Director of Organisational Development (OD) and Inclusion

Job overview

Join MFT as our Director of Organisational Development & Inclusion and drive your career to new heights, at one of the largest and most complex NHS Trusts in England. This role offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of organisational development, leadership, inclusion, and culture across MFT. You will play a pivotal role in developing and delivering strategic programmes that support our people, strengthen our culture, and enable us to be the best place for people to work. We are seeking an experienced and inspirational leader with a passion for creating inclusive environments where our people can thrive. You will bring insight, credibility, and a strong track record of leading transformational change, developing leadership capability and fostering cultures where diversity is valued, voices are heard and everyone feels they belong. Quite simply, creating the most positive experience for our staff will be at the heart of everything you do. Your experience and understanding of how positive organisational cultures develop is crucial, as is your ability to be able to nurture an inclusive workplace where everyone feels they belong. However, above all else, you'll be a leader who leads with compassion and can demonstrate how you have been able to lead a team to success through your visible approach, particularly to those who work directly within your team.

Main duties of the job

A key part of this role will be working alongside our amazing leaders across MFT to shape and deliver organisational development and inclusion programmes that ensure every colleague, wherever they work in the organisation, has a positive experience and feels valued, respected, and able to belong.

You will lead a talented team of Organisational Development and Inclusion professionals, creating the conditions for them to thrive, grow and deliver outstanding work. Together, you will champion initiatives that strengthen our culture, develop our leaders and teams, and help MFT realise its full potential as an inclusive employer and one of the best places to work in the NHS.

Further details can be found in the Candidate Information Pack. If you would like an informal conversation about the role, please contact juliette.tait@mft.nhs.uk to arrange a discussion.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

IMPORTANT CANDIDATE INFORMATION

To find out more about the key responsibilities and the specific skills and experience you’ll need for this role, take a look at the Job Description & Person Specification attachments under the ‘Documents to download’ heading.

Explore ‘Inside MFT – Your Candidate Place’

To help you feel confident, prepared and fully informed before you apply, we invite you to explore Inside MFT – Your Candidate Place. This welcoming one‑stop hub gives you a real sense of who we are, what we stand for, how we reward and support you, and the many ways we care for you as you care for others. You’ll also find practical hints and tips for submitting a great application, along with the essential information you need to know before you apply.

To access ‘Inside MFT – Your Candidate Place’, simply click on the relevant PDF document under the ‘Documents to download’ heading and once opened, you can either scan QR code or click on the link provided.

Closing vacancy listings early

We welcome applications from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. To help us manage applications fairly and give each one the time it deserves, our adverts may close early if we receive a high level of interest. Early applications are therefore encouraged.

Diversity Matters MFT is committed to promoting equality of opportunity, celebrating and valuing diversity and eliminating any form of unlawful discrimination across our workforce, ensuring our people are truly representative of the communities we serve. All individuals regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation are encouraged to apply for this post. As an inclusive employer, we are here to support you. If you have any special requirements to help you with your application, please contact the manager named below.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in your application

Here at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, we’re proud to be ALL HERE FOR YOU, for our patients, our communities, and each other. As part of our commitment to fairness, transparency, and personal integrity, we ask all applicants to ensure that their job applications reflect their own experiences, skills, and motivations. While AI tools can support spelling, grammar, or formatting, we expect that the content of your application, especially personal statements and responses to role specific questions is written by you. This helps us get to know the real you and ensures that our recruitment process remains equitable and meaningful for everyone.

Thank you for helping us uphold the values that make our Trust a place where people belong, grow, and thrive. We look forward to receiving your application.

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check

As part of our commitment to safeguarding patients and staff, many roles at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) require a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. This is a standard process across the NHS and helps us ensure a safe environment for everyone.

What is a DBS Check?

A DBS check is a background check that reveals any criminal convictions, cautions, reprimands, or warnings. The level of check required depends on the role:

Standard DBS: Checks for spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands, and final warnings.

Enhanced DBS: Includes the above, plus any additional information held by local police that’s considered relevant to the role.

Enhanced with Barred Lists: Includes all of the above, plus checks against the children’s and/or adults’ barred lists.

Who Needs a DBS Check

Most roles involving direct patient contact, working with children or vulnerable adults, or access to sensitive information will require a DBS check. The job advert and recruitment team will let you know if this applies to your role.

The Costs for a DBS

At Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT), roles that require a DBS check are subject to a cost recovery policy. This means that the cost of submitting and processing a DBS application if you are successful and join us, will be deducted from your salary within the first three months of employment. If, however, you withdraw from a conditional offer after the DBS process has begun, you will still be liable for the cost incurred.

For more information about the cost of the various types of DBS, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/dbs-fees-are-changing-in-december

DBS Update Service

Candidates are also expected to register with the DBS Update Service which must be completed within 30 days of the certificate being issued. This helps streamline future employment checks and supports safer recruitment practices. For more information, please visit the DBS Update Service.

Applicant requirements

This post will require a submission for Disclosure to be made to check for any unspent criminal convictions.