Job summaryLead the future of Psychology and Psychological Therapies across Cardiff and Vale University Health Board Cardiff and Vale University Health Board seeks an exceptional senior practitioner psychologist to become our Clinical Director of Psychology and Psychological Therapies and Head of Profession. This is an opportunity to provide strategic, professional and clinical leadership across one of Wales' largest and most diverse health systems. Working closely with Executive Directors, Clinical Board leadership teams and professional colleagues, you will shape the future of psychologically informed healthcare across the organisation, ensuring services are safe, effective, equitable and evidence based. As the Health Board's most senior professional leader for Psychology and Psychological Therapies, you will act as the principal adviser to the Board and Executive Team on matters relating to psychological therapies and psychologically informed care. You will hold Health Board wide responsibility for professional governance, workforce assurance, quality, safety and strategic development across services. This is a role with genuine influence. You will lead one of the largest psychology and psychological therapies workforces in NHS Wales, shaping organisational strategy, service redesign and psychologically informed approaches across community, acute, mental health and specialist services.
Main duties of the jobProfessional Leadership and Governance- Acting as lead for Psychology and Psychological Therapies (PPT) across Cardiff and Vale UHB
- Act as Director of Psychology for the Mental Health Clinical Board.
- Leading professional governance arrangements.
- Ensuring effective systems for risk management and regulatory compliance
Corporate Accountability and Assurance- Providing assurance regarding governance, compliance and professional standards.
- Supporting Board level assurance processes.
Strategic Workforce Leadership- Leading workforce planning for PPT
- Developing strategies to support recruitment and retention.
- Supporting education, training and development.
System Leadership and Transformation- Embedding psychologically informed approaches.
- Supporting organisational culture and psychological safety
- Leading the development of trauma informed systems
- Promoting co production and lived experience approaches
- Supporting transformation initiatives
- Reducing health inequalities
Quality, Outcomes and Improvement- Leading quality improvement programmes
- Promoting research, innovation and evidence based practice
- Supporting outcome measurement
- Driving improvements in patient outcomes, staff experience and service effectiveness
Executive and Partnership Leadership- Representing PPT within senior organisational forums
- Developing effective partnerships across organisational and system boundaries
- Representing Cardiff and Vale UHB within regional, national and all Wales networks
About usCardiff and Vale University Health Board is one of the largest Integrated Health Boards in the UK, employing over 17,000 staff, providing over 100 specialist services. Working across 6 hospital sites, we have a diverse range of career opportunities to offer. Serving over 500,000 people living in Cardiff and the Vale, we are focussed on the health and care needs of our local population whilst working with our partners to develop regional services. Together we are committed to improving health outcomes for everyone, delivering excellent care and support.
Our mission is
"Living Well, Caring Well, Working Together", and our vision is that every person's chance of leading a healthy life should be equal. Our 10-year transformation and improvement strategy, Shaping Our Future Wellbeing, is our chance to work collaboratively with the public and our workforce to make our health board more sustainable for the future.
DetailsDate posted 11 September 2026
Pay scheme Agenda for change
Band Band 9
Salary £114,475 to £131,732 a year per annum pro rata
Contract Permanent
Working pattern Full-time
Reference number 001-PST071-0926
Job locations Woodland House Maes-Y-Coed Road Cardiff CF14 4HH United Kingdom
Job responsibilitiesYou will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents or please click "Apply now" to view in Trac
We are looking for an inspiring and credible professional leader who can demonstrate:
Essential Requirements- Registered Practitioner Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
- Doctoral level qualification in a relevant area of psychology
- Significant experience as a Consultant Practitioner Psychologist or equivalent senior leadership role
- Extensive experience of strategic leadership within complex healthcare systems
- Significant experience of professional, clinical and workforce governance
- Demonstrable track record of leading large scale service transformation and improvement
- Experience of influencing organisational strategy and working with senior executive leaders
- Strong understanding of quality, safety and assurance frameworks
Personal Qualities You will be:
- An inspirational and compassionate leader
- A skilled communicator and influencer
- Credible at Board and Executive level
- Committed to inclusion, belonging and equality
- Passionate about improving population health outcomes
- Able to build effective partnerships across organisational boundaries
- Committed to the principles of co production and psychologically informed care
This role offers an exceptional opportunity to influence healthcare at scale. You will have the opportunity to:
- Shape the future of psychological care across one of Wales' largest health systems
- Influence organisational strategy and service transformation
- Lead a highly skilled and diverse professional workforce
- Drive innovation, research and quality improvement
- Champion compassionate leadership, psychological safety and trauma informed care
- Improve outcomes and reduce inequalities for the populations we serve
Join us and help create a health system where psychological knowledge and expertise influence how care is designed, delivered and experienced across Cardiff and Vale University Health Board.
The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; Welsh and/or English speakers are equally welcome to apply.
Person SpecificationQualifications and KnowledgeEssential- HCPC registration as a Practitioner Psychologist (Clinical and Counselling)
- Doctorate in Clinical or Counselling Psychology (or equivalent qualification conferring HCPC eligibility)
- Evidence of advanced post-qualification CPD demonstrating senior leadership capability
- Advanced knowledge of professional, ethical and regulatory frameworks (e.g. HCPC, BPS)
- Strong understanding of NHS Wales policy, strategy and system-wide service transformation
ExperienceEssential- Significant post-qualification experience at Consultant or equivalent level
- Demonstrable experience of senior professional leadership across psychology and/or psychological therapies services.
- Experience of organisation-wide professional governance, including standards, supervision, CPD and assurance.
- Proven track record in strategic service development, transformation and improvement initiatives
- Experience advising Executive and Board-level stakeholders
- Experience of workforce leadership, including management of senior staff and professional leads.
Skills and AttributesEssential- Highly developed strategic thinking and system leadership capability within complex organisations
- Strong communication, influencing and negotiation skills at Executive and Board level.
- Ability to analyse, synthesise and communicate complex and sensitive information.
- Credible, visible and values-based leadership with high levels of integrity and accountability
- Ability to lead across organisational, professional and system boundaries
- Commitment to equality, diversity, inclusion and psychologically informed leadership.
DesirableDisclosure and Barring Service CheckThis post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of SponsorshipApplications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK RegistrationApplicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer detailsEmployer name Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
Address Woodland House Maes-Y-Coed Road Cardiff CF14 4HH United Kingdom
Employer's website https://cavuhb.nhs.wales/ (Opens in a new tab)
Employer contact detailsFor questions about the job, contact: Clinical Director, Mental Health Clinical Board Rim Al-Samsam rim.al-samsam@wales.nhs.uk 02921824967
Supporting documentsPrivacy notice Cardiff and Vale University Health Board's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window). 
