Deputy Chief Operating Officer Go back Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
The closing date is 20 March 2026
The Deputy Chief Operating Officer works directly to the Chief Operating Officer providing senior operational and strategic leadership to ensure the effective provision of health and care services across the organisation. The role holds extensive operational resource responsibilities which requires the post holder to plan strategically for all aspects of Operations including: managing performance, workforce, finance, quality, safety and risk. The postholder will lead within the local system, chair system meetings, representing the COO and will be expected to represent the COO both regionally and nationally. They will chair the Operations Directorate Performance & Risk and Business meetings with responsibility for onward reporting for assurance through to Committee.
The post holder will have direct line management responsibility for 3 Service Group Directors of Operation, the Head of Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response, and the Operations Directorate.
Main duties of the job The postholder will be accountable for the coordination and delivery of high quality and safe clinical services, working in partnership with leadership teams, clinical and professional leads and colleagues in corporate services. The postholder will be responsible for oversight of operational delivery of national and local targets within the resources available. The postholder will be responsible for ensuring flexibility in capacity to meet demand and deliver both the local quality and safety agenda and related improvements. The post holder will have a key role in ensuring financial sustainability. Driving forward progress through inspiring leadership of large scale, complex transformational change programmes (in line with the ambitions of the NHS 10 Year Plan) the postholder will be committed to tackling health inequalities.
The role will lead in driving key opportunities across the Trust to support integrated, neighbourhood working to ensure delivery of effective pathways. The post holder will need to develop effective partnership working which delivers tangible solutions across the Integrated Care System in Gloucestershire working with statutory partners, voluntary and independent sector providers and people with lived experience.
The qualification, training & experience requirements for the role are underlined in the Job Description/Person Specification.
About us We have a skilled and dedicated workforce of over 5000 colleagues working in a diverse range of services over 55 sites and within people's homes. We strive to enable a welcoming workplace culture that builds and celebrates civility, inclusivity and diversity, while providing a sense of belonging and trust.
Annual staff surveys, regular Pulse surveys and other engagement opportunities provide our people with lots of opportunity to tell us about their experiences of working with us. In the latest staff survey, 61% of colleagues gave us their views. It was great to hear that:
- 72% of colleagues would recommend the Trust as a place to work, ranking us 1st for Provider Trusts in the South West region on this question.
- 76% would recommend the standard of care provided in our services if a friend or relative needed treatment, also ranking us 1st in the South West region.
- 81% said that care of patients and service users is the Trust's priority, compared with an average in comparable NHS Trusts in England of 64%.
This high-level overview shows we are in a healthy position, with higher scores than average for comparable organisations, alongside a great response rate, indicating good staff engagement. However, we also know we have plenty of room for improvement in many areas. To that end, we continue to prioritise and invest in our commitment to genuinely becoming a Great Place to Work with consistent top-quartile performance in the annual staff survey and Pulse surveys.
Job responsibilities Leadership
Values based, compassionate, visible and engaging leadership to inspire and empower staff in delivering high quality services.
Leading to embed the new operational structure that puts quality of care at the heart of operational delivery, demonstrating a commitment to improving patient care and experience, and delivering an efficient service by getting things right first time
Leading with a commitment to ensuring that people with lived experience are at the heart of the design, development, delivery and monitoring of services
Lead services to operate in a community-oriented culture to promote neighbourhood working, social inclusion and reduce health inequalities
Be a full and effective contributor to Senior Leadership and Extended Executive meetings and governance fora
Ensure clear partnership working across the Trust so that the Operations Directorate is lead in partnership with clinical and professional leads balancing performance, finance, quality, safety and effectiveness.
Actively promote the Trust values and the behaviours that underpin these to support and encourage better clinical care
Committed to excellent system leadership, recognising the role that the Trust has to play in the wider Health and Social Care system and in local communities.
Operational Management
The Deputy Chief Operating Officer leads and is responsible for the delivery of services across the Operations Directorate. They manage and report for assurance in relation to agreed contractual, access and performance targets. Utilising processes of continuous quality improvement, the post holder will:
Manage the operational performance of services, ensuring high quality, compassionate and person-centred care
Ensure effective governance arrangements are in place and regularly audited to ensure effective management of performance of services to achieve agreed contractual targets, ensuring that areas of underperformance are tackled promptly and service improvement plans are developed and instigated where required
To effectively report for assurance on improvements in performance with clear actions and milestones, via the trusts IQPR
To analyse organisational and service performance data to inform progress against the Trust and the Directorates strategic direction
Ensure effective reporting to Committee in relation to performance
Ensure that effective clinical governance, risk management and controls assurance systems and procedures are embedded into the culture of Operations
Provide senior operational input to contract monitoring arrangements and negotiations (including ICS, Local Authority, NHSE, Specialist Commissioning, and other commissioning/provider organisations)
Ensure that service users, patients, families and carers are at the heart of continuous improvement in service delivery
Identify opportunities to develop and lead integrated neighbourhood delivery, integrating health and social care and delivery in partnership with VCSE.
Analyse a range of complex data and statistical sources of information, including population health data, peer group and national benchmarking, national and international research studies and identification of sources of best practice to constantly learn, improve and transform services
Oversee delivery of service efficiencies to meet improved quality and financial management requirements utilising local, regional and national review findings where appropriate
To work as part of an extended team, building strong partnerships across corporate services in the effective oversight and management of operational delivery
To work across boundaries to ensure a seamless service for patients and ensure the delivery of all operational priorities. This means leading the delivery of high-quality clinical care and services that promote recovery and prevention
Proactively identify, manage and report for assurance on operational risks to service delivery ensuring that mitigations are owned and effective and that there is a dynamic approach to the escalation and de-escalation of risks
Produce and present reports on areas of operational delivery and performance to the Board and relevant sub-Committees
Provide senior leadership in system-wide demand management initiatives/developments working with a wide range of statutory, voluntary and independent sector organisations
Contributing to the development of quality improvement approaches
Promote and implement a safe, productive and healthy work environment within the Trust in line with Health and Safety, Equality Act and other applicable legislation
Ensure mental and physical health operational services comply with legislation including the Health and Social Care Act, Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity Act, Deprivation of Liberty Safeguarding and Human Rights Act
Service Planning
Lead the development, monitoring, effective delivery and reporting of annual and strategic business plans for services managed and contribute to the development of the Trusts business planning cycle
Develop and lead initiatives that respond to the NHS 10 Year Plan
Lead skill mix reviews and the development of future focussed workforce plans, recruitment and retention initiatives and creation of new job roles which seek to address the Trusts workforce capacity challenges in line with the NHS People Plan
Take a key role in the formulation and delivery of strategic transformation plans in line with organisational strategy
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