Workforce and Organisational Development Director

Contract type: Ongoing

Interview date: Friday 20^th June 2025

The National Institute for Health and Social Care (NIHR) funds, enables and delivers world-leading health and social care research. The work of the NIHR is directed by the Chief Scientific Adviser at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), who is also NIHR’s Chief Executive Officer, and by the Senior Management Team of DHSC's Science Research and Evidence (SRE) Directorate. 

The NIHR Research Delivery Network (RDN) launched in October 2024 and supports the country’s world-class research system to deliver high quality research. Through a network of 12 Regional Research Delivery Networks (RRDNs) and a coordinating centre (the RDNCC), the RDN operates as a single organisation across England. Through a unified approach, the RDN balances regional context, expertise and leadership with national coordination and strategy involving government policymakers. 

As part of the NIHR RDN national leadership team, this high-profile national role will provide visible, dynamic and effective senior leadership, direction and oversight for workforce and organisational development. You will shape and lead the development and delivery of inclusion, workforce and organisational development across the NIHR RDN. You will lead the development of a highly-skilled professional workforce and a culture of continuous improvement, shared learning, best practice and inclusivity. 

You will be responsible for embedding inclusion throughout NIHR RDN culture and practice, for driving innovation, continuous improvement, shared learning and best practice, and for providing a workforce with excellence in knowledge, skills and professional practice. This role requires knowledge and skills in both strategic thinking and planning, and in the effective operational implementation of workforce and organisational development. 

You will work alongside the other Directors as a high performing team to lead the organisation-wide shift in ways of working and culture that is required to ensure the network functions as a single organisation with a shared purpose and vision across England, as well as leading your own Directorate team through the period of transformation and beyond. The NIHR RDN is multifaceted, diverse and ambitious, and you must be able to work flexibly and effectively in a developing organisation, to manage change and to support others to deliver measurable results that make the NIHR RDN vision a reality.

This national role requires substantial national travel and may require some international travel.

What we offer in return

The University of Leeds offers 26 days annual leave entitlement plus bank holidays and customary closure days, and a generous pension scheme that includes life assurance. As a member of the university community, you will also have access to personal and professional development opportunities, and many other benefits such as on-site childcare and discounted gym membership. For a full list of benefits please visit: Staff benefits | University of Leeds

Applications

Applications for this role should be made online (more guidance can be found on our ‘How to Apply’ information page).

Your application should include:

• A statement addressing how you believe your existing knowledge, skills and experience equip you to carry out the requirements of the role;
• Your curriculum vitae giving full details of qualifications and experience.

To explore the post further or for any queries you may have, please contact:

Sue Hayley, PA to Professor Andrew Ustianowski, Interim RDN Executive Director
Email: sue.haley@nihr.ac.uk

We expect the interviews for the post to be held on Friday 20^th June 2025.

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