Deputy Director of Hospital Operational Readiness

NHS England; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 109,000 - 126,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare organization in the United Kingdom seeks a Deputy Director of Hospital Operational Readiness. This pivotal role involves providing operational expertise for new hospital developments and transforming healthcare delivery. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in acute settings and a strong background in operational readiness. Competitive salary offered ranges between £109,179 and £125,637 per year. Candidates should thrive in complex environments and be willing to lead innovative change.

Qualifications

• Experience in leadership within a new acute hospital build programme.
• Extensive operational knowledge in an acute hospital setting.
• Understanding of operational readiness for hospital openings.

Responsibilities

• Provide operational expertise during design meetings.
• Support strategic and operational development of the team.
• Lead key programmes for transformation and innovation.

Skills

Highly developed communication skills

Ability to analyze complex information

Problem-solving for emergency situations

Experience with budgetary responsibilities

Demonstrable presentation skills

Education

Relevant qualifications in acute hospital care

Educated to master's level or equivalent

Job description

Deputy Director of Hospital Operational Readiness

The New Hospital Programme is more than building hospitals, it's a once in a generation opportunity to shape the future of healthcare in England. We're delivering over 40 new hospitals that will be modern, sustainable and built around the needs of patients and staff. We're looking for people who care about purpose, who thrive in complex environments and who want to help deliver change at scale for future generations.

Main duties of the job

We're looking for a highly experienced individual with knowledge and experience at senior operational management level of acute hospital services to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of delivering healthcare in new facilities. Applicants should have experience of planning and successfully delivering clinical services operationally through a capital build programme in addition to experience of leading the safe operational activation of the new facility. As part of our forward-thinking Hospital Operations team, you'll lead on key programmes that drive transformation, innovation, and value for money across operational planning, commissioning, and service delivery.

What you'll do

• Provide operational expertise during design meetings, business case reviews, and operational readiness planning activities
• Develop guidance and support products for the New Hospital Programme in collaboration with stakeholders
• Work with the wider teams and build an evidence-based operating model for the new hospital
• Support the Hospital Operations Director to deliver the strategic and operational development of the New Hospital Programme operational readiness team, including business planning and resourcing.
• Support the complete hospital operations portfolio and deputise for the Hospital Operations Director

About us

The NHS England board have set out the top-level purpose for the new organisation to lead the NHS in England to deliver high-quality services for all, which will inform the detailed design work and we will achieve this purpose by:

• Enabling local systems and providers to improve the health of their people and patients and reduce health inequalities.
• Making the NHS a great place to work, where our people can make a difference and achieve their potential.
• Working collaboratively to ensure our healthcare workforce has the right knowledge, skills, values and behaviours to deliver accessible, compassionate care
• Optimising the use of digital technology, research, and innovation

If you would like to know more or require further information, please visit https://www.england.nhs.uk/.

Colleagues with a contractual office base are expected to spend, on average, at least 40% of their time working in-person.

Staff recruited from outside the NHS will usually be appointed at the bottom of the pay band.

If successful at interview, we will initiate an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) via the Electronic Staff Record (ESR). This retrieves key data from your current or previous NHS employer to support onboarding, including competency status, Continuous Service Dates (CSD), and annual leave entitlement. You may opt out at any stage of the recruitment process.

Job responsibilities

You can find further details about the role, including key responsibilities and accountabilities, alongside the organisational structure and person specification in the attached Job Description and other supporting documents.

For more information on the NHP programme

Due to ongoing organisational change and developments, aspects of this role may be subject to change.

By applying for this position, you acknowledge and understand that NHS England is currently undergoing a consultation process to finalise its structure, which may impact this role.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Hold relevant qualifications in acute hospital care / operational delivery.
• Educated to masters level or equivalent level of experience of working at a senior nurse operational level in specialist area

Knowledge

• Have experience of a leadership role within a new acute hospital build programme, guiding the operational team / clinical department through build, commissioning and activation into new estate
• Extensive knowledge and experience at an operational senior level within an acute hospital setting. This would be at Deputy Director of near Board level
• Have extensive knowledge of operational readiness, including safely opening hospital and optimising operational performance
• Must have an understanding of the background to and aims of current healthcare policy and appreciate the implications of this on engagement
• Have a working knowledge to problem solving for emergency situations and have managed critical / major incidents within an acute hospital environment.
• Experience of budgetary responsible, including budget setting with evidence of working knowledge of financial processes

Skills

• Highly developed communication skills with the capability to analyse, review and make sense of highly complex, sensitive or contentious information across a diverse range of subjects relevant to post portfolio.
• Demonstrable skills in presenting complex concepts and information which may include difficult and controversial issues, across a wide range of audiences
• Ability to identify risks, anticipate issues and create solutions and to resolve problems in relation to project or service delivery
• Ability to understand a broad range of complex information quickly and making decisions where opinions differ/no obvious solution
• Interpreting national policy for implementation
• Experience of delivering against competing priorities and deadlines while also directing the work of teams/individuals

£109,179 to £125,637 a yearper annum (Exclusive of London Weighting)