Divisional Director

Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust; Chester; On-site; GBP 94,000 - 109,000; Full time

Job summary

Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in Chester is seeking a Divisional Director for Urgent and Emergency Care. This full-time permanent role offers 37.5 hours per week and a salary between £94,356 and £108,814 per annum.

You will lead strategic planning and operational delivery for the division, driving safety, quality and financial performance while developing teams and clinical pathways in collaboration with medical and nursing leadership.

Qualifications

• Relevant degree or equivalent experience in a related field.
• Masters degree or significant proven experience in improvement methodology.
• Extensive experience in a senior management role within the NHS or a large multi-functional environment.

Responsibilities

• Strategic planning and operational management to meet safety, quality, service performance and financial targets.
• Collaborate with Associate Medical Director and Associate Director of Nursing to improve services and clinical pathways.
• Lead and develop division teams while embedding Trust values and behaviours.

Skills

Senior management

NHS leadership

Strategic planning

People leadership

Education

Masters degree or equivalent

Relevant degree or equivalent experience

Job description

Main area Urgent Care Division Grade Band 8d Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Part of the Executive On-Call Rota) Job ref 210-2026-621-A

Site Countess of Chester Hospital Town Chester Salary £94,356 - £108,814 pa Salary period Yearly Closing 20/09/2026 23:59

Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, staff pride themselves on not only leading through clinical excellence, but also by creating an environment where all staff are valued and appreciated. To achieve this, the Trust has embarked on an exciting new strategy focused on continuous improvement.

Our vision is to improve the lives of our community and provide excellence in healthcare, through partnership and innovation

Our High Performance Culture will support everyone to be the best version of themselves by being true to our Trust vision, values and behaviours.
We welcome applications from colleagues from our local and neighbouring communities of all backgrounds and identities, who are currently under-represented within our region such as Black, Asian, Minority ethnic and those with disabilities.

As a region we are reviewing the way we work, and exploring how new working practices that support flexible working can create a positive work-life balance. As part of our recruitment process we will explore how our inclusive employment policies, flexible working, staff engagement forums, Trust facilities and services can be of mutual benefit.

Job overview

Divisional Director - Urgent and Emergency Care

Working Full time : 37.5 hours per week

Thank you for taking the time to read this advert for a very exciting vacancy within my senior team. I have been at the Trust for over four years, any we have made many improvements for our patients and our people. The improvement journey across Urgent and Emergency Care continues and I am looking for an experienced and visible leader to join my team.

We are working closely with system partners to ensure improvements get the right patient, to the right place to have the right care as soon as possible.

Our Emergency Services have had lots of investment including a new build SDEC and UTC, discharge lounge, additional resus space aa triage hub. Work will commence shortly to extend our space in our Clinical Decisions Unit

I am exceptionally proud of my senior team of operational leaders and all we have achieved together so far for our patients and you feel you have the experience and skills to be the accountable officer our most complex division please get in touch.

Cathy, Chief Operating Officer.

Main duties of the job

Accountable to the Chief Operating Officer, with delegated responsibility to the Deputy Chief Operating Officer, the Divisional Director is responsible for the strategic planning, operational management and delivery of the operational elements of patient care, ensuring that the key safety, quality, service performance, and financial objectives are met.

Working alongside the Associate Medical Director and Associate Director of Nursing the Divisional Director is responsible for ensuring maximum efficiency, promoting service improvement, optimum clinical pathways and ensuring regulatory targets and compliance against quality, risk and governance standards.

Leading the development, motivation, and inspiration of teams within the Division, the Divisional Director has overall responsibility for general management and their adherence to the Trust’s values and behaviours.

Working for our organisation

The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust provides services to West Cheshire and to Welsh patients covered by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The Trust works collaboratively within the wider Cheshire and Merseyside Health and Care Partnership. Its services are provided from three locations:

• The Countess of Chester Hospital: providing 438 general and acute beds.
• Ellesmere Port Hospital: providing 60 beds as a rehabilitation, intermediate and outpatient facility.
• Tarporley War Memorial Hospital: a base for community services which serve the local rural population.

The Trust employs over 6258 staff (headcount) which includes temporary bank staff and provides acute emergency and elective services, primary care direct access services and obstetric services to a population of approximately 407,000. This includes 357,000 residents in Chester and West Cheshire which includes Ellesmere Port and Neston as well as the Deeside area of Flintshire which has a population of approximately 50,000.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

See Job Description for further details.

Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values.

Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costswill be deducted from their salary over the first three months of employment.

You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of £16per year applies.

New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.

Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.

Good luck with your application.

Person specification

Qualification

• Relevant Degree or equivalent relevant experience
• Professional specialist knowledge covering more than one relevant discipline e.g. clinical services, finance, personnel, IT, gained through Masters Degree or significant proven experience
• Relevant qualification or experience in improvement methodology

Knowledge and Experience

• Extensive experience in a senior management role within the NHS or a large multi-functional public or commercial environment
• Demonstrate successful management of change within a large complex organisation
• Experience of developing business plans which support/deliver corporate and divisional objectives
• Demonstrate thorough knowledge of the NHS and the modernisation agenda particularly in relation to service delivery

Skills and Abilities

• Ability to influence, persuade and negotiate at all levels
• Ability to communicate effectively at all levels

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
If the role is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 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.

Enhanced DBS check applications that are submitted with omitted or incorrect information will be withdrawn. In the event errors are identified on your original application, a new application will need to be submitted and you will be required to pay the DBS application fee again.

The cost of the DBS application will be deducted from your salary over the first three months of employment.

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. Applicants requiring sponsorship may wish to determine the likelihood of obtaining sponsorship for this position by assessing themselves against the criteria on the gov.uk website - Check if you need a UK visa - GOV.UK

The Trust will not sponsor where the starting salary does not meet these immigration rules

For further details on skilled worker sponsorship, please consult the UK Home Office guidance: Skilled Worker visa: Overview - GOV.UK. Additionally, the New guidance for overseas applicants | NHS Employers provides helpful information on the recruitment process for candidates applying for roles in the UK.

Overseas candidates are responsible for their travel expenses.

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have 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 dependent's (over 18 years old) will also be subject to this requirement.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Application numbers

This vacancy may close early if it receives a high number of applications. Please complete and submit your application in good time to avoid disappointment.