South West Provider Collaborative Head of Service

Islettechnologies; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 76,000 - 89,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare trust in the UK is seeking a Head of Service for the South West Provider Collaborative. This role involves leading high-quality mental health service commissioning, requiring significant leadership experience in healthcare and the ability to manage complex relationships with stakeholders. The position is full-time, offering a salary between £76,965 to £88,682 per annum. Flexible working arrangements are welcomed.

Qualifications

• Direct experience of specialist commissioning in at least one service line.
• Significant experience in a senior management role within healthcare.
• Demonstrated leadership of transformational change.

Responsibilities

• Deliver high-quality care for patients requiring specialist mental health services.
• Liaise with clinical leads and stakeholders.
• Manage a team of Senior Case Managers.

Skills

Emotional intelligence

Interpersonal skills

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Leadership

Education

Master's degree or equivalent experience

Job description

South West Provider Collaborative Head of Service

3 days ago – be among the first 25 applicants.

Job Summary

Devon Partnership NHS Trust is the Lead Provider for the South West Provider Collaborative. We currently commission services for people requiring medium and low secure mental health care across the South West, with investment in specialist community forensic teams, as well as Perinatal Inpatient Services, CAMHS Tier 4 and Adult Eating Disorders services, with potential to extend to other services in the future. We do this in partnership with nine providers, six of which are NHS organisations, one community interest company, and two independent sector providers. Our geography spans from Cornwall in the south to Gloucestershire in the north and Dorset in the east, covering a total population of around five million across approximately 22,000 square kilometres. We aim to treat people as close to home as possible, in the least level of security, for the shortest period of time, to high‑quality outcomes.

Main duties of the job

This senior leadership role is within the commissioning division, reporting directly to the South West Provider Collaborative Deputy Director of Collaborative Commissioning and working closely with a second Head of Service and Senior Case Managers. The post holder takes direction from the Deputy Director to deliver the commissioning of high‑quality care for patients requiring specialist mental health services across the South West of England. The role is transformational, requiring a high degree of autonomy, pace, and scale, and involves significant time spent on transformational processes, liaising with clinical leads, experts by experience, and the Deputy Medical Director.

About Us

We provide mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity services, as well as a range of specialist and secure services for the wider South West region and nationally. We are passionate about promoting good mental health and wellbeing and strive to use the expertise and resources within our organisation, and through our partnerships, to deliver high‑quality services that are safe and focused on people's recovery. We are committed to developing a culture of coproduction, involving patients, families, and carers in everything we do. We recruit based on qualifications and experience and also value behaviours that underpin our Trust's core values: commitment to quality care, improving lives, giving respect, dignity, and compassion. We are an inclusive employer and welcome applicants from all sections of the community, supporting part‑time and flexible working where possible. We particularly encourage applicants with lived experience of mental health conditions, neurodiversity, or learning disabilities. We are a Disability Confident Leader.

Details

Date posted: 13 November 2025

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: 8c

Salary: £76,965 to £88,682 a year

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Full‑time

Reference number: C9369-25-0904

Job locations: Plym Building, Langdon Hospital, Dawlish, Devon, EX7 0NR

Job responsibilities

Please refer to the attached full Job Description and Person Specification for detailed responsibilities.

Person Specification

Experience – Essential

• Direct experience of specialist commissioning in at least one SWPC service line
• High level experience of managing staff, including setting objectives, appraisals, recruitment, and disciplinary issues
• Evidence of advanced report writing skills, service planning, needs analysis, and presentation skills
• Experience developing and implementing strategic plans within a complex environment to achieve business unit objectives
• Demonstrated autonomous leadership of transformational change, at pace, and at a significant level
• Significant experience in a senior management role within healthcare

Skills & Abilities – Essential

• Demonstrates gravitas and a high degree of emotional intelligence; able to guide the business unit’s vision and inform strategy debate
• Communicates complex issues in simple, accessible language across various forums, including public meetings and media interviews
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; able to influence, persuade, and constructively question information
• Understanding of effective communication and engagement with patients, public, workforce, and stakeholders to deliver commissioning objectives and maintain reputation
• Ability to foster positive working relationships at all levels
• Collects, analyses, and evaluates complex data to support clinical commissioning for resource, planning, and target setting
• High level analytical and critical thinking skills; able to draw qualitative and quantitative conclusions and present them clearly
• Develops, maintains, and monitors information systems to support innovation initiatives
• Good judgement in the absence of clear guidelines or precedent; seeks advice as necessary
• Leadership, vision, strategic thinking, and planning with highly developed political skills
• Standard keyboard skills
• Mobility around the South West region and flexibility to travel to various sites and locations

Qualifications – Essential

• Degree and educated to master’s level or equivalent experience at a senior level
• Extensive knowledge of specialist areas acquired through postgraduate diploma or equivalent training and further specialist experience over more than one discipline (e.g., financial management, programme management, performance management, and staff management)
• Evidence of post‑qualifying and continuing professional development

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975. Applicants will need to submit a Disclosure and Barring Service check to confirm no previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Devon Partnership NHS Trust
Plym Building, Langdon Hospital, Dawlish, Devon, EX7 0NR
Website: https://www.dpt.nhs.uk/