Head of Innovation and Support Services

Job Introduction

We are seeking a Head of Innovation and Support Services to develop and deliver new innovative and impactful services to extend our reach and impact across the UK. This will involve working with our local and national service teams, piloting new approaches and testing what works. You will also lead and develop a diverse portfolio of services to strengthen support for our local teams. This includes our professional event team who deliver the UK’s leading diabetes professional and academic conference each year, as well as sharing best practice in service design, monitoring and evaluation, and in co-creation and co-production of services.

This is a senior role in the operations directorate and a member of the services leadership team. You will provide operational leadership to support and develop our talented and diverse Innovation and Support Services team. This is an exciting time to join Diabetes UK to help shape our offer within our new strategic outcomes framework which is set out in our “A generation to end the harm strategy” 2020-2025. organisational-strategy-2019-digital.pdf (diabetes.org.uk)

1st stage interview: Thursday 28th April 2022 (via Microsoft Teams)
2nd Stage Interview: Tuesday 10th May 2022 (Face to Face, Wells Lawrence House, London)

Please note that all job offers are subject to you providing acceptable evidence of your eligibility to work in the UK. You might find the following resources useful:

• To view a full list of accepted documents and the checks employers are required to make click here
• To view guidance on proving your right to work to an employer click here

If you have any questions, please contact HRAdvice@diabetes.org.uk

Role Responsibility

Working with other senior leaders in the engagement and fundraising, and operations directorates, you will play a lead role in developing service models, securing funding, mobilising and delivering new services so we can innovate, learn and grow our service portfolio to improve our reach. This will include testing new approaches, identifying and sharing best across the UK, as well as working alongside other service leaders to develop impactful national services for people living with diabetes delivered locally. With a focus on tackling inequalities you will seek to improve the lives of people living with diabetes so no groups are left behind, we are passionate about addressing and tackling inequality and ensuring our services make a difference. You will also strengthen our local team’s impact through the provision of nationally offered internal specialist support services.

The Ideal Candidate

An experienced leader with a passion for making change happen, you thrive on making a difference. You share our passion that everyone deserves to live better and more confident lives with diabetes, free from discrimination.

The ideal candidate will have significant experience of securing funding, mobilising and delivering services to scale in the voluntary sector in a health and care setting. You will also be able to evidence your approach to user led design, impact and outcome measurement, safe-guarding, compliance and risk, with your excellent project and financial management skills too.

What is essential is an entrepreneurial mindset with a proven track record of working collaboratively across an organisation, to develop new products and services, resource planning and managing risk effectively. As comfortable with the detail as with the strategy, you will have significant experience of supporting and developing high performing cross organisational teams.  Event management and an understanding of the support needs of local delivery teams whilst not essential is an advantage.
 

Package Description

What we can offer you: 

• Generous annual leave starting at 25 days plus bank holidays 
• A Cash Healthcare Plan (giving you up to £1,500 towards a range of out of pocket health expenses like new glasses, dentist, chiropractor or osteopath appointments) 
• Early finish Friday and flexible working as part of our approach to activity based working
• Discounts on gym membership
• Employee assistance programme to give you support on any issues that come up in life  
• Annual season ticket loan* (on completion of your probation period and if contract is permanent or longer than 12 months)
• Very active social scene including sport teams, gardening and other activities 
• Generous pension provision, life assurance and income protection insurance
• Cycle to work scheme* (eligible for scheme if contract is permanent or longer than 12 months)

*Some benefits aren't available until you've passed your probation period and are dependent on the length of contract.

About the Company

For nearly 5 million people with diabetes in the UK, there’s no day off. At Diabetes UK, we fight day in, day out for better care, treatment and support. We won’t stop until diabetes can do no harm.

With more people than ever living with diabetes and millions more at risk of developing type 2, our work has never been more needed. We make sure they get the care and support needed to live well with diabetes and avoid devastating complications.

We fund critical research, which has led to life-changing discoveries – like the first insulin pen and programmes to put type 2 diabetes into remission. Now, we want to do this for everyone and find a cure.

We can’t do any of this without you. Our staff are passionate and determined about helping everyone affected by diabetes. For over 85 years, they’ve been behind vital policy changes, as well as new treatments and technologies to make living with diabetes easier every day.

But there’s more to do. And you can be part of it.

We’re a really diverse bunch and we recognise and respect your value as an individual. As well as helping people with diabetes, you’ll be part of one of the top 30 Best UK Charities to Work For, and one of the top 75 Best Large Companies in London.

We’re committed to protecting and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and we need our staff and volunteers to support this.

Our vision is a world where diabetes can do no harm. Join us today, and together, we can make that a reality.

To find out more about what we do, check out our website.

Diabetes UK