Operational and Strategic Lead Head of Service

An opportunity has arisen for an experienced clinical leader to take up an interim position as the Head of Service for TALKWORKS.

TALKWORKS is a large and high performing NHS Talking Therapies Service, providing psychological therapy to people with common mental health disorders across Devon.

The post holder will lead a large clinical service and a group of highly motivated clinical leaders, to deliver the best outcomes for patients in the context of the NHS Talking Therapies programme, and the objectives set by the organisation, the ICB and NHS England.

Main duties of the job

The Interim Head of Service will have overall responsibility for the safe, effective and efficient delivery of Devon's NHS Talking Therapies Service. Responsibilities will include:

• Compassionately leading a large clinical service in line with the model described in the NHS TT Manual
• Leading the delivery of safe, consistent and equitable clinical interventions ensuring the highest standards of clinical governance
• Leading leaders, managing managers, and providing the strategic direction for the service to meet the needs of the local population and the requirements set by the ICB and NHSE
• Working within the services' financial envelope and supporting the organisation to deliver an efficient and productive clinical offer
• Working closely with the directorate and organisational leadership to provide assurance, continue to develop the service, and drive clinical and digital innovation

About us

About Devon Partnership Trust

We provide mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity services, as well as a range of specialist & secure services for the wider south west region & nationally. We are passionate about promoting good mental health & wellbeing. We strive to use the expertise & resources within our organisation, and through our partnerships, to deliver high quality services that are safe & focused on people's recovery.

We are committed to developing a culture of coproduction, involving patients, families & carers in everything we do

Our values

We not only recruit based on qualifications & experience - we recruit individuals who possess & demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. These include such attributes as showing a commitment to quality of care, improving lives of others, giving respect, dignity & compassion. We can bring those values to life in our everyday tasks by giving a smile; making time for people; challenging ourselves & others, & being open to new ideas.

Details

Date posted

01 October 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8c

Salary

£79,504 to £91,609 a year

Contract

Secondment

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time,

Job share,

Flexible working

Reference number

C9369-26-0743

Job locations

Wonford House

Dryden Road

Exeter

Devon

EX2 5AF

United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

TALKWORKS is

Devons (excl Plymouth) NHS Talking Therapies Service, and is one of the

largest services operated by DPT with circa 300 staff. The service is

configured into 13 teams (12 clinical, 1 operational), and delivers evidence

based interventions for thousands of people across the county each year.

The post

holder will play a crucial role in the strategic and operational delivery and

development of this service, which has a range of nationally determined KPIs to

deliver, and a prescribed delivery model and mandate to adhere to. In addition the post holder will ensure that

the following fundamental and underlying activities to the Trusts success are

achieved:

• Ensuring

quality of services to patients, visitors and staff, including management of

clinical governance, healthcare standards and risk.

• Maximising

delivery of operational and performance management standards and to develop and

deliver recovery plans where performance standards are not being met.

• Planning,

marketing and developing services

• Optimising

resource management and managing capacity and operational planning. Ensuring the delivery of high quality care at

all times.

• Embedding

continuous improvement into everyday practice.

• Managing

projects to successful outcomes.

• Engaging

clinical and non-clinical staff in the business of the Trust and of the service

area.

• To work

closely with information staff to ensure that any new systems developed meet

with local and regional reporting requirements and that their use is

consistently embedded in working practices.

• Robust

engagement with our system and partner agencies to work toward integrative

models of provision

• Lead on

designated trust wide developments which cross directorates and integrate

streamlined services.

In pursuing

these activities the post holder will ensure compliance with the NHS

Constitution

and be familiar with the NHS England Guidance Understanding the new NHS.

Working with

the Service Director and other Directorate colleagues to realise the Trusts

strategic vision and accountability framework.

Job responsibilities

TALKWORKS is

Devons (excl Plymouth) NHS Talking Therapies Service, and is one of the

largest services operated by DPT with circa 300 staff. The service is

configured into 13 teams (12 clinical, 1 operational), and delivers evidence

based interventions for thousands of people across the county each year.

The post

holder will play a crucial role in the strategic and operational delivery and

development of this service, which has a range of nationally determined KPIs to

deliver, and a prescribed delivery model and mandate to adhere to. In addition the post holder will ensure that

the following fundamental and underlying activities to the Trusts success are

achieved:

• Ensuring

quality of services to patients, visitors and staff, including management of

clinical governance, healthcare standards and risk.

• Maximising

delivery of operational and performance management standards and to develop and

deliver recovery plans where performance standards are not being met.

• Planning,

marketing and developing services

• Optimising

resource management and managing capacity and operational planning. Ensuring the delivery of high quality care at

all times.

• Embedding

continuous improvement into everyday practice.

• Managing

projects to successful outcomes.

• Engaging

clinical and non-clinical staff in the business of the Trust and of the service

area.

• To work

closely with information staff to ensure that any new systems developed meet

with local and regional reporting requirements and that their use is

consistently embedded in working practices.

• Robust

engagement with our system and partner agencies to work toward integrative

models of provision

• Lead on

designated trust wide developments which cross directorates and integrate

streamlined services.

In pursuing

these activities the post holder will ensure compliance with the NHS

Constitution

and be familiar with the NHS England Guidance Understanding the new NHS.

Working with

the Service Director and other Directorate colleagues to realise the Trusts

strategic vision and accountability framework.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Extensive experience at senior management level with responsibility for operational matters including staff management, budgetary responsibility, performance targets
• Highly developed specialist knowledge underpinned by theory and experience in operations management, staff & project team selection, management and motivation
• Experience of leading projects
• Proven experience of change management ability
• Health service sector experience
• Experience of managing change in a complex system involving multiple agencies

Desirable

• Experience of working across organisational boundaries

• Knowledge of modernisation tools and techniques

• Evidence of leading and/or undertaking clinical audit and/or research

• Evidence of providing strategic leadership and direction for clinical staff, taking into account national and local economic, political and demographic changes

• Experience of working clinically and in a leadership role in an NHS TT service

Qualifications

Essential

• Graduate level or equivalent academic or healthcare

• professional qualification

• Evidence of continuing professional development

• Management qualification

• MBA/Masters Level or equivalent or willingness to work towards

Desirable

• Member of a clinical and/or management professional body
• NHS TT specific clinical qualification

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Extensive experience at senior management level with responsibility for operational matters including staff management, budgetary responsibility, performance targets
• Highly developed specialist knowledge underpinned by theory and experience in operations management, staff & project team selection, management and motivation
• Experience of leading projects
• Proven experience of change management ability
• Health service sector experience
• Experience of managing change in a complex system involving multiple agencies

Desirable

• Experience of working across organisational boundaries

• Knowledge of modernisation tools and techniques

• Evidence of leading and/or undertaking clinical audit and/or research

• Evidence of providing strategic leadership and direction for clinical staff, taking into account national and local economic, political and demographic changes

• Experience of working clinically and in a leadership role in an NHS TT service

Qualifications

Essential

• Graduate level or equivalent academic or healthcare

• professional qualification

• Evidence of continuing professional development

• Management qualification

• MBA/Masters Level or equivalent or willingness to work towards

Desirable

• Member of a clinical and/or management professional body
• NHS TT specific clinical qualification

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see

NHS Careers website .

Additional information

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see

NHS Careers website .

Employer details

Employer name

Devon Partnership NHS Trust

Address

Wonford House

Dryden Road

Exeter

Devon

EX2 5AF

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.dpt.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Devon Partnership NHS Trust

Address

Wonford House

Dryden Road

Exeter

Devon

EX2 5AF

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.dpt.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Job responsibilities

TALKWORKS is

Devons (excl Plymouth) NHS Talking Therapies Service, and is one of the

largest services operated by DPT with circa 300 staff. The service is

configured into 13 teams (12 clinical, 1 operational), and delivers evidence

based interventions for thousands of people across the county each year.

The post

holder will play a crucial role in the strategic and operational delivery and

development of this service, which has a range of nationally determined KPIs to

deliver, and a prescribed delivery model and mandate to adhere to. In addition the post holder will ensure that

the following fundamental and underlying activities to the Trusts success are

achieved:

• Ensuring

quality of services to patients, visitors and staff, including management of

clinical governance, healthcare standards and risk.

• Maximising

delivery of operational and performance management standards and to develop and

deliver recovery plans where performance standards are not being met.

• Planning,

marketing and developing services

• Optimising

resource management and managing capacity and operational planning. Ensuring the delivery of high quality care at

all times.

• Embedding

continuous improvement into everyday practice.

• Managing

projects to successful outcomes.

• Engaging

clinical and non-clinical staff in the business of the Trust and of the service

area.

• To work

closely with information staff to ensure that any new systems developed meet

with local and regional reporting requirements and that their use is

consistently embedded in working practices.

• Robust

engagement with our system and partner agencies to work toward integrative

models of provision

• Lead on

designated trust wide developments which cross directorates and integrate

streamlined services.

In pursuing

these activities the post holder will ensure compliance with the NHS

Constitution

and be familiar with the NHS England Guidance Understanding the new NHS.

Working with

the Service Director and other Directorate colleagues to realise the Trusts

strategic vision and accountability framework.

Experience

Essential

• Extensive experience at senior management level with responsibility for operational matters including staff management, budgetary responsibility, performance targets
• Highly developed specialist knowledge underpinned by theory and experience in operations management, staff & project team selection, management and motivation
• Experience of leading projects
• Proven experience of change management ability
• Health service sector experience
• Experience of managing change in a complex system involving multiple agencies

Desirable

• Experience of working across organisational boundaries

• Knowledge of modernisation tools and techniques

• Evidence of leading and/or undertaking clinical audit and/or research

• Evidence of providing strategic leadership and direction for clinical staff, taking into account national and local economic, political and demographic changes

• Experience of working clinically and in a leadership role in an NHS TT service

Qualifications

Essential

• Graduate level or equivalent academic or healthcare

• professional qualification

• Evidence of continuing professional development

• Management qualification

• MBA/Masters Level or equivalent or willingness to work towards

Desirable

• Member of a clinical and/or management professional body
• NHS TT specific clinical qualification