Job overview
PLEASE NOTE THAT WE WILL ONLY ACCEPT APPLICATIONS FROM STAFF CURRENTLY EMPLOYED BY WELSH AMBULANCE SERVICE TRUST
The Operational Delivery Unit (ODU) serves as the on-duty central hub for Welsh Ambulance NHS Trust (WAST) and Health Boards, providing tactical leadership and coordination across the Welsh healthcare system. Acting as a senior managerial support function, the ODU manages real-time operational challenges that may impact service quality or delivery. It links WAST, Welsh Government, and Health Boards, offering a system-wide perspective while supporting local teams and strategic planning.
You’ll oversee Pan-Wales tactical management of capacity issues, adjusting plans shift-by-shift to ensure safe, effective patient care across Emergency Medical Services, NHS 111 Wales, Clinical Contact Centres, and Non-Emergency Patient Transport. Out of hours, you’ll be the most senior decision-maker for unscheduled care system pressures, devising tactical plans and collaborating with stakeholders to balance ambulance resources and minimise delays or harm.
Responsibilities include coordinating patient flow between services, communicating capacity concerns, resolving resource production issues, and initiating command during major or critical incidents. Strong influencing, negotiation, and leadership skills—both transactional and transformational—are essential to support tactical commanders and restore business continuity during high-demand periods.
Main duties of the job
You will be responsible for the Pan-Wales tactical management of capacity related issues and adjustment of plans on a shift by shift basis that influence the safe and effective delivery of patient care across the Emergency and Unscheduled Care System within the pre and in hospital environment.
Out of hours you will be the most senior on duty decision maker on behalf of the Operations Directorate for issues that challenge the capacity and flow of the wider unscheduled care system, to monitor activity and if needed devise a tactical plan and work collaboratively with key stakeholders to help ease the pressure and maintain a balanced distribution of ambulance resources across all our services to minimise patient delays or harm.
This will require strong influencing and negotiation skills coupled with an ability to utilise both transactional and transformational leadership skills.
An effective communicator with the knowledge and expertise to influence stakeholders across the system working in partnership to develop dynamic remedial action plans to restore any imbalance and reduce the risk of harm.
Analytical in your approach, comfortable in analysing data and using information to exercise judgement in order to take dynamic action to address emerging risks or deficiencies whilst escalating to the appropriate management team as required.
Working for our organisation
#RemarkablePeople
Our workforce is made up of over 4,000 remarkable people who contribute to the delivery of world-class patient care across Wales, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Whether you work in a patient-facing role or within our range of support services, the work that you do enables us to provide high quality care, wherever and whenever we’re needed.
The Trust recognises the need for its workforce to represent the diversity of the population it serves across the whole of Wales and seeks to create an environment where diversity is celebrated and inclusivity matters. We are also keen to break down any barriers into the Trust, and would encourage applications from under-represented groups, including those from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities, LGBTQ+ communities and disability groups.
Careers within the Welsh Ambulance Services University NHS Trust are diverse and varied, with opportunities arising right across the service. Whatever your skills and background, you’re sure to find a career with us which is fulfilling, challenging, and rewarding.
In line with the Trust’s Starting Salary Procedure, all applicants will start at the bottom of the band for the position applied for, but can apply for a higher salary if they have previous experience relevant to the position.
The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; Welsh and/or English speakers are equally welcome to apply.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
* In line with the 5 step model of care initiated by the Chief Ambulance Services
Commissioner, use intelligence led data to work autonomously with balanced decision
making and analyse emerging challenges that have the potential to impact the safe and
effective delivery of service to patients and service users. Develop dynamic corrective
action plans for the day to address any potential risk and continue to monitor. Identify
these and work with relevant teams for the development of longer term solutions if
required to prevent re-occurrence.
* Out of hours assume the role of senior manager on behalf of WAST, in hours report to the
Senior Operations Team for the delivery of operational key performance targets with
specific focus on hospital handover pressures and patient flow challenges. Accountability
for providing accurate on the day advice for a range of metrics that expedite ambulance
availability.
* Continuously review service delivery and support the production and utilisation of
resources to ensure the most appropriate and efficient immediate response to changes in
patient demand, developing and adapting on the day service provision according to local,
regional and national needs.
* Provide an out of hours on duty routine decision making function that avoids the need to
contact the on call teams.
* Monitor and analyse data and information and exercise judgement in order to take dynamic
action to address emerging risks or deficiencies whilst escalating to the appropriate
management team as required.
* Use performance management tools to connect research and development with Clinical
and Operational teams to challenge current thinking to develop effective change
* Provide the WAST contribution at the Welsh Government Regional Risk & Safety Huddle
and ensure agreement of a Regional Escalation Stage. Share the action plan for the day and
review the outcomes.
* During high levels of escalation chair dynamic internal or regional Risk & Safety Huddles
with Executive Director Participants and agree regional escalation stage and initiate
remedial actions in accordance with policy and procedure. Communicate actions and
monitor plan until balance has been restored
Person specification
Qualifications and/or Knowledge
Essential criteria
* Educated to Master’s Degree level or equivalent educational experience (Credit and Qualifications Framework for Wales Level 7 i.e Integrated Masters Degrees/Postgraduate Diplomas/Post Graduate Certificate)
* Evidence of Leadership and Management Development
* Evidence of Continual Professional Development
Desirable criteria
* Leadership experience in a complex environment
* Leadership of large multi-skilled teams
* Tactical Commander qualification or willingness to undertake and pass
* Senior leadership experience in a Public sector environment
Experience
Essential criteria
* Tactical performance management that sets the parameters for Operational Managers
* Leading with intelligence led analytical reasoning and problem solving
* Expert analysis of data in order to sustain and improve performance
* Building personal and professional credibility with internal and external stakeholders
* Understanding of the political agenda for Health and Social Care and the broader direction for delivery of health services across Wales.
* Using a menu of digital applications
Desirable criteria
* Delivering organisational outcomes through collaborative engagement and participation
* Knowledge and experience of Operational policies and procedures
Skills
Essential criteria
* Take accountability and responsibility for identifying real time challenges and produce solution focussed remedial action plans
* Ability to communicate at all levels understanding the holistic position
* Responsibility for designing performance monitoring processes and undertaking appropriate diagnostic activity
Budgetary Responsibility
Essential criteria
* Have experience of holding a budget.
Aptitude and Abilities
Essential criteria
* Excellent communication skills and an ability to work collaboratively with a range of senior stakeholders
* Excellent negotiation and influencing skills internally and externally
* Act as an Ambassador for WAST across the Unscheduled Care Network
* Ability to problem solve across the wider NHS environment
* Commitment to improving the quality of patient care
* Innovative and creative thinker with an ability to engage others
* Evidence of integrity, objectivity and fairness
* Able to learn from experiences and adapt to new challenges
Desirable criteria
* Ability to speak Welsh