Job summary
Deputy Chief Operating Officer - Division of Surgery
Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust is seeking a dynamic senior operational leader to join our Surgery Division. This role offers the opportunity to work closely with Divisional and Executive teams to drive high-quality services and support Elective, Cancer and Outpatient performance across the organisation.
Walsall continues to achieve strong Planned Care performance and is striving to build on this success. The post holder will provide leadership across the Division and deputise for the Chief Operating Officer.
We are looking for an experienced, resilient leader with a proven track record in managing complex agendas, driving service improvement and building strong multidisciplinary relationships. You will be an effective communicator who can engage, influence and inspire, and you will share the values and ambitions of our Trust.
Main duties of the job
The Deputy Chief Operating Officer is the most senior manager within the Division, providing leadership to all staff within the Division and leading the Divisional team. Deputising for the Chief Operating Officer for a portfolio of work to support the Trust's corporate objectives.
The post-holder will lead the delivery of a safe, quality driven and continuously improving service to patients across all services within the Division which puts patients at the centre of care and ensures their needs are consistently and demonstrably met.
Ensure the Division's service delivery and performance, ensuring that Divisional core deliverables, key performance measures and standards are achieved, that income and expenditure are managed to plan, whilst ensuring all "resources" are optimised and the Division functions effectively.
Provide strong leadership and management of staff, including senior staff recruitment and selection, performance, appraisal and development and ensuring that staff are managed and lead effectively throughout the Division.
Oversee the development of services and policies across a range of specialist areas, Divisional boundaries and other associated health and social care organisations.
About us
Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust is an integrated Trust and the only provider of NHS acute care in Walsall, serving a population of 284,300, providing inpatient and outpatient services at the Manor Hospital as well as a wide range of services in the community. Walsall Manor houses the full range of district general hospital services under one roof. The £170 million development was completed in 2010 and the continued upgrading of existing areas ensures the Trust now has a state-of-the-art Critical Care Unit, Neonatal Unit, Obstetric Theatre, and Integrated Assessment Unit facilities.
A new Urgent Emergency Care Centre was opened in March 2023. The two-storey development has significantly improved emergency care facilities and capacity and has provided almost 5,000 square metres of additional clinical space.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Delivery of safe and quality driven service to patients
Accountable Director for the delivery of high-quality patient care across all areas of the Division. Where care is found to be below expected levels the post holder is responsible for ensuring that immediate corrective action is taken and monitored.
The Divisional Director will be accountable for and lead the implementation of the Risk Management and Clinical Governance strategies within the services of their Division.
Accountable for complaints and clinical incident management within their designated area of responsibility, ensuring investigation and effecting any changes and lessons learned in professional/clinical practice or support systems.
Service Delivery and Operational planning
To ensure that the operational plan is produced, met and that all targets and standards are achieved.
To be responsible for ensuring that the Trusts objectives and core deliverables are delivered. This will require the implementation/maintenance of a performance management system aligned to the Trusts Performance Management Framework to ensure all staff are aware of their role in the delivery of the Trusts objectives and core deliverables.
To ensure that capacity plans for the Division are developed and that the Division meets its obligations within the capacity available.
To ensure that capacity is used in the most productive and efficient manner.
To ensure that service development / improvement programmes are delivered.
objectives, Local Delivery Plan targets, National targets and local divisional priorities.
Performance Management
To be responsible for ensuring that the Trusts objectives and core deliverables are achieved. This will require the implementation and maintenance of a performance management system aligned to the Trusts Performance Management Framework to ensure that all staff are aware of their role in the delivery of the Trusts objectives and core deliverables.
To be accountable for the Divisions performance against the operational plan.
To put in place effective monitoring systems of performance across the Division against the operational plan and take corrective action where required.
Staff Management and Team Building
The Divisional Director will be a highly skilled and effective motivator. He/she will lead the change management process through complex situations e.g. major organisational change such as the re-organisation / relocation / development/cessation of services, and will ensure that front line staff are empowered and supported to develop a positive can-do approach to issues.
Work collaboratively with the Divisional Team, Clinical Directors, Clinicians, and Senior Managers in all Trust Departments, ensuring that teams and individuals work together effectively.
Resource Management
Review staffing structures and costs and ensure that the most productive and efficient use of staff resources is planned and delivered, managing any service improvements and change management processes that are required in order to deliver this.
Negotiate, communicate and take responsibility for delivering the Division wide objectives, targets and standards.
Human Resources
Ensure Divisional vacancy review panels are in place and effectively undertaken.
Ensure Sickness absence is below the Trust target and ensure sickness absence is effectively managed and staff supported to return to work.
Service Development
Be accountable for and take a lead role in the Divisional implementation of corporate objectives and service development priorities.
Develop Trusts strategic and Service Improvement plans in regards to his/her Division, particularly the development of Lean working across all service areas.
A full detailed version of the job description and main responsibilities can be found in the attached Job Description and Person Specification document.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Delivery of safe and quality driven service to patients
Accountable Director for the delivery of high-quality patient care across all areas of the Division. Where care is found to be below expected levels the post holder is responsible for ensuring that immediate corrective action is taken and monitored.
The Divisional Director will be accountable for and lead the implementation of the Risk Management and Clinical Governance strategies within the services of their Division.
Accountable for complaints and clinical incident management within their designated area of responsibility, ensuring investigation and effecting any changes and lessons learned in professional/clinical practice or support systems.
Service Delivery and Operational planning
To ensure that the operational plan is produced, met and that all targets and standards are achieved.
To be responsible for ensuring that the Trusts objectives and core deliverables are delivered. This will require the implementation/maintenance of a performance management system aligned to the Trusts Performance Management Framework to ensure all staff are aware of their role in the delivery of the Trusts objectives and core deliverables.
To ensure that capacity plans for the Division are developed and that the Division meets its obligations within the capacity available.
To ensure that capacity is used in the most productive and efficient manner.
To ensure that service development / improvement programmes are delivered.
objectives, Local Delivery Plan targets, National targets and local divisional priorities.
Performance Management
To be responsible for ensuring that the Trusts objectives and core deliverables are achieved. This will require the implementation and maintenance of a performance management system aligned to the Trusts Performance Management Framework to ensure that all staff are aware of their role in the delivery of the Trusts objectives and core deliverables.
To be accountable for the Divisions performance against the operational plan.
To put in place effective monitoring systems of performance across the Division against the operational plan and take corrective action where required.
Staff Management and Team Building
The Divisional Director will be a highly skilled and effective motivator. He/she will lead the change management process through complex situations e.g. major organisational change such as the re-organisation / relocation / development/cessation of services, and will ensure that front line staff are empowered and supported to develop a positive can-do approach to issues.
Work collaboratively with the Divisional Team, Clinical Directors, Clinicians, and Senior Managers in all Trust Departments, ensuring that teams and individuals work together effectively.
Resource Management
Review staffing structures and costs and ensure that the most productive and efficient use of staff resources is planned and delivered, managing any service improvements and change management processes that are required in order to deliver this.
Negotiate, communicate and take responsibility for delivering the Division wide objectives, targets and standards.
Human Resources
Ensure Divisional vacancy review panels are in place and effectively undertaken.
Ensure Sickness absence is below the Trust target and ensure sickness absence is effectively managed and staff supported to return to work.
Service Development
Be accountable for and take a lead role in the Divisional implementation of corporate objectives and service development priorities.
Develop Trusts strategic and Service Improvement plans in regards to his/her Division, particularly the development of Lean working across all service areas.
A full detailed version of the job description and main responsibilities can be found in the attached Job Description and Person Specification document.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- First Degree or equivalent relevant experience
- Post Graduate Management/ Business related qualification
- Human Resource Management experience
Knowledge and experience
Essential
- Substantial experience in an appropriate senior management role, including significant experience in a role with significant health service operational responsibilities including inpatient facilities .
- Experience in managing complex change to services over a wide healthcare environment, to incorporate the National agenda for modernisation, integration and service improvement.
- Evidence of writing policies, procedures, guidelines and change papers, ensuring their implementation at local level.
- Evidence of writing complex business, local delivery and strategic plans.
- Substantial evidence of strong leadership and accountability for performance management.
- Substantial experience of implementation and accountability for policies and procedures over large areas of responsibility.
- Evidence of managing multi-disciplinary staff. Including training needs, CPD, appraisals, sickness and absence, disciplinary matters.
- Significant experience of budgetary management and setting and delivery of financial performance
- Experience of procurement procedures in line with Trusts Standing Financial Instructions.
- Experience in providing and receiving highly complex, confidential and sensitive information.
- Proven track record of leading and facilitating change in complex situations with a wide cohort of professionals.
- Experience of working closely and effectively with Executive, Divisional and Departmental teams.
- Significant and proven track record of performance improvement and delivery.
- Evidence of effective delivery of high quality, efficient patient care.
- Demonstrates a firm understanding of the patient experience agenda, including evidence of utilising a variety of data to positively improve their experience.
Key competencies
Essential
- In depth, up-to-date knowledge of the NHS and Health Service Management, with evidence at degree or Masters level (or equivalent).
- Proven and extensive knowledge of financial management practice.
- Knowledge and experience of change management and leadership theory and practice.
- Clear understanding and experience of working to high performance management standards.
- Must have extensive working knowledge of PFI contracts in a healthcare setting
Skills and aptitudes
Essential
- Experience with complex HR issues, including delivery of major organisational change across a range of boundaries
- Excellent HR, communication, analytical, interpretive, financial and conflict management skills.
- Experience with handling significant financial budgets
- Proven track record as a motivational leader, with the ability to negotiate and provide empathy, re-assurance and support.
- Evidence of previous record of collaborative working across a wider health/social care economy.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- First Degree or equivalent relevant experience
- Post Graduate Management/ Business related qualification
- Human Resource Management experience
Knowledge and experience
Essential
- Substantial experience in an appropriate senior management role, including significant experience in a role with significant health service operational responsibilities including inpatient facilities .
- Experience in managing complex change to services over a wide healthcare environment, to incorporate the National agenda for modernisation, integration and service improvement.
- Evidence of writing policies, procedures, guidelines and change papers, ensuring their implementation at local level.
- Evidence of writing complex business, local delivery and strategic plans.
- Substantial evidence of strong leadership and accountability for performance management.
- Substantial experience of implementation and accountability for policies and procedures over large areas of responsibility.
- Evidence of managing multi-disciplinary staff. Including training needs, CPD, appraisals, sickness and absence, disciplinary matters.
- Significant experience of budgetary management and setting and delivery of financial performance
- Experience of procurement procedures in line with Trusts Standing Financial Instructions.
- Experience in providing and receiving highly complex, confidential and sensitive information.
- Proven track record of leading and facilitating change in complex situations with a wide cohort of professionals.
- Experience of working closely and effectively with Executive, Divisional and Departmental teams.
- Significant and proven track record of performance improvement and delivery.
- Evidence of effective delivery of high quality, efficient patient care.
- Demonstrates a firm understanding of the patient experience agenda, including evidence of utilising a variety of data to positively improve their experience.
Key competencies
Essential
- In depth, up-to-date knowledge of the NHS and Health Service Management, with evidence at degree or Masters level (or equivalent).
- Proven and extensive knowledge of financial management practice.
- Knowledge and experience of change management and leadership theory and practice.
- Clear understanding and experience of working to high performance management standards.
- Must have extensive working knowledge of PFI contracts in a healthcare setting
Skills and aptitudes
Essential
- Experience with complex HR issues, including delivery of major organisational change across a range of boundaries
- Excellent HR, communication, analytical, interpretive, financial and conflict management skills.
- Experience with handling significant financial budgets
- Proven track record as a motivational leader, with the ability to negotiate and provide empathy, re-assurance and support.
- Evidence of previous record of collaborative working across a wider health/social care economy.
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.
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.
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).
