Chief Operating Officer

Overview

In this board-level role, you will drive operational delivery and performance for one of the world’s leading pediatric centres. Reporting to the Chief Executive, you’ll lead a broad operational remit across NHS, research, education and international care, guiding transformation and capability-building across care groups. You’ll shape a forward-looking performance framework and partner with clinical leaders to deliver high-quality, sustainable services. This is a mission-driven opportunity to advance child health through collaborative leadership, innovation and resilient operations.

Responsibilities

• Establish a performance framework that empowers frontline teams and informs decision-making
• Lead cross-organisational improvement across NHS services, research, education and international care
• Act as Senior Responsible Officer for the cancer transformation programme and Lead Director for Emergency Planning, Resilience and Response
• Champion distributed leadership, devolve decision-making, and build leadership capability across care groups
• Ensure operational and clinical leaders own continuous improvement, even through major disruptions such as capital projects
• Balance core operational delivery with strategic horizon-scanning to anticipate demand, technology, and workforce shifts
• Promote an inclusive culture and stakeholder collaboration to deliver best-in-class patient services

Key requirements

• Senior management experience in an NHS Trust
• Track record of leading improvement and change in complex operational health services
• Experience in developing clinical operations leadership and sustaining improvements during disruption
• Ability to influence, partner and lead across clinical specialties and organisational boundaries
• Strong communication skills and credibility at Board level

• resilience
• collaboration
• inclusion and equity
• operational delivery
• performance management
• transformation programme governance

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