Head of Urgent Care

Reporting to the Assistant Director of Urgent Care, the Head of Urgent Care will provide senior leadership across urgent care commissioning for the cluster.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic development and delivery of urgent care programmes across the cluster.
• Work seamlessly with the ICB hosted regional iUEC team (Commissioning leads for West Midlands Emergency Ambulance and NHS 111).
• Commission key urgent care services for the cluster, including GP Out of Hours, Urgent Treatment Centres (UTCs), and associated services.
• Drive performance improvement and ensure delivery against national and local operational standards.
• Lead complex programmes across matrix teams and partner organisations.
• Develop strong relationships with providers, NHS England regional teams and partner ICB commissioning leads.
• Support robust programme management, governance and reporting arrangements.
• Represent the ICB at regional and national forums, conferences and stakeholder events.
• Line‑manage and develop a high‑performing urgent care team, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Contribute to the ICB’s value‑based approach, supporting equitable and effective use of resources to improve population health outcomes.
• Lead the Directorate and team to plan and execute workstream and programmes effectively.
• Lead procurement and contract management services, ensuring alignment with statutory, regulatory and NHS requirements.
• Align activities with core strategic anchors: Commissioning for Value & Outcomes, Accelerating Neighbourhood Health at Pace, Making the Best Use of Digital Solutions, Financial Discipline/2% Productivity, Advancing Health Equity Integrated Partnership.
• Act as host commissioner for GP Out of Hours services, Urgent Treatment Centres and 111 services, managing the commissioned and funded functions delegated by partner ICBs.
• Provide system leadership, assurance and coordination across multiple commissioning organisations while maintaining clear accountability to the host ICB and contributing ICBs.
• Accountability for:
  • Leading commissioning and management of GP Out of Hours, UTCs and associated services on behalf of the cluster.
  • Acting as the primary interface with providers, ensuring delivery against contractual, quality, performance and financial requirements.
  • Coordinating contributions from partner ICBs and providing assurance on contract performance, risks and mitigations.
  • Managing governance, reporting and escalation arrangements for multi‑ICB commissioned services.
  • Supporting system‑wide planning, resilience and transformation requirements related to GP Out of Hours, UTCs and 111 services in line with national policy and guidance.
  • Providing and receiving highly complex, sensitive and contentious information, negotiating with senior stakeholders on difficult issues, and presenting complex information to influential groups.
  • Persuading board and senior managers of the merits of different options, innovation and new market opportunities.
  • Planning and organising a broad range of highly complex activities, formulating and adjusting plans to reflect changing circumstances.
  • Developing performance improvement and innovation plans in partnership with stakeholders.
  • Using information sources to enable efficient and effective planning.
• Manage the team within the constraints of the NHS strategic plan, including budget responsibility, financial setting and knowledge of financial processes.
• Adaptable to a busy environment with unpredictable work patterns, frequent interruptions and changing priorities.

Qualifications and Experience

• Understanding of the background and aims of current healthcare policy in the Black Country, Birmingham and Solihull, and appreciation of its implications for engagement.
• Awareness of the relationship between the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England, individual providers and commissioning organisations.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office with intermediate keyboard skills.
• Previous responsibility for a budget, involvement in budget setting and working knowledge of financial processes.
• Member of a relevant professional body and evidence of post‑qualifying and continuing professional development.
• Commitment to continuing professional development.
• Educated to Masters level or an equivalent level of experience at a senior specialist level.
• Extensive specialist knowledge acquired through postgraduate diploma or equivalent training, plus further specialist experience to a Masters‑level equivalent.
• Demonstrated knowledge of equality of opportunity, diversity, and the equality agenda.
• Understanding of the Confidentiality and Data Protection Act.
• Equivalence of knowledge and experience equivalent to senior specialist level in the relevant field.

Skills and Competencies

• Strong problem‑solving skills and ability to respond to sudden, unexpected demands.
• Analytical capability to assess highly complex facts and situations and develop a range of options.
• Decision‑making ability in difficult and contentious situations, with autonomy when required.
• Strategic thinking to anticipate and resolve problems before they arise.
• Capacity to work under pressure and meet tight, often changing deadlines.
• Direct line management skills, including job management and performance appraisal.
• Ability to maintain focus within unpredictable work patterns and changing priorities.
• Skill in delivering results through managing others and using a range of levers in the absence of direct line responsibility.
• Effective relationship‑management skills with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Independent work ability, organising workload and allocating tasks as necessary.
• Maintaining confidentiality and trust in all professional activities.
• Adaptability, flexibility and resilience in the face of uncertainty and change.
• Experience in procurement of high‑value contracts that require detailed analysis, comparison and assessment.
• Demonstrated knowledge of equality, diversity and inclusion principles.
• Capability to use initiative to decide relevant actions, make recommendations and improve deliverables.
• Comfortable with tight timescales and changing demands while working autonomously.
• Skill for continuous professional development and staying current in the specialist field.

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