Chief Operating Officer

The Methodist Church in Britain; Hampstead; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

NHS Pension scheme

Counselling & wellbeing services

Funding for care certificate / degree

CPD and rotational placements

Flexible working schemes

Staff discounts and benefits

Job summary

Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an experienced Executive Director to lead the operational portfolio across acute, community and specialist services. You will drive access, flow, elective recovery and urgent care, building a single operating model for the Trust while acting as Accountable Officer for emergency preparedness.

The role requires substantive COO or Deputy COO experience in a large multisite NHS trust, with a proven track record of delivering

Qualifications

• Substantive COO or Deputy COO experience from a large, multisite acute NHS trust.
• Experience of leading change in a turnaround or recovery context.
• Track record of sustained, measurable improvements in performance, productivity, quality and patient experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead the operational portfolio, delivering NHS standards and regulatory requirements.
• Improve access and flow, accelerate elective recovery and strengthen urgent care.
• Increase productivity and ensure resilience during periods of pressure and escalation.
• Build a high-performing operating model across the Trust.
• Work with Care Group triumvirates to strengthen accountability, governance and execution.
• Apply continuous improvement methods (GIRFT and 3Rs) to reduce unwarranted variation.
• Act as Accountable Officer for Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response.
• Lead on-call rota and contribute to executive decision-making.
• Turn strategy into delivery at ward, site and system level.
• Influence system-wide transformation across the local health and care system.

Skills

Operational leadership

COO experience

Change management

Performance improvement

Stakeholder collaboration

Job description

This Board-level Executive Director post sits on the Executive Team of Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. The postholder leads the operational portfolio across acute, community and specialist services, driving access, flow, elective recovery and urgent care. The role also builds a single operating model across Devon, acts as Accountable Officer for emergency preparedness and joins the Executive on-call rota. Applicants need substantive COO or Deputy COO experience from a large, multisite acute trust, including leading turnaround or recovery.

What the job involves

• Lead the operational portfolio, keeping patient outcomes central and delivering NHS constitutional standards and regulatory requirements
• Improve access and flow, accelerate elective recovery and strengthen urgent and emergency care
• Increase productivity and ensure resilience through periods of pressure and escalation
• Build and embed a single, high-performing operating model across the Trust
• Work with Care Group triumvirates to strengthen accountability, governance and execution, devolving ownership to clinical and operational leaders
• Apply continuous improvement approaches, including GIRFT and the 3Rs methodology, to remove unwarranted variation and redesign pathways
• Act as Accountable Officer for Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response and lead the Trust's response to major incidents and escalation
• Take a full part in the Executive Director on-call rota
• Set expectations, align priorities and turn strategy into delivery at ward, service, site and system level
• Work alongside the Chief Executive, Chief Medical Officer and Chief Nursing Officer as part of the senior clinical and operational leadership
• Influence system-wide transformation across the local health and care system

What's required

Experience

• Substantive COO or Deputy COO experience from a large, multisite acute NHS trust
• Experience of leading change in a turnaround or recovery context
• Track record of sustained, measurable improvements in performance, productivity, quality and patient experience

Skills & knowledge

• Strategic range combined with operational grip
• Visible and decisive under pressure
• Curiosity to challenge convention and inclusiveness to bring people with you
• Building trust with clinicians, staff, partners and regulators
• Creating clarity where there is complexity
• Holding self and others to account with fairness, integrity and compassion

What's offered

• 27 days paid annual leave plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days
• NHS Pension scheme
• Occupational health services, including counselling and onsite wellbeing activities
• Funding for a care certificate, degree or leadership qualifications
• Days off to study, CPD and rotational placements
• Flexible working schemes and family-friendly policies
• Staff discounts, Blue Light Card and Health Service Discounts
• Salary sacrifice options, including an onsite nursery in Exeter, car lease schemes and cycle to work