Person Specification

Head of Joint Commissioning

Scale:  Head of Service 1 (£78,221 - £86,155)

This is a very demanding leadership and management role. Whilst clearly rewarding, the role can be challenging and pressurised at times with conflicting priorities. It therefore requires candidates of the very highest calibre who can clearly demonstrate how their experience, knowledge, skills and personal qualities match the following requirements.

Experience, knowledge, skills.

• Able to demonstrate substantial successful leadership experience at a senior strategic level with an organisation of scale and complexity. Experience can be gained in Health and/ or social care environments but candidates must be able to demonstrate that their experience is relevant and that they have an excellent understanding of the challenges of leading a newly formed Joint Commissioning Unit.
• Able to demonstrate high level of experience and management skills required to:
  
  - Effectively manage the significant day to day, strategic and developmental challenges of the role
  - Achieve continuous improvement in performance, encouraging innovation and appropriate challenges to the status quo
  - Ensure a strong and unwavering customer focus across all services within the Joint Commissioning Unit
  - Successfully develop and implement significant change management and service delivery programmes at a strategic level
  
• Must be an effective communicator, able to build positive and productive relationships that gain the respect, trust and confidence of Elected and NED Members, staff, partners, customers and other stakeholders
• Must have knowledge, understanding and experience of commissioning adult services
• Must have the knowledge and personal confidence to provide authoritative advice to staff, Elected Members and non-executive PCT members
• Knowledge and understanding of service needs and latest policy initiatives in Health and Social Care
• The ability to work in a partnership setting with multiple accountability
• Experience of developing commissioning strategies for Adult services

Personal qualities and outlook

• An effective and visible leader with the personal vision and presence to inspire and empower the service to improve and achieve its key service objectives
• A moderniser committed to improvement, clear customer focus and strongly supportive of both the PCT and the Council’s values but also respectful of tradition where appropriate
• A modern approach to people management, demonstrating an effective balance between direction, empowerment and assertiveness
• Able to work effectively in a political environment building productive relationships with Elected Members and non-executive board members and demonstrating political sensitivity and diplomacy
• Decisive and assertive when required but always courteous. Able to deal effectively with conflict but never acting aggressively
• Resilient and calm when under pressure and able to effectively balance conflicting priorities
• Comfortable with the pressures and high level of accountability and associated responsibilities of the role
• Demonstrates the highest standards of personal integrity at all times, leading by example
• Demonstrates respect for others at all times and is a supporter of the equalities agenda

Education / Qualifications / Training

It is essential that the postholder is:

A graduate with a professional postgraduate qualification in either Health or Social Care

It is desirable that the postholder has

A management relevant qualification or evidence of further formal management development related to the role.

Date: September 2008