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University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

Deputy Divisional Director of Operations

The closing date is 11 February 2026

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Job summary

The Deputy Divisional Director of Operations is a senior leadership role within University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, providing strategic and operational leadership to support the delivery of high-quality, safe and effective patient care. Reporting to the Divisional Director of Operations and working closely with the Directorate Clinical Director and Directorate Matron, the postholder plays a key role in delivering a clinically led, operationally delivered healthcare system. The role includes direct accountability for the operational management of an assigned Directorate, alongside broader Divisional responsibilities, and regularly deputises for the Divisional Director of Operations at Divisional and Trust level.

***Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as 'Priority' and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon who are able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.***

Main duties of the job

The postholder is responsible for providing day-to-day operational leadership of the Directorate, ensuring delivery against national and local performance standards including elective and urgent care targets, cancer pathways, diagnostics, workforce metrics and financial plans. Key duties include overseeing demand and capacity planning, managing operational escalation, leading service improvement and transformation initiatives, supporting digital and pathway redesign, and contributing to Divisional and Trust-wide performance management. The role also includes participation in the senior manager on-call rota, leading responses to site pressures and major incidents, and representing the Trust at internal and external meetings when required.

About us

We are a people business - where every member of staff matters and can make a difference. Patients are at the heart of everything we do. Joining University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust means becoming part of a team of dedicated staff, who are committed to leading the way through innovation, clinical excellence and great customer care. The Trust has great opportunities for career development in a highly progressive working environment. We offer all of this in a vibrant, modern city with a historic reputation for adventure. PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNICATION WILL BE ELECTRONIC, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT REGULARLY. If you have any issues with applying online and need additional support including reasonable adjustments with the application process please contact the recruitment manager for this post who will put you in touch with the recruitment team. We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants around less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles. Please contact the recruiting manager to discuss this prior to your application submission. We commit to giving this full consideration in each case. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds to apply for our roles, as diversity strengthens our teams. It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.

Details

Date posted

28 January 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8d

Salary

£91,342 to £105,337 a year £91,342 - £105,337 Per Annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

216-AM-DD7764366

Job locations

Derriford Hospital

Plymouth

PL6 8DH


Job description

Job responsibilities

1. Strategic & Business Planning

a) Developing and leading clear service visions and strategic plans for the Directorate in considering all relevant Departments and Services, which are set within the context of the wider Divisional plan and overall direction of the Trust.

b) Develop the annual Directorates Business Plan in conjunction with the Departments and Service level teams.

c) Ensuring that the Directorates Senior Management team focuses on the most critical areas; these include the development of key staff groups, processes to facilitate the ongoing achievement of access targets (including the RTT and cancer targets), and efficiency improvements to enable the Directorate to achieve its financial obligations.

2. Operational Management

a) Lead responsibility with the Directorate for the development of the Business Plan and monitoring progress.

b) Lead responsibility for Department/ Service level viability which will include the implementation of the Business Plan and progress monitoring.

c) Responsible for all aspects of the operational management of the Directorate.

d) Ensure the delivery of all performance targets contained in the Business Plan including waiting lists, finance and CQC standards, analysis of highly complex, multi- stranded data in order to shape interventions/ address shortfalls in performance.

e) Responsible for dealing with and responding to complaints, in line with local protocols.

f) Lead a range of service improvement projects across the Directorate to deliver improvements in the efficiency and effectiveness of services.

g) Ensure that clinical and support processes are mapped, bottlenecks are identified and solutions to these are implemented in order to maximise opportunities for service improvement.

h) Workforce plans in place that ensure the efficient and effective utilisation of staff

i) Take part in the managers on call rota.

For further details please see attached JD&PS.

Job description

Job responsibilities

1. Strategic & Business Planning

a) Developing and leading clear service visions and strategic plans for the Directorate in considering all relevant Departments and Services, which are set within the context of the wider Divisional plan and overall direction of the Trust.

b) Develop the annual Directorates Business Plan in conjunction with the Departments and Service level teams.

c) Ensuring that the Directorates Senior Management team focuses on the most critical areas; these include the development of key staff groups, processes to facilitate the ongoing achievement of access targets (including the RTT and cancer targets), and efficiency improvements to enable the Directorate to achieve its financial obligations.

2. Operational Management

a) Lead responsibility with the Directorate for the development of the Business Plan and monitoring progress.

b) Lead responsibility for Department/ Service level viability which will include the implementation of the Business Plan and progress monitoring.

c) Responsible for all aspects of the operational management of the Directorate.

d) Ensure the delivery of all performance targets contained in the Business Plan including waiting lists, finance and CQC standards, analysis of highly complex, multi- stranded data in order to shape interventions/ address shortfalls in performance.

e) Responsible for dealing with and responding to complaints, in line with local protocols.

f) Lead a range of service improvement projects across the Directorate to deliver improvements in the efficiency and effectiveness of services.

g) Ensure that clinical and support processes are mapped, bottlenecks are identified and solutions to these are implemented in order to maximise opportunities for service improvement.

h) Workforce plans in place that ensure the efficient and effective utilisation of staff

i) Take part in the managers on call rota.

For further details please see attached JD&PS.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Degree in a relevant subject (or able to demonstrate equivalent level of experience)
  • Proven evidence of commitment to continuing professional development.
  • Post-graduate qualification to master's degree/MBA or equivalent demonstrable experience, plus significant further proven knowledge and demonstrable experience as above to doctorate level

Knowledge & Experience

Essential

  • Proven management skills including effective team and people management demonstrable experience
  • Demonstrable experience of successful operational management at a middle/senior management level within a complex organisation.
  • Understanding of Payment by Results and its impact.

Desirable

  • Confident in cross-divisional collaboration and matrix management.

Aptitude & Abilities

Essential

  • Excellent analytical skills, with the ability to distil key themes and trends from complex information.
  • Manage clinical and business risks, developing action plans to improve performance.
  • Ability to analyse highly complex data and formulate reports.

Disposition / Attitidue / Motivation

Essential

  • Able to work in a busy environment and to tight deadlines.
  • Personal credibility, with the ability to quickly gain the confidence of others including clinicians, managers, staff and users of services.
  • Good team player, capacity to work with clinicians and staff at all levels.
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Degree in a relevant subject (or able to demonstrate equivalent level of experience)
  • Proven evidence of commitment to continuing professional development.
  • Post-graduate qualification to master's degree/MBA or equivalent demonstrable experience, plus significant further proven knowledge and demonstrable experience as above to doctorate level

Knowledge & Experience

Essential

  • Proven management skills including effective team and people management demonstrable experience
  • Demonstrable experience of successful operational management at a middle/senior management level within a complex organisation.
  • Understanding of Payment by Results and its impact.

Desirable

  • Confident in cross-divisional collaboration and matrix management.

Aptitude & Abilities

Essential

  • Excellent analytical skills, with the ability to distil key themes and trends from complex information.
  • Manage clinical and business risks, developing action plans to improve performance.
  • Ability to analyse highly complex data and formulate reports.

Disposition / Attitidue / Motivation

Essential

  • Able to work in a busy environment and to tight deadlines.
  • Personal credibility, with the ability to quickly gain the confidence of others including clinicians, managers, staff and users of services.
  • Good team player, capacity to work with clinicians and staff at all levels.

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).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

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).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

Address

Derriford Hospital

Plymouth

PL6 8DH


Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

Address

Derriford Hospital

Plymouth

PL6 8DH


Employer's website

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

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Divisional Director of Operations

Natasha Stokes

natasha.stokes@nhs.net

01752431733

Details

Date posted

28 January 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8d

Salary

£91,342 to £105,337 a year £91,342 - £105,337 Per Annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

216-AM-DD7764366

Job locations

Derriford Hospital

Plymouth

PL6 8DH


Supporting documents

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