Job overview
Please note this organisation does not hold a sponsorship licence, we regret to inform you that we are unable to consider applications from individuals who require sponsorship.
NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight is seeking a Strategic Lead (Acute and Specialised Care) to join our team and lead strategic commissioning, redesign and change programmes. Working across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, and at times more widely, the role is responsible for commissioning high-quality, person-centred services and making best use of health budgets to improve health and healthcare, both now and in the future.
If you bring experience of analysing complex data to predict future needs, identify opportunities, design services and inform evidence-based decision making, together with experience of successfully leading and managing complex projects, this is an outstanding opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of people across our region.
Main duties of the job
You will analyse data and intelligence to develop a deep and dynamic understanding of our population and their needs, and how these are likely to change over time – using this to support assessment of current provision, identification of opportunities and risks, resource allocation and strategic planning. Using this strong evidence base, you will lead the development and successful delivery of strategic commissioning programmes, including procurement, market shaping and contract management across areas of elective, cancer, diagnostics and urgent and emergency care, with a strong focus on innovation and value for money. This is a leadership role where your insight and influence will help build and shape the services of the future. Along with experience working at a senior level in roles focused on acute and specialised care, you will have excellent analytical and problem solving skills, highly developed planning and organisational skills and experience of establishing and maintaining credibility and confidence amongst internal and external stakeholders including senior managers.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see the job description and person specification for more details. If you think this role is for you, please contact Emma Lewis, Deputy Director of Acute and Specialised Care on emma.lewis50@nhs.net or Dan Parr, Associate Director of Acute Care on daniel.parr6@nhs.net. We are looking to recruit and interview in week commencing 21 September 2026.
Applicant requirements
This post will require a submission for Disclosure to be made to check for any unspent criminal convictions.
Person specification
Knowledge
Essential
- Extensive specialist knowledge and understanding of acute and specialised care, underpinned by theory and experience.
- Knowledge of national policy, plans, guidance, legislation and regulations relating to acute and specialised care.
- Understanding of legal terminology used in contract documentation and in discussion with contractors and providers.
- Knowledge of health service management, including change management and service redesign.
- Knowledge of NHS financial and contractual processes including budget management, financial planning and development/ delivery of cost improvement programmes.
- Knowledge of issues affecting diversity, inclusion and health inequalities in healthcare.
Skills and abilities
Essential
- Highly developed, excellent planning and organisation skills, able to determine own agenda and organise own work, as well as the work of direct reports and project teams.
- Ability to provide and receive highly complex, sensitive, and contentious information.
- Ability to take decisions and negotiate on difficult and contentious issues where there may be a number of courses of action, including performance and change.
- Ability to work with, engage and motivate groups of staff and clinicians in planning and implementation of change.
- Ability to contribute to strategic planning for the healthcare system and, where appropriate, the wider South East region.
- Ability to proactively identify and communicate opportunities to improve health outcomes, reduce inequalities, and implement innovative approaches.
- Ability to undertake complex equality and quality impact assessments and deliver equality and diversity improvements.
- Values based professional, used to working in and leading in a busy environment.
- Adaptable, flexible, able to lead and support others through uncertainty and change.
- Ability to coach and develop staff.
- Attention to detail and accuracy, reliable under pressure, able to concentrate when dealing with frequent interruptions and to manage competing priorities.
Qualifications and experience
Essential
- Educated to Masters level in relevant subject or equivalent level qualification or equivalent experience working at a senior level in specialist area, and professional management experience.
- Programme/ project management qualification or equivalent level of experience.
- Management qualification, specialist qualification or equivalent level of experience.
- Extensive experience working at a senior level in roles focused on acute and specialised care.
- Experience of designing and commissioning healthcare services to deliver improved patient outcomes within financial envelopes
- Experience of negotiating and managing contracts, identifying and planning procurement requirements, and delivering elements of the procurement process including specification of services
- Experience of leading service development, improvement and change within and across acute/ specialised care services, in a complex, multi-agency environment.
- Experience of reviewing and redesigning care pathways in line with national guidance and best practice.
- Experience of leading, managing, and motivating staff, developing and overseeing comprehensive work programmes and plans.
- Experience of identifying and interpreting national policy.
- Experience working with stakeholders to develop short-, medium- and long-term strategies, business plans and policies.
- Experience working with clinicians and clinical leads.
- Experience of researching best practice and developing solutions that can achieve optimal outcomes for all stakeholders.
- Previous experience of managing budgets, including budget setting and monitoring.
Analytical and problem solving skills
Essential
- Excellent analytical skills with ability to analyse, interpret, challenge and present complex financial and activity information and critically analyse qualitative information (which may be conflicting).
- Ability to effectively plan and think strategically and analyse and resolve problems in a multi-disciplinary environment.
- Proven ability to seek out, identify and implement innovations and opportunities for improvement, anticipating problems before they arise and offering solutions.
- Experience of monitoring and managing the performance, quality and value for money of healthcare services.
- Ability to undertake and use forecasting and modelling to predict population needs, demand and capacity requirements.
- Ability to undertake root cause analysis and apply this to the development of improvement plans.
- Excellent problem solving skills and experience of responding positively to sudden unexpected demands or changes.
Communication and interpersonal skills
Essential
- Excellent communication and engagement skills, written and verbal.
- Experience of establishing and maintaining credibility and confidence amongst internal and external stakeholders including senior managers.
- Experience of presenting both internally and externally at a senior level (inc. to Director/ Board level, private providers, non-statutory groups, and the public).
- Ability to give formal presentations on behalf of the organisation to other organisations.
- Ability to write clear, concise, and balanced reports for consideration.
- Highly developed negotiation skills and ability to negotiate and explain complex facts and arguments, and discuss and debate in political or otherwise difficult situations.
- Experience of sensitively imparting unwelcome news to stakeholders.
- Ability to provide specialist expert advice, information and guidance on aspects of acute and specialised care.
- Experience of maintaining confidentiality and trust.
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Strategic Lead Acute and Specialised Care with NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB in Omega House. It is listed as a Band 8 Manager and corporate role. The advertised salary is £66,582 - £77,368 per annum. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 13 Sep 2026.
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