Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trusts

Deputy Chief Operating Officer

The closing date is 26 October 2025

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced operational leader to join our operational leadership team at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH).

Due to forthcoming maternity leave, we are looking for someone with senior operational leadership experience who is seeking the opportunity to experience a Deputy Executive role within our Trust.

This is an exciting time for the NUH and you will be joining us as we prepare to open the new National Rehabilitation Centre, roll out Nerve Centre as a new Electronic Patient Record system and embark on a major programme of transformational change within our outpatient and administration services to improve the experience for patients contacting and engaging with us.

You will be a motivated self-starter with experience in leading operational services within the NHS. You may already be leading a large care group or in a Deputy COO role, but are seeking experience within a different organisation.

You will be able to work well within a supportive team, as this role sits alongside two experienced Deputy COOs. As a team of three, you will work together to cover the agendas of planned and urgent care, as well as the key strategic projects and priorities within the COO's portfolio.

Main duties of the job

The post-holder will be responsible for providing high-level operational leadership and planning ensuring safe, high quality and efficient delivery of the day-to-day operational management of the Trust, which meets the needs of patients, achieves set and agreed standards and financial targets. Specifically, the post-holder will work with the Care Groups and Corporate teams to ensure the delivery of the National Access standards and other performance indicators.

Please refer to the attached job description (JD) and person specification (PS) documents.

About us

With over 19,000 staff, we are one of the biggest employers in the city, with a central role in supporting the health and wellbeing of our local population. We play a leading role in research, education and innovation.

Come and join our wonderful team at NUH! We are big believers in diversity and welcome new ideas to help develop our team to deliver world-class healthcare to the vast patient population we serve. With endless personal development opportunities available, at NUH we will endeavour to turn your job into a career!

We particularly welcome applications from people who identify as Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic, or Disabled, as we are striving to be better represented at NUH.

Details

Date posted

20 October 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 9

Salary

£109,179 to £125,637 a year per annum

Contract

Secondment

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

164-7524626

Job locations

Queen's Medical Centre

Derby Road

Nottingham

NG7 2UH


Job description

Job responsibilities

The post-holderis responsible for the following functions:

Trust Operations, Planning and Performance

Daily Operational Oversight of all sites

Responsible for the Site Operations Team

Responsible for the Integrated Discharge Function

Developing constructive relationships with all local and National bodies

Delivery of key operational standards, in conjunction with the Chief Operating Officer

And will have managerial responsibility for teams in:

Site Operations

Integrated Discharge Function

Please refer to the attached job description (JD) and person specification (PS) documents for a full job overview.

Job description

Job responsibilities

The post-holderis responsible for the following functions:

Trust Operations, Planning and Performance

Daily Operational Oversight of all sites

Responsible for the Site Operations Team

Responsible for the Integrated Discharge Function

Developing constructive relationships with all local and National bodies

Delivery of key operational standards, in conjunction with the Chief Operating Officer

And will have managerial responsibility for teams in:

Site Operations

Integrated Discharge Function

Please refer to the attached job description (JD) and person specification (PS) documents for a full job overview.

Person Specification

Training & Qualifications

Essential

  • Degree level qualification, plus higher-level management qualification at Master's Degree or equivalent level.
  • Significant additional role-related and personal development training commensurate with a very senior manager post

Experience

Essential

  • Significant experience at very senior manager level in the NHS
  • Experience of change management
  • Experience of operational management within a large organisation
  • Track record of achieving and sustaining improvement in performance
  • Ability to prepare reports, analyse highly complex data for Boards, Committees and Management groups.

Desirable

  • Experience in an Acute Trust

Communication and Relationship Skills

Essential

  • Must be a highly credible leader, with experience of building relationships with a range of stakeholders and possess highly-developed leadership skills.
  • Ability to provide meaningful feedback in response to individual performance, and to hold others to account.
  • Able to work across organisational boundaries, developing working partnerships and networks regionally to support the delivery of effective care.
  • Highly-developed interpersonal and communication skills.
  • Ability to motivate self and others.
  • Able to manage the process of change and overcome resistance to change in working practices.

Analytical and Judgement Skills

Essential

  • Experience of problem solving at the most senior level.
  • Ability to analyse highly complex areas of work to identify opportunities for continuous improvement and to ensure these materialise in a sustainable way
  • Experience of understanding and interpreting relevant national policy in a complex organisation
  • Experience of strategic long-term planning.
  • Experience of managing complexity, such as managing numerous work streams/projects whilst simultaneously delivering on performance targets to tight deadlines
  • Must be able to design and operate performance management systems and processes that deliver sustainable performance
  • Experience of leading planning cycles from concept to delivery

Physical Skills

Essential

  • Standard network skills

Other requirements specific to the role, such as being able to drive or work shifts

Essential

  • Take part in the Trust's senior On-Call rota

Commitment to Trust Values and Behaviours

Essential

  • Must be able to demonstrate behaviours consistent with the Trust's "We are here for you" behavioural standards
Person Specification

Training & Qualifications

Essential

  • Degree level qualification, plus higher-level management qualification at Master's Degree or equivalent level.
  • Significant additional role-related and personal development training commensurate with a very senior manager post

Experience

Essential

  • Significant experience at very senior manager level in the NHS
  • Experience of change management
  • Experience of operational management within a large organisation
  • Track record of achieving and sustaining improvement in performance
  • Ability to prepare reports, analyse highly complex data for Boards, Committees and Management groups.

Desirable

  • Experience in an Acute Trust

Communication and Relationship Skills

Essential

  • Must be a highly credible leader, with experience of building relationships with a range of stakeholders and possess highly-developed leadership skills.
  • Ability to provide meaningful feedback in response to individual performance, and to hold others to account.
  • Able to work across organisational boundaries, developing working partnerships and networks regionally to support the delivery of effective care.
  • Highly-developed interpersonal and communication skills.
  • Ability to motivate self and others.
  • Able to manage the process of change and overcome resistance to change in working practices.

Analytical and Judgement Skills

Essential

  • Experience of problem solving at the most senior level.
  • Ability to analyse highly complex areas of work to identify opportunities for continuous improvement and to ensure these materialise in a sustainable way
  • Experience of understanding and interpreting relevant national policy in a complex organisation
  • Experience of strategic long-term planning.
  • Experience of managing complexity, such as managing numerous work streams/projects whilst simultaneously delivering on performance targets to tight deadlines
  • Must be able to design and operate performance management systems and processes that deliver sustainable performance
  • Experience of leading planning cycles from concept to delivery

Physical Skills

Essential

  • Standard network skills

Other requirements specific to the role, such as being able to drive or work shifts

Essential

  • Take part in the Trust's senior On-Call rota

Commitment to Trust Values and Behaviours

Essential

  • Must be able to demonstrate behaviours consistent with the Trust's "We are here for you" behavioural standards

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

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trusts

Address

Queen's Medical Centre

Derby Road

Nottingham

NG7 2UH


Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trusts

Address

Queen's Medical Centre

Derby Road

Nottingham

NG7 2UH


Employer's website

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

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Chief Operating Officer

Andrew Hall

andrew.hall14@nhs.net

01159249924

Details

Date posted

20 October 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 9

Salary

£109,179 to £125,637 a year per annum

Contract

Secondment

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

164-7524626

Job locations

Queen's Medical Centre

Derby Road

Nottingham

NG7 2UH


Supporting documents

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