Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust

Head of Operations

The closing date is 21 April 2026

Job summary

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced Operational Manager to join Liverpool Womens Hospital in a senior managerial role

There are 2 roles available for a Head of Operations to lead one of the following Care Groups;

  • Gynaecology & Fertility
  • Family Health - Maternity, Neonatal Services and Genetics

Reporting to the Divisional Director of Operations the post holder will be an integral member of the Care Group's Senior Leadership Team and will be fully accountable for the delivery of the Care Group's operational and financial performance. They will take a lead role in both shaping and delivering the Care Group's strategy in conjunction with both the Divisional and Trust's overall strategies and objectives.

The Head of Operations will work with the Clinical Director and Lead Nurse/Midwife/AHP to drive operational performance and planning within the Care group. The post holder will work closely with other Divisions, Corporate Directors and external partners to achieve Trust objectives and make a positive contribution to the provision of health services across the local economy.

Main duties of the job

Specifically, the Head of Operations is accountable for:

  • Functioning at a senior level within the Care Group leadership team, proactively leading and providing solutions to resolve complex operational issues, in accordance with agreed Divisional objectives, targets, quality standards and resource constraints.
  • The Head of Operations will have extensive leadership experience in driving the performance of teams and will possess personal qualities and skills to deal competently with complex issues in ensuring that policy is implemented and performance managed within the Care Group.
  • The Head of Operations will lead the implementation of patient centered clinical operational strategy and plans, ensuring that systems and processes are in place to comply with relevant legislation and governance requirements.
  • The Head of Operations defines the strategic direction and policy setting for the Division, forming an essential communications link between the Division, Care Group and relevant external organisations.
  • The Head of Operations will provide a highly visible, accessible and authoritative presence to support the delivery of the Divisional and the Trust's overall objectives and service priorities.

About us

Liverpool Women's NHS FT became part of NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group (UHLG) in November 2024, following the coming together with Liverpool University Hospitals NHS FT. UHLG was born from a shared aim to improve the care we provide to our patients.

UHLG is one of the largest employers in the region, with over 16,800 colleagues who are dedicated to caring for our communities - from birth and beyond. For the 630,000 people across Merseyside, UHLG is also their local NHS, providing general and emergency hospital care, alongside highly specialised regional services for more than two million people in the North West.

At Liverpool Women's Hospital, each year we deliver approximately 7,500 babies, carry out around 50,000 gynaecological inpatient and outpatient procedures, care for over 1,000 poorly and premature newborns, perform around 1,000 IVF cycles, and conduct over 4,000 genetic appointments.

We believe that this, along with a strong dedication to research and innovation, makes usthespecialist health provider of choice in Europe for women, babies and families.

For roles at Liverpool University Hospitals, visit their careers page.

UKVI guidelines prohibits sponsorship for all Band 2 posts. Guidelines state that many non-clinical posts are not eligible for sponsorship. Please use UKVI guidance on Skilled Worker Visas to determine your eligibility for sponsorship if you were to gain a conditional offer for this role.

https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/your-job

Details

Date posted

08 April 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8c

Salary

£79,504 to £91,609 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

159-LWH-78-26

Job locations

Liverpool Womens University Hospital

Crown Street

Liverpool

L8 7SS


Job description

Job responsibilities

For full details, please refer to the attached job description

  • Create a positive and compelling vision of the organisations future potential, ensuring a structured approach is used to plan and proactively manage transformational change.
  • Set the strategic direction for team(s) ensuring that the vision, values and strategic themes of the Trust are being translated into clear goals and objectives in business and workforce plans and appraisal using checking processes to ensure that progress is made.
  • Lead the development of robust business and workforce plans within the Care Group, including systems, structures and processes for managing clinical quality, risk, controls assurance and public involvement initiatives.
  • Contributes to the evolution of the Trust and it's subsequent operation with regard to the provision of high quality and reputable and reliable high-quality care into the future.
  • Lead a culture of ensuring patient safety through adherence to legal obligations and safety requirements by reviewing and challenging risks and progress on plans to address risk.
  • Responsible for the informal and formal appraisal of direct reports and for ensuring that they are trained, supported and developed accordingly.
  • Ensure that research, audit, data and information are used to shape and influence the Care Group and directly influence decision making prior to developing business cases and plans.
  • Demonstrate effective leadership through sound people management and good communication.

Job description

Job responsibilities

For full details, please refer to the attached job description

  • Create a positive and compelling vision of the organisations future potential, ensuring a structured approach is used to plan and proactively manage transformational change.
  • Set the strategic direction for team(s) ensuring that the vision, values and strategic themes of the Trust are being translated into clear goals and objectives in business and workforce plans and appraisal using checking processes to ensure that progress is made.
  • Lead the development of robust business and workforce plans within the Care Group, including systems, structures and processes for managing clinical quality, risk, controls assurance and public involvement initiatives.
  • Contributes to the evolution of the Trust and it's subsequent operation with regard to the provision of high quality and reputable and reliable high-quality care into the future.
  • Lead a culture of ensuring patient safety through adherence to legal obligations and safety requirements by reviewing and challenging risks and progress on plans to address risk.
  • Responsible for the informal and formal appraisal of direct reports and for ensuring that they are trained, supported and developed accordingly.
  • Ensure that research, audit, data and information are used to shape and influence the Care Group and directly influence decision making prior to developing business cases and plans.
  • Demonstrate effective leadership through sound people management and good communication.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Masters degree in healthcare management/leadership or similar discipline or equivalent level of education and/or experience
  • Evidence of continued CPD

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of Operational Management in an acute setting
  • Evidence of success in planning, mobilising, delivering and evaluating major service change initiatives
  • Experience of financial management and performance frameworks to maximise results
  • Experience of managing performance, conflict and change
  • Experience of developing and delivering mid to long term projects to deliver quality care
  • Experience of benchmarking external organisations to affect service improvement
  • Experience of bidding for and negotiation operational contracts
  • Effectively managed budgets and cost improvement programmes
  • Evidence of building effective working relationships with clinicians in order to achieve service changes and improvements
  • Experience of demand and capacity modelling and the conversion into operational implementation
  • Ability to establish clear priorities amongst competing demands and objectives and manage high levels of complexity and ambiguity

Desirable

  • Experience of Operational Management in Women's and Children's Services
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Masters degree in healthcare management/leadership or similar discipline or equivalent level of education and/or experience
  • Evidence of continued CPD

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of Operational Management in an acute setting
  • Evidence of success in planning, mobilising, delivering and evaluating major service change initiatives
  • Experience of financial management and performance frameworks to maximise results
  • Experience of managing performance, conflict and change
  • Experience of developing and delivering mid to long term projects to deliver quality care
  • Experience of benchmarking external organisations to affect service improvement
  • Experience of bidding for and negotiation operational contracts
  • Effectively managed budgets and cost improvement programmes
  • Evidence of building effective working relationships with clinicians in order to achieve service changes and improvements
  • Experience of demand and capacity modelling and the conversion into operational implementation
  • Ability to establish clear priorities amongst competing demands and objectives and manage high levels of complexity and ambiguity

Desirable

  • Experience of Operational Management in Women's and Children's Services

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Additional information

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Liverpool Womens University Hospital

Crown Street

Liverpool

L8 7SS


Employer's website

https://www.liverpoolwomens.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Liverpool Womens University Hospital

Crown Street

Liverpool

L8 7SS


Employer's website

https://www.liverpoolwomens.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Divisional Director of Operations

Joe Downie

joe.downie@lwh.nhs.uk

01517024160

Details

Date posted

08 April 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8c

Salary

£79,504 to £91,609 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

159-LWH-78-26

Job locations

Liverpool Womens University Hospital

Crown Street

Liverpool

L8 7SS


Supporting documents

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