Deputy Chief Operating Officer
The closing date is 26 October 2025
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced operational leader to join our operational leadership team at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH).
Due to forthcoming maternity leave, we are looking for someone with senior operational leadership experience who is seeking the opportunity to experience a Deputy Executive role within our Trust.
This is an exciting time for the NUH and you will be joining us as we prepare to open the new National Rehabilitation Centre, roll out Nerve Centre as a new Electronic Patient Record system and embark on a major programme of transformational change within our outpatient and administration services to improve the experience for patients contacting and engaging with us.
You will be a motivated self-starter with experience in leading operational services within the NHS. You may already be leading a large care group or in a Deputy COO role, but are seeking experience within a different organisation.
You will be able to work well within a supportive team, as this role sits alongside two experienced Deputy COOs. As a team of three, you will work together to cover the agendas of planned and urgent care, as well as the key strategic projects and priorities within the COO's portfolio.
Main duties of the job
The post-holder will be responsible for providing high-level operational leadership and planning ensuring safe, high quality and efficient delivery of the day-to-day operational management of the Trust, which meets the needs of patients, achieves set and agreed standards and financial targets. Specifically, the post-holder will work with the Care Groups and Corporate teams to ensure the delivery of the National Access standards and other performance indicators.
Please refer to the attached job description (JD) and person specification (PS) documents.
About us
With over 19,000 staff, we are one of the biggest employers in the city, with a central role in supporting the health and wellbeing of our local population. We play a leading role in research, education and innovation.
Come and join our wonderful team at NUH! We are big believers in diversity and welcome new ideas to help develop our team to deliver world‑class healthcare to the vast patient population we serve. With endless personal development opportunities available, at NUH we will endeavour to turn your job into a career!
We particularly welcome applications from people who identify as Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic, or Disabled, as we are striving to be better represented at NUH.
Job responsibilities
* Trust Operations, Planning and Performance
* Daily Operational Oversight of all sites
* Responsible for the Site Operations Team
* Responsible for the Integrated Discharge Function
* Developing constructive relationships with all local and National bodies
* Delivery of key operational standards, in conjunction with the Chief Operating Officer
* Managerial responsibility for teams in: Site Operations
Please refer to the attached job description (JD) and person specification (PS) documents for a full job overview.
Training & Qualifications
* Significant additional role‑related and personal development training commensurate with a very senior manager post
Experience
* Significant experience at very senior manager level in the NHS
* Experience of change management
* Experience of operational management within a large organisation
* Track record of achieving and sustaining improvement in performance
* Ability to prepare reports, analyse highly complex data for Boards, Committees and Management groups.
* Experience in an Acute Trust
Communication and Relationship Skills
* Must be a highly credible leader, with experience of building relationships with a range of stakeholders and possess highly‑developed leadership skills.
* Ability to provide meaningful feedback in response to individual performance, and to hold others to account.
* Able to work across organisational boundaries, developing working partnerships and networks regionally to support the delivery of effective care.
* Highly‑developed interpersonal and communication skills.
* Ability to motivate self and others.
* Able to manage the process of change and overcome resistance to change in working practices.
Analytical and Judgement Skills
* Experience of problem solving at the most senior level.
* Ability to analyse highly complex areas of work to identify opportunities for continuous improvement and to ensure these materialise in a sustainable way
* Experience of understanding and interpreting relevant national policy in a complex organisation
* Experience of strategic long‑term planning.
* Experience of managing complexity, such as managing numerous work streams/projects whilst simultaneously delivering on performance targets to tight deadlines
* Must be able to design and operate performance management systems and processes that deliver sustainable performance
* Experience of leading planning cycles from concept to delivery
Other requirements specific to the role, such as being able to drive or work shifts
* Take part in the Trust's senior On‑Call rota
Commitment to Trust Values and Behaviours
* Must be able to demonstrate behaviours consistent with the Trust's "We are here for you" behavioural standards
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.
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