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Job summary

Main area
Management and Leadership
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 8b
Contract
Permanent: Post includes On Call
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week (On Call expectation)
Job ref
186-957-26-CS
Employer
Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Highbury Hospital
Town
Nottingham
Salary
£66,582 - £77,368 On Call Payment
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
04/11/2026 23:59

Employer heading

Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust logo

Head of Operations - Community & Diagnostics

NHS AfC: Band 8b

We fully support the use of AI and other tools to assist in writing your application. However, it's essential that the content, especially your supporting statement, is personalised and factually accurate. Your application should reflect your genuine experiences and qualifications to ensure authenticity and credibility

Job overview

An opportunity is available for a Head of Operations role with responsibility for the community and diagnostic services portfolio.

The role will require skills in operational demand management, responsibility for performance improvement plans and service development/transformation that is currently underway. There will be opportunities to lead and enable projects that are system facing with the support of the Associate Director of Operations such as Young Onset Dementia and MAS redesign as well as helping to enable wider development projects such as dementia admission avoidance and CRFD reduction through D2A  work streams and process mapping.

Main duties of the job

The Head of Operations, together with the Head of Patient Safety, Quality & Experience, will be responsible for the provision of an agreed portfolio of Services within the Care Group on a day-to-day basis, providing visible, dynamic, and transformative leadership across the Care Unit.

The Head of Operations is responsible for the operational leadership, ensuring patients have access to a seamless, coherent, and joined-up Care Offer, which is delivered through Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-Led Services.

The Head of Operations will work in line with the Trust’s Performance & Accountability Framework which includes accountability for Governance, Operational Delivery, Performance, Financial Decision Making and Transformation. 

Working for our organisation

#TeamNottsHC comprises over 11,000 dedicated colleagues who #MakeADifference every day. We deliver intellectual disability, mental health, community health, forensic, and offender healthcare services across Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, and South Yorkshire. Our care is provided from over 200 sites, spanning community locations, acute settings, and secure environments, including prisons.

We are one of the largest mental health and community Trusts in the East Midlands and one of Nottinghamshire's biggest employers. We also host national and regional services, such as the National High Secure Deaf Service and the Nottingham Centre for Transgender Health.

We offer a variety of employee-led staff networks, including Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) groups, the Green Champions network, the Freedom to Speak Up network, the Health and Wellbeing Champions network, and the Menopause Champions network. These networks play a vital role in supporting our diverse workforce and promoting a culture of inclusivity.

The health and wellbeing of our colleagues is a top priority. We invest significantly in this through our in-house occupational health and staff counselling services, supported by a dedicated Health and Wellbeing team.

The Trust is committed to reducing its carbon emissions, with a specialised Energy and Environmental team working to ensure compliance with environmental legislation, enhance our environmental performance, and achieve our net-zero commitment

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The Head of Operations will operate within the Triumvirate Leadership Model, working together with the Head of Patient Safety, Quality & Experience and wider Clinical Leadership to facilitate Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-Led Services delivered within the Care Group. The Head of Operations will be accountable to the Associate Director of Operations and will work closely with the Associate Director of Nursing, Allied Health Professionals & Quality, Clinical Directors and Professional Lead for Psychology. 

The successful candidate will be a highly competent individual, with experience in the leadership of people, operational delivery, workforce, performance, financial management and building positive relationships internally and externally. This experience should be at service and/or team level or above in the NHS, Social Care, Local Government and/or more broadly across the Government, Private, Voluntary, Community or Social Enterprise Sector.  Please see the job description and person specification for the full details relating to the role. 

You must be able to demonstrate the relevant skills and experience as part of the application and interview process.

Person specification

Values and Behaviours

Essential criteria
  • All colleagues are expected to demonstrate that they act in line with Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Values: Trust Honesty Respect Compassion Teamwork
  • All colleagues are expected to demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) and how it applies to their role. The Trust’s expectations are highlighted within our EDI Policy, and associated EDI and Human Rights legislation.

Physical Requirements

Essential criteria
  • Frequent and sustained concentration, particularly during complex tasks such as data analysis, strategic planning, and report writing.
  • Unpredictable working pattern, where frequent interruptions and urgent demands are common.
  • Required to undertake on-call duties

Qualifications - Academic / Craft / Professional

Essential criteria
  • Master’s Level or equivalent experience within the public or private sector, including the NHS, Social Care, Local Government and the Voluntary, Community & Social Enterprise Sector
  • Completed a relevant managerial qualification at Level 6 or above (e.g., degree-level, or equivalent professional qualification) and/or have equivalent experience

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Demonstrates significant experience in managing people, services, and resources within the NHS, Social Care, Local Government, or across wider sectors including Private, Voluntary, Community, or Social Enterprise organisations
  • Experienced in leading and managing change processes, including workforce transformation, service improvement, and cultural development
  • Experienced in budgetary management, including financial planning, monitoring, and reporting, ensuring value for money and alignment with strategic objectives

Skills

Essential criteria
  • Proven ability to build and maintain effective communication and collaborative working relationships with a diverse range of colleagues, stakeholders, and partner agencies
  • Skilled in identifying opportunities for service development and redesign, with a track record of successfully implementing transformational change aligned to strategic priorities
  • Strong interpersonal and leadership skills, with the ability to lead, motivate, and develop individuals and teams across clinical and operational settings
  • Committed to promoting partnership working with patients, families, carers, communities, and multi-agency colleagues to ensure services are inclusive, responsive, and person-centred
  • Excellent communication and negotiation skills, with the ability to influence and engage a wide range of audiences both verbally and in writing, including in high-pressure or complex situations
  • Demonstrates a systematic approach to problem solving, using multiple sources of information to support sound judgement and effective decision-making
  • Capable of providing strategic vision and direction, involving others in shaping, and delivering the Care Unit’s long-term goals and priorities
  • Shows breadth of thinking, creativity, and innovation, encouraging others to contribute ideas and challenge existing ways of working
  • Highly organised, with the ability to plan and prioritise own workload, delegate effectively, and manage competing demands to maximise impact
  • Proficient in the use of advanced keyboard and IT skills, including Microsoft Office and other key organisational systems, to support effective communication, reporting, and analysis

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Employers for CarersVeteran AwareApprenticeships logoNo smoking policyAge positiveDisability confident employerStep into healthDefence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) - GoldArmed Forces Covenant

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Emma Hutton
Job title
Associate Director of Operations, OPCU
Email address
[email protected]