About this role
Job summary
As Deputy Director, you will provide senior strategic leadership for primary care commissioning across Kent and Medway, helping to shape the five-year strategy, strengthen commissioning policies, oversee major budgets and contracts, and ensure services are high quality, equitable, financially responsible and fully aligned with national expectations. You will also play a central role in integrating primary care with wider community and system priorities, influencing how care is delivered now and in the years ahead.
Main duties of the job
What you'll lead
* Lead the development and delivery of the GP and Pharmacy, Optometry and Dental elements of the ICB's five-year strategy.
* Oversee commissioning, contracting and performance across primary care services, ensuring quality, safety, compliance and patient experience remain at the forefront.
* Drive improvements in access, outcomes and equity for Kent and Medway residents.
* Manage significant budgets and contracts with strong financial stewardship, value for money and regulatory compliance.
* Build strategic relationships with NHS partners, local authorities, professional bodies, federations, PCNs, LMCs, LPCs, LOCs and other key stakeholders.
* Support transformation by connecting primary care with community services, elective care and wider system priorities.
* Deputise for the Director as required and represent the ICB in influential local, regional and national forums.
What we're looking for
We're seeking a credible, values-driven and highly capable senior leader with deep experience in commissioning, contracting, performance and partnership working in complex healthcare environments. You will bring strategic insight, sound judgement, political awareness and the confidence to lead through complexity, balancing operational grip with long-term transformation. Most importantly, you'll be motivated by the opportunity to improve access, quality and outcomes for people and communities across Kent and Medway.
Apply now
Based at Gail House, Maidstone, this permanent full-time role offers 37.5 hours per week and a salary of £94,356 to £108,814 per annum, pro rata. If you're ready to lead at scale, influence strategy and make a visible difference to primary care services across Kent and Medway, this is your opportunity to step into a role with real reach and purpose.
About us
We are committed to a culture that supports all staff at NHS Kent and Medway to be the best version of themselves.
Our ability to improve outcomes for our population depends on how effectively clinical, operational, financial and strategic professionals work together to make informed commissioning decisions. That's why our workforce works a minimum of two days-a-week on-site, with the expectation that all one-to-ones are held face-to-face and that colleagues will regularly visit the services we are commissioning to understand more about them.
We believe regular on-site working supports stronger collaboration, faster problem-solving, peer learning, visible leadership and the integration of colleagues into our organisation. We also know that culture is built through shared experiences and day-to-day interactions.
We are a flexible working friendly organisation; we aim to support you to work flexibly in a way that will suit you and us.
We work with staff to agree objectives through regular supervision, annual appraisal and access to training opportunities.
We are committed to equal opportunities and diversity. In order to reflect the diversity of our population, we positively encourage applications from all areas of the community regardless of gender, race, faith, disability, age or sexual orientation.
Job description Job responsibilities
The job description and person specification gives you all the information you need about this role. Please look carefully at the criteria in the person specification and tell us what you have done that shows you meet this.
Still have questions? The recruiting manager would love to hear from you, their contact details can be found in the job advert.
We can get a lot of applications for some roles so to be in with the best chance of being shortlisted please make sure you apply as soon as possible. A vacancy may close early if there is a lot of interest in the job.
If you need an application form in an alternative format please let our recruitment team know so they can help you with this.
All information you supply on your application should, to the best of your knowledge, be true and accurate.
Person Specification
Qualifications and Experience Essential
Demonstrable senior leadership experience in a complex health or care system Significant experience in primary care commissioning, contracting or system leadership
Desirable
Experience contributing to national or regional primary care policy
Attributes Essential
Ability to build strategic relationships with senior stakeholders. Strong understanding of integration across primary, community, acute and local authority services
Desirable
Understanding of provider development in primary care.
Competencies Essential
Ability to design and implement commissioning policies and service specifications. Ability to lead complex commissioning and contracting programmes.
Desirable
Knowledge of population health management and market management.
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 NHS Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board
Address Gail House
Maidstone
ME15 6NB
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.kentandmedway.icb.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)