Chief People Officer

Job Description

Chief People Officer

Wrightington, Wigan & Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (WWL)
Attractive Executive Salary + Benefits

Location: Wigan, Greater Manchester | Hybrid with cross-site presence

A rare opportunity to shape the future of a high-performing NHS organisation.

Wrightington, Wigan & Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (WWL) is seeking an outstanding, people-centred and strategic Chief People Officer to join our Board at a pivotal moment for the organisation, the health system and the borough we proudly serve.

Why join WWL?

WWL is a major teaching Trust with a strong reputation for quality, partnership and innovation. We care for a population of over 329,000, operate from five hospital and community sites, and hold a CQC rating of Good. Our Wrightington Hospital site is internationally recognised for orthopaedic excellence.

But it’s our culture that truly defines us.

We are known for:

• Low turnover and high colleague engagement
• A genuine sense of belonging and purpose
• A collaborative, values-driven Executive Team
• Strong system partnerships across Greater Manchester
• A deep commitment to education, improvement and research
• Our role as an anchor institution, with 70% of colleagues living locally

We are now entering an exciting new chapter, driven by a £4.8m transformation programme with local authority and ICB partners, reshaping urgent and emergency care and accelerating our journey toward integrated, community-focused delivery.

About the role

As Chief People Officer, you will be a visible and influential Board-level leader — shaping the People & Culture agenda for a 7,000-strong workforce and driving the culture, leadership and capability needed for the next decade.

You will provide strategic and operational leadership across:

• People & Culture strategy
• Workforce planning & modernisation
• Leadership & talent development
• System working and transformation
• Organisational development & culture change
• Colleague wellbeing and experience
• Education, learning & development
• Digital people services
• Inclusion, belonging and fairness
• Employee relations and partnership working

This is a role for an inspiring, collaborative leader who can balance strategic transformation with operational grip, building trust, capability and confidence across the organisation.

What we’re looking for

You will be:

• An experienced senior People/OD leader in a complex organisation (NHS or public sector desirable)
• A visible, inclusive and values-led leader with strong personal credibility
• Skilled at organisational development, cultural transformation and workforce redesign
• Passionate about colleague experience, wellbeing and leadership development
• Collaborative, politically astute and confident influencing at Board and system level
• Committed to fairness, inclusion and positive organisational culture
• Energised by challenge and motivated by public service

If you are driven by impact, partnership and purpose — and want to shape the future workforce of an organisation with a truly meaningful community legacy — we would be delighted to hear from you.

Apply now

Applications are via CV and cover letter.

Email your application to: jp@seymourjohn.com

For an informal conversation, contact Jonathan Phillips on 07817 988490

Further information and full candidate pack: www.wwlopportunities.co.uk

Closing date for applications: Monday December 15^th 2025