Head of Operational Support

Job summary

Shape the future of operational delivery at North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust

This is an opportunity to work at the heart of one of the largest NHS organisations in the East of England, supporting the Chief Operating Officer to deliver key operational, performance and transformation priorities.

As Head of Operational Support, you will play a pivotal role within the COO's Office, acting as a trusted adviser, programme lead and operational coordinator. Working closely with Executive Directors, divisional leadership teams and system partners, you will support the delivery of organisational objectives, performance standards and improvement programmes.

We are looking for an experienced, highly organised and politically astute senior leader who thrives in a fast-paced, complex environment.

You will bring:

• Significant senior management experience within the NHS or a similarly complex organisation
• Experience supporting Executive Directors or senior leadership teams
• Strong programme and project management skills
• Experience of performance management, governance and operational improvement
• Excellent analytical, communication and influencing skills
• The credibility to work effectively with senior clinicians, operational leaders and external partners
• A Master's degree or equivalent senior-level experience, with evidence of continued professional development

Main duties of the job

Reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer, you will:

• • Provide high-level operational, programme management and business support across the COO portfolio.
  • Coordinate and oversee complex programmes, improvement initiatives and recovery plans.
  • Support the delivery of operational performance targets, annual planning requirements and strategic objectives.
  • Prepare high-quality reports, briefings, presentations and business cases for Executive and Board-level audiences.
  • Work across operational divisions and corporate teams to drive collaboration, accountability and delivery.
  • Analyse complex performance information and provide insightful recommendations to support decision-making.
  • Build strong relationships with clinical, operational and corporate leaders across the Trust and wider health and care system.
  • Identify risks, resolve challenges and maintain momentum across multiple workstreams and priorities.

About us

North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust serves a population of around 900,000 people across Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and South Lincolnshire. We are delivering an ambitious programme of transformation, including major estate developments, implementation of a Trust-wide electronic patient record and significant service improvement initiatives.

This role offers an exceptional opportunity to gain exposure at Executive level, influence strategic decision-making and make a tangible difference to patient care, operational performance and organisational success.

Job responsibilities

If you are an experienced operational leader with the ambition, resilience and expertise to support delivery at Executive level, we encourage you to apply and join Team NWAngliaFT.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Julie Baggaley Executive Assistant -[email protected]

Person specification

Education & Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to Master's level in a relevant discipline or equivalent senior NHS management experience
• Evidence of continuing professional development

Desirable

• Programme/project management qualification, e.g. PRINCE2, MSP or APM, or equivalent experience

Experience

Essential

• Significant senior management experience within the NHS or a comparable complex organisation
• Experience supporting Executive Directors or senior leadership teams in delivering organisational priorities
• Experience coordinating complex programmes, projects or workstreams involving multiple stakeholders
• Experience of operational performance management, governance and assurance processes
• Experience producing high-quality reports, briefings, business cases and presentations for senior audiences
• Experience analysing and interpreting complex data to support decision-making

Desirable

• Experience working across organisational boundaries within an Integrated Care System
• Experience supporting service improvement, productivity or operational recovery programmes
• Experience of line management and staff development