The People, Talent and Culture team in the Midlands region have developed a digitally enabled Career Management system and robust framework for assessing the readiness for entry into the new regional Talent Pipeline and Pool for aspiring Executive Directors and CEOs, which will enable an inclusive approach for the identification, development, and appointment of senior talent in the Midlands region.
This important work is in line with the Messenger roadmap for great leadership and NHS Leadership Competency Framework, and it is aimed at improving productivity by building leadership capabilities; increasing talent visibility and mobility; and enhancing the diversity of Boards.
The pilot initiative for 100 leaders, which commenced in May 2025, was designed to enable the equitable identification of talent in the region and optimising their chances for progression into senior leadership positions by making them visible and providing them with targeted development support and is aimed at leaders who aspire to become an Executive Director or Chief Executive Officer in the next 3 to 5 years. In addition, to enable diversification of talent pipelines into senior leadership roles, the initiative has been made accessible to under-represented groups at bands 8b/c or NHS equivalent.
The 100 Leaders initiative is gathering momentum across the NHS Midlands, with a bold ambition: to surface and support diverse, high-potential leaders who are ready to take the next step in their careers.
This innovative initiative is designed to build a strong pipeline of future NHS leaders through three targeted cohort groups:
- Aspiring Directors Pipeline
- Aspiring CEOs Pipeline
- Positive Action Pipeline – supporting colleagues at Bands 8b/c (or equivalent) into Executive Director roles
The 100 Leaders initiative is more than an initiative. It’s a key driver of inclusive, sustainable leadership for the NHS of the future. There was unprecedented interest in this initiative; applications are now closed for this intake and eligible candidates who have been assessed will be onboarded from January 2026.
We would like to hear from existing Board Leaders who would like to offer support to aspirants during their development journey. Support can be provided through mentoring/coaching and experiential learning opportunities like shadowing, stretch assignments/projects etc. This will help facilitate learning across organisations in the region. If you would like to offer your support, please contact us at [email protected]
If you have any questions and/or comments in relation to this work, please do contact [email protected]