National UEC Programme Director

Our Organisation We share the core values set out in the NHS Constitution, which all colleagues are expected to demonstrate. We support you to work in a way that is best for the NHS, our patients and you and your colleagues. Talk to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement, whether that’s a job share, part time, hybrid working or another flexible pattern. As part of our commitment to improving patient safety and maintaining safe and trusted services, all successful candidates will be subject to Baseline Personnel Security Screening (BPSS), which includes a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. By submitting your application, you are confirming your agreement to these checks being undertaken as part of the recruitment process. Anyone who has received a voluntary or compulsory redundancy payment from NHS England since the start of the 2026/27 financial year is not eligible to apply. Job overview The opportunity NHS England is seeking an exceptional senior leader to provide national leadership for Urgent and Emergency Care (UEC). This influential role will shape national strategy and policy, lead demand and capacity planning, and support the safe operational delivery of urgent and emergency care services across England, including during periods of significant pressure. As deputy to the Executive Director, you will act as a senior accountable officer for delivery of directorate priorities, represent NHS England in high-level forums and build strong relationships with government, NHS, local government, clinical, voluntary-sector and professional partners. You will lead multidisciplinary teams and ensure that national programmes deliver measurable improvements for patients, communities and the wider NHS. Advert Key responsibilities • Develop and deliver national UEC strategy, policy and operational priorities. • Lead national demand and capacity planning and coordinate delivery across regions. • Provide assurance on quality, performance, finance, benefits, risks and programme governance. • Deputise for the Executive Director at executive, ministerial and senior stakeholder meetings. • Lead national programme boards and oversee complex transformation programmes across health and care settings. • Prepare clear, evidence-based advice, briefings and options for senior leaders, Ministers and the Secretary of State. • Manage programme funding responsibly and secure value for money. • Lead, motivate and develop high-performing multidisciplinary teams. • Champion patient and public involvement, equality, inclusion and continuous improvement. Working for our organisation NHS England has a wide range of statutory functions, responsibilities and regulatory powers. These are focused on supporting the wider NHS to deliver high quality care, as well as doing those things that are best done once for the whole NHS. Our staff bring expertise across clinical, operational, commissioning, technology, data science, cyber security, software engineering, education, and commercial specialisms — enabling us to design and deliver high-quality NHS services. In March 2025, the Government announced that NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care will increasingly merge functions, ultimately leading to NHS England being fully integrated into the department.  If you currently work within the NHS and if successful at interview, we will initiate an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) via the Electronic Staff Record (ESR). This retrieves key data from your current or previous NHS employer to support onboarding, including competency status, Continuous Service Dates (CSD), and annual leave entitlement. You may opt out at any stage of the process. Colleagues with a contractual office base are expected to spend, on average, at least 40% of their time working in our offices. We cannot offer visa sponsorship for any vacancies. Detailed job description and main responsibilities About you You will be an experienced, credible and politically astute senior leader with a strong track record of delivering complex national programmes and transformational change. You will combine strategic vision with operational grip and be confident working with senior NHS leaders, government officials, Ministers and a wide range of system partners. • Master’s-level qualification or equivalent senior-level experience in a relevant specialist area. • Extensive experience of leading complex, high-profile programmes at national or comparable scale. • Expert knowledge of demand and capacity planning, strategy development and implementation. • Significant leadership and people-management experience, including building effective teams in matrix environments. • Highly developed communication, negotiation and influencing skills. • Strong analytical judgement and the ability to interpret complex information and make sound decisions under pressure. • Experience of financial management, programme governance and risk management. • A clear understanding of how NHS England, government and health and care organisations work together to deliver national change. • Ability to travel across multiple sites when required. Please review the Person Specification in the Job Description when writing your application, please clearly demonstrate how your skills, knowledge, and experience meet the essential and desirable criteria for the role. Why join NHS England? NHS England leads the NHS in England to deliver high-quality care for all, improve outcomes, tackle inequalities and secure the best possible value for taxpayers. You will join a values-led organisation committed to working together for patients, respect and dignity, compassion, quality of care, improving lives and ensuring everyone counts. If you are ready to shape the future of urgent and emergency care at national level, we would welcome your application. If you like what you have read and think you have the skills and experience, we need then don't delay, apply today! We get lots of applications for our roles and so we sometimes have to close our posts early. Don't miss out! You can find further details about the job, in the attached Job Description and other supporting documents. Please note that the reason for the fixed term of this contract is short term vacancy. Our commitments to you We are passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. We know that different ideas, perspectives and backgrounds create a stronger and more creative work environment that delivers better patient outcomes. We strive to ensure our people feel trusted, valued and empowered. When you join us, we want you to grow and excel, and we offer many opportunities for you to do that. We welcome your talent and enthusiasm irrespective of age, disability, neuro-divergence, sex, gender identity and gender expression, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or other personal circumstances. We ensure all applicants are treated fairly and consistently at every stage of the recruitment process. This includes considering reasonable adjustments for people who have a disability and/or who are neuro-divergent. We welcome applications from disabled candidates. If you meet all the essential criteria, you will be guaranteed an interview. Your application is your opportunity to demonstrate how you meet the requirements of the role. While we appreciate you may have had some support with your application (for example, using AI technology or guidance from a trusted individual), it’s important all the information you provide in it reflects your own knowledge, skills and experience and we trust that you apply on that basis. If you’re applying for this role on a secondment basis, please get agreement from your current line manager before you apply. We don’t accept applications via recruitment agencies, and we cannot offer visa sponsorship for any vacancies. NHS Business