS England and NHS

Improvement.

Responsible for the recruitment and development of the Business

Management and Support staff, including undertaking appraisal, staff

develop and where appropriate progressing employee relation matters.

Research & Development

Conduct thorough review and analysis of national health challenges to

develop the optimum approach to improvement.

Develops an innovation strategy including research and development to

identify, develop and promote best practice.

Regularly highlight, promote and report innovative approaches to education

and training, particularly their impact on service.

Policy & Service Development

Lead the development, management and promotion of strategic plans,

policies and service redesign, encompassing all NHS England, NHS

Improvement and national priorities, ensuring these are understood by all

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stakeholders and is delivered utilising all available resources efficiently and

effectively and within agreed timescales.

Corporate responsibility for major policy and service development

throughout NHS England and NHS Improvement.

Responsible for adapting and / or designing information systems to meet

the specifications of Business Management and Support.

Interpret National Health Service policies and strategies, in order to

establish goals and standards of NHS England and NHS Improvement.

Engage with key strategic regional and national policy makers to inform

development of corporate strategy and policies.

Act as champion for patients and involve patients and public in policy

development.

Develop a delivery model which allows creativity, whilst ensuring a standard

set of principles are followed.

To develop business plans and provide expert strategic and policy advice

and guidance on all areas of the National Director’s/Regional Director’s

portfolio.

Develops plan for the delivery of the role’s responsibilities including

identifying interdependencies, managing risks, modelling the potential

impacts on the wider organisation, determining resource requirements and

building in contingency where required.

Contributes to the strategic planning process and delivery of priorities and

manages consequential adjustments to activities.

Promote the adoption of innovative strategies and techniques.

Responsible for developing, drafting changes, implementing and

interpreting organisational policies, guidelines and service level agreements

(SLA’s) which may impact service delivery and Sector.

Key Accountabilities

Corporate responsibility for major policy and service development

throughout NHS England and NHS Improvement.

Interpreting National Health Service policies and strategies, in order to

establish goals and standards of NHS England and NHS Improvement.

The strategic and operational management for Business Management &

Support.

Compiling strategic and operational policies for Business Management &

Support.

The delivery of complex business projects.

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Please refer to Assignment Brief for more information where applicable.

Please refer to the Appendix to JD for further important information.

Role Dimensions

Key Relationships (External)

Business Lead

Patients

Programme Working Groups

NHS Trusts, Foundation Trusts and

other healthcare providers

Clinical Commissioning Groups

Department of Health and Social

Care

Healthwatch England

Local government

Trade unions

Other key National Bodies (e.g.

Care Quality Commissioning,

Health Education England, Public

Health England, etc.)

Key Relationships (Internal)

Internal Team

Senior Management Team

Board

All NHS England and NHS

Improvement employees will be

expected to form key relationships

across the two organisations

Range and types of staff managed

Management of staff within multiple departments in different functions,

including undertaking recruitment, appraisal, staff development and where

appropriate progressing employee relation matters.

Budget Managed

Budget setting across a range of services / areas.

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Generic Person Specification

Job Title Chief of staff

Job Family Business Management and Support

Band 9

Criteria Essential Desirable Stage Measured at: A = Application I = Interview T = Test P = Presentation

Education / Training / Qualifications

Educated to Masters level in a

relevant area of academic

practice with in depth

additional expert knowledge in

specialist areas/subject

matters expertise in a number

of relevant disciplines or

equivalent experience working

at a commensurate band.

Additional management

qualification or specialist

qualification at post graduate

level or significant leadership

experience at post graduate

level in specialist area.

Membership of a relevant

professional body.

Evidence of continuing

professional development.

A/I

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Knowledge and Experience

In depth additional expert

knowledge acquired over a

significant period of time in

strategy formulation,

Leadership, service

improvement and resource

management.

Knowledge and experience of

good governance practices

and providing assurance to

board members.

Proven Board level experience

of leading and delivering

complex change and strategy

development programmes in a

politically sensitive and

complex environment.

Experience of liaising and

working with government

departments on healthcare

issues at a senior level.

Experience of leading and

managing an executive level

department in Healthcare and

/ or Public Sector.

Ability to deal with challenging

situations in a formal setting.

Extensive knowledge of the

background to and aims of

current healthcare policy and

appreciation of the

implications of this on

engagement.

An appreciation of the

relationship between the

Department of Health and

Social Care, NHS England /

NHS Improvement and

Commercial

expertise.

Previous experience

of having corporate

responsibility for

major policy and

service

development

incorporating

national priorities.

A/I

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individual provider and

commissioning organisations.

Previously responsible for a

budget, involved in budget

setting and working

knowledge of financial

processes.

Member of relevant

professional body.

Evidence of post qualifying

and continuing professional

development.

Skills / Abilities

Able to make a connection

between their work and the

benefit to patients and the

public.

Consistently thinks about how

their work can help and

support clinicians and frontline

staff deliver better outcomes

for patients.

Leadership, vision, strategic

thinking and planning with

highly developed political

skills.

Ability to demonstrate a high

level of expertise in providing

senior leadership.

High level analytical skills and

the ability to draw qualitative

and quantitative data from a

wide range of sources and

present in a clear concise

manner.

Demonstrates sound

judgement in the absence of

clear guidelines or precedent,

A/I

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seeking advice as necessary

from more senior

management when

appropriate.

Ability to analyse numerical

and written data, assess

verbal, written, numerical and

draw appropriate conclusions.

Ability to develop, maintain

and monitor information

systems to support innovation

initiatives.

Ability to work on own initiative

and organise workload,

allocating work as necessary,

working to tight and often

changing deadlines.

Ability to make decisions

autonomously, when required,

on difficult issues.

Commitment to and focused

on quality, promotes high

standards in all they do.

Consistently looks to improve

what they do, looks for

successful tried and tested

ways of working, and also

seeks out innovation.

Working knowledge of

Microsoft Office with

intermediate keyboard skills.

Interpersonal Skills

Highly developed

communication skills with the

ability to communicate on

highly complex matters and

difficult situations.

A/I

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Ability to provide and present

highly complex, sensitive

and/or contentious information

to large groups, responding

openly to questions to ensure

full understanding and

engagement in a hostile or

antagonistic environment.

Ability to communicate

effectively with clinical,

academic and all levels of

staff.

Works well with others, is

positive and helpful, listens,

involves, respects and learns

from the contribution of others.

Actively develops themselves

and supports others to do the

same.

Demonstrable commitment to

partnership working with a

range of external

organisations.

Determination, perseverance,

and resilience.

Flexibility, and the ability to

handle a rapidly changing and

ambiguous environment.

Commitment to equality of

opportunity, focussed on

removing barriers to full

participation.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

Commitment to equality of

opportunity, focussed on

removing barriers to full

participation.

A/I

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Fosters good working

relationships and values

difference.

Understands the importance

of diversity and inclusion in

delivering our role in the

health and care system.

Adherence to Confidentiality

statement within the job

description appendix and the

Data Protection Act

2018/General Data Protection

Regulation (GDPR).

Upholds the Equality Act 2010

and the Public Sector Equality

Duty.

Upholds our commitments as

a Stonewall Diversity

Champion, Disability

Confident Employer and

Mindful Employer.

Promotes high standards for

improving diversity and

equality, as per the Workforce

Race Equality Standard and

Workforce Disability Equality

Standard.

Promotes gender equality and closing our Gender Pay Gap.

Mobility National travel is required for

the majority of NHS England

and NHS Improvement roles,

please refer to assignment

brief for specific details

A

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The organisation seeks to promote the employment of disabled people and will

make any adjustments considered reasonable to the above duties under the

terms of the Equality Act 2010 to accommodate a suitable disabled candidate