Strategic Projects Lead – Neighbourhood Health | Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Job description

About

The post holder will play a central role in shaping CUH’s neighbourhood health strategy—helping define future models of care, informing investment decisions, and ensuring that learning from pilots translates into scalable, sustainable change. The role focusu on the Integrated Urgent & Emergency Care portfolio, with the flexibility to support wider programme priorities as required.

Working collaboratively with senior stakeholders, the Strategic Project Lead will use data and evidence to guide decision making, and lead the design, testing and scale up of new models of care, addressing operational, cultural and financial barriers. The post holder will maintain an active awareness of the evolving national and local policy landscape, and any implications for our system. The role requires close collaboration with clinical and operational leaders across CUH and our partners, and offers wide exposure to our executive team and board, commissioners, primary/community care, and regional/national teams.

Have overall responsibility for developing and managing the operational implementation of strategic projects, including the development of the model and implementation plan (including the use of a risk register, escalating issues when required).

Identify and diagnose strategically relevant issues and opportunities (e.g. through horizon scanning), generating solutions, and iterating with relevant stakeholders.

Work with Divisional Directors, Finance, Workforce and external partners (e.g. charities), to assess and plan requirements for the delivery of strategies / major projects.

Our Trust

Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust comprises Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge. With over 13,000 staff and over 1100 beds the priorities of the Trust focus on a quality service which is all about people – patients, staff and partners. Recognised as providing ‘outstanding’ care to our patients and rated ‘Good’ overall by the Care Quality Commissioner, is testament to the skill and dedication of the people who work here. CUH’s values – Together - Safe, Kind, Excellent – are at the heart of patient care, defining the way all staff work and behave. The Trust provides accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge, together with specialist services, dealing with rare or complex conditions for a regional, national and international population.

CUH is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where we can all be ourselves. We value our differences and fully advocate and support an inclusive working environment where every individual can fulfil their potential. We want to ensure our people are truly representative of all the communities that we serve. We welcome applications for all positions in the organisation irrespective of people’s age, disability, ethnicity, race, nationality, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity status or social economic background.

Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities. 

This vacancy will close at midnight on 8th November 2026. 

Interviews are due to be held on 19th November 2026. 

All appointments with a start date on or after 1 October 2026 will be subject to a 12-week probationary period. This provides a structured and supportive period to help you settle into your role, with regular reviews and feedback.

Right to Work

As there is a 12-week probationary period, successful candidates are expected to have the Right to Work for a period of at least 6 months from the proposed start date. Immigration and Right to Work status will be discussed with successful candidates at conditional offer. CUH will not offer sponsorship to candidates that have applied for a fee waiver.

Due to Home Office immigration rules, a full-time permanent vacancy cannot be filled by individuals on a student visa. Therefore, please be advised that if you are a student visa holder, we will not be able to offer you a full-time permanent contract unless you have:

-         applied for a Graduate visa

-         or you will have successfully completed your course and have applied for a Graduate visa before the anticipated start date of your employment

As per Home Office guidelines, please be aware that, unfortunately, the Trust is unable to offer sponsorship for this position.

Benefits to you

At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.

On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only café, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.

CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times.

Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.

We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.

This advert closes on Sunday 8 Nov 2026