Job summary
We are seeking applicants for a temporary Acting Up opportunity into the Joint Head of Psychological Services role for a period of six months. Interview: 29th July

This acting-up arrangement is required to provide backfill while the current post-holder leads on Psychological Services recruitment within the Gender Service.

This opportunity is open to Consultant Psychologists working within CAMHS or Inpatient Services. The preferred commitment is 0.4 WTE, however there is flexibility, and alternative working patterns can be discussed.

Applicants should outline their relevant experience, leadership strengths, and what they would bring to the role.

Main duties of the job
The Acting Up post will include a range of leadership and professional responsibilities across Psychological Services. These may include:

• Clinical Leadership -- providing oversight of clinical practice within the service and supporting high-quality, evidence-based care.
• Teaching, Training and Supervision -- contributing to staff development through supervision, training sessions and professional guidance.
• Policy and Service Development -- supporting the creation, review and implementation of service policies and contributing to strategic planning.
• Management and Recruitment -- assisting with workforce planning, recruitment processes and staff support alongside the existing post-holder.
• Research and Service Evaluation -- promoting a culture of evaluation and quality improvement across Psychological Services.

About us
At Sheffield Children's, our purpose is clear: to provide healthier futures for children and young people. Our three strategic aims are Outstanding Patient Care, Brilliant Place to Work, and Leaders in Children's Health.

We work with partners across local, regional, and national levels to deliver physical and mental healthcare in both acute and community settings. Many of our clinicians are nationally and internationally recognised for their expertise.

We're proud that 73% of colleagues would recommend Sheffield Children's as a place to work, placing us among the top five NHS trusts in England -- and the top-ranked trust in the North East and Yorkshire -- in the latest NHS Staff Survey.

Our nearly 4,000 colleagues bring our CARE values -- Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence -- to life every day, creating a kind, welcoming environment where patients and families feel safe and supported.

As we approach our 150th anniversary in 2026, we're excited to keep building our leadership in children's health, improve experiences for patients and staff, and focus on our communities and population health.

We also offer excellent benefits to support your wellbeing, with generous annual leave and pension schemes, health and wellbeing programmes, and exclusive discounts -- helping you thrive at work and beyond.

Date posted: 07 July 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 8d
Salary: £94,356 to £108,814 a year per annum pro rata
Contract: Secondment
Working pattern: Part-time
Reference number: 425-26-8054311
Job locations: The Becton Centre for Children and Young People, Sevenairs Road, Sheffield, S20 1NZ, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
For more information on the main responsibilities for this post, please refer to the job description and person specification.

** This role has been assigned the occupation code 2226 using the CASCOT coding tool. To check the eligibility of this code for sponsorship and right to work please visit - UKVI web address https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/skilled-worker-visa-eligible-occupations/skilled-worker-visa-eligible-occupations-and-codes

Diversity Statement
At Sheffield Childrens, we are committed to creating an inclusive environment that celebrates diversity and supports everyones success. We prioritise Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion in our recruitment practices, creating a welcoming space for people of all backgrounds, including ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ members.

Recognising that inclusivity is an ongoing effort, we review our processes and welcome feedback to enhance our practices. A diverse team strengthens our organisation and the quality of care we deliver. For ideas on how we can improve, please contact our Recruitment Manager at scn-tr.recruitment.team@nhs.net. Together, were building a workplace where everyone belongs.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Post-graduate doctoral level training in clinical psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS, including specifically, models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuro-psychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology (including children & young people). Registration with Health & Care Professions Council as a clinical psychologist (or other domain title as agreed).
• Further specialist post-doctoral training, supervision and experience in one or more specific psychological approaches and/or with specific client groups supported by a programme of professional development as identified in an agreed professional development plan.
• Training in clinical supervision and the supervision of doctoral trainees
• Evidence of continuing professional development

Desirable

• Accreditation in relevant specialised psychological therapy and/or psychological procedures.

Knowledge and Skills
Essential

• Experience of influencing and developing services beyond one's own professional / clinical practice area
• Experience of actively contributing to and leading effective team-working including multi-disciplinary and multi-agency teams
• Knowledge and understanding of models of management & leadership.
• Able to demonstrate effective working at a strategic level on a range of clinical. service and management issues

Desirable

• Experience of representing the profession and/or service in local development and policy fora.

Experience
Essential

• Wide experience of child & family psychology clinical presentations across a range of sectors and settings (EG: (a) community CAMHS, (b) in-patient & residential settings (c) physical health/paediatrics, (c) child development, (d) learning disabilities, (e) neuro-psychology, (f) social care / child protection, (g) Looked after & adopted children (h) early years work, (i) adolescence, (j) forensic, (k) primary care & community development)
• Evidence of effective leadership of teams
• Awareness of and commitment addressing to service and individual performance issues.
• Understanding of relevant HR policies and procedures

Personal Attributes
Essential

• Enthusiasm for a broad range of psychological phenomena, an interest in models of service delivery, and an ability to articulate the value added by clinical psychology services within the context of multi-disciplinary health and social care services
• Ability to contain and work with organisational stress and ability to 'hold' the stress of others

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
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.

Certificate of Sponsorship
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).

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).