Role Overview
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an exceptional Chief Operating Officer to join the Trust Board and lead the Community Health, Dentistry and Primary Care Directorate. As COO you will have overall responsibility for the leadership, management, quality, workforce, financial performance and operational delivery of services within the directorate.
This is a pivotal role in strengthening integration across community, primary, acute and social care, ensuring care is connected, person‑centred and responsive to local needs. You will work collaboratively across the system with local authorities, primary care and voluntary and community sector partners to deliver high‑quality, sustainable services.
Key Responsibilities
* Provide overall leadership, management, quality, workforce, financial performance and operational delivery of community, dentistry and primary care services.
* Translate the Trust’s overall strategy into operational plans for the directorate, ensuring efficient use of resources, strong governance and robust performance management.
* Strengthen integration across neighbourhood, place and system levels, working with stakeholders to develop models of care that meet the needs of local populations.
* Champion continuous improvement, evidence‑based practice, innovation and a culture of learning, ensuring staff feel supported, engaged and able to speak up.
* Lead service transformation programmes, promote environmental sustainability and contribute to national and system‑wide priorities including NHS Constitutional standards and the 10‑Year Plan.
Qualifications and Experience
The ideal candidate will have significant senior leadership experience in a large, complex organisation, with a strong track record in community health or primary care and in leading major transformation programmes. Extensive experience in managing teams, budgets and operational performance, alongside excellent relationship management and stakeholder engagement skills, is required. Candidates must demonstrate strong analytical, strategic and decision‑making capabilities, able to act decisively even in complex or uncertain circumstances.
Excellent communication skills and a commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion are essential, as is the ability to foster a positive, inclusive and just culture. Experience working with local authorities, third‑sector organisations or within an Integrated Care System is desirable, as is familiarity with programme management methodologies and financial planning.
About Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust has been rated as Good by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). We are a responsive and innovative Foundation Trust that places our values of Caring, Safe and Excellent at the heart of everything we do. We take great pride in our staff and believe that investing in you is key to us achieving our vision of outstanding care delivered by outstanding people.
We work with a wide range of partner organisations to deliver care and support to people in their own homes and from a number of hospitals and community bases. We focus on delivering care as close to home as possible for people of all ages across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and North East Somerset.
We actively support anti‑racism, equality, diversity and inclusion so, if you’re excited about this job opportunity and you meet our Trust values, but feel unsure about applying, then please get in touch and we will be happy to have a conversation with you.
We are also committed to increasing diversity in the workforce, and therefore actively encourage applications from those groups of people who are currently under‑represented, which includes amongst others: people with disabilities; men from all socio‑economic backgrounds; people from diverse ethnic backgrounds; and people from the LGBTQIA+ community.
Interview Process
Focus Group Assessment – Tuesday 16th December, in person at Unipart House, Oxford
Panel Interview – Wednesday 17th December, in person at Unipart House, Oxford
Support for New Staff
* All new starters have a thorough induction process, both local and trust‑wide, which aims to create a positive supportive working environment allowing new employees to learn key elements of their role over a reasonable timescale.
* Appointment to this post is subject to the trust receiving satisfactory references covering 3 years of employment or study. Please ask your referees to respond promptly to reference requests.
* We are advocates of flexible working and many of our roles offer a range of employment options to help you balance your work and personal life.
* Employees are expected to undertake mandatory and statutory training related to their role.
* We are ambitious in our pursuit of excellence, driven by the belief that a fair, just and fully inclusive organisational culture enables our teams to deliver the best quality of care and services possible and we work hard to ensure that our diverse workforce reflects the communities that we serve.
* We welcome applications from all sections of the community, are an equal opportunities employer with a number of internal networking groups to support our employees and where possible will always look to make reasonable adjustments in order that you can fulfil the role to recognise your full potential.
* All our employees are committed to demonstrating through their behaviour our core values – safe, caring and excellent.
* We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults; we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
Research and Innovation
Oxford is a world‑renowned centre of excellence for research. Oxford Health works closely with the University of Oxford Department of Psychiatry and the Department of Primary Care, has a Biomedical Research Centre dedicated to improving mental health and the NIHR Clinical Research Facility at the Warneford site. The Trust also hosts the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) which carries out applied research that directly impacts patient health and wellbeing.
Our Vision
We provide physical, mental health and social care for people of all ages across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and North East Somerset. Our services are delivered at community bases, hospitals, clinics and people’s homes, delivering care as close to home as possible. Our vision is that no matter who you are or where you are, you will tell us that you receive: “Outstanding care delivered by an outstanding team.”
Core Values
Our values are: “Caring, safe and excellent.”
Benefits
* Excellent opportunities for career progression
* Individual and trust‑wide learning and development
* 27 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days with continuous service
* NHS discount
* Pension scheme
* Lease car scheme
* Employee Assistance Programme
* Mental Health First Aiders
* Staff accommodation (waiting lists may apply)
* Staff networking and support groups
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