Head of Operations: Sponsorship Available

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Job summary

This is an exciting opportunity for an accomplished operational leader to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of healthcare delivery across Humber Health Partnership (HHP). As Head of Operations, you will provide strategic and operational leadership for a portfolio of complex improvement, transformation, and service redesign programmes that support the delivery of high-quality, efficient, and sustainable services.

Working closely with the Chief Delivery Officer, Executive colleagues, clinical leaders, and system partners, you will drive organisational priorities relating to operational performance, productivity, patient flow, elective recovery, clinical support services, and financial sustainability. You will lead large-scale change programmes across organisational boundaries, translating strategic objectives into measurable improvements for patients, staff, and services.

The role requires a dynamic and influential leader with the ability to build strong relationships, inspire teams, and deliver results in a complex and evolving healthcare environment. With responsibility for governance, programme delivery, performance management, and benefits realisation, you will play a key role in ensuring HHP continues to deliver operational excellence while driving innovation and transformation across the partnership.

Interviews are due to be held w/c 14th September 2026.

Main duties of the job

  • Lead major operational improvement and transformation programmesdelivering measurable improvements in performance, quality, productivity, and patient experience.
  • Support the Chief Delivery Officer in delivering organisational objectives, ensuring operational priorities and performance standards are achieved.
  • Drive performance improvement initiativesacross clinical and corporate services, monitoring delivery against key performance indicators and milestones.
  • Provide assurance on programme delivery and benefits realisation, identifying risks and implementing mitigating actions.
  • Lead complex service redesign programmesand support the development of future operating models and innovative models of care.
  • Establish and maintain governance and risk management arrangements, ensuring compliance with NHS regulatory and organisational requirements.
  • Develop Board and Executive-level reports and assurance documentation, providing insight into programme performance, risks, and opportunities.
  • Lead financially sustainable improvement initiatives, supporting productivity, efficiency, Cost Improvement Programmes, and business cases.
  • Build strong partnerships with clinical, operational, corporate, and external stakeholders, promoting collaborative working across organisational and system boundaries.
  • Provide visible and inspirational leadership, leading multidisciplinary teams and fostering operational excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Degree-level qualification or equivalent experience.
  • Master’s degree or equivalent senior leadership experience.
  • Evidence of continuing professional development
  • Formal management or leadership qualification

Desirable

  • MBA, MSc or equivalent postgraduate qualification.
  • PRINCE2, MSP or equivalent programme management qualification.
  • Quality improvement qualification.

Experience

Essential

  • Significant senior operational leadership experience within the NHS.
  • Experience of leading large-scale transformational change.
  • Experience of delivering complex operational improvement programmes.
  • Experience of performance and governance management
  • Experience of service redesign and pathway transformation.
  • Significant financial and business planning experience
  • Experience of influencing senior clinicians and executives.
  • Experience of leading teams through organisational change.

Desirable

  • Experience working across provider collaboratives or group organisations.
  • Experience supporting major organisational transformation programmes.

Knowledge and skills

Essential

  • Detailed understanding of NHS operational performance frameworks.
  • Strong knowledge of programme and change management methodologies.
  • Excellent strategic planning abilities. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
  • Ability to interpret complex operational and performance data.
  • Excellent communication and negotiation skills.
  • Proven ability to influence at Executive and Board level.
  • Strong leadership and people management capability.

Desirable

  • Understanding of large-scale organisational integration and partnership working.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).

Closing Date: 6 September 2026

To apply for this job please visit apps.trac.jobs.