Job overview
This key leadership role within Lincolnshire Community and Hospitals Group (LCHG) supports the Group Assistant Director of Strategy and Planning in delivering the organisation’s strategic vision, objectives and transformation priorities. The post holder leads the development and delivery of strategic and operational plans across clinical and corporate services, ensuring alignment with Integrated Care System (ICS) priorities, the Joint Forward Plan, financial plans and efficiency requirements.
The role oversees annual planning and assurance processes, working with Executive Directors and senior leaders to ensure effective governance, stakeholder engagement and delivery of robust plans. It provides leadership to Business Partners supporting care groups with strategy, planning and improvement activities.
A key focus is developing organisational improvement capability through Quality Improvement training, coaching and the promotion of best-practice methodologies. The post holder supports delivery of the Integrated Improvement Plan, Outstanding Care Improvement System and wider transformation programmes.
The role also leads the monitoring, reporting and assurance of strategic programmes, ensuring progress is tracked, risks are managed, recovery actions implemented and governance requirements met. Success requires strong partnership working across organisational boundaries, particularly to support delivery of the Lincolnshire System Joint Forward Plan and wider system priorities.
Main duties of the job
The Head of Strategy, Planning and Quality Improvement provides strategic leadership for the development and delivery of Lincolnshire Community and Hospitals Group (LCHG) strategy, annual planning processes and quality improvement programmes. The post holder leads the organisation’s contribution to NHS England and system planning, ensuring alignment with national priorities, the Joint Forward Plan, financial requirements and long-term objectives.
The role is responsible for developing, implementing and evaluating operational and strategic plans while strengthening organisational improvement capability. Working with clinical, operational and corporate leaders, the post holder supports improvement, transformation and change programmes that enhance patient outcomes, staff experience and organisational performance.
Key responsibilities include analysing national policy, identifying strategic risks and opportunities, supporting planning and efficiency programmes, and developing system partnerships. The role also leads the Quality Improvement function, overseeing training, coaching and capability development, and promoting improvement methodologies across LCHG.
The post holder ensures robust governance, assurance and performance reporting, monitors delivery and benefits realisation, manages departmental resources and budgets, and supports innovation, organisational learning and continuous improvement to deliver the Group’s vision and system-wide ambitions
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The Head of Strategy, Planning and Quality Improvement is a senior leadership role responsible for leading the development, coordination and delivery of the Lincolnshire Community and Hospitals Group (LCHG) strategic planning, annual planning and quality improvement agenda. The post holder supports the Associate and Deputy Director of Strategy and Planning to ensure the organisation has a clear strategic direction, aligned operational plans and a strong culture of continuous improvement.
Key responsibilities include leading the development, implementation and evaluation of the Group’s annual operational plans and five-year strategy, ensuring alignment with system priorities, financial plans and national NHS requirements. The role is accountable for monitoring delivery against strategic objectives, tracking benefits realisation, identifying risks and developing recovery actions to support successful implementation.
The post holder will coordinate the Group’s contribution to NHSE planning, working collaboratively with others to develop integrated models of care and deliver the Lincolnshire Joint Forward Plan. They will lead strategic assessment and analysis of national policy, external developments and emerging opportunities, ensuring LCHG remains responsive to changes in the healthcare landscape.The role has responsibility for linking in with the Strategic Business Partner function, ensuring effective support is provided to Care Groups in delivering strategy, planning and improvement priorities. The post holder will also oversee investment planning processes, ensuring business cases and major developments align with strategic objectives and system priorities.
Alongside its responsibilities for strategy and planning, the role provides leadership to the organisation’s Quality Improvement function. This includes oversight of the QI Enabling Plan, leadership of the Quality Improvement Team, development of organisational improvement capability, and promotion of a culture of continuous improvement across LCHG. The post holder will oversee quality improvement methodologies, education, coaching and capability development programmes, helping leaders and teams to deliver sustainable improvements in quality, safety, productivity and patient outcomes.
The Head of Strategy, Planning and Quality Improvement will provide leadership to stakeholders across organisational boundaries, prepare reports and assurance information for governance forums, manage departmental budgets and resources, and support the delivery of sustainable improvements that enhance quality, performance, efficiency and patient outcomes.
Applicant requirements
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties 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.
Person specification
Knowledge
Essential
- A deep knowledge of the breadth of challenges faced within health & social care at the strategic level.
- Specialist knowledge of complex NHS planning and modelling.
- Understanding of quality improvement methodology and expectations from national stakeholders including NHS England and Improvement
- Detailed specialist breadth of knowledge of strategy development approaches and applicability across large complex organisations.
- Detailed breadth of knowledge and skills in leading strategic assessment, planning and execution in large complex organisations
- Breadth of knowledge of performance management and frameworks for performance management.
- Breadth of knowledge in regulation in the NHS, Governance and policies and ability to translate into annual plans.
Desirable
- Knowledge of the GIRFT
- Successful application of lean and six sigma techniques including Lean problem solving, process mapping and basic analytical tools.
Experience
Essential
- Significant leadership experience of working successfully as head of departmental function or equivalent in a complex organisation; NHS or public sector
- Significant experience of developing and implementing strategy and strategic planning at a senior level in a large complex organisation.
- Significant senior management experience of functions such as finance, performance, recruitment and risk management within a large complex organisation
- Experience of managing strategic partnerships across regional and national boundaries.
- Experience of working in rapidly evolving or entrepreneurial and innovative team and organisation which is undergoing rapid change. Experience of delivering transformation at pace.
- Experience of managing direct and indirect team resources.
- Experience and ability to successfully engage and present at strategic board level
- Experience of working across multiple organisations to produce joint strategic plans
- Experience of budget and contract management
- Experience establishing processes around planning, control, reporting, documentation and evaluation.
- Experience of organisational scenario planning, risk management and modelling
Desirable
- Wide experience of using databases, spreadsheets and analytical tools.
- Experience of an acute trust
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to Masters level or equivalent experience
- Evidence of continuing professional development
- Significant role related and personal development training commensurate with a senior manager post
Desirable
- Evidence of relevant professional management training and/or qualification
- QSIR Associate
- Project Management Qualification; Prince 2 or equivalent
- Management Qualification
Personal Qualities
Essential
- A strong compassionate and collaborative leadership skills enabling individuals and teams to thrive.
Skills/ competencies
Essential
- Exceptional leadership and communication skills with experience of dealing directly and effectively with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
- Sophisticated leadership and influencing skills, building compassionate cultures where individuals and teams thrive at organisation, partnership, and system levels.
- Strong critical thinking and strategic problem solving.
- Strong analytical understanding, skills and knowledge, including development predictive modelling and development of multi-dimensional complex qualitative and quantitative measurements of effect.
- Evidence of exceptional communication skills (verbal, written and presentation) that engender community confidence, strong collaborations, and partnership.
- Strong negotiation and arbitration skills
- Analytical rigour, numeracy, and financial management skills.
- Skills in leading and knowledge of strategic benchmarking and evaluation approaches.
- Business management skills
Desirable
- Strong facilitation skills and evidence of improvement training delivery in large, multi-disciplinary organisation
Special attributes, specific requirements
Essential
- The ability to lead the development of a long term strategic plan and undertake problem resolution and action to enable delivery.
- Demonstrable ability to prioritise strategic activity effectively in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous environment.
- Ability to use own initiative within sphere of responsibility.
- Demonstrable ability to develop strong and productive working relationships and networks with a wide variety of internal/external stakeholders.
- Demonstrated ability at exercising tact and diplomacy.
- Demonstrated ability to analyse situations, assess risk and to provide a reasoned resolution.
- A methodical approach to their work, experience in promoting and challenging efficiency and behold a well-developed level of judgement.
- Able to travel to different sites, as required
Desirable
- Familiarity with clinical service management issues
- Successful business case development and implementation
- Able to travel attend events outside the Trust area as required
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Head of Strategy, Planning & QI - Band 8B with United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust in Lincoln County Hospital. It is listed as a Band 8 Head of service role. The advertised salary is £66,582 - £77,368 per annum. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 20 Sep 2026.
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