Chief People Officer
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- Employer:
- Medway NHS Foundation Trust
- Location:
- Gillingham, Kent
- Salary:
- Competitive
- Closing date:
- 9am Friday 19th June 2026
- Job Ref:
- GSe133351
Associated documents
Description
Medway NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a strategic and values-driven Chief People Officer to join our Board. This is a pivotal leadership role, responsible for setting the Trust’s strategic direction for people, culture, leadership development, and organisational capability during a critical period of improvement and change.
We are an organisation with ambition. We are delivering our Integrated Improvement Plan at pace, strengthening quality, performance, governance and culture, and responding to significant organisational and workforce challenges, including our participation in the National Provider Improvement Programme. Our people are central to this work.
As Chief People Officer, you will be responsible for shaping and delivering a future-focused People Strategy that enables our Trust to provide safe, high-quality and sustainable care, whilst becoming an employer of choice in the Kent & Medway system. You will lead our People Directorate, responsible for all workforce matters and ensuring compliance with national, regional and regulatory requirements while helping to drive large‑scale cultural transformation, improve staff experience and wellbeing, strengthen leadership capability, and support sustained operational and clinical improvement.
We are looking for an accomplished People leader with significant senior-level HR and organisational development experience in a large, complex, and unionised environment. You will have a strong track record of leading major change, improving culture and engagement, developing high-performing teams, and working constructively with system partners to drive improvement. Politically astute and resilient, you will be comfortable operating at Board level, able to influence with confidence, clarity and compassion.
Most importantly, you will share our BEST values, championing equality, diversity and inclusion, and helping to shape a culture where our people feel engaged, valued, and supported to deliver outstanding, patient-centred care.
If you are energised by challenge, passionate about people and culture, and committed to improving outcomes for patients and communities, we would love to hear from you.
For a confidential conversation or to express interest, please contact our executive search partners at GatenbySanderson.
Laura Cubillo-Aparicio, Researcher
E: Laura.Cubillo-Aparicio@gatenbysanderson.com
T: +44 (0) 75867 06878
Julia St Clare, Senior Consultant and Research Lead
E: julia.stclare@gatenbysanderson.com
T: +44 (0) 7807 631 564
Melanie Shearer, Partner
E: melanie.shearer@gatenbysanderson.com
T: +44 (0) 7785 616 548
Closing date: 9am Friday 19th June 2026
Final Panel: w/c 6th July 2026
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How to Apply
- Please submit your CV along with a Supporting Statement addressing the person specification criteria, evidencing how you meet the criteria.
- Detail any employment or education gaps.
- Be ready to provide the names, positions, organisations and contact details for two referees; one should be your current or most recent employer. Referees will be contacted for those proceeding to final stages. We will always gain your permission before we contact referees.
- Let us know any difficulty you may have with the indicative timetable.
- Check that your contact details are correct before you submit.
Once you have submitted your application, you will receive an automated email confirmation. If you do not receive, please email contactus@gatenbysanderson.com