BHSCT Deputy Encompass Programme Lead Band 8A

Job details

• Branch: Belfast HSCT
• Location: PINE LODGE ANNEX
• Salary: Band 8a (£55,690 - £62,682 )
• Contract Type: Temporary
• Opening Date: 31/08/26
• Closes: Mon, 14 September 2026 @ 4:00 PM
• Interview Dates: TBC

Notes

We accept online applications only.Applications received after the advertised closing date/time cannot be considered. A waiting list may be created for similar posts that may arise while the waiting list is live, this may include temporary or part-time posts. This will be managed in line with the updated HSC waiting list principles effective from 1 April 2026. Where a part-time waiting list is required, one part-time waiting list will be created- regardless of any specific hours advertised, this waiting list will cover all future vacancies where part-time posts arise. A part-time post is defined as any post that has less than 37.5 hours per week. Please remember to save or print a copy of the job description before submitting your application, as it will not be accessible afterwards. Flexible Working We welcome flexible working requests from day one. All HSC organisations offer a range of flexible working options. The options available for this post will depend on the requirements of the role. Find out more about flexible working options on our website.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title : Deputy Encompass Programme Lead

Band : 8A

Location : MPH, DoC Building

Reports to :Senior Programme Lead Encompass

BACKGROUND

Encompass is a transformational Health and Social Care (HSC) programme. It has changed the way we all work across HSC by introducing a single, secure, digital health and social care record for every citizen in Northern Ireland.

The encompass Programme is perhaps the most significant system level transformation ever introduced in the HSC. It continues to fundamentally change the way we deliver health and social care within Northern Ireland. The Programme is a key part of the HSC NI modernisation and reform agenda and is agreed as an essential enabler and driver of broader reform objectives.

This role will play a leading role in continuing to support the ongoing stabilisation and optimisation phases for the encompass Programme across key stakeholder groupings within Belfast Trust, which successfully delivered this transformational change on 6th June 2024.

The encompass system links various digital health platforms. The Digital Operational and Assurance Lead ensures safe, effective, and optimised service delivery across multiple Health Information Technologies within the Directorate/Division and organisation wide.

JOB SUMMARY / MAIN PURPOSE

This post will play a pivotal role in driving safe, effective and optimised digital service delivery across the Encompass PMO. This role provides strategic oversight of digital systems, ensuring that governance, digital safety, service risk management and system optimisation are embedded into everyday operational practice within Directorates/Divisions and across the organisation.

The post holder will be responsible for advancing digital maturity within services by

Leading governance processes at a digital systems level.

Overseeing digital safety, system risks, issues, and escalation routes.

Driving ongoing optimisation of digital systems, workflows and service processes.

Supporting adoption of AI and digital innovation to deliver improved and efficient care.

They will work collaboratively with the PMO to deliver a digital service improvement plan, ensuring high-quality digital practice, safe system usage and strengthening governance frameworks across the Trust. Work plans, priorities and agreed deliverables will be shaped by encompass PMO requirements.

The post holder is expected to consistently engage in regular encompass meetings to ensure alignment with organisational objectives, provide updates on progress, and contribute to cross-divisional discussions. Additionally, they will be responsible for completing encompass workplans, which may include setting priorities, tracking deliverables, and reporting outcomes. This involves working closely with other stakeholders, sharing best practices, and supporting ongoing improvement initiatives within the encompass programme. Their involvement in encompass activities will help maintain regional consistency, facilitate effective governance, and drive continuous digital service enhancement across the Trust.

Main Duties / Responsibilities

Digital Governance, Safety and Assurance

Lead governance processes at digital systems level, ensuring compliance with Trust standards and regional frameworks.

Oversee digital safety, identifying risks, issues, and system concerns, ensuring timely resolution or escalation.

Monitor changes to systems and identify and escalate unintended consequences.

Support the development of digital safety processes including monitoring, audit, incident review and assurance reporting.

Ensure robust oversight of workflows, configurations and service readiness.

Provide assurance to senior leadership on system performance, risks and mitigation actions

Service Delivery, Optimisation and Innovation

Drive continuous optimisation of digital systems including workflows, inbaskets, workqueues and digital documentation.

Lead and support implementation of enhancements, upgrades and service improvements.

Promote and support the adoption of AI and emerging innovations across services.

Ensure optimum system build by contributing to design, configuration, testing and evaluation of digital tools.

Support operational teams in the use and refinement of systems to achieve steady state and ongoing optimization

Driving the adoption of My Care by end users and service users

Identifying and tracking innovations enabled by My Care

Workforce Support & Digital Enablement

Provide leadership and oversight for workforce support including user provisioning, access, training and off-boarding.

Support managers with onboarding and competency development for staff.

Ensure end users are fully supported through changes, stabilisation and optimisation activities.

Monitor usage reports, system activity and compliance with standards.

Oversee the effective management of service-level inbaskets, workqueues and task management.

Cross-Boundary Operational Support & Business Continuity

Work across Trust services to support operational teams with digital readiness, utilisation and service improvement.

Provide leadership for operational responses related to emergency planning and business continuity.

Contribute to the development and review of Business Continuity Arrangements (BCA) ensuring systems are robust and resilient.

Offer operational support to new or developing service areas requiring digital integration.

Communication, Engagement and Stakeholder Engagement

Provide clear communication regarding risks, updates, changes and optimisation activities.

Engage with clinical, operational and across teams to ensure alignment of digital and service objectives.

Contribute to Trust-wide working groups, ensuring best practice is applied and shared across divisions.

Quality, Data, Reporting and Performance Monitoring

Lead the development of quality assurance processes including monitoring of key metrics.

Analyse system usage data, performance reports, safety data and audit outcomes to inform decision‑making.

Ensure effective reporting mechanisms for risks, issues, benefits realisation and service improvements.

Promote data-driven practice and support operational teams to use digital insights effectively.

Professionalism, Leadership and People Development

Role model positive digital behaviours aligned with Trust values.

Provide leadership to staff involved in operations, improvement and support activities.

Support staff development through training, mentorship and coaching.

Contribute to Trust workforce planning by identifying digital competency needs.

Represent the division at governance, improvement and implementation forums

Professional and People Management and Development

The post holder will contribute to management structures and practices supporting a culture of effective team working, continuous improvement and innovation.

The post holder will lead by example in practising the highest standards of conduct.

The post holder will participate in the Trust's Staff Development Review Scheme. He/she will provide guidance on personal development requirements and advise on and initiate, where appropriate, further training.

The post holder will maintain good staff relationships and morale amongst the staff reporting to him/her.

Financial and Resource Management

To advise on best practice workforce development issues which contribute to organisational performance and improvements and productivity.

Monitor the efficient use of resources, ensuring adequate resources are identified and initiate prompt and effective corrective action when applicable.

Demonstrate measurable benefits for the PMO by actively tracking and evaluating the benefits of key initiatives, projects, and improvements. The post holder should establish clear performance indicators tailored to divisional objectives, regularly analyse progress against these benchmarks, and report findings to relevant stakeholders. This process should include identifying areas where improvements have led to enhanced efficiency, increased productivity, or better staff morale, and using data-driven evidence to showcase tangible gains. These benefits will support the regional encompass benefits workstream by aligning with the original Business Case and identifying emerging benefits. Additionally, sharing successful practices and lessons learned will foster a culture of continuous improvement and innovation, ensuring that achievements are visible and contribute positively to organisational goals.

General Responsibilities

Employees of the Trust are required to promote and support the mission and vision of the service for which they are responsible and:

At all times provide a caring service and to treat those with whom they come into contact in a courteous and respectful manner;

Demonstrate their commitment by their regular attendance and the efficient completion of all tasks allocated to them;

Comply with the Trust's Smoke Free Policy;

Carry out their duties and responsibilities in compliance with the Health and Safety Policies and Statutory Regulations;

Adhere to Equality and Good Relations duties throughout the course of their employment;

Ensure the ongoing confidence of the public in-service provision;

Maintain high standards of personal accountability;

Comply with the HPSS Code of Conduct;

Information Governance

All employees of Belfast Health & Social Care Trust are legally responsible for all records held, created or used as part of their business within the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, including patient/client, corporate and administrative records whether paper based or electronic and also including e-mails. All such records are public records and are accessible to the general public, with limited exceptions, under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the Environment Regulations 2004, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. Employees are required to be conversant and to comply with the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust policies on Information Governance including for example the ICT Security Policy, Data Protection Policy and Records Management Policy and to seek advice if in doubt.

For further information on how we use your personal data within HR, please refer to the Privacy Notice available on the HUB or Your HR

Environmental Cleaning Strategy

The Trusts Environmental Cleaning Strategy recognizes the key principle that "Cleanliness matters is everyone's responsibility, not just the cleaners" Whilst there are staff employed who are responsible for cleaning services, all Trust staff have a responsibility to ensure a clean, comfortable, safe environment for patients, clients, residents, visitors, staff and members of the general public.

Infection Prevention and Control

The Belfast Trust is committed to reducing Healthcare associated infections (HCAIs) and all staff have a part to play in making this happen. Staff must comply with all policies in relation to Infection Prevention and Control and with ongoing reduction strategies. Standard Infection Prevention and Control Precautions must be used at all times to ensure the safety of patients and staff.

This includes:-

Cleaning hands either with soap and water or a hand sanitiser at the appropriate times (WHO '5 moments');

Using the correct '7 step' hand hygiene technique;

Being 'bare below the elbows' when in a clinical environment;

Following Trust policies and the Regional Infection Control Manual (found on intranet);

Wearing the correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE);

Ensuring correct handling and disposal of waste (including sharps) and laundry;

Ensuring all medical devices (equipment) are decontaminated appropriately i.e. cleaned, disinfected and/or sterilised;

Ensuring compliance with High Impact Interventions.

Values

The Belfast Trust aims to recruit staff not only with the right skills but also with the right values to ensure the delivery of excellent patient care and experience. Staff will be expected to be committed to provide safe, effective, compassionate and person centered care by:-

Treating Everyone with Dignity and Respect

Displaying Openness and Trust

Being Accountable

Being Leading Edge

Maximising Learning and Development

By embedding the above values we will make a significant contribution to the delivery of the Trust's Vision.

Personal Public Involvement

Staff members are expected to involve patients, clients, carers and the wider community where relevant, in developing, planning and delivering our services in a meaningful and effective way, as part of the Trust's ongoing commitment to Personal Public Involvement (PPI).

Please use the link below to access the PPI standards leaflet for further information.

http://www.publichealth.hscni.net/sites/default/files/PPI_leaflet.pdf

This job description is subject to review in the light of changing circumstances and is not intended to be rigid and inflexible but should be regarded as providing guidelines within which the post holder works. Other duties of a similar nature and appropriate to the grade may be assigned from time to time.

PERSONNEL SPECIFICATION

POST: Directorate / Division encompass Digital Lead Band 8A

DIRECTORATE: As per appropriate profile

Notes to applicants

You must clearly demonstrate on your application form under each question, how you meet the required criteria as failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted. You should clearly demonstrate this for both the essential and desirable criteria.

Shortlisting will be carried out on the basis of the essential criteria set out below, using the information provided by you on your application form. Please note the Trust reserves the right to use any desirable criteria outlined below at shortlisting. You must clearly demonstrate on your application form how you meet the desirable criteria.

Proof of qualifications and/or professional registration will be required if an offer of employment is made - if you are unable to provide this, the offer may be withdrawn.

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

The following are ESSENTIAL criteria which will initially be measured at shortlisting stage (where indicated) and may also be further explored during the interview/selection stage.

You should therefore make it clear on your application form whether or not you meet these criteria. Failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted. The stage in the process when the criteria will be measured is stated below.

Factor Criteria Method of Assessment

Experience

Qualifications

Registration Shortlisting by application form

Experience / Knowledge / Skills

Shortlisting by application form

AND

Interview

Other (e.g. Driving etc.) and Desirable Critieria

Hold a current full driving licence valid in the UK, with access to a car.

Where disability prohibits driving, this criteria will be waived if the applicant is able to organise suitable alternative arrangements Shortlisting by Application Form

SHORTLISTING

A shortlist of candidates for interview will be prepared on the basis of the information contained in the application form. It is therefore essential that all applicants demonstrate through their application how and to what extent their experience and qualities are relevant to this post and the extent to which they satisfy each criterion specified. Please note this should be detailed under each appropriate criterion heading on your application form. Candidates are also required to demonstrate how they meet the definitions of 'senior management', 'major complex organisation' and 'significant' as defined above.

Candidates who are short-listed will need to demonstrate at interview that they have the required competencies to be effective in this demanding leadership role.

The competencies concerned are set out in the NHS Healthcare Leadership Model, details of which can be found at:

http://www.leadershipacademy.nhs.uk/resources/healthcare-leadership-model

Values Based Recruitment

Values Based Recruitment is a process adopted by the Belfast Trust to attract and select employees on the basis that their individual values and behaviours align with those of the Trust, incorporating the Healthcare Leadership Model. It focuses on the 'how' and 'why' people do what they do. Candidates who are short-listed for interview will need to demonstrate at interview that they have the required knowledge, skills, competencies and values to be effective in this new role. In answering the value-based questions, you have the opportunity to share examples of when you have demonstrated values relevant to the Belfast Trust.

NOTE

Where educational/professional qualifications form part of the criteria you will be required, if shortlisted for interview, to produce original certificates and one photocopy of same, issued by the appropriate authority. Only those certificates relevant to the shortlisting criteria should be produced. If educational certificates are not available, an original letter and photocopy of same detailing examination results from your school or college will be accepted as an alternative.

If successful, you will be required to produce documentary evidence that you are legally entitled to live and work in the United Kingdom. This documentation can be a P45, Payslip, National Insurance Card or a Birth Certificate confirming birth in the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland. Failure to produce evidence will result in a non-appointment.

Where a post involves working in regulated activity with vulnerable groups, post-holders will be required to register with the Independent Safeguarding Authority.