Medical Director - Performance & Improvement
| Posting date: | 23 February 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | Not specified |
| Additional salary information: | Negotiable |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 09 March 2026 |
| Location: | Cardiff, CF15 9SS |
| Company: | NHS Jobs |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | C9028-26-0030 |
Summary
JOB PURPOSE The Medical Director will provide senior, visible, and authoritative clinical leadership across NHS Wales Performance & Improvement, supporting others to ensure the delivery of high-quality, safe, and effective care across national priority domains. The postholder will manage the clinical components of national programmes, support the development of new clinical initiatives, and provide mentorship and professional leadership to clinical leads across programmes and networks. They will ensure all clinical activity aligns with Welsh Government policy and strategy, ministerial priorities, and the principles of the Well-being of Future Generations Act. Reporting directly to the Managing Director, the postholder willoperatewithhigh levelsof autonomy,authorityand credibility, and will play a pivotal role inmaintainingsystem confidence and assurance for Welsh Government and other stakeholders. The postholder will be a member of the Senior Directors Group within NHS Wales Performance and Improvement, working as part of a cohesive executive team with shared accountability for the strategic leadership and operational direction of the organisation. Together, the Senior Directors Group will ensure the effective delivery of national priorities, aligned to the Welsh Government Mandate and the annual Remit Letter, and support consistent, high-quality performance and improvement across NHS Wales. The post holder will be a member of the CMO-led group of Medical Directors of NHS Wales. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Clinical Strategy & Standards The post holder will work in close collaboration with the Chief Medical Officer, Deputy Chief Medical Officer (Health Services) and the Managing Director to define and deliver a coherent clinical programme of work for NHS P&I aligned to national policy, the National Clinical Framework and population health priorities. They willestablishrobust governance arrangements to ensure that national programmes and clinical networksoperatein a coordinated,accountableand integrated manner. This includes working with CMO and Medical Director of NHS Wales, CNO and DCMO (health Services) on the development of clinical standards, quality metrics and outcome measures that drive patient safety, clinicaleffectivenessand continuous improvement. They will support CMO and CNO in their work to strengthen clinical governance and ensure patient safety. The post holder will develop systems and processes that enable work to be commissioned and prioritised across programmes, ensuring resources are directed to achieve the best outcomes for patients and reduce unwarranted variation. 2. Programme Leadership The post holder will provide professional and strategic leadership to clinical leads across all national programmes and networks, including new and emerging programmes such as Cancer and Women, Children and Early Years. They will ensure that programmes are clinically led, outcome-focused and aligned to national priorities. They will also ensure that national programmes are aligned to the Health Outcomes Framework currently under development. They will promote approaches that integrate prevention, digital innovation, care closer to home and value in healthcare, ensuring programmes are designed to deliver sustainable, high-quality care. The role will actively drive collaboration across disciplines, organisations and sectors, reducing siloed working and maximising system-wide impact. 3. Care Closer to Home & Prevention The post holder will champion place-based, person-centred models of care that emphasise prevention, earlyinterventionand the development of strong community pathways. They will work to ensure that clinical strategies reduce unnecessary dependency on secondary care and support population health improvement. They will work across the system to ensure that prevention and early intervention are embedded within programme design and service transformation, supporting integrated care and improved outcomes for patients and communities. 4. Digital Transformation The post holder will support the safe and effective adoption of digital health, artificialintelligenceand virtual care technologies, including virtual wards and remote monitoring models. They will ensure that digital innovation is clinically led, evidence-based and aligned with national priorities, delivering tangible benefits for patients, clinicians and the wider system whilemaintainingpatient safety and quality. 5. System Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement The post holder will engage closely with Welsh Government, Health Board Executives and partner organisations to ensure clinical programmes and transformation activity deliver on national policy and system priorities. They will ensure that patient and public views are meaningfully understood and inform service design and transformation initiatives. Using highly developed communication, negotiation and influencing skills, the post holder will build strong stakeholder relationships to support delivery of the National Clinical Framework Programme and wider transformation agenda. 6. Professional Standards & Patient Engagement The post holder will ensure that all public and patient-facing activity is conducted to the highest professional and ethical standards. They will promote a culture of accountability,integrityand excellence across all clinical activities, reinforcing trust, professionalism and patient-centred care throughout NHS Wales Performance and Improvement. 7. Promoting Equality & Reducing Inequalities The post holder will uphold organisational policies and principles relating to equality, diversity and inclusion within NHS Wales Performance and Improvement. They will create an inclusive working environment where diversity is valued, and all individuals are supported to contribute fully. They will influence and shape service design and delivery to reduce health inequalities, ensuring disadvantaged and underserved groups receiveequitableaccess to high-quality care. 8. Partnership and Stakeholder Engagement The post holder will work closely with the Chief Medical Officer, Deputy CMO (Health Services), CNO programme and network clinical leads, Health Board executives and clinical directors, and patient and public representative groups. They willmaintainstrong, professional relationships while exercisingappropriate independence,authorityand constructive challenge. The role willrepresentNHS Performance and Improvement at senior national and system-level forums, providing credible clinical leadership and influence. 9. Management of Resources The post holder will ensure effective planning,allocationand oversight of financial resources in line with organisational priorities and statutory requirements. They willmonitorand manage budgets, ensuring value for money, costcontroland delivery of financial targets. They willidentifyopportunities to improve efficiency, reducewasteand optimise resource utilisation across the directorate, while also ensuring the effective management of physical and technological resources in line with organisational standards and policies. 10. Mentorship, Workforce and Staff Management The post holder will provide strategic leadership and direction for the workforce within their directorate, ensuring effective recruitment,developmentand retention of staff. They will create an environment that supports staff engagement,wellbeingand continuous professional development. They will ensure effective deployment of staff to meet operational demands and serviceobjectives, providing mentorship,supervisionand development opportunities for clinicians across NHS Wales Performance and Improvement. The role will promote interdisciplinary working, leadership development, successionplanningand inclusive workforce practices. 11. Governance and Assurance The post holder will contribute to quality assurance, escalation and assurance processes for clinical programmes, chairing agreed clinical leadership forums to support system-wide decision-making and shared learning. They will ensure robust governance arrangements are in place across all directorate functions,maintainingcompliance with statutory,regulatoryand organisational policies, including health and safety, dataprotectionand financial regulations. Acting as the senior accountable officer for risk management, performance monitoring and escalation within the directorate, the post holder will providetimely,accurateand transparent reporting to boards,committeesand regulators, promoting a culture of learning,accountabilityand continuous improvement. 12. Leadership of Teams The post holder will lead,inspireand motivate multi-disciplinary teams, fostering a high-performing, collaborative and innovative culture. They willdemonstratecompassionate, values-based leadership, particularly in high-pressure environments, balancing support withappropriate challengeto drive improvement whilemaintainingaccountability. You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents or please click "Apply now" to view on Trac. The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; Welsh and/or English speakers are equally welcome to apply.