Job summary
Deputy Associate Director of Operations- Medicine & ED
Department: Medicine Division
Band 8b pro rata if part-time
Hours: 37.5 per week, all MKUH roles will be considered for flexible working
Are you ready for a leadership opportunity that will challenge and inspire you? Do you have a passion for delivering high-quality patient care in a fast-paced, dynamic environment? We are seeking a Deputy Associate Director of Operations for Medicine and ED to join our innovative and committed team.
The successful candidate will join the fast-paced, rapidly growing and dynamic Medicine division (including ED and Urgent Care) - the largest and division in the Trust. Additionally, you'll be responsible for overseeing operational activities, driving improvements in patient care, and ensuring that services are efficient and effective.
Your current leadership skills will contribute to the development and execution of strategies to ensure high standards of care, operational excellence, and the overall success of the division.
Interview date: 29.04.2026
Main duties of the job
They feel supported in their employers making reasonable adjustments to help them carry out their work, rating an 82.9%.' NHS Staff Survey 2024 .
'We care We communicate We collaborate We contribute'
- To provide support and leadership to the operational teams across the Emergency Department and Acute Medicine CSUs to ensure effective service delivery. This includes Same Day Emergency Care pathways and Emergency Department improvement opportunities to meet Trust objectives.
- Work collaboratively with the CSU triumvirate(s) to implement service improvements and modernise practices within emergency and acute medicine.
- Establish excellent relationships with the internal and external staff groups andstakeholders to facilitate robust service delivery, successful development of clinical services utilising best practice methodologies.
- Establish effective relationships with clinical staff and other stakeholders to assist with ensuring financial targets and cost improvement programmes are delivered to agreed budgets.
About us
Milton Keynes University Hospital, in proud partnership with the University of Buckingham, is a University Teaching Hospital committed to advancing patient care through cutting-edge research and education. With a "Good" rating from the CQC and significant investment underway, this is an exciting time to join our team and grow your career.
As a medium sized general hospital, we provide a full range of general medical and surgical services, including a busy Emergency Department, Maternity, and Paediatrics. As the population of our city and surrounding areas continues to grow rapidly, we are expanding and enhancing our facilities to meet rising demand and improve access to care for all our communities.
We are also proud to offer a growing portfolio of specialist services. In January 2025 we opened our state-of-the-art Radiotherapy Centre, bringing advanced cancer treatment closer to home. Our services also include neonatology, specialist surgical care, and a wide range of diagnostics, supported by the new Community Diagnostic Centre at Whitehouse Health Centre.
Further investment is underway, including the construction of Oak Wards - a new ward block featuring two 24-bed wards - and the recently approved Women and Children's Centre, set to open by 2030.
Visit our website to explore the latest news and opportunities at MKUH - News - Milton Keynes University Hospital -
For further information about Milton Keynes please visit - Visit Milton Keynes
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Work with other service/directorate leaders in the achievement of performance objectives and streamline patient pathways to improve the patient experience.
- Deputise for the Divisional ADO in their absence and as required.
- Responsibility for recruitment, retention, disciplinary and grievance and all staffing issues within the directorate/services in collaboration with Divisional ADO.
- Provide support and advice to junior managers within the operational divisional team as required.
- Ensure that the CSUs/services manage expenditure (including recharges from other Divisions) by achieving agreed income targets or reducing expenditure accordingly.
- Responsible for ensuring that the CSUs/services are appropriately supported to deliver allocated cost improvement targets, developing realistic plans and monitoringand reviewing their implementation.
- Ensure mechanisms are in place to review and action regional and national objectives inclusive of external stakeholder changes and emergency care dataset information gathering.
- Maintain health and safety standards within the Trust.
Please refer to the job description for further details.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Work with other service/directorate leaders in the achievement of performance objectives and streamline patient pathways to improve the patient experience.
- Deputise for the Divisional ADO in their absence and as required.
- Responsibility for recruitment, retention, disciplinary and grievance and all staffing issues within the directorate/services in collaboration with Divisional ADO.
- Provide support and advice to junior managers within the operational divisional team as required.
- Ensure that the CSUs/services manage expenditure (including recharges from other Divisions) by achieving agreed income targets or reducing expenditure accordingly.
- Responsible for ensuring that the CSUs/services are appropriately supported to deliver allocated cost improvement targets, developing realistic plans and monitoringand reviewing their implementation.
- Ensure mechanisms are in place to review and action regional and national objectives inclusive of external stakeholder changes and emergency care dataset information gathering.
- Maintain health and safety standards within the Trust.
Please refer to the job description for further details.
Person Specification
Qualifications and knowledge
Essential
- Masters Degree or management knowledge acquired through training and experience equivalent to masters level
- Evidence of continuous professional development
Desirable
- Project management qualification e.g. PRINCE II
Communication
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to influence other using all communication tools (verbal, written etc.)
- Ability to challenge and influence a range of internal and external stakeholders
Personal and people development
Essential
- Experience of managing and developing others
- Evidence of creative and inspirational approach to problem solving
- Evidence of ability to be a credible leader
Skills
Essential
- A proven ability to obtain and consistently achieve results and targets
- Proven ability to deal with a wide range of data and information and take appropriate decisions from it
- A proven ability to come up with flexible and creative solutions to difficult problems
- Excellent collaborative working skills and able to build strong relationships with clinical leaders and professional staff group
- Proven ability of leading change through people
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills - ability to negotiate and influence in difficult and contentious situations with a wide staff group
- A strong commitment to openness, honesty, inclusiveness and diversity
- Self-management and personal integrity
- Ability to analyse complex problems and develop practical solutions
- Full range of IT skills, including MS Office
Experience
Essential
- Minimum of 4 years specialist experience in an operational management post in the NHS
- Proven and demonstrable track record of meeting national targets
- Knowledge and understanding of the duties imposed one the Trust by legislation, NHS policy and priorities and the requirement of corporate governance
- A clear understanding of the modernization agenda, the opportunities for redesigning services and the tools and techniques for achieving service change
- Proven success in managing operational change, whilst maintaining high standards of quality
- Minimum of 4 years experience of managing staff. Demonstrate evidence of sound financial/staff management
- NHS experience in a senior manager role with significant experience of dealing with complex issues
- Demonstrable experience of successfully managing projects
- Proven success in business planning and in the development and implementation of complex strategic plans
Specific requirements
Essential
- Able to perform the duties of the post with reasonable aids and adaptations
Person Specification
Qualifications and knowledge
Essential
- Masters Degree or management knowledge acquired through training and experience equivalent to masters level
- Evidence of continuous professional development
Desirable
- Project management qualification e.g. PRINCE II
Communication
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to influence other using all communication tools (verbal, written etc.)
- Ability to challenge and influence a range of internal and external stakeholders
Personal and people development
Essential
- Experience of managing and developing others
- Evidence of creative and inspirational approach to problem solving
- Evidence of ability to be a credible leader
Skills
Essential
- A proven ability to obtain and consistently achieve results and targets
- Proven ability to deal with a wide range of data and information and take appropriate decisions from it
- A proven ability to come up with flexible and creative solutions to difficult problems
- Excellent collaborative working skills and able to build strong relationships with clinical leaders and professional staff group
- Proven ability of leading change through people
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills - ability to negotiate and influence in difficult and contentious situations with a wide staff group
- A strong commitment to openness, honesty, inclusiveness and diversity
- Self-management and personal integrity
- Ability to analyse complex problems and develop practical solutions
- Full range of IT skills, including MS Office
Experience
Essential
- Minimum of 4 years specialist experience in an operational management post in the NHS
- Proven and demonstrable track record of meeting national targets
- Knowledge and understanding of the duties imposed one the Trust by legislation, NHS policy and priorities and the requirement of corporate governance
- A clear understanding of the modernization agenda, the opportunities for redesigning services and the tools and techniques for achieving service change
- Proven success in managing operational change, whilst maintaining high standards of quality
- Minimum of 4 years experience of managing staff. Demonstrate evidence of sound financial/staff management
- NHS experience in a senior manager role with significant experience of dealing with complex issues
- Demonstrable experience of successfully managing projects
- Proven success in business planning and in the development and implementation of complex strategic plans
Specific requirements
Essential
- Able to perform the duties of the post with reasonable aids and adaptations
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.
