Director of Operations and Performance / Deputy Chief Operating Officer (DCOO)

East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust invites applications for an energetic leader to support the delivery of safe, effective and high‑quality operational services across the Trust.

Job Summary

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 projects including EPR implementation, and maintain strong governance and performance frameworks.

Responsibilities

• 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 projects, including operational leadership for EPR implementation.
• Maintain strong governance and performance frameworks.

Qualifications & Experience

• Educated to degree level or equivalent professional qualification.
• Evidence of extensive and recent commitment to continuing professional and personal development.
• Postgraduate level management qualification or equivalent.
• Postgraduate level qualification or equivalent in leadership, change management or quality improvement.
• PRINCE2 or Managing Successful Programmes qualification or equivalent.
• Significant management and leadership experience at a senior level in an NHS acute Trust.
• Proven experience and ability to manage operational performance with tight financial constraints demonstrating effective budget management.
• Experience of capacity planning and translating organisational 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 the 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.
• Highly effective communication skills – must be able to 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 with 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 required 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 – able to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
• Able to participate in the executive on‑call rota.
• Personal resilience; demonstrates a coaching, compassionate and empowering leadership style.
• Well‑developed IT skills; 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; actively supports the development of a culture that recognises and promotes equality, values, diversity and actively leads by example.
• Understands the impact on equality, diversity and inclusion issues in all aspects of service delivery and planning.

About the Trust

East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust was formed in 2000 from the merger of two NHS Trusts service 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. 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.

Contact & Application

Applications are welcomed from job seekers who require current Skilled Worker sponsorship to work in the UK. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website. Remote or flexible working arrangements are available.

Legal & Disclosure

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and requires disclosure and barring service checks. Applications from job seekers who require sponsorship will be considered alongside all other applications.

Reference and Salary

Reference number: 361‑7463418.
Salary: £109,179 to £125,637 a year, Top of Band 9 plus £5,500 allowance per annum.