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Job requirements
Essential
17 listedRequirements the employer expects applicants to meet.
- Experience
Experience of managing budgets and delivering savings.
- Experience
Experience of managing cross -functional and group level projects and integration of services at a senior level.
- Experience
An in-depth understanding of health care provision and awareness of current NHS policies and priorities
- Experience
Experience of leading, coaching and building capability in all aspects of the HR function.
- Experience
Significant experience in Senior HR / People positions, preferably in a similar sector.
- Skills and aptitudes
Strong effective communicator in writing, business presentations and in interpersonal communication.
- Skills and aptitudes
Highly developed, demonstrated teamwork skills
- Skills and aptitudes
Excellent organisational, prioritisation, analytical and planning skills with a high attention to detail and process.
- Skills and aptitudes
Ability to set out a clear strategic direction, inspire and engage others, together with an ability to translate strategic objectives into deliverable operation plans
- Skills and aptitudes
Highly developed leadership, negotiation and influencing skills with the ability to motivate, challenge and engage individuals and teams
- Skills and aptitudes
Ability to lead in an environment of constant change.
- Skills and aptitudes
Delegates clearly and monitors progress regularly and giving timely support where necessary.
- Royal Free shared commitments
Demonstrable ability to meet the Trust shared commitments.
- Education and professional qualifications
Degree Level Education or equivalent experience
- Education and professional qualifications
Chartered Member of the CIPD.
- Education and professional qualifications
Post-graduate Diploma or MSC in HR or equivalent experience.
- Education and professional qualifications
Evidence of Continuing Professional Development.
Desirable
2 listedAdditional qualities the employer would prefer.
- Experience
Proven experience of working at Senior/Executive level required and providing expert advice to Board level committees.
- Education and professional qualifications
Project Management qualification.
Job overview
Our ambition at the Royal Free London is to deliver world class expertise and local care, combining outstanding healthcare with ground-breaking research, education and innovation. Our 18,000 people are central to achieving that ambition, and we have recently launched our new People Strategy for 2027–2031: World class people for world class care. We are now looking for an exceptional Group Director of People to help us turn that ambition into reality.
Reporting to the Group Chief People Officer and acting as their deputy, this is a pivotal leadership role within the People Directorate and across the Royal Free London. You will provide strategic and operational leadership across our group People functions, working closely with Health Unit Directors of People and Culture and other senior People leaders to deliver an outstanding and increasingly consistent experience for our people across the organisation.
Our new People Strategy is deliberately ambitious and focused. It sets out how we will shape our culture, enable our people to be at their best, and ensure our workforce is future ready. We want to build consistently excellent leadership, be brilliant at the fundamentals that matter to our people, create an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive, and prepare our workforce for the opportunities presented by new models of care, digital technology, data and AI.
Main duties of the job
As Group Director of People, you will provide strategic and operational leadership across our group People functions and play a leading role in translating our new People Strategy into measurable improvements in the everyday experience of our people.
As Deputy to the Group Chief People Officer, you will represent the People Directorate at senior forums and deputise as required, providing expert advice and leadership across complex workforce and organisational issues.
You will lead a significant portfolio of group-wide People services and Centres of Expertise, including:
- People Operations and Group People Services, including Workforce Information, Policy, People Hub and Freedom to Speak Up
- Employee Resolutions and Advisory Service (ERAS)
- Inclusion, Wellbeing and Recognition
- Resourcing, Retention and Programmes
- People Planning, Operations and Partnerships.
Working in partnership with Health Unit People teams and colleagues across the wider People Directorate, you will drive greater consistency, quality and impact across our People services. You will champion a people-centred employment experience, ensure we are brilliant at the basics, use data and insight to drive performance and improvement, and help modernise our services through digital technology, automation and new ways of working.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Full duties and responsibilities are outlined in the Job Description and Person Specification.
Should you wish to review the People Strategy document, please contact Claudia McCarthy directly (details below) and a copy will be provided via email.
Stakeholder panel w/c 16th November 2026
Interview panel w/c 23rd November 2026
Applicant requirements
The postholder will have regular contact with vulnerable people and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Group Director of People with Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust in London, England. It is listed as a Human resources manager role. The advertised salary is £130,000 - £145,000 Per annum. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 28 Oct 2026.
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