Associate Director of Operations for Access and Medicine

NHS; Guildford; On-site; GBP 93,000 - 108,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent healthcare trust in Guildford seeks an interim Associate Director of Operations for the Division of Access and Medicine. The role demands exceptional leadership and operational management to ensure high-quality patient care across various specialties. Ideal candidates should possess extensive experience in a senior NHS role, strong stakeholder engagement skills, and a commitment to continuous improvement in healthcare services. Competitive salary and full-time commitment required.

Benefits

Health and wellbeing program

Professional development opportunities

Qualifications

• Extensive experience of operational management at a senior level in the NHS or equivalent.
• Able to develop and implement strategic, multi-stranded operational strategies.
• Experience in developing relationships with external commissioners and NHS regulatory bodies.

Responsibilities

• Accountable for operational leadership across the Division of Access and Medicine.
• Ensure delivery of healthcare services that meet quality standards.
• Lead and manage governance, risk, and quality improvement projects.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic Planning

Stakeholder Engagement

Financial Management

Operational Management

Quality Improvement

Education

First degree qualification

Master's Degree

Tools

Project Management

Job description

Job summary

The post holder works in partnership with the Chief of Service and Divisional Head of Nursingto ensure the delivery of high quality, cost effective patient care within resources available.They provide strong operational leadership to manage and support the delivery of a widerange of complex clinical services and for implementing and managing systems and processesto enable services to respond effectively to future challenges whilst providing efficient clinicalservices and sustained improvements.Together with the Chief of Service and Divisional Head of Nursing, provide leadership to theDivisional staff, ensuring clear communication of Trust and Divisional values, vision, prioritiesand expectations to ensure the engagement of teams to deliver services of the highest quality.Responsible for managing the highly complex nature of the Division and ensuring that theappropriate strategic plans are delivered within a complex operating framework.The post holder will be responsible for providing high-level operational leadership and planningensuring safe, high quality and efficient delivery of the day to day operational management ofAccess and Medicine across the Trust, which meets the needs of patients and achieves setand agreed standards and financial targets.The role is responsible for delivering against the legal, risk and governance agenda in theDivision, working alongside the Chief of Service and the Divisional Head of Nursing andGovernance for Access and Medicine.

Main duties of the job

• Accountable for operational leadership across the Division of Access and Medicine,dedicated to the delivery of healthcare services that meet quality standards, arevalue for money and are provided with professionalism, compassion and care.
• Work as a member of the leadership triumvirate for Access and Medicine, providingleadership and oversight of all aspects of the Division.
• Develop and manage relationships with external stakeholders across the Guildfordand Waverley Integrated Care Partnership and the Surrey Heartlands IntegratedCare System for the effective and efficient delivery of all clinical and non-clinicalsupport services and the delivery of all operational key performance indicators andtargets within available resources.

About us

Royal Surrey is a compassionate and collaborative acute and community Trust. Recognising that our 5000 colleagues are our greatest strength, we offer a comprehensive health and wellbeing program along with a commitment to developing and advancing your career. Our diverse and welcoming Royal Surrey family will ensure you that you feel valued from your initial interview through your entire tenure.

We are clinically led and provide joined up care by bridging the gap between hospital and community services alongside regional specialist cancer care. Our main acute hospital site is in Guildford with community hospital sites at Milford, Haslemere and Cranleigh. We provide adult community health services in homes across Guildford and Waverley.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) have given us an overall rating of Outstanding.

Royal Surrey has a strong reputation and history to build on. We are proud of our achievements and we are investing in our colleagues through our commitment to supporting professional development as well as investing more than £45 million in our physical environment and new equipment in the next few years. There has never been a better time to join us.

Although it isn't the Trusts normal practice, adverts may close early, so you are encouraged to submit an application as soon as possible.

A video about the Royal Surrey - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R96pMboIYdo

Details Date posted

29 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8d

Salary

£93,540 to £107,535 a year per annum pro rata

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

9 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

384-ADO-B8d

Job locations

Royal Surrey Hospital

Egerton Road

Guildford

GU2 7XX

Job description Job responsibilities

The Royal Surrey is seeking to appoint an outstanding leader to take on the role of Associate Director of Operations for the Division of Access and Medicine on an interim basis, whilst the permanent incumbent takes a period of leave lasting around nine months.

We are hugely proud of the Royal Surrey. Our Urgent and Emergency Care services are consistently amongst the timeliest in the country; we have an innovative community focussed Frailty service, which has put in place an excellent and growing hospital at home service, and we have superb medical specialties that have grown to meet rising demand in recent years. Our cancer services are world-renowned and some of the best performing in the country. The Care Quality Commission rates our trust as Outstanding.

This role carries responsibility for the Urgent and Emergency Care services of the Trust (the Emergency Department, the Emergency Assessment Unit, the Ambulatory Emergency Centre) and seven further specialties across the Division (Frailty, Rheumatology, Neurology, Cardiology, Respiratory, Gastroenterology and Diabetes and Endocrinology), providing overall strategic direction and leadership to ensure the care we provide remains of outstanding quality. The role is responsible for the leadership, coordination and operational management of these services alongside the Chief of Service for Access and Medicine, and the Associate Director of Nursing for Access and Medicine.

Core to the role is oversight of delivery against key constitutional quality and safety standards; including the four hour operating standard for emergency care, referral to treatment times for all specialties (including cancer and non-cancer referrals), and the referral to test time for people who require diagnostic testing. The role is also responsible for patient flow through the acute hospital, ensuring that the principles of safe, timely care are followed and that all patients who are in the hospital meet the clinical criteria to reside. In addition, the role will take responsibility for oversight of budgets across all specialties within its remit, and for workforce planning. The post holder will lead and manage key areas including complaints, governance, risk, and quality improvement projects across the Division and will from time to time deputise for the Deputy Chief Operating Officer and Chief Operating Officer as required.

Interview Date: Thursday 21st August 2025

Job description Job responsibilities

The Royal Surrey is seeking to appoint an outstanding leader to take on the role of Associate Director of Operations for the Division of Access and Medicine on an interim basis, whilst the permanent incumbent takes a period of leave lasting around nine months.

We are hugely proud of the Royal Surrey. Our Urgent and Emergency Care services are consistently amongst the timeliest in the country; we have an innovative community focussed Frailty service, which has put in place an excellent and growing hospital at home service, and we have superb medical specialties that have grown to meet rising demand in recent years. Our cancer services are world-renowned and some of the best performing in the country. The Care Quality Commission rates our trust as Outstanding.

This role carries responsibility for the Urgent and Emergency Care services of the Trust (the Emergency Department, the Emergency Assessment Unit, the Ambulatory Emergency Centre) and seven further specialties across the Division (Frailty, Rheumatology, Neurology, Cardiology, Respiratory, Gastroenterology and Diabetes and Endocrinology), providing overall strategic direction and leadership to ensure the care we provide remains of outstanding quality. The role is responsible for the leadership, coordination and operational management of these services alongside the Chief of Service for Access and Medicine, and the Associate Director of Nursing for Access and Medicine.

Core to the role is oversight of delivery against key constitutional quality and safety standards; including the four hour operating standard for emergency care, referral to treatment times for all specialties (including cancer and non-cancer referrals), and the referral to test time for people who require diagnostic testing. The role is also responsible for patient flow through the acute hospital, ensuring that the principles of safe, timely care are followed and that all patients who are in the hospital meet the clinical criteria to reside. In addition, the role will take responsibility for oversight of budgets across all specialties within its remit, and for workforce planning. The post holder will lead and manage key areas including complaints, governance, risk, and quality improvement projects across the Division and will from time to time deputise for the Deputy Chief Operating Officer and Chief Operating Officer as required.

Interview Date: Thursday 21st August 2025

Person Specification Qualifications Essential

• First degree qualification
• Appropriate management and/or post graduate qualification or experience
• Master's Degree or equivalent years of experience

Desirable

• Project Management qualification

Knowledge and Experience Essential

• Experienced in developing both internal and external strategic partner relationships and alliances in progressing organisation operational issue resolution
• Experience of developing, establishing and maintaining strategic relationships with external commissioners and NHS regulatory bodies
• Experience of working with a diverse range of stakeholders including a successful track record of influence and engagement
• Experienced in strategic business planning and the presentation of complex business cases at Board level
• Experience of managing large, multi-stranded/cross division budgets from a range of income sources and demonstrable examples of how you have responded to financial insecurities and fluctuations
• Able to develop and implement strategic, multi stranded, operational strategies and respond strategically to future service requirements.
• Can demonstrate strategic development of new services and service initiatives across organisation boundaries
• Previous experience of developing, gaining support for and implementing and maintaining operations service policy, procedures and standards across organisations.
• Demonstrable track record of identifying, developing and achieving against cross organisational challenging cost efficiency targets
• Demonstrate a successful track record of delivering effective healthcare services as a senior manager or director in a large, multifaceted healthcare environment including staff management, financial management and change management
• Evidence of delivering successful strategic and operational performance management and clearly demonstrating improvement in the quality of service delivery at a strategic level; including business case preparation, service initiation ,contract negotiation, and the development and monitoring of outcome and output measures
• Experience of managing large, multi-stranded budgets from a range of income sources and demonstrable examples of how you have responded to financial insecurities and fluctuations.
• Demonstrable experience of advising on strategic options regarding service delivery. Experience of commissioning major service developments, including the introduction of new service lines
• Extensive in-depth demonstrable success in delivering change and performance with and through management teams, by engaging them in the strategic direction and delivery plans, establishing clear work priorities with them, delegating effectively, ensuring a capability to deliver, monitoring performance and giving feedback A strong track record of managing complexity and risk whilst maintaining high standards of service delivery. A comprehensive understanding of the changing NHS environment and the challenges it faces.
• Senior experience of developing demand forecasting a continuous business planning and programme/project management programmes resulting in positive value for money outcomes.
• Ability to be intellectually flexible and to look beyond existing structures, ways of working, boundaries and organisations to produce more effective and innovative service delivery and partnerships
• A commitment to improving patient services through an ability to sustain a clear performance focus on achieving demanding goals
• Extensive experience of operational management at a senior level in the NHS or within an equivalent healthcare setting

Person Specification Qualifications Essential

• First degree qualification
• Appropriate management and/or post graduate qualification or experience
• Master's Degree or equivalent years of experience

Desirable

• Project Management qualification

Knowledge and Experience Essential

• Experienced in developing both internal and external strategic partner relationships and alliances in progressing organisation operational issue resolution
• Experience of developing, establishing and maintaining strategic relationships with external commissioners and NHS regulatory bodies
• Experience of working with a diverse range of stakeholders including a successful track record of influence and engagement
• Experienced in strategic business planning and the presentation of complex business cases at Board level
• Experience of managing large, multi-stranded/cross division budgets from a range of income sources and demonstrable examples of how you have responded to financial insecurities and fluctuations
• Able to develop and implement strategic, multi stranded, operational strategies and respond strategically to future service requirements.
• Can demonstrate strategic development of new services and service initiatives across organisation boundaries
• Previous experience of developing, gaining support for and implementing and maintaining operations service policy, procedures and standards across organisations.
• Demonstrable track record of identifying, developing and achieving against cross organisational challenging cost efficiency targets
• Demonstrate a successful track record of delivering effective healthcare services as a senior manager or director in a large, multifaceted healthcare environment including staff management, financial management and change management
• Evidence of delivering successful strategic and operational performance management and clearly demonstrating improvement in the quality of service delivery at a strategic level; including business case preparation, service initiation ,contract negotiation, and the development and monitoring of outcome and output measures
• Experience of managing large, multi-stranded budgets from a range of income sources and demonstrable examples of how you have responded to financial insecurities and fluctuations.
• Demonstrable experience of advising on strategic options regarding service delivery. Experience of commissioning major service developments, including the introduction of new service lines
• Extensive in-depth demonstrable success in delivering change and performance with and through management teams, by engaging them in the strategic direction and delivery plans, establishing clear work priorities with them, delegating effectively, ensuring a capability to deliver, monitoring performance and giving feedback A strong track record of managing complexity and risk whilst maintaining high standards of service delivery. A comprehensive understanding of the changing NHS environment and the challenges it faces.
• Senior experience of developing demand forecasting a continuous business planning and programme/project management programmes resulting in positive value for money outcomes.
• Ability to be intellectually flexible and to look beyond existing structures, ways of working, boundaries and organisations to produce more effective and innovative service delivery and partnerships
• A commitment to improving patient services through an ability to sustain a clear performance focus on achieving demanding goals
• Extensive experience of operational management at a senior level in the NHS or within an equivalent healthcare setting

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).

Additional information 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).

Employer details Employer name

Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Royal Surrey Hospital

Egerton Road

Guildford

GU2 7XX

Employer's website

https://www.royalsurrey.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details Employer name

Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Royal Surrey Hospital

Egerton Road

Guildford

GU2 7XX

Employer's website

https://www.royalsurrey.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)