Head of Operations - Child Health

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

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in Ashford is seeking a Head of Operations to manage Child Health Services. The role involves providing leadership, ensuring efficient use of resources, and collaborating with various Care Groups to deliver high-quality patient services. Ideal candidates will have significant senior management experience in healthcare, excellent communication skills, and a strong track record of achieving performance objectives.

Qualifications

• Substantial experience of senior management in a multi-disciplinary healthcare environment.
• Proven track record of management of budgets and cost efficiencies.
• Experience of influencing at senior level to improve performance.

Responsibilities

• Oversee operational management of Child Health Services.
• Provide leadership and collaborate with Care Groups for quality services.
• Ensure Trust resources are used efficiently.

Skills

Senior management experience in healthcare

Budget management

Communication skills

Analytical skills

Education

Masters or equivalent professional development

Management qualification or relevant experience

Job description

Job summary

The Head of Operations is responsible for Operational management of the service, ensuring Trust resources are used to maximum efficiency, while ensuring safety, quality, and performance are delivered.

Main duties of the job

To be responsible for the operational management of Child Health Services including:

• Providing visible proactive leadership to the service, acting as the key senior lead for issues, challenges, and escalation.
• Work collaboratively with the Care Groups to provide assurance that robust systems for elective and non elective patient flow are in place and that quality patient led services are delivered consistently.
• Collaborate with Care Group teams, to ensure Trust wide operational priorities are identified and delivered on a daily basis with robust plans from the Care Group for out of hours.
• Provide leadership to the key functions of: Delivery of Business Plan, Delivery of RTT and non RTT pathways

Main duties of the job

The general duties of the post of Head of Operations is covered in the Job description. Listed below are areas which give context to the demands of the role and the requirement to recruit.

The post holder has overall responsibility for the day to day management of Child Health Services with responsibility for 13 sub- specialties with the support of a general manager.

Some of the sub-specialties have elective inpatients and day cases

The operational delivery of the services as a whole covers the whole Trust.

About us

We are one of the largest hospital trusts in England, with five hospitals and community clinics serving a local population of around 800,000 people. Our vision is 'great healthcare from great people'. Everything we do is guided by our values: 'People feel cared for, safe, respected and confident that we are making a difference'. We have a new way of working at East Kent Hospitals, called 'We care'. It\'s about empowering frontline staff to lead improvements day-to-day. We\'re looking for compassionate people to be part of our improvement journey for the patients, families and carers we care for every day.

Applications for this role should be written by the applicant. If artificial intelligence (AI) programmes are used then the application may be rejected due to this document being an important part of the assessment process. This does not prevent applicants seeking appropriate support with applications should they need to for the purposes of any declared disability.

Details

Date posted: 08 October 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, Flexible working

Reference number: 344-7296WCY

Job locations: William Harvey Hospital, Kennington Road, Ashford, TN24 0HZ

Job description

Please scroll down to access the full Job Description and Person Specification located in Documents to download.

If you have further queries please dont hesitate to get in touch using the contact details below.

Person Specification

Qualifications and training

• Essential: Masters or demonstration of equivalent substantial continuing professional development.
• Management qualification or relevant experience.

• Desirable: Qualification in management coaching or improvement

Skills and experience

• Essential: Substantial experience of senior management in a relevant healthcare provider, in a multi- disciplinary environment
• Experience of developing and/or sustaining a culture consistent with Trust values
• Proven track record of management of budgets, including development of cost efficiencies, income generation, capital planning and value for money service developments
• Track record of achievement of objectives, including delivery of performance objectives
• Experience of influencing at senior level within and across organisations to develop services and improve performance

Clinical governance

• Essential: Commitment to implementation and strengthening of clinical governance

Personal/professional attributes

• Essential: Environmental and political awareness.
• Excellent written and verbal communications, Interpersonal and influence skills
• High analytical and numeracy skills.
• High level of self-awareness and openness to self-improvement.

Other requirements

• Essential: Able to function in a multi-professional environment
• Ability to cope under pressure and work to ambitious deadlines
• Self-motivated, energetic and flexible, with well-developed interpersonal skills
• Personal resilience, self-awareness, determination to succeed

Disclosure and Sponsorship

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.

Certificates 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. Guidance on criminal records checks for overseas applicants can be found here. (Links removed in refined version)

Employer details

East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust

William Harvey Hospital

Kennington Road

Ashford

TN24 0HZ

Website: ekhuft.nhs.uk