Head of People Services
NHS OrkneyKirkwall, Scotland, United Kingdom
Added 7 Aug · still live
Not disclosed
Salary
Not disclosed by employer
£52,900
Going rate
Skilled Worker going rate
This role likely qualifies for a Skilled Worker visa
Our predicted code SOC 1136 (78% match) is an eligible occupation, with a going rate of £52,900, and NHS Orkney is a licensed sponsor. That is our reading of the published rules. Whether they issue a Certificate of Sponsorship is still their call.
About the role
Secondment Opportunity for Internal NHS Scotland Colleagues only
Applications are welcomed from colleagues currently employed within NHS Scotland who are seeking an opportunity to broaden their strategic leadership and Human Resources experience. Applicants should seek agreement in principle from their substantive employer before accepting a secondment offer.
About The Organisation
NHS Orkney is committed to delivering excellent care to our 22,000 residents. Whether you’re new to the NHS or bringing experience from elsewhere, your skills will make a real difference.
Our modern healthcare facility, The Balfour, brings together inpatient care, emergency services, outpatient clinics, diagnostics, GP practices and the Scottish Ambulance Service. We’re also investing in services across our outer isles, ensuring high-quality care reaches every corner of Orkney.
We are guided by our core values that shape everything we do Open and honest, Respect and Kindness from how we care for our patients to how we support each other as colleagues.
About Orkney
With over 70 islands 20 of them inhabited Orkney offers a unique blend of natural beauty, close-knit community and an opportunity for adventure. From dramatic coastlines and rare wildlife to rich cultural traditions and active lifestyles, it’s a place where compassion thrives and every day brings something new. Regularly named one of the UK’s best places to live, Orkney offers a lifestyle that’s both fulfilling and inspiring.
The Position
NHS Orkney is seeking an experienced and dynamic HR leader to join our People and Culture Directorate as Head of People Services on a 12-month secondment opportunity.
Reporting to the Director of People and Culture, this senior leadership role provides professional leadership and operational management for the People Services function, ensuring the delivery of a responsive, high-quality and customer-focused HR service across the organisation. The postholder will play a key role in supporting workforce delivery, organisational development and strategic change across NHS Orkney.
This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced HR professional seeking to broaden their leadership experience within a progressive People and Culture Directorate. Working closely with Executive Directors, senior leaders, managers and trade union representatives, you will help shape workforce strategy, lead the delivery of People Services and provide expert advice on a wide range of complex workforce and employment matters.
The Role
Applications are welcomed from colleagues currently employed within NHS Scotland who are seeking an opportunity to broaden their strategic leadership and Human Resources experience. Applicants should seek agreement in principle from their substantive employer before accepting a secondment offer.
About The Organisation
NHS Orkney is committed to delivering excellent care to our 22,000 residents. Whether you’re new to the NHS or bringing experience from elsewhere, your skills will make a real difference.
Our modern healthcare facility, The Balfour, brings together inpatient care, emergency services, outpatient clinics, diagnostics, GP practices and the Scottish Ambulance Service. We’re also investing in services across our outer isles, ensuring high-quality care reaches every corner of Orkney.
We are guided by our core values that shape everything we do Open and honest, Respect and Kindness from how we care for our patients to how we support each other as colleagues.
About Orkney
With over 70 islands 20 of them inhabited Orkney offers a unique blend of natural beauty, close-knit community and an opportunity for adventure. From dramatic coastlines and rare wildlife to rich cultural traditions and active lifestyles, it’s a place where compassion thrives and every day brings something new. Regularly named one of the UK’s best places to live, Orkney offers a lifestyle that’s both fulfilling and inspiring.
The Position
NHS Orkney is seeking an experienced and dynamic HR leader to join our People and Culture Directorate as Head of People Services on a 12-month secondment opportunity.
Reporting to the Director of People and Culture, this senior leadership role provides professional leadership and operational management for the People Services function, ensuring the delivery of a responsive, high-quality and customer-focused HR service across the organisation. The postholder will play a key role in supporting workforce delivery, organisational development and strategic change across NHS Orkney.
This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced HR professional seeking to broaden their leadership experience within a progressive People and Culture Directorate. Working closely with Executive Directors, senior leaders, managers and trade union representatives, you will help shape workforce strategy, lead the delivery of People Services and provide expert advice on a wide range of complex workforce and employment matters.
The Role
As Head Of People Services, You Will
You will be an experienced HR leader with a strong track record of delivering high-quality workforce services within a complex and unionised environment.
You Will Have
Significant experience operating at a senior HR management level.
Extensive knowledge of employment legislation, employee relations and workforce policy.
Experience of supporting organisational change, service redesign and workforce modernisation.
Strong leadership, influencing and partnership-working skills.
Experience of leading professional teams and delivering organisational objectives through others.
Excellent communication, analytical and problem-solving skills.
Why NHS Orkney?
This is an excellent opportunity to gain senior leadership experience within a small, agile and ambitious health board. You will have the opportunity to influence workforce strategy, lead key people services and contribute directly to the delivery of NHS Orkney's strategic priorities during a period of continued transformation and improvement.
Location, Working Pattern and Contract Duration:
- Lead the operational delivery of People Services across NHS Orkney.
- Manage and develop a professional team delivering employee relations, recruitment and workforce support services.
- Provide expert advice to Executive Directors, senior leaders and managers on complex workforce and employment matters.
- Lead on employee relations issues including organisational change, conduct, capability, grievance and workforce modernisation activity.
- Develop and implement workforce policies and procedures in partnership with staff side representatives and in line with NHS Scotland frameworks.
- Support organisational transformation, workforce redesign and service improvement programmes.
- Deputise for the Director of People and Culture on delegated workforce matters.
You will be an experienced HR leader with a strong track record of delivering high-quality workforce services within a complex and unionised environment.
You Will Have
Significant experience operating at a senior HR management level.
Extensive knowledge of employment legislation, employee relations and workforce policy.
Experience of supporting organisational change, service redesign and workforce modernisation.
Strong leadership, influencing and partnership-working skills.
Experience of leading professional teams and delivering organisational objectives through others.
Excellent communication, analytical and problem-solving skills.
Why NHS Orkney?
This is an excellent opportunity to gain senior leadership experience within a small, agile and ambitious health board. You will have the opportunity to influence workforce strategy, lead key people services and contribute directly to the delivery of NHS Orkney's strategic priorities during a period of continued transformation and improvement.
Location, Working Pattern and Contract Duration:
This post will be based at The Balfour we are open to flexible working discussions
The successful candidate will work: Full Time 36 hours per week
This post is Secondment for 12 months due to service requirement
It is a condition of this employment that you must live and remain a resident within the UK for the post in which you will be employed with NHS Orkney.
Benefits And Salary
Did you know NHS Scotland salaries are higher than those in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland?
The salary for this post is Band 8a and if residing on Orkney, you’ll also receive a Distant Islands Allowance of £1,719 pro rata per annum, adding extra value to your rewarding career with us.
NHS Orkney also offers an attractive pension scheme, wide range of work life balance policies, employee assistance programme and various discounts to both local and national retailers.
Further Information
If you share our vision and are ready to be part of Team Orkney, we’d love to hear from you. Your rewarding career starts here!
We are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that candidates may need during the recruitment process, and you will be asked whether you require any during your application. If there are additional requirements you would like to request, please contact
For further guidance on the recruitment process and tips for creating a strong application, please refer to our Candidate Application Pack.
For an informal discussion regarding the role, please contact: Steven Phillips, Head of People and Culture
This post is subject to a Disclosure Scotland check.
NHS Orkney is an equal opportunities employer committed to advancing equality and particularly welcomes applications from groups of people currently underrepresented within the workforce. We are a committed participant in the Disability Confident Leader Scheme and guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum essential criteria for our vacancies.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) - Candidates should provide original and authentic responses to all questions within the application form. The use of artificial intelligence (AI), automated tools, or other third-party assistance to generate, draft, or significantly modify responses is strongly discouraged. By submitting your application, you confirm that
The successful candidate will work: Full Time 36 hours per week
This post is Secondment for 12 months due to service requirement
It is a condition of this employment that you must live and remain a resident within the UK for the post in which you will be employed with NHS Orkney.
Benefits And Salary
Did you know NHS Scotland salaries are higher than those in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland?
The salary for this post is Band 8a and if residing on Orkney, you’ll also receive a Distant Islands Allowance of £1,719 pro rata per annum, adding extra value to your rewarding career with us.
NHS Orkney also offers an attractive pension scheme, wide range of work life balance policies, employee assistance programme and various discounts to both local and national retailers.
Further Information
If you share our vision and are ready to be part of Team Orkney, we’d love to hear from you. Your rewarding career starts here!
We are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that candidates may need during the recruitment process, and you will be asked whether you require any during your application. If there are additional requirements you would like to request, please contact
For further guidance on the recruitment process and tips for creating a strong application, please refer to our Candidate Application Pack.
For an informal discussion regarding the role, please contact: Steven Phillips, Head of People and Culture
This post is subject to a Disclosure Scotland check.
NHS Orkney is an equal opportunities employer committed to advancing equality and particularly welcomes applications from groups of people currently underrepresented within the workforce. We are a committed participant in the Disability Confident Leader Scheme and guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum essential criteria for our vacancies.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) - Candidates should provide original and authentic responses to all questions within the application form. The use of artificial intelligence (AI), automated tools, or other third-party assistance to generate, draft, or significantly modify responses is strongly discouraged. By submitting your application, you confirm that
all answers are your own work, reflect your personal knowledge, skills and experience, and have not been solely produced or altered by AI or similar technologies.
Failure to comply with this requirement may result in your application being withdrawn from the application process.
Please note this advert may close early if sufficient applications are received.
Failure to comply with this requirement may result in your application being withdrawn from the application process.
Please note this advert may close early if sufficient applications are received.
This description is the source posting as it read when we added it. We are not affiliated with NHS Orkney, so check their own site for the current details.
Where this offer sits in the market
SOC 1136 · UK · ONS ASHE 2025 · ~170k in sampleP25 £45kP75 £77k
£33kmedian £59kgoing rate £53k£99k
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Does this job guarantee visa sponsorship?
Not necessarily. NHS Orkney holds a sponsor licence, but sponsorship for a specific hire is always the employer's decision. Be upfront in your application that you'll require it.
What salary is needed for this role to be eligible?
The offer must clear both the general threshold and the SOC 1136 going rate of £52,900. New-entrant and shortage discounts can lower it.