Assistant Director - Strategic Operations

Job summary

Help save lives, leading the strategy for Blood Donation. Our dedicated team collects, tests, stores and delivers blood, plasma and tissue to every NHS Trust in the England and North Wales, as well as matching, allocating and analysing organ donations UK wide. As an essential service, were committed to positive transformation and are currently embarking on an ambitious programme of change. As Assistant Director, youll improve the effectiveness of Blood Donation by developing a long-term strategic operating model and secure agreement. Upholding strategic objectives, youll also work with the Senior Management Team and key stakeholders to put plans into action. Your impact will be far-reaching: youll be responsible for developing and implementing Information Systems and Workforce strategies, as well as setting the direction for internal communications. Committed to high standards, youll also develop governance and risk management processes aligned to corporate requirements. With senior level experience of at least one highly complex organisation, youll have delivered quality service and tangible change. Youll have successfully managed large budgets and projects and understand national and international blood services. Masters and Management degrees or equivalent are desired along with experience of Programme Management analysis and design. Highly articulate and credible, youre an adept motivator of large teams.

Main duties of the job

In this role you will be responsible for the Strategic Operations of Donor Experience Directorate. Your responsibilities will include:

1. Leading the development and maintenance of long-term strategies for the UK's Donor Experience systems, aligning with NHSBT corporate strategy.

2. Work with stakeholders from NHS, government, and third sectors to define roles and responsibilities for strategy delivery.

3. Develop a robust evidence base to support strategy, using complex activity models to assess key indicators of the donor journey.

4. Provide strategic direction and recommendations to the Senior Management Team, Executive Team and Board, including long-term strategies, staffing, and operational models.

5. Develop and implement the Community Engagement strategy, overseeing donor recognition, local events, and community-based programmes.

6. Design and implement business change initiatives and deliver major projects within Donor Experience, ensuring alignment with NHSBT's strategic goals.

7. Secure internal and external resources to support delivery of key initiatives, ensuring sufficient capacity and capability.

8. Monitor project milestones, ensuring successful delivery and addressing issues promptly.

9. Ensure resource and activity plans are managed effectively, with a focus on meeting financial targets and delivering efficiency savings.

10. Lead corporate and business planning processes, ensuring they align with NHSBT's goals and resources.

About us

It takes all types of people to deliver the kind of service that saves and improves lives. At NHS Blood and Transplant, youll join a team of more than 6,000 people who are making a genuine difference to communities, families, friends, relatives and more across the UK. We play a unique and special role in the NHS by helping people do something extraordinary- donate blood, blood products, organs, tissues, or stem cells to save someone in need. Our three core values are what set us apart. They guide and inspire everything we do. By being caring, expertly meeting the needs of our patients and our people, and accepting nothing less than the best quality, we can do extraordinary work and help our people to do something extraordinary in their career, too. Three small words, one big difference - Caring, Expert and Quality. Together we'll save and improve more lives than ever. You will join us on our journey to create an inclusive workplace and aim to reflect the diverse communities we work with, and we positively encourage applications from all sectors of the community.