Head of Imaging Services

Transformation Unit; Bournemouth; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 92,000; Full time

Job summary

University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust seeks an exceptional Head of Imaging Services to provide strategic and operational leadership across imaging and diagnostic services. You will lead multi-site teams to deliver safe, high-quality, patient-centred services while driving transformation and efficiency.

The role requires substantial senior leadership experience in NHS imaging, strong financial management, and a track record of leading large-scale service change.

Qualifications

• Current HCPC registration as Diagnostic Radiographer.
• Postgraduate qualification (master’s level) in clinical or managerial leadership.
• Experience leading imaging/diagnostic services and transformational change.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and service planning across imaging.
• Deliver performance standards and workforce development.
• Oversee financial management and budgetary control.
• Drive digital transformation and governance in imaging services.
• Build partnerships with clinical leaders and external partners.

Skills

Leadership

Financial management

Change management

Stakeholder engagement

Strategic planning

Education

HCPC Registration as Diagnostic Radiographer

Clinical/managerial Postgraduate qualification (master’s level)

Tools

PACS/RIS

Job description

Main area Head of Service Grade NHS AfC: Band 8c Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Participation in General Manager oncall rota) Job ref 153-SP06761

Employer University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Royal Bournemouth Hospital Town Bournemouth Salary £79,504 - £91,609 Additionally, participation in General Manager oncall rota Salary period Yearly Closing 27/09/2026 23:59

Head of Imaging Services

NHS AfC: Band 8c

As University Hospitals Dorset we are a three site acute trust with ‘university hospital’ status through our partnership with Bournemouth University, working with an annual budget of £730m.

We offer highly regarded health services, employing some 10,000 staff. Our ambitious £500m transformation programme is well on the way to delivering state-of-the-art facilities over the next two years to meet the current and future healthcare needs of the populations we serve.

In an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with over seven miles of sandy beaches you’ll find inspirational opportunities to achieve your perfect work/life balance. With the New Forest and the Purbecks on our doorstep, we’re also less than three hours from London by road or train. The thriving towns of Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch give way to idyllic villages and unspoilt landscapes just minutes from our hospitals.

We believe that having a diverse workforce, and allowing people to be themselves, is essential in ensuring we offer an inclusive, welcoming and productive place to work.

We especially welcome applications from minority groups in the community who may be underrepresented in our workforce.

At UHD our active staff network groups are the Women's Network, Black Asian Minority Ethnic Group (BAME), Pride Network, European (EU), Pro Ability Staff Network, and the Armed Forces Support Group.

As a Trust we are proudly signed up to the Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant guaranteed interview schemes.

We are aware that some candidates may choose to use AI tools to support the preparation of their application. While this is not discouraged, we kindly remind applicants that submissions should remain an honest and accurate representation of your own experience and suitability. Personal integrity is an important part of the recruitment process.

Job overview

We are seeking an outstanding, innovative and inspirational leader to join our senior leadership team as Head of Imaging Services.

As Head of Imaging Services, you will provide strategic and operational leadership, ensuring safe, effective, high-quality and patient-centred services. Working closely with clinical, operational and care group colleagues, you will drive service transformation, improve productivity and performance, and support wider organisational objectives.

This is a pivotal role at a time of significant transformation and investment in diagnostic services. We are looking for a leader who can build on strong foundations while embracing innovation, technology and new ways of working.

You will lead a large, diverse workforce across multiple sites, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement.

The successful candidate will have substantial senior leadership experience, ideally in diagnostic or imaging services, with strong financial management, change leadership and stakeholder engagement skills.

We are seeking a visible, approachable leader with the vision and drive to deliver excellence. You will use data to inform decisions, lead change in complex environments, and balance patient outcomes, workforce sustainability, financial performance and strategic priorities.

Main duties of the job

We are looking for a dynamic and credible leader with:

• Significant senior leadership experience within healthcare services, ideally diagnostic or imaging services
• A proven track record of delivering operational performance and service improvement
• Strong financial and contractual management skills
• Experience leading large, multidisciplinary teams through change and transformationExcellent stakeholder engagement and partnership-working abilities
• A commitment to quality, patient experience, and continuous improvement
• Degree-level education or equivalent professional experience, with evidence of ongoing leadership development

Working for our organisation

UHD are investing, developing and transforming Trust services in line with the New Hospital Programme. As part of this, some services may move site this year or next, either temporarily or permanently. Recruiting Managers will be happy to answer any service-specific questions at interview.

UHD has active networks including Women’s, BAME, Pride, EU, Pro Ability, and Armed Forces. We support Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant interview schemes.

AI tools may be used, but applications must honestly reflect your own skills and experience. Integrity is key to our recruitment process.

If a role or service relocates as part of a planned move, excess mileage will not be reimbursed. Travel from home to the new work base will be classed as a normal commute. Any other changes will be managed under Trust or national terms and conditions.

This role requires HCPC Registration.

Base Locations: All sites

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Reporting to the Care Group Director of Operations, you will be responsible for the overall management and development of imaging services, including:

• Strategic leadership and service planning across Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging
• Delivery of national and local performance standards, including diagnostic waiting time targets
• Workforce planning, recruitment, retention, and staff development
• Financial management, budgetary control, and business planning
• Quality improvement, governance, patient safety, and regulatory compliance
• Leading service redesign, innovation, and digital transformation initiatives
• Developing productive relationships with clinical leaders, operational teams, regional networks, and external partners

You will play a pivotal role in shaping the future direction of imaging services, ensuring patients receive timely access to high-quality diagnostics while delivering excellent value for money.

Experience of leading diagnostic service transformation, digital imaging programmes, or capacity and demand improvement initiatives would be highly desirable.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Current professional registration with The HCPC as a Diagnostic Radiographer
• Clinical and/or managerial Postgraduate (master’s level) qualification(s)
• Evidence of further personal development
• Evidence of formal management development and current professional development activity
• Evidence of experience in advanced/extended scope Radiographic practice
• Evidence of training in change management

Experience

• Significant senior leadership experience within an NHS or comparable healthcare environment.
• Personal experience of managing and implementing a significant programme of change or service development
• Experience as an effective senior leader, demonstrating leadership skills and the ability to motivate others
• Experience of human resource management including recruitment, appraisal, performance monitoring, staff development and discipline
• Experience of financial and budget management, including delivery of an efficiency improvement plan
• Experience of influencing the decision-making process in complex environments
• Proven pro-active approach to problem solving
• Excellent analytical and interpretative skills enabling the development, planning and implementation of service changes
• Experience managing complex multidisciplinary services.
• Evidence of strategic planning (able to work towards a clear vision of the future while ensuring that shorter term goals are met)
• Experience of leading oversight and improvement across a clinical governance and patient safety agenda
• Experience of managing competing organisational priorities.
• Experience in participation in hospital on-call service with an acute trust.
• Experience in Asset Management and Procurement
• Previous experience as Head of Imaging Services or Head of Radiology
• Experience of leading large-scale transformation
• Experience of regional or system-wide diagnostic programmes
• Experience of major capital schemes and equipment replacement
• Experience of PACS/RIS implementation or digital transformation

Skills

• Ability to apply appropriate management techniques and skills
• Ability to performance manage across all disciplines
• Excellent organisational and time management skills with the ability to prioritise work and to meet deadlines under pressure
• Excellent negotiation and persuasive skills enabling effective arbitration and conflict resolution.
• Comprehensive understanding of data protection, freedom of information and confidentiality issues Excellent presentation skills and the ability to write clear and concise managerial
• Excellent leadership skills with evidence of being an effective team player

Knowledge

• Detailed understanding of NHS operational and strategic priorities.
• Knowledge of diagnostic imaging pathways.
• Understanding of imaging demand and capacity management.
• Knowledge of clinical governance and patient safety.
• Understanding of workforce planning and skill mix.
• Knowledge of equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Understanding of relevant regulatory and professional requirements.
• Sound knowledge of Clinical Governance and Health & safety issues, including the ability to undertake risk assessments
• Knowledge of professional & NHS policies and guidelines relating to service provision
• Knowledge of national diagnostic transformation programmes.
• Knowledge of PACS, RIS and electronic patient records.
• Understanding of AI and emerging imaging technologies.
• Knowledge of regional imaging networks.

Please note:

Staff recruited are expected to be available to work flexibly across all our Trust locations to meet service demands.

This advert may be closed early if sufficient applications are received.

COVID-19 vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself and our patients from the virus when working in our healthcare settings. Whilst this vaccination is not a condition of employment we do encourage our staff to get vaccinated.

Internal Candidates: staff employed prior to merger who voluntarily change jobs will be appointed to UHD terms and conditions.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.