Deputy Divisional Director of Operations for Specialist Division

NHS; Brighton; On-site; GBP 76,000 - 89,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare trust in Brighton is seeking a motivated Deputy Divisional Director of Operations to oversee performance management and service delivery in the Specialist Division. This permanent role requires significant NHS operational management experience, resilience and the ability to lead in a complex environment. The successful candidate will work closely with various departments to ensure service quality and performance standards are met, while providing leadership and strategic direction.

Benefits

Flexible working options

Comprehensive wellbeing programme

Qualifications

• Significant experience in a senior operational management role.
• Ability to deal with complex information and data.
• Experience working in partnership with various stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead performance management and service delivery within the Division.
• Make operational decisions and manage budget spending.
• Represent the Division in meetings and strategic planning.
• Communicate clear messages to staff and stakeholders.

Skills

Operational management experience

Analytical skills

Problem-solving skills

Collaboration and partnership management

Job description

Overview

Deputy Divisional Director of Operations - Specialist Division We have an extremely exciting opportunity for you to join our team as Deputy Divisional Director of Operations for Specialist Division Division. Reporting to the Divisional Director of Operations, this role forms a key part of our Divisional Management team and works closely with clinical, operational and corporate colleagues across the Trust and beyond. As Deputy Director of Operations, you will lead on all aspects of performance management and service delivery within the Division. You will work together with our colleagues to ensure that quality, performance, constitutional standards, CIP and budgetary targets are monitored and delivered.

This role provides an excellent opportunity to develop and progress your career into a Director of Operations, with support from the current Divisional Director to achieve this progression. We are seeking a motivated and influential leader who is partnership led and who has significant operational management experience within the NHS. This is a tough but rewarding role and the successful post holder will need to have strong personal resilience to deal with the day-to-day pressures of leading large and complex services through the busiest time the NHS has ever seen.

Your duties will be completed with passion whilst leading and motivating from the front, promoting the trusts value of compassion, communication, teamwork, respect, professionalism and inclusion; allowing your staff to thrive and deliver outstanding patient care.

About us

At UHSussex (UHSx), diversity is our strength, & we want you to feel included to help us always put the Patient First. Your uniqueness & experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of Staff Networks to help break down barriers, & can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We\'re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2) & a Veteran Aware Trust.

We treat our patients & staff with the same compassion & empathy we expect for ourselves. We\'re here for them when they need us, and we go above & beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in our candidate information pack & wellbeing programme,for staff which is extensive & designed to support you when you need it, including where possible, flexible working to support work life balance - because we know that to look after others we must first look after ourselves.

As a university trust and a leader in healthcare research, we value learning, teaching & training so that we can be the best that we can be. From the moment you start with us & throughout your career we will help you to grow & develop.We hope that in choosing UHSx you are choosing a long & happy career where you will be able to see the difference you make & feel valued for all that you do.

We look forward to receiving your application & the start of your journey with UHSx.

Candidate Information Pack: https://www.uhsussex.nhs.uk/resources/candidate-information-pack/

Details

Date posted: 30 September 2025

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 8c

Salary: £76,965 to £88,682 a year per annum

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Full-time

Reference number: 279-7466156-SEP25

Job locations: Brighton RSCH, East Street Brighton, Brighton, BN2 5BE

Job responsibilities

• As Deputy and in the absence of the Divisional Director of Operations (DDO):
• Lead on all aspects of performance management and service delivery within the Division.
• Take operational decisions including budget spend for any urgent short-term operational issues. Support the Hospital-wide operational functions providing leadership and decision making as required including escalation/liaison to external agencies where appropriate.
• Represent the Division and Trust at meetings as required for example: Divisional Strategic Deployment Review (SDR) meetings, Executive level committees and sub-committees, efficiency meetings, workforce transformation meetings
• Chair meetings in place of the DDO where appropriate
• Lead the strategic development of designated services, in partnership with the DDO and Chief of Service.
• In the absence of the DDO, have delegated responsibility for budgets across the division.
• Provide specialist knowledge of a range of services, policies and practices.

Work with / Strategic planning

• Work in conjunction with the Divisional Director of Operations (DDO):
• Ensure alignment of the Trusts strategic direction and resulting activities of the Division.
• Translate service strategy into robust management, financial and business planning activities across the Division, with the support and advice of other managers and clinicians.
• Ensure that the Division works actively and collaboratively with colleagues in the local ICS.
• Ensure service policy developments are in line with national directives and local frameworks.
• Direct management responsibility for specified Directorate(s) within the division, to be agreed in conjunction with the Divisional Director of Operations (DDO).
• Communicate clear and positive messages to staff, the Divisional Board, other parts of the Trust and key stakeholders. Translate highly complex information into easy to disseminate communications.
• In partnership with the Divisional Management Team contribute to the strategic development of the Divisional services through local innovation and service improvements.
• Lead improvement projects for designated objectives; from identifying and defining the problem through the identification of top contributors, engagement with others, development and implementation of mitigating actions to monitoring performance and improvement.
• Contribute to the development of guidelines ensuring policies and procedures are up to date, available, developed within the Trust format and that they take account of any NHS or legislative changes

-- Please see Job Description & Person Specs for full details --

This role is eligible for visa sponsorship under the UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker route. Sponsorship can only be provided where applicants meet the specific requirements set by UKVI, including the relevant skill and salary thresholds, and any role-specific criteria.

Person Specification

Experience Essential

• Significant experience at senior operational management role
• Analytical and problem-solving skills in dealing with complex information and data.
• Ability to collaborate effectively and maintain successful partnerships
• Experienced manager on the on-call rota

Desirable

• Proven experience of planning and organising at a strategic level with highly complex and conflicting priorities
• Proven track record as a leader and professional role model

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Essential

• Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role).
• Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues

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.

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.

Employer details

University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (279)

Address: Brighton RSCH, East Street Brighton, Brighton, BN2 5BE

Employer's website: https://www.uhsussex.nhs.uk/