Associate Operations Manager - MSK Directorate

Cambridge University Hospitals; Cambridge; À distance; GBP 67 000 - 77 000; Plein temps

Avantages offerts par ce poste

On-site leisure facilities

Shopping concourse and day nurseries

Subsidised staff parking

Résumé du poste

Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an experienced Associate Operations Manager to lead the MSK Directorate in Division A. The role involves deputising for the Operations Manager, delivering targets within budget, and guiding service improvements across clinical pathways.

You will work with clinical and operational colleagues to optimise patient care, governance, and risk management while supporting capital and regional projects in a demanding NHS environment.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in senior operational management within a clinical area.
• Experience in improvement and service transformation.
• Evidence of continuing professional development (CPD).
• Ability to deputise for senior leaders and lead on NHS-specific projects.

Responsabilités

• Deputise over the whole business unit with autonomy and authority.
• Manage designated service areas and deliver key targets within budget.
• Lead service improvement, capital projects and regional initiatives where applicable.
• Oversee governance processes and risk management within the unit.

Connaissances

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Communication

Programme management

Budget management

Formation

First Degree Level

Masters level or higher

CPD

Improvement Coach qualification (Prince II / Six Sigma / Lean)

Description du poste

Associate Operations Manager - MSK Directorate

Band 8b

Main area Division A - Associate Operations Manager Grade Band 8b Contract 6 months (Secondment / Fixed Term) Hours

• Full time
• Part time
• Flexible working

37.5 hours per week (Full Time or Part Time / Flexible working hours may be considered.) Job ref 180-A-CVA1332

Employer Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Addenbrookes Hospital-Division A Town Cambridge Salary £66,582 - £77,368 p.a. pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 15/11/2026 23:59 Interview date 24/11/2026

Job overview

Are you an experienced operational leader looking for your next challenge? Do you have the vision, drive and leadership skills to make a real difference to the delivery of high-quality patient care?

This is a fantastic opportunity for an ambitious leader to take on a key operational role, working with autonomy and authority to support the delivery of services, in the MSK directorate.

You will play a pivotal role in the effective management and performance of your designated service areas, ensuring the delivery of key operational targets within available resources.

You will work closely with clinical and operational colleagues, senior medical staff and divisional leaders to support service development, improve pathways and ensure services continue to meet the needs of our patients and the organisation.

We are looking for a confident, proactive and resilient operational leader with the ability to manage complex services, influence stakeholders and deliver sustainable improvements in a demanding healthcare environment.

Main duties of the job

The key focus of this post will be to deputise over the wholebusiness unit, working with autonomy and authority to act on behalf of the Operations Manager. Such duties would include restructuring of teams and changes to service or pathway delivery. Deputise for senior leaders within the Division in both planned and unplanned scenarios.

The post holder will manage the service areas they are responsible for, ensuring the delivery of key targets within the budgeted resources available. They will contribute to strategic and annual business planning for the business unit, including the engagement of senior medical and other staff, as required. They will also lead the planning, development and implementation of service improvement, capital and other projects for the business unit for both internal and regional where appropriate.

They will lead clinical governance processes within their business unit and assist in the management of risk.

Working for our organisation

Our Trust

Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust comprises Addenbrooke's Hospital and the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge. With over 13,000 staff and over 1100 beds the priorities of the Trust focus on a quality service which is all about people - patients, staff and partners. Recognised as providing 'outstanding' care to our patients and rated 'Good' overall by the Care Quality Commissioner, is testament to the skill and dedication of the people who work here. CUH's values - Together - Safe, Kind, Excellent - are at the heart of patient care, defining the way all staff work and behave. The Trust provides accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge, together with specialist services, dealing with rare or complex conditions for a regional, national and international population.

CUH is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where we can all be ourselves. We value our differences and fully advocate and support an inclusive working environment where every individual can fulfil their potential. We want to ensure our people are truly representative of all the communities that we serve. We welcome applications for all positions in the organisation irrespective of people's age, disability, ethnicity, race, nationality, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity status or social economic background.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.

Please note:- Internal applicants on permanent contracts can apply for this post as a secondment or fixed term contract. For secondments you must have the approval of your line manager before applying. If you are an internal applicant currently on a fixed term contract you are able to apply for this as a fixed term position.

This vacancy will close at midnight on 15th November 2026.

Interviews are due to be held on 24th November 2026.

All appointments with a start date on or after 1 October 2026 will be subject to a 12-week probationary period. This provides a structured and supportive period to help you settle into your role, with regular reviews and feedback.

Right to Work

As there is a 12-week probationary period, successful candidates are expected to have the Right to Work for a period of at least 6 months from the proposed start date. Immigration and Right to Work status will be discussed with successful candidates at conditional offer. CUH will not offer sponsorship to candidates that have applied for a fee waiver.

Benefits to you

• We want to do all we can to support good working days.
• We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries.
• Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site.
• Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals.
• We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.
• On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues.
• Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only café, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge.
• CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times.
• Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.

We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.

Qualifications

• Educated to First Degree Level or equivalent (A)
• Educated to masters level or equivalent level of experience of working at a senior level in specialist areas (A)
• Evidence of CPD (A)
• Completion of or willingness to work towards CUH Improvement Coach status (I)
• Project Management or Improvement and Transformation Qualification (Prince II, Six Sigma or Lean) (A)

Experience

• Proven experience in senior operational management within a clinical area covering multiple specialities and pathways. Knowledge of inpatient, outpatient and diagnostic requirements of pathways.(A)
• Proven experience in improvement and service transformation(A/I)
• Experience in the development and use of a range of IT systems(A/I)
• Proven experience of managing a team including; o Appraisal skills o Recruitment and selection skills o Disciplinary and capability procedures o Experience in workforce planning to ensure service continuity
• Evidence of continuing professional development(A/I)
• Experience in finance, policy and service development changes(A/I)
• Substantial proven experience of budget management on a large scale (including activity planning)
• Proven experience of establishing and leading on national strategic work in relation to policy development, operations and systems(A/I)
• Experience in delivering complex healthcare-related improvement projects and programmes and working alongside senior clinical and operational professionals(A/I)

Knowledge

• Extensive knowledge of Operational strategy and policy within the Trust, region and NHS. Including an understanding of tertiary treatment pathways, and the commissioning of new pathways and services. (A/I)
• Knowledge of audit and governance frameworks(A/I)
• Knowledge and understanding of best practice risk management processes(A/I)
• Must have an comprehensive understanding of the background to and aims of current healthcare policy and appreciate the implications of this on engagement (A/I)
• Comprehensive understanding of the relationship between the Department of Health, NHS England and individual provider and commissioning organisations (A/I)
• Extensive knowledge of business and activity planning processes(A/I)
• Extensive knowledge of risk management processes(A/I)
• Knowledge of IT/technology used in a clinical environment
• Overview knowledge and understanding of the NHS, including funding and organisational realities(A/I)
• Knowledge of research and development (A/I)

Skills

• Proven leadership skills at a senior management level (A/I)
• Excellent and effective verbal and written communication at a senior level(A/I)
• Proven written skills including business cases and Divisional Board Reports. (A/I)
• Proven ability to work in an organised manner and to high standards(A/I)
• Excellent presentation skills for conveying complex concepts to a range of audiences(A/I)
• Excellent attention to detail and the ability to meet multiple and competing deadlines(A/I)
• Problem solving/trouble shooting skills(A/I)
• Excellent skills in the use of Microsoft office applications (including Excel, Word and PowerPoint) and databases(A/I)
• Highly developed communication and negotiation skills for delivering key and contentious messages to a range of stakeholders both internal and external (including outside the NHS) to the organisation, some at very senior level(A/I)
• Ability to use informed persuasion to influence others(A/I)
• Ability to identify risks, anticipate issues and create solutions and to resolve problems in relation to or service delivery(A/I)
• Ability to understand a broad range of complex information quickly and making decisions where opinions differ/no obvious solution (A/I)
• Evidence of planning and delivering programmes and projects and services, on time (A/I)
• Financial and staff management (A/I)
• Ability to work without supervision, providing specialist advice to the organisation, working to tight and often changing timescales (A/I)
• Ability to deputise for senior leaders within the Division in both planned and unplanned scenarios (A/I)
• Ability to consider the most effective way to promote equality of opportunity and good working relationships in employment and service delivery and to take actions which support and promote this agenda. (A/I)
• Ability to build trusted stakeholder relationships and wide support networks in a political context(A/I)
• Ability to lead people with vision and integrity, demonstrating the courage to do the right thing. (A/I)
• Ability to motivate high performing teams, mobilising individuals and team goals(A/I)
• Ability to build effective partnerships, common purpose and shared understanding across a range of diverse and competing views (A/I)
• Competent at working with quantative and qualitative data to deliver relevant, robust and action-oriented conclusions(A/I)

Additional Requirements

• Prepared to be flexible in relation to working hours (A/I)
• Team working skills (A/I)
• Self-motivated (A/I)
• Ability to move between details and the bigger picture(A/I)
• Demonstrates honesty and integrity and promotes organisational values (A/I)
• Embrace change, viewing it as an opportunity to learn and develop (A/I)
• Operate with a high degree of autonomy, able to exercise judgement and challenge both externally and internally to drive services forward and achieve its agreed outcomes, with minimal steer and input from senior staff(A/I)
• Be analytical and objective, ensuring that decisions are evidence-based, and aligned to the key principles of the transformation process. (A/I)
• Always have the best interest of patients and staff at the centre of any plans(A/I)
• The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of safe, kind, excellent. (A/I)

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Name Federico Santoro
Job title Associate Director of Operations (Acting)
Email address [e-mail]
Telephone number 01223 586848
Additional information

Gill Love

Operations Manager - MSK

Division A

Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Ext 388178 |01223 388178