Chief People OfficerNHS

Job summary

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) provides mental healthcare for around 1.3 million people across South London, alongside specialist services nationally and internationally. Its more than 240 services span inpatient, community and specialist settings, with close partnerships with King's College London, King's Health Partners and local communities connecting care with research and education. The quality of that care depends on its people: colleagues working across different professions and settings, supporting people with complex and often profound needs. SLaM is committed to delivering consistently excellent, equitable and person-centred care, and to becoming an anti-racist organisation in both its services and its workplaces.

The Trust is seeking a Chief People Officer to join its Executive Team and Trust Board. Reporting to the Chief Executive, the appointee will strengthen the reliability and responsiveness of People & Organisational Development (OD) services, build confidence in the function and support the organisation to deliver change. This means developing a capable, trusted People & OD team, with clear priorities and the authority to deliver, while translating the Trust's strategy into practical workforce plans.

Main duties of the job

Working with clinical, operational and academic colleagues, the Chief People Officer will help develop new roles and ways of working, strengthen leadership and organisational effectiveness, and ensure sound employment practice and Board assurance. They will bring a clear focus on what staff need to provide safe, effective and compassionate care.

The successful candidate will bring substantial experience of leading a broad People & OD function in a large complex organisation, with evidence of improving services and delivering sustained change. They will combine professional HR expertise with organisational development capability and the confidence to advise and challenge Boards and executive colleagues. Credible with the different professional groups that make up SLaM's diverse and skilled workforce, they will build constructive relationships with trade unions and staff networks, and show how their leadership has addressed inequality. SLaM needs an approachable, consistent leader who listens, delegates well and supports colleagues through difficult decisions. They must be able to maintain trust through disagreement, work effectively across shared responsibilities and turn plans into delivery. Above all, they will be motivated by the contribution they can make to staff, patients and the communities SLaM serves.

Job description

Saxton Bampfylde Ltd is acting as an employment agency advisor to South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust on this appointment. For further information about the role, including details about how to apply, please visit roles.saxbam.com using reference AADASE. Alternatively email [email protected]. Applications should be received by midday on Monday 23rd November 2026.

About us

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust is world renowned for its pioneering work in mental health. We serve a local population of 1.3 million people in South London and specialist services for children and adults across the UK and beyond. We employ over 6,500 staff. We are part of King's Health Partners, and are the only mental health trust in the UK to have our own biomedical research centre - hosted jointly with Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London.

We are supported by Maudsley Charity. We are focused on promoting mental health and wellbeing. We provide treatment that helps people get well and stay well, so they can achieve their full potential.

Our refreshed Trust Strategy emphasises thecentral mission of the Trust, which is to deliverthe best care and outcomes for every personwe serve, every single day, and connectsimprovements in care with changes in how wework, learn and lead. It focuses on four key workstreams:

o Work with service users, their carers and families to deliver three shifts to careo Translate research and innovation into practiceo Be genuine partners in careo Put our values into action

Our Values and Behaviours Framework was created using the inputs of over 1,200 staff, service users and carers. Together, we treat each other and our patients with kindness and respect.