Job overview
We are seeking expressions of interest for the role of Deputy Chief Operating Officer (DCOO) on a fixed-term basis, to start from late October.
This is an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated and dynamic leader to play a pivotal role in supporting the delivery of safe, effective, and high-quality operational services across the Trust.
About the Role
* The DCOO works closely with the Chief Operating Officer (COO), Lead Divisional Directors and senior colleagues to:
* Provide strong and visible leadership across trust-wide operational services
* Deliver operational standards and transformation priorities
* Drive improvements in patient flow, access, and experience
* Lead on key operational projects and service developments, eg operational leadership for OneEPR implementation
* Ensure robust governance and performance management arrangements are in place.
About You
* We are looking for an individual who can demonstrate:
* Proven experience in senior operational management within acute NHS services
* Strong leadership, influencing, and communication skills.
* The ability to work collaboratively across divisions, clinical teams, and corporate services.
* A track record of delivering operational improvements in challenging environments.
* Demonstrable commitment to our values and to improving patient outcomes.
The Opportunity
* Fixed-term appointment (duration to be agreed, approx. 6 -9 months)
* A chance to broaden leadership experience at a strategic Trust-wide level
* Supportive senior leadership team and opportunity to make a real impact
How to Apply
If you are interested in this exciting opportunity, please submit your current CV and an expression of interest (maximum 2 pages) outlining:
* Your relevant skills and experience
* What you would bring to the role
Main duties of the job
The Director of Operations and Performance (DOP) is a key role within the Trust’s senior leadership structure. As the deputy to the Chief Operating Officer (COO), you will have specific responsibility for ensuring effective day-to-day operational management of the hospital, working in collaboration with the site office, emergency department, divisions and other key services.
You will operate independently, taking responsibility for the daily senior management of operations, patient flow and the site’s performance including the delivery of performance standards, activity and CIPs. You’ll have delegated authority, on behalf of the COO, for ensuring that operational performance is optimised, and our services are engaged in continuous quality improvement, innovation and transformation.
A highly skilled and experienced individual, you’ll demonstrate a track record in the delivery of transforming UEC flows, cross organisational transformational change and operational delivery across elective and urgent care. You’ll have the ability to push the boundaries or innovation and quality of care, working in partnership with colleagues across the Trust and in our partner organizations.
You will support the COO in providing leadership throughout the trust that will create a caring, fair and open culture (in line with our values) that enables staff to perform at their best. You’ll demonstrate compassion and inspirational leadership, have a track record of accelerating inclusivity/allyship. You will be expected to promote a patient-centered and culturally sensitive approach to the delivery of patient care.
You’ll work in an agile way across our sites, across organisational boundaries within the health and care system and will be able to deputise for the COO in executive and system discussions and in a range of fora.
You will work as part of a cohesive team, to promote patient and public involvement, to achieve the corporate objectives of the Trust and effective communication with all staff and strategic partners.
Working for our organisation
At East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust, we are proud of the range of general and specialist services we provide and our 6,000 or so dedicated staff ensure our patients get the best care. Our ability to be flexible and innovative in the way in which we work and deliver our services to our catchment has never been more important than it is now.
We run the following hospitals:
* The Lister Hospital, Stevenage
* New Queen Elizabeth II (New QEII), Welwyn Garden City
* Hertford County, Hertford
* Mount Vernon Cancer Centre (MVCC), Northwood
We have ambitious plans to become an outstanding, patient-led Trust where dedicated staff provide high-quality, compassionate care to our patients. We continue to undergo significant transformation and our staff and patients are at the heart of delivering this ambitious agenda.
We are committed to a positive work life balance for our employees. This means that any employee is entitled to seek to work flexible working patterns and we are committed to listen and consider all requests. Such requests, of course, have to be made and considered formally, and will need to be balanced against service needs, but our starting point will always be to find ways to support making them happen.
Our values
We want our staff to believe in, demonstrate and live our values in everything we do.
Include
We value the diversity and experience of our community colleagues and partners, creating relationships and climates that provide an opportunity to share, collaborate and grow together.
Respect
We create a safe environment where we are curious of the lived experience of others, seek out best practice and are open to listening and hearing new ideas.
Improve
We are committed to consistently delivering excellent services and continuously looking to improve through a creative workforce that feels empowered to act in service of our shared purpose.
Committed to our Community
East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion for all job applicants, staff, patients and the wider community. We want to create a workforce which represents the communities we serve. We are on a journey to become a more inclusive organisation and we welcome applications from everyone regardless of their background. In particular we encourage applications from candidates with disabilities, and candidates from Black, Asian and Minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds who are currently under-represented in various parts of our workforce .
We understand the importance of balancing work and home life. We are committed to support flexible working for our staff wherever possible and all our employees are given the opportunity to discuss potential for flexible working.
We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and achieved our status in 2019.
We will remove barriers that prospective candidates might face at any stage of our recruitment process. If you have a disability and would like the advert in an alternative format, or would like to talk about how we can adjust the interview process to best support you, please contact us by emailing resourcing.enh-tr@nhs.net
We are also proud to support our UK armed forces by supporting Reservists, Cadet Instructors, Veterans and military spouses/partners into employment and offering supportive policies that value their contribution to the community and to our Trust.
We are committed to being a carer-friendly environment, addressing the complex needs of families with caring responsibilities. In partnership with Carers in Hertfordshire, all our working carers have access to support from recruitment. We are also a member of Carers UK, providing resources to make balancing work and caring easier. Our approach is inclusive, recognizing diverse challenges and creating a supportive environment where carers feel valued.