Go back East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust
Director of Operations and Performance/Deputy Chief Operating Officer
The closing date is 14 December 2025
We are inviting applications for the role of Director of Operations and Performance / Deputy Chief Operating Officer (DCOO) at East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust.
This is a great opportunity for an energetic leader to support the delivery of safe, effective and high-quality operational services across the Trust.
Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and working closely with Lead Divisional Directors and senior leaders, the DCOO will:
* Provide clear and visible leadership across operational services trust-wide
* Ensure delivery of operational standards and support key priorities
* Drive improvements in patient flow, accessibility, and patient experience
* Lead critical operational project, including operational leadership for EPR implementation
* Maintain strong governance and performance frameworks
We seek a candidate who can demonstrate:
* Proven senior operational management experience in complex NHS settings
* Strong leadership, communication, and influencing skills
* Ability to work across divisions, clinical teams, and corporate departments
* A track record of delivering operational improvements
* Commitment to our values and enhancing patient outcomes
We offer the opportunity to work for a trust in segment 2 of the national oversight framework, implementing the East & North Herts Production System to drive continuous improvement. We will support your leadership development to be ready for an executive role.
Main duties of the job
The Director of Operations and Performance / Deputy Chief Operating Officer (DCOO) is a key role within the Trust's senior leadership team. As the deputy to the Chief Operating Officer (COO), you will be responsible for day‑to‑day operational management, working with the site office, emergency department, divisions and system partners.
You will operate independently, overseeing daily management of operations, patient flow, emergency planning and site performance, including the delivery of standards, activity and productivity improvements. You will have delegated authority on behalf of the COO to ensure operational performance is optimised and services engage in continuous improvement, innovation and transformation.
A highly skilled and experienced individual, you will demonstrate a track record in transforming UEC flows, cross‑organisational change and operational delivery across elective and urgent care. You will drive innovation and quality of care, working with colleagues across the Trust and partners.
You will support the COO in providing leadership throughout the Trust underpinning a caring, fair and open culture that enables staff to perform at their best. You will demonstrate compassionate and inspirational leadership and have a track record of promoting inclusivity. You will foster a patient‑centred approach and reduce health inequalities.
You will work flexibly across sites and organisational boundaries and deputise for the COO in executive, Board and system discussions.
About us
East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust was formed in 2000 from the merger of two NHS Trusts serving east and north Hertfordshire. It operates across four sites: acute services at the Lister Hospital; specialist cancer care at the Mount Vernon Cancer Centre (MVCC); and non‑acute services at Queen Elizabeth II and Hertford County hospitals. A £150m reconfiguration centralised inpatient and complex services at the Lister.
The Trust provides acute inpatient, outpatient, diagnostic, ambulatory, and urgent care services, including emergency and maternity care, as well as regional services in renal medicine, urology, and plastic surgery.
The Trust is the highest performing acute trust in the East of England and 19th nationally among acute and specialist trusts, and shortlisted for the HSJ Trust of the Year Award.
With around 6,800 staff and 350 volunteers, and an annual turnover of £610 million, the Trust is committed to high‑quality, patient‑centred care. Key priorities include creating an environment where staff can thrive, continuous improvement, and maintaining strong performance despite operational, financial, and workforce pressures.
The Trust remains one of the highest performing in the country for activity levels and cancer waits.
Job responsibilities
Please refer the attached applicant pack for further details including the Job Description and Personal specification for this post.
Person Specification
Qualifications /Training
* Educated to degree level/equivalent professional qualification
* Evidence of extensive and recent commitment to continuing professional and personal development
* Postgraduate level qualification or equivalent in leadership, change management or quality improvement
Knowledge and Experience
* Significant management and leadership experience at a senior level in an NHS acute Trust
* Proven experience and ability in managing operational performance with tight financial constraints demonstrating effective budget management
* Experience of capacity planning and translating organisation strategy and vision into operational objectives
* Evidence of successfully leading significant organisational change in developing new models of healthcare delivery
* Demonstrable experience of building, maintaining and leveraging successful relationships with all staff especially clinicians within complex organisations
* An understanding of healthcare planning process and key national healthcare issues
* Demonstrable strong and credible leadership in being able to pull people together across systems and motivate them to deliver common aims and targets
* Demonstrable significant experience of situational leadership, human resource management, coaching and people development
Leadership and management skills
* Highly effective communication skills - must be able to both articulate complex issues to a wide range of recipients, both written and verbally
* Excellent presentation skills with the ability to engage and influence diverse audiences
* Strong interpersonal and negotiating skills, with the ability to engage, build, coach and sustain relationships both within the Trust and within external organisations
* Able to demonstrate sound financial management skills and understand business centred approach to healthcare provision
* Excellent organisational and time management skills to meet competing priorities
* Able to take tough decisions and calculated risks and see require action through
* Demonstrates strong commitment to action to achieve equality and diversity in the NHS workforce and for the community
* Excellent project management skills as project manager or sponsor. Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines
Other requirements
* Able to participate in the executive on call rota
* Personal resilience
* Demonstrates a coaching, compassionate and empowering leadership style
* Able to demonstrate behaviours consistent with the Trust's values at all times and role model positive behaviours
* Experience and understanding of the quality, diversity and inclusion agenda. Able to actively support the development of a culture that recognises and promotes equality, values, diversity and actively leads by example in deploying these qualities
* Understands the impact on equality, diversity and inclusion issues in all aspects of services delivery and planning
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.
East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust
£109,179 to £125,637 a year Top of Band 9 plus £5,500 allowance pa
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