Deputy Director of Unscheduled Care and Interface

NHS Scotland; Scotland; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is seeking an exceptional senior leader to join its Unscheduled Care and Interface Division as Deputy Director of Unscheduled Care and Interface. Reporting to the Director, you will translate strategic priorities into day‑to‑day delivery across acute and community services and partner organisations.

You will lead the development and operation of the Command Centre, bringing real‑time intelligence, demand and capacity information, performance monitoring and

Qualifications

• Significant senior management experience within the NHS or a comparable healthcare system.
• Experience leading urgent or unscheduled care and hospital operations.
• Proven ability to deliver measurable improvements in operational performance and patient experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide senior operational leadership for the NHSGGC Command Centre and Interface function, ensuring effective coordination across the unscheduled care system.
• Lead the development and implementation of a new operating model with clear processes for oversight, escalation, decision-making and accountability.
• Drive improvements in patient flow, access, capacity utilisation, admission avoidance and timely discharge.
• Collaborate with acute sectors, HSCPs and partner organisations to improve pathways and reduce delays.
• Develop an intelligence-led approach to operational management using dashboards and data to inform decisions.
• Lead improvement programmes and support development of virtual hospital and hospital-at-home services.
• Ensure governance, risk management and financial management within your portfolio.
• Lead and develop teams, fostering inclusion, collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Support winter planning, surge management and organisational resilience.

Skills

Senior leadership

NHS experience

Strategic planning

Partnership working

Education

Master's degree (healthcare management / business administration)

Job description

This post if only open to current employees of NHS Scotland Health Boards

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde - Deputy Director of Unscheduled Care and Interface

Senior Leadership Opportunity - Executive and Senior Manager Grade D (Indicative)

Fixed Term or Secondment opportunity until Match 2028

Help shape the future of unscheduled care across Scotland’s largest NHS Boards.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is seeking an exceptional, dynamic and forward-thinking senior leader to join its Unscheduled Care and Interface Division as Deputy Director of Unscheduled Care and Interface.

This is a significant leadership opportunity for an experienced healthcare professional who can bring strategic vision, operational expertise and strong partnership-working skills to a complex and fast-moving healthcare environment.

With responsibility for supporting the development and operational delivery of the NHSGGC Command Centre and Interface services, the successful candidate will play a pivotal role in improving patient flow, strengthening system-wide coordination and ensuring patients receive safe, effective and person-centred care in the most appropriate setting.

The Opportunity

Reporting to the Director of Unscheduled Care and Interface, you will provide visible, senior operational leadership, translating strategic priorities into effective day-to-day delivery across acute services, community services and partner organisations.

You will lead the development and ongoing operation of the Command Centre, bringing together real-time operational intelligence, demand and capacity information, performance monitoring and escalation processes to support timely decision‑making across the system.

Working closely with Sector leadership teams, clinical and professional colleagues, Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs), primary care, mental health services and the Scottish Ambulance Service, you will help drive improvements across urgent and unscheduled care pathways.

This role offers the opportunity to make a tangible difference to the way healthcare services work together, supporting innovation, improving patient experience and building a more resilient and sustainable system.

What You Will Be Responsible For

• Provide senior operational leadership for the NHSGGC Command Centre and Interface function, ensuring effective coordination across the unscheduled care system.
• Lead the development and implementation of a new operating model, establishing clear processes for system oversight, escalation, decision‑making and accountability.
• Drive improvements in patient flow, access, capacity utilisation, admission avoidance and timely discharge.
• Work collaboratively with acute sectors, HSCPs and partner organisations to improve pathways and reduce avoidable delays.
• Develop an intelligence‑led approach to operational management, using performance dashboards, predictive information and data to inform decisions.
• Lead delegated improvement programmes, supporting innovation and the development of virtual hospital and hospital‑at‑home services.
• Ensure effective governance, risk management, performance reporting and financial management within your delegated portfolio.
• Lead, motivate and develop teams, fostering a culture of inclusion, collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement.
• Support winter planning, surge management, emergency preparedness and organisational resilience.
• Deputise for the Director of Unscheduled Care and Interface within an agreed portfolio and scheme of delegation.

About You

We are looking for an accomplished senior operational leader with a strong track record of delivering change and improvement within a complex healthcare environment.

You will bring:

• Significant senior management experience within the NHS or a comparable healthcare system.
• Experience of leading urgent or unscheduled care, hospital operations, patient flow or complex service delivery.
• A proven ability to deliver measurable improvements in operational performance, access, quality and patient experience.
• Strong strategic thinking, analytical skills and the ability to make sound decisions in challenging and pressured environments.
• Experience of leading multidisciplinary teams and influencing across organisational and professional boundaries.
• A track record of successful partnership working across acute, community and primary care services.
• Strong financial, workforce, governance and performance management experience.
• An inclusive and compassionate leadership style, with a commitment to staff development, wellbeing and continuous improvement.

You will normally be educated to Master's degree level or have equivalent knowledge and expertise gained through substantial senior management experience, alongside relevant management qualifications or equivalent experience.

Why Join NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde?

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is the largest NHS Board in Scotland, serving a population of approximately 1.3 million people.

With around 42,000 employees, services delivered across 35 hospitals and more than 60 health centres and clinics, and working in partnership with six Health and Social Care Partnerships, we offer an environment where leadership can have a significant and lasting impact.

Joining us means becoming part of an organisation committed to innovation, collaboration and improving outcomes for the communities we serve.

This is an opportunity to influence system-wide change, shape new models of care and contribute to the future direction of unscheduled care across Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

Our Commitment to You

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is committed to creating a supportive, inclusive and high‑performing environment where leaders can thrive and make a difference.

We encourage applications from all sections of the community and are proud of our diverse workforce. As a Forces Friendly Employer, we welcome applications from across the Armed Forces community and recognise the value of military experience.

Be Part of Something Bigger

This is your opportunity to take on a defining leadership role – one that combines scale, challenge and purpose.