Main area Corporate Operations Grade NHS AfC: Band 8a Contract Permanent: Can be offered as an Internal Secondment if preferred. Hours Full time – 37.5 hours per week Job ref 153-CO06753-A
Department name 01. UHD – General Recruitment Site University Hospitals Dorset – All sites Town Poole Salary £57,528 – £64,750 pa Salary period Yearly Closing 30/10/2026 23:59 Interview date 04/11/2026
As University Hospitals Dorset we are a three site acute trust with ‘university hospital’ status through our partnership with Bournemouth University, working with an annual budget of £730m.
We offer highly regarded health services, employing some 10,000 staff. Our ambitious £500m transformation programme is well on the way to delivering state-of-the-art facilities over the next two years to meet the current and future healthcare needs of the populations we serve.
In an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with over seven miles of sandy beaches you’ll find inspirational opportunities to achieve your perfect work/life balance. With the New Forest and the Purbecks on our doorstep, we’re also less than three hours from London by road or train. The thriving towns of Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch give way to idyllic villages and unspoilt landscapes just minutes from our hospitals.
We believe that having a diverse workforce, and allowing people to be themselves, is essential in ensuring we offer an inclusive, welcoming and productive place to work.
We especially welcome applications from minority groups in the community who may be underrepresented in our workforce.
At UHD our active staff network groups are the Women’s Network, Black Asian Minority Ethnic Group (BAME), Pride Network, European (EU), Pro Ability Staff Network, and the Armed Forces Support Group.
As a Trust we are proudly signed up to the Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant guaranteed interview schemes.
We are aware that some candidates may choose to use AI tools to support the preparation of their application. While this is not discouraged, we kindly remind applicants that submissions should remain an honest and accurate representation of your own experience and suitability. Personal integrity is an important part of the recruitment process.
Job overview
The Improvement Manager will work directly with Care Groups triumvirates and Operational & Corporate teams to provide a comprehensive range of specialist and expert advice, training and support to enable the delivery of services efficiently and economically, as well as ensuring the achievement of all Care Group & Corporate financial targets. The Improvement Manager will provide comprehensive management support to the Head of PMO, deputising as appropriate .
Identification of Productivity and Efficiency opportunities through a range of approaches including the use of benchmarking data, reviewof financial data and close liaison with operational teams.
Analysis of complex financial and activity data to understand and identify opportunities for operational change.
Facilitating operational managers in the identification and implementation of operational improvements.
Supporting the development, implementation and recording of the
productivity and efficiency programme (including the national Getting It Right First Time programme) and the model hospital.
Interview: 10th November 2026.
Main duties of the job
These roles will work across a given portfolio with operational teams to define, assess and develop efficiency improvement projects and savings, making use of both local and national benchmarking and published studies such as GIRFT (Get it Right First Time), Model Hospital, Corporate Benchmarking, etc. You will be a key member of the team, whilst also working closely with your operational colleagues and staff within the finance department.
Further details of the roles are contained within the job description and informal discussions are welcome with either Judith May, Director of Operational Performance & Oversight, or Nichola House, Deputy Group Director of Operation – Medical Care Group
Working for our organisation
UHD are investing, developing and transforming Trust services in line with the New Hospital Programme. As part of this, some services may move site this year or next, either temporarily or permanently. Recruiting Managers will be happy to answer any service-specific questions at interview.
If a role or service relocates as part of a planned move, excess mileage will not be reimbursed. Travel from home to the new work base will be classed as a normal commute. Any other changes will be managed under Trust or national terms and conditions.
UHD has active networks including Women’s, DEN, Pride, EU, Pro Ability, and Armed Forces. We support Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant interview schemes.
AI tools may be used, but applications must honestly reflect your own skills and experience. Integrity is key to our recruitment process
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Job responsibilities
To understand the role in more detail please read the full job description and person specification documents which are attached to this advert
Person Specification
Qualifications
Educated to degree level / equivalent professional qualification
Post graduate diploma or equivalent experience, or training, plus further specialist project management knowledge, or experience to masters level equivalent
Experience
Experience of delivering large scale transformation and/or service redesign to specified outcomes, budgets and timescales
Experience of working across boundaries, engaging and managing a broad range stakeholders
Experience of working within a project team(s) and delegating plans and responsibilities to other team members allocated to perform activities
Experience, knowledge and understanding of the services and pathways for allocated work stream and specialty responsibilities
NHS acute provider experience
Ability to deliver assigned projects and work packages, in accordance with agreed standards and methodologies, within agreed timescales, budgets and to specified quality criteria.
Previous involvement in improvement projects to provide maximise the use of resources
Highly numerate and able to communicate and present articulately both verbally and in writing
Ability to assimilate, interpret and analyse complex information and data to ensure effective reporting and progress of projects.
Knowledge
Knowledge of, and ability to use, relevant project management tools and techniques
Knowledge of the principles of organisational change and continuous improvement
Knowledge of relevant governance structures, Trust policies, procedures guidelines and protocols
Knowledge of national and corporate policies that apply to assigned projects
Knowledge of the principles of skills transfer at all levels in an organisation
In depth knowledge of all current health service issues
Experience, knowledge and understanding of the services and pathways for allocated work stream and specialty responsibilities
Other requirements specific to the role
Able to facilitate , guide and coach corporate and clinical staff
Able to handle sensitive data in a confidential manner
Able to represent the Productivity and Efficiency team at meetings as and when delegated by the Head of Productivity and Efficiency
Able to work and travel between Bournemouth and Poole on a regular basis and also travel to other sites across Dorset when required .
Personal Attributes
Enthusiasm, commitment and tenacity
Resourceful, with resilience and determination to drive results in a busy and fast paced environment
Able to think creatively to identify innovative solutions to organisational redesign and development
Able to develop effective relationships with a range of stakeholders internally and externally
Confident, personable and approachable and able to inspire confidence in others in delivery large scale change sensitively
Able to work autonomously
Language requirement
Be able to speak English as necessary to undertake the role.
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.
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust
- Educated to degree level / equivalent professional qualification
- Post graduate diploma or equivalent experience, or training, plus further specialist project management knowledge, or experience to masters level equivalent
Experience
- Experience of delivering large scale transformation and/or service redesign to specified outcomes, budgets and timescales
- Experience of working across boundaries, engaging and managing a broad range stakeholders
- Experience of working within a project team(s) and delegating plans and responsibilities to other team members allocated to perform activities
- Ability to deliver assigned projects and work packages, in accordance with agreed standards and methodologies, within agreed timescales, budgets and to specified quality criteria.
- Highly numerate and able to communicate and present articulately both verbally and in writing
- Ability to assimilate, interpret and analyse complex information and data to ensure effective reporting and progress of projects.
Knowledge
- Knowledge of, and ability to use, relevant project management tools and techniques
- Knowledge of the principles of organisational change and continuous improvement
Other requirements specific to the role
- Able to facilitate, guide and coach corporate and clinical staff
- Able to work and travel between Bournemouth and Poole on a regular basis and also travel to other sites across Dorset when required
Personal Attributes
- Able to think creatively to identify innovative solutions to organisational redesign and development
- Able to develop effective relationships with a range of stakeholders internally and externally
Please note:
Staff recruited are expected to be available to work flexibly across all our Trust locations to meet service demands.
This advert may be closed early if sufficient applications are received.
COVID-19 vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself and our patients from the virus when working in our healthcare settings. Whilst this vaccination is not a condition of employment we do encourage our staff to get vaccinated.
Internal Candidates: staff employed prior to merger who voluntarily change jobs will be appointed to UHD terms and conditions.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Name Judith May Job title Director of Operational Performance and Oversight Email address Judith.may2@nhs.net
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