Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

Chief Operating Officer (COO)

The closing date is 07 September 2025

Job summary

Lead with Purpose. Inspire with Compassion. Deliver with Impact.

At Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, we are driven by a shared purpose: to help people live healthier, happier lives. As we embark on a new chapter in our journey toward inclusive excellence and equity in healthcare, we are inviting a values-led, courageous and collaborative leader to join our executive team as Chief Operating Officer.

This is more than a Board-level role. Its a unique opportunity to influence the lives of our patients, families, colleagues and communities through compassionate leadership, a focus on performance delivery and a commitment to equity, quality and inclusion.

We are especially keen to hear from leaders from underrepresented backgrounds in NHS senior leadership, including those from Black, Asian and ethnically diverse communities, disabled leaders, and LGBTQIA+ professionals.

We are committed to creating a Trust where everyone can thrive.

We Offer

A place for you to be a part of a highly engaged and supportive Executive Team and Trust Board.
The chance to lead in an environment where your lived experience and leadership style are recognised as assets
Strong links across the Foundation Group of Trusts, alongside excellent relationships with system partners.
Access to mentorship, leadership development, and peer support
A Trust actively committed to building diverse, representative leadership at the highest levels

Main duties of the job

This is an exciting and pivotal time to join our Trust. With our refreshed strategy for 2025 to 2030 in place, we are investing in major clinical developments, digital innovation, and service transformation across our sites. You'll have the opportunity to shape the future of care for our communities while working alongside a committed and compassionate team.

We are also proud to foster an inclusive culture where everyone feels respected, supported, and empowered to lead. We believe diverse perspectives make us stronger and building a workplace where everyone can thrive.

We are seeking a leader who reflects the communities we serve and embodies our shared values: Being open and honest, ensuring people feel cared for and showing respect for everyone.

You will have:

A track record of successful delivery of large-scale operational services in a complex NHS or healthcare environment.
Deep understanding of NHS strategy, performance, and quality improvement.
Proven ability to lead teams through change with compassion, clarity, and resilience.
Commitment to creating an inclusive and high-performing organisational culture.
Demonstrable success in driving service transformation and delivering measurable improvement in outcomes.

Whether you hold a Board role or ready to take that next step, were looking for someone who grounded in their values, committed to equity, and ready to lead transformation through collaboration.

About us

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust's purpose is to help people in the communities we care for enjoy healthier, happier lives.

As a significant healthcare provider in our community, we are focused on working in partnership to deliver joined-up services that best meet the needs of our population.

Over the past 12 months, we have been engaging with colleagues across and beyond the Trust to review our strategy for 2025-30, including our purpose, vision, strategic objectives, and values. Making this vision a reality requires inclusive, compassionate, and determined leadership to help our people seize the opportunities and rise to the challenges that the future holds.

With a range of new clinical developments recently completed or underway across our sites, new services coming online, and a raft of exciting digital initiatives rolling out, this is an exciting time to join Team Worcestershire Acute.

We are an inclusive employer. We're proud to be building a workforce that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. We're a Disability Confident Employer, and applications from individuals with lived experience of inequality or discrimination are especially welcome. Adjustments during recruitment will be made wherever possible.

Date posted

12 August 2025

Pay scheme

Very senior manager (VSM)

Salary

Depending on experience

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

C9365-25-COO2025

Job locations

Charles Hastings Way

Worcester

Worcestershire

WR5 1DD

Job description

Job responsibilities

The Chief Operating Officer is responsible for the day-to-day delivery of the Trusts operational plan and performance, delivering against the targets set within the NHS oversight framework whilst providing Executive leadership to our clinical Divisions. The post holder leads the delivery of high-quality clinical services coordinated through our divisions, emergency, elective, cancer, diagnostic, and outpatient services, and performance management across the Trust.

The COO will lead the delivery of high quality of care in line with our vision, strategic objectives and commitment to our shared Values. This means ensuring that services are continuously improved to meet the needs of our patients, ensuring that services are financially sustainable in the long term and optimise the benefits of digital innovation.

The post holder will develop a professional culture that supports, attracts, nurtures, develops and retains a compassionate, skilled and flexible workforce. This includes promoting diversity and inclusion in all its forms, role modelling our values through their actions and actively leading continuous clinical and quality improvement.

The post holder will be an executive, non- voting, member of the Board of Directors and report to the Managing Director.

Please view a full Job Description document uploaded to this advert in Supporting Information or use the link to the Trust's Working for Us pages for more information

Recruitment Timeline:

Assessment Day with Stakeholder Groups has been planned for 29th Sept 2025

Interview Day for those then selected is planned for 8th October 2025

Job description

Job responsibilities

The post holder will be an executive, non- voting, member of the Board of Directors and report to the Managing Director.

Please view a full Job Description document uploaded to this advert in Supporting Information or use the link to the Trust's Working for Us pages for more information

Recruitment Timeline:

Assessment Day with Stakeholder Groups has been planned for 29th Sept 2025

Interview Day for those then selected is planned for 8th October 2025

Person Specification

Improving Diversity and Inclusive Recruitment

Essential

As part of the Trust's aim to improve diversity across the Trust, positive action is being taken, and all applications for this post from BAME, Disabled and LGBTIA+ candidates can request to be considered under an expanded Guaranteed Assessment Centre Scheme if they meet the minimum criteria as specified in the person specification for this role. Here you can declare if you wish to be considered under this Scheme, and this response would be visible to the Shortlisting Panel.

Experience

Essential

Please provide a covering statement here, setting out how you meet the requirements of the role and the drivers for your application. The Person Specification for this role can be found attached to this advert in the "Supporting Documents" section.

Person Specification

Improving Diversity and Inclusive Recruitment

Essential

As part of the Trust's aim to improve diversity across the Trust, positive action is being taken, and all applications for this post from BAME, Disabled and LGBTIA+ candidates can request to be considered under an expanded Guaranteed Assessment Centre Scheme if they meet the minimum criteria as specified in the person specification for this role. Here you can declare if you wish to be considered under this Scheme, and this response would be visible to the Shortlisting Panel.

Experience

Essential

Please provide a covering statement here, setting out how you meet the requirements of the role and the drivers for your application. The Person Specification for this role can be found attached to this advert in the "Supporting Documents" section.

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

Address

Charles Hastings Way

Worcester

Worcestershire

WR5 1DD

Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

Address

Charles Hastings Way

Worcester

Worcestershire

WR5 1DD

Employer's website

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