Oxford Health NHS Trust

Chief Operating Officer

The closing date is 09 September 2025

Job summary

Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a accomplished and forward-thinking Chief Operating Officer to lead our broad portfolio of mental health and learning disability services, as well as our provider collaboratives. This is a unique opportunity for an experienced leader who thrives in the mental health sector and is ready to help us realise our full potential.

We are proud to be rated 'Good' by the Care Quality Commission, but we remain ambitious in the face of rising demand. What sets Oxford Health apart is our deep-rooted partnership with the University of Oxford, which drives innovation and research for the benefit of our patients. We are committed to values of kindness, respect, innovation and diversity, and we are looking for a transformational leader with the energy, vision and drive to make a lasting difference to the communities we serve.

Main duties of the job

Our Board is made up of dedicated executive and non-executive directors, led by an experienced Chair. We play a leading role in provider collaboratives and are actively engaged in two integrated care systems. The Chief Operating Officer will be instrumental in motivating and supporting our clinical workforce, streamlining internal processes, and building strong relationships with local government, voluntary organisations, primary care and other NHS partners. The role also involves representing Oxford Health in regional and national conversations, ensuring our voice is heard and our contributions recognised.

Our services span a wide geographical area, from the outskirts of Bristol to the Chiltern Hills of Buckinghamshire and include a diverse range of care settings, such as forensic mental health wards and prison healthcare. We are deeply committed to staff development and learning, and we recognise the work still needed to meet our ambitions around equality, diversity and inclusion.

About us

We provide physical, mental health and social care for people of all ages across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and North East Somerset. Our services are delivered at community bases, hospitals, clinics and people's homes, delivering care as close to home as possible. Our vision is that no matter who you are or where you are, you will tell us that you receive: "Outstanding care delivered by an outstanding team"

Our values are:"Caring, safe and excellent"

At Oxford Health we offer a wide range of benefits designed to support your career and wellbeing. These include:

  • Excellent opportunities for career progression
  • Individual and Trust wide learning and development
  • 27 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days with continuous service
  • NHS Discount
  • Pension scheme
  • Lease car scheme
  • Employee Assistance Programme
  • Mental Health First Aiders
  • Staff accommodation (waiting lists may apply)
  • Staff networking and support groups

Details

Date posted

26 August 2025

Pay scheme

Very senior manager (VSM)

Salary

Depending on experience

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

267-CS7440670

Job locations

Oxford

Oxford

OX4 4XN


Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see attached candidate brief which includes detailed instructions for submitting your CV and expression of interest.

Key dates

Closing date Midnight, Tuesday 9th September

Focus Group Assessment Wednesday 8th October, in person at Unipart House, Oxford

Panel Interview Thursday 9th October, in person at Unipart House, Oxford

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see attached candidate brief which includes detailed instructions for submitting your CV and expression of interest.

Key dates

Closing date Midnight, Tuesday 9th September

Focus Group Assessment Wednesday 8th October, in person at Unipart House, Oxford

Panel Interview Thursday 9th October, in person at Unipart House, Oxford

Person Specification

Knowledge and experience

Essential

  • Significant relevant experience at a senior level
  • Evidence of continued professional development
  • Extensive knowledge and expertise relevant to transforming mental health within complex Health and Social care systems
  • Experience of delivering complex change in a politically sensitive and complex environment
  • Experience of delivering complex change in a politically sensitive and complex environment
  • Significant provider related expertise and knowledge across all elements of health and social care system

Communication

Essential

  • Ability to build trusted stakeholder relationships and wide support networks across health, social care & the Third Sector
  • Can convey key messages clearly and concisely and able to adapt communication style effectively and with agility
  • Exceptionally strong external communications skills in a politically sensitive environment and experience in handling media
  • Ability to prepare and produce concise yet insightful communications for dissemination to senior stakeholders and a broad range of stakeholders as required
  • Extensive experience of delivering presentations to large groups of stakeholders

Skills

Essential

  • Outstandingly high ability to analyse highly complex issues where material is conflicting and drawn from multiple sources; and demonstrate, through the use of information and data how improvement can be achieved
  • Demonstrated capability to act upon incomplete information, or where the way forward is not known, using experience to make inferences and decision making
  • Highly developed analytical skills to analyse numerical and written data, assess options and draw appropriate initiatives
  • Experience of creating, developing & motivating teams inspiring workforce to work together to achieve a common objective
  • Ability to delegate effectively and efficiently
  • Ability to work on multiple activities, manage under intense pressure or times of uncertainty and work between strategic and operational activities where required
Person Specification

Knowledge and experience

Essential

  • Significant relevant experience at a senior level
  • Evidence of continued professional development
  • Extensive knowledge and expertise relevant to transforming mental health within complex Health and Social care systems
  • Experience of delivering complex change in a politically sensitive and complex environment
  • Experience of delivering complex change in a politically sensitive and complex environment
  • Significant provider related expertise and knowledge across all elements of health and social care system

Communication

Essential

  • Ability to build trusted stakeholder relationships and wide support networks across health, social care & the Third Sector
  • Can convey key messages clearly and concisely and able to adapt communication style effectively and with agility
  • Exceptionally strong external communications skills in a politically sensitive environment and experience in handling media
  • Ability to prepare and produce concise yet insightful communications for dissemination to senior stakeholders and a broad range of stakeholders as required
  • Extensive experience of delivering presentations to large groups of stakeholders

Skills

Essential

  • Outstandingly high ability to analyse highly complex issues where material is conflicting and drawn from multiple sources; and demonstrate, through the use of information and data how improvement can be achieved
  • Demonstrated capability to act upon incomplete information, or where the way forward is not known, using experience to make inferences and decision making
  • Highly developed analytical skills to analyse numerical and written data, assess options and draw appropriate initiatives
  • Experience of creating, developing & motivating teams inspiring workforce to work together to achieve a common objective
  • Ability to delegate effectively and efficiently
  • Ability to work on multiple activities, manage under intense pressure or times of uncertainty and work between strategic and operational activities where required

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

Oxford Health NHS Trust

Address

Oxford

Oxford

OX4 4XN


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

Oxford Health NHS Trust

Address

Oxford

Oxford

OX4 4XN


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Chief Executive

Grant Macdonald

grant.macdonlad@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk

07741102795

Details

Date posted

26 August 2025

Pay scheme

Very senior manager (VSM)

Salary

Depending on experience

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

267-CS7440670

Job locations

Oxford

Oxford

OX4 4XN


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

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