Lead Specialist - Workforce Optimisation & Change (8B)

Job details

• Branch: St Luke's Hospital site, Armagh (SHSCT)
• Location: St Luke's Hosp-Hill Building
• Directorate: Human Resources & Corporate Services
• Functional Area: HR
• Salary: Band 8b (£64,455 - £74,896 )
• Contract Type: Permanent
• Opening Date: 26/06/26
• Closes: Fri, 10 July 2026 @ 4:00 PM
• Interview Dates: TBD

Notes

This post will be hybrid working. If you are submitting a manual application, please post it to: Recruitment Shared Services, Rosewood Villa, Longstone Hospital Site, 73 Loughgall Road, Armagh, BT61 7PR. Applications received after the advertised closing date/time cannot be considered, so please allow enough time for postage. “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: Lead Specialist - Workforce Optimisation & Change

BAND: Band 8b

DEPARTMENT: Pay and Conditions

DIVISION: People Services & Governance

INITIAL LOCATION: St Luke’s site, Armagh / Hybrid Working Available

DIRECTORATE: Human Resources and Organisational Development

REPORTS TO: Assistant Director – People Services & Governance

ACCOUNTABLE TO: Director of Human Resources & Organisational Development

RESPONSIBLE FOR: Head of Pay & Conditions / Pay & Conditions Managers / Advisors and HR Officers

JOB PURPOSE

The post holder will provide senior specialist leadership for workforce transformation and the management of complex organisational change across Southern Health & Social Care Trust. Working at both strategic and operational levels, the post holder will lead on the workforce aspects of service redesign, organisational restructuring, and financial recovery programmes. The role will ensure that all organisational change is delivered in line with HSCNI Management of Change policy, best practice employee relations, robust governance arrangements, and effective partnership working with Trade Unions. The role has a strong hands-on operational focus and the post holder will be the Trust’s subject matter expert on management of change and organisational design, supporting senior leaders and managers to deliver sustainable workforce solutions aligned to service need, patient safety and affordability.

The postholder will be responsible for the Pay and Conditions service working closely with the Head of Service to ensure effective delivery. The postholder will support the Pay and Conditions team with the implementation of ‘equip’, organisational readiness for this change and optimisation of the system for business needs.

Undertake the role of senior ‘People Lead’, acting as the strategic interface between the core functional people and culture teams and an aligned directorate.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Workforce Transformation and Service Redesign

Lead the HR contribution to Trust-wide transformation, modernisation and recovery programmes.

Advise Directors, Heads of Service and Senior Managers on workforce implications of service redesign and organisational change.

Develop and implement consistent frameworks, guidance and toolkits for the management of change across the Trust.

Translate regional HSCNI reform and workforce modernisation requirements into practical workforce solutions.

Lead the HR optimisation of the ‘equip’ programme following implementation.

Management of Complex Organisational Change

Lead multiple concurrent organisational change processes including restructures, service reconfiguration, skill mix reviews and workforce reductions.

Oversee and quality assure workforce impact assessments, business cases and organisational design proposals.

Ensure compliance with HSCNI Management of Change policy, Avoidance of Redundancy principles and Trust procedures.

Provide specialist advice on slotting-in, assimilation, matching, redeployment and competitive selection processes.

Partnership Working and Consultation

Lead highly complex formal consultation processes with Trade Unions and Professional Bodies.

Maintain effective partnership working in line with Trust values and regional frameworks.

Represent the Trust at local and regional partnership fora relating to organisational change.

Workforce Planning and Organisational Design

Lead workforce modelling and organisational design aligned to service delivery, safe staffing and financial constraints.

Support the development of innovative workforce solutions and new role profiles.

Ensure compliance with HSCNI AFC Job Evaluation Protocols and processes.

Ensure workforce plans align to Trust financial recovery and service objectives.

Governance, Risk and Assurance

Establish governance and assurance mechanisms for management of change activity.

Monitor organisational change risks and provide assurance reports to CHRT, Trust SLT and Trust Board as required.

Ensure equality screening, risk assessment and staff side engagement are integral to all change processes.

Leadership and Management

Line manage Pay and Conditions specialist HR staff and/or project leads as required.

Build organisational capability through training, coaching and guidance for managers in handling change.

Assist with Employee Relations investigations and participate on Employee Relations panels as required.

Deputise for the Assistant Director of HR as required.

7. Regional Working

Represent Southern Trust on regional HSCNI working groups relating to workforce reform and change policy.

Contribute to the development of regional best practice in management of change.

8. Reporting & Assurance

Provide regular operational reports on ER activity, risks, and trends to senior HR leadership.

Contribute to internal audits, reviews, and assurance processes relating to employee relations.

Ensure accurate record keeping and documentation to support legal defensibility.

Deputise for the Assistant Director – People Services and Governance as required.

9. Cultural Leadership

Have lead responsibility for work to embed a culture that enhances safety, promotes learning from excellence and from harm and supports the development of a psychologically safe, open, just and learning culture.

To provide a highly visible, competent and coaching leadership style which is consistent with the Trust values, building and maintaining effective working relationships with managers, staff and external organisations.

Provide coaching, advice and guidance on complex, sensitive and contentious people issues in order to support our leaders to improve culture, behaviours, team performance, wellbeing and ensure positive employee experience and safe patient and client care.

Work in partnership with fellow senior HROD colleagues to provide integrated, strategic people and culture leadership across the organisation

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

The Trust supports and promotes a culture of collective leadership where those who have responsibility for managing other staff:

Establish and promote a supportive, fair and open culture that encourages and enables all parts of the team to have clearly aligned goals and objectives, to meet the required performance standards and to achieve continuous improvement in the services they deliver.

Ensure access to skills and personal development through appropriate training and support.

Promote a culture of openness and honesty to enable shared learning.

Encourage and empower others in their team to achieve their goals and reach their full potential through regular supportive conversation and shared decision making.

Adhere to and promote Trust policy and procedure in all staffing matters, participating as appropriate in a way which underpins Trust values.

RAISING CONCERNS - RESPONSIBILITIES

The post holder will promote and support effective team working, fostering a culture of openness and transparency.

The post holder will ensure that they take all concerns raised with them seriously and act in accordance with the Trust’s ‘Your Right to Raise a Concern (Whistleblowing)’ policy and their professional code of conduct, where applicable.

The post holder will, in the event of a concern being raised with them, ensure that it is managed correctly under the Trust’s ‘Your Right to Raise a Concern (Whistleblowing)’ policy and ensure feedback/learning is communicated at individual, team and organisational level.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

The post holder will be required to

Ensure the Trust’s policy on equality of opportunity is promoted through their own actions and those of any staff for whom they have responsibility.

Co-operate fully with the implementation of the Trust's Health and Safety arrangements, reporting any accidents/incidents/equipment defects to their manager, and maintaining a clean, uncluttered and safe environment for patients/clients, members of the public and staff.

Adhere at all times to all Trust policies/codes of conduct, including for example

Smoke Free policy

IT Security Policy and Code of Conduct

standards of attendance, appearance and behaviour

Contribute to ensuring the highest standards of environmental cleanliness within your designated area of work.

Co-operate fully with regard to Trust policies and procedures relating to infection prevention and control.

All employees of the Trust are legally responsible for all records held, created or used as part of their business within the Trust including patients/clients, corporate and administrative records whether paper-based or electronic and also including emails. All such records are public records and are accessible to the general public, with limited exceptions, under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. Employees are required to be conversant with the Trust’s policy and procedures on records management and to seek advice if in doubt.

Take responsibility for their own ongoing learning and development, in order to maximise their potential and continue to meet the demands of the post.

Represent the Trust’s commitment to providing the highest possible standard of service to patients/clients and members of the public, by treating all those with whom they come into contact in the course of work, in a pleasant, courteous and respectful manner.

This Job Description will be 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 individual works. Other duties of a similar nature and appropriate to the grade may be assigned from time to time.

It is a standard condition that all Trust staff may be required to serve at any location within the Trust's area, as needs of the service demand.

PERSONNEL SPECIFICATION

JOB TITLE & BAND: Lead Specialist - Employee Relations

BAND: Band 8b

DEPARTMENT: Employee Relations

DIRECTORATE: People and Culture

LOCATION: Southern Health and Social Care Trust

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

SECTION 1: The following are ESSENTIAL criteria which will initially be measured at shortlisting stage although 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

Qualifications/ Registration/

Experience

Hold a university degree or recognised professional qualification and at least three years’ experience in Human Resources in a senior management role in a major complex organisation

OR

Have a minimum of five years’ experience in HR in a senior management1 role in a major complex organisation

Shortlisting by Application Form

Other

AND

Clear significant personal evidence of:-

Leading workforce reform, transformation and change at a senior level in a major complex organisation.

Financial management and benefits realisation, including identification and delivery of efficiency opportunities.

Strong project management, planning and change leadership skills e.g. Implementing or optimising workforce systems.

*Band seven pay scales are the Agenda for Change Northern Ireland pay scales

**“major complex organisation” is defined as one with at least two hundred staff or an annual budget of at least £50million and involving having to meet with a wide range of objectives requiring a high degree of co-ordination with a range of stakeholders.

Hold a current full driving licence which is valid for use in the UK and have access to a car on appointment.

This criteria will be waived in the case of applicants whose disability prohibits driving but who have access to a form of transport approved by the Trust which will permit them to carry out the duties of the post.

Shortlisting by Application Form / Assessed at Presentation and Interview

SECTION 2: The following are ESSENTIAL criteria which will be measured during the interview/ selection stage:

Skills / Abilities / Knowledge

Strong evidence of having: -

Strong operational leadership and decision-making skills.

Advanced data analysis and interpretation skills, with the ability to translate complex information into actionable insight.

Excellent communication, influencing and negotiation skills with senior stakeholders.

Proven ability to lead, inspire and motivate multidisciplinary teams through change.

Commitment to and enthusiasm for facilitating change, cultural and behavioural change and service improvement.

Emotional intelligence and resilience in dealing with competing demands and conflict.

Assessed at Presentation and Interview

Other Requirements

Commitment to the values of Southern Health and Social Care Trust.

Willingness to work flexibly to meet operational demands.

Ability to travel across Trust locations and regionally across HSCNI as required.

DESIRABLE CRITERIA

SECTION 3: these will ONLY be used where it is necessary to introduce additional job related criteria to ensure files are manageable. You should therefore make it clear on your application form how you meet these criteria. Failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted.

Factor

Criteria

Method of Assessment

Experience / Qualifications

Industrial relations experience with trade unions on a range of operational and strategic management /HR issues.

Shortlisting by Application Form

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 in Section 1 below, using the information provided by you on your application form. Please note the Trust reserves the right to use any desirable criteria outlined in Section 3 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.

Candidates who are shortlisted for interview 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. Particular attention will be given to the following dimensions:

Inspiring shared purpose

Leading with care

Evaluating information

Connecting our service

Sharing the vision

Engaging the team

Holding to account

Developing capability

Influencing for results.

As part of the Recruitment & Selection process it may be necessary for the Trust to carry out an Enhanced Disclosure Check through Access NI before any appointment to this post can be confirmed.

THE TRUST IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYER

Successful applicants

may be required to attend for a Health Assessment

can expect to be placed at the minimum point of the pay scale, although a higher starting salary, within the range of the pay band may be available if the person appointed has experience relevant & equivalent to the post. If the successful candidate is an existing HSC employee moving to a higher band, AfC Pay on Promotion will apply.

are able to request Flexible Working from the 1st day of their employment. A number of flexible working provisions are offered by all HSC Organisations including Full-time working, Fixed working patterns, Part-time working, Flexi-time, Compressed/elongated hours, Average hours working patterns, Term-time working, Job-share or Homeworking for some or all of the working pattern, depending on the role being undertaken. Successful applicants are encouraged to discuss with their manager what Flexible Working provisions may be available in the role they are taking up, prior to commencing employment, to help them achieve a positive Work/Life Balance.