About this role
Job summary
We are the North London NHS Foundation Trust (NLFT) providing high-quality mental health care to local people across the London Boroughs of Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey and Islington.
We serve diverse communities across North Central London supported by a workforce of almost 7,000 colleagues.
Created through the coming together of three respected organisations, our Trust has successfully navigated a period of significant transformation and growth. We now have a unique opportunity to build something special: a shared culture that reflects who we are today and who we aspire to be tomorrow.
We are looking for an exceptional Deputy Director of Culture to help lead that journey.
This is a rare opportunity to influence organisational culture on a significant scale. Following a recent redesign of our People and Culture Directorate, you will play a central role in leading and developing a newly established Culture Team, helping to shape both the function itself and the ambitious agenda it will deliver.
Main duties of the job
In this role you will:
Lead and develop our newly established Culture Team. Drive the continued development and implementation of the North London Way. Shape a long-term vision for organisational culture across the Trust. Influence executive and senior leaders in creating the conditions for cultural success. Lead innovative approaches to staff engagement, organisational development and culture change. Use insight, evidence and staff voice to inform priorities and interventions. Embed inclusion, belonging and compassionate leadership throughout the organisation. Support the development of a culture where colleagues can thrive and deliver outstanding care. We are looking for someone who:
Has significant experience leading culture, organisational development or transformation programmes. Can think strategically whilst delivering meaningful and measurable change. Is passionate about creating inclusive, compassionate and high-performing cultures. Has the credibility and influence to work with senior leaders, clinicians, managers and staff groups. Is curious, innovative and comfortable challenging traditional thinking. Wants to be part of building something new.
About us
North London NHS Foundation Trust (NLFT) is committed to improving mental health care across North London to deliver excellent services to our local people.
Our Five-Year Strategy:
We will provide consistently high-quality care closer to home. With our partners in North London and each borough we will ensure equity of outcome for all We will offer great places to work, providing staff with supportive environment to deliver outstanding care. We will be more effective as an organisation by pioneering research, quality improvement and technology. Why NLFT?
We develop and retain our staff through leadership behaviours and managers programme and many more opportunities. We promote flexible working and support staff with a range of health and wellbeing initiatives. NHS Discounts, generous annual leave and NHS pension scheme Excellent internal staff network The post holder will be aligned with our values:
We Are Kind We Are Respectful We Work Together We Keep Things Simple We Empower We Are Proudly Diverse In order to meet the needs of the Trust you may be required from time to time to work at different locations to your normal place of work. This may mean that you are required to work at any location that fall under Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey or Islington. The Trust reserves the right to require staff to work at such other places or locations as it considers reasonable and necessary on a temporary or permanent basis.
Job description Job responsibilities
Why Join Us?
Few organisations have the opportunity to shape their future culture in the way we do today.
This role offers the chance to help define the next chapter of North London NHS Foundation Trust and to leave a lasting legacy for thousands of colleagues and the communities we serve.
You will join a newly structured People and Culture Directorate at an exciting point in its development, with the opportunity to help build a team, shape priorities and influence the future direction of the organisation.
If you are inspired by the opportunity to help create a culture where people feel valued, connected, empowered and proud to belong, we would love to hear from you.
Interviews to be held week commencing 5th October 2026
Person Specification
Qualifications/ Registrations Essential
oChartered Fellow CIPD (Chartered FCIPD) or working towards oMaster's degree in HR, Employment Law, Business, Public Administration, Organisational Development, or related field OR equivalent senior level experience oEvidence of ongoing CPD
Desirable
oMediation, coaching, or OD related training oLeadership qualification
Skills/ Abilities Essential
oStrategic thinking and political awareness oStrong influencing, negotiation, and coaching oAble to analyse and interpret complex information/data and produce detailed option appraisals Ability to lead change and improve services oExcellent interpersonal skills and ability to develop effective relationships with key stakeholders and deal with sensitive and contentious information to inform decision making using persuasive, motivational techniques oExcellent presentation skills, adapted to suit a variety of audiences
Experience/ Knowledge Essential
oSignificant experience of working in an education; learning and development; or OD role oExperience in management, with demonstrable track record of successful leadership in complex organisations oExperience of running a successful, large-scale cultural change activity and leading HR teams with KPIs, budgetary responsibility and service standards oDeveloping OD Strategy and designing and delivering OD interventions oKnowledge and understanding of wider political and social drivers that influence service delivery within the NHS oUnderstanding of the NHS People Plan ambitions and its implications for services oDemonstrates knowledge and understanding of the importance of Engagement, OD Equality and Diversity and NHS policy and regulatory frameworks oImplementation of workforce development and team development interventions oKnowledge of digital transformation and sustainability
Personal Qualities Essential
oCompassionate, fair, and inclusive oCollaborative and transparent oCalm, credible, and improvement focused oConfident in a variety of situations oStrong patient focus oValues and respects others, treats everyone as an individual, is non-judgemental
Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Employer details Employer name North London NHS Foundation Trust
Address Trust Headquarters - Centro Building
19 Mandela Street
London
NW1 0DU
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.northlondonmentalhealth.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)