Deputy Chief Operating Officer: Sponsorship Available

Job summary

This is a rare and exciting opportunity to join The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust as our Deputy Chief Operating Officer, a pivotal senior leadership role at the heart of delivering outstanding patient care, operational excellence, and transformational change.

Working directly with the Chief Operating Officer, you will play a critical role in leading operational performance, shaping strategic priorities and ensuring the delivery of high-quality, patient-centred services across the Trust. With a strong focus on operational performance, patient flow, elective recovery, and service transformation, you will influence change at scale and help shape the future of healthcare delivery for our local communities.

While the role will have a significant site-focused responsibility within The Dudley Group, it also provides a unique opportunity to work as part of a wider acute provider group alongside Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust. This partnership creates exciting opportunities for collaboration, innovation, and the development of shared approaches to service improvement, operational excellence, and workforce development across a larger healthcare system.

Main duties of the job

We are seeking an ambitious and experienced operational leader with a proven track record of delivering sustained performance improvement within a complex acute healthcare environment. You will bring strategic vision, resilience, and credibility, alongside the ability to inspire teams, build strong relationships and lead through change.

This is an exceptional opportunity for an established senior operational leader, or an aspiring executive-level leader, to gain broader system leadership experience while making a significant impact on patient care, staff experience, and organisational performance.

Join us and play a leading role in shaping the future of healthcare across Dudley and the wider Black Country, improving outcomes for patients locally while contributing to transformation across a larger acute provider group.

Person Specification

Qualifications & Education

Essential

• Educated to degree level or evidence of extensive and directly relevant acute health sector operational management at a senior level
• Masters’ degree relevant to the role or equivalent experience
• Further evidence of management/leadership training and continuous professional development
• Relevant Postgraduate qualification in a management discipline

Knowledge and Training

Essential

• High degree of political sensitivity and experience of dealing with a range of issues in a complex stakeholder environment
• Strong commercial and business acumen and judgment, understanding the need for efficient services and the impact of operational efficiencies on financial performance, the patient experience and staff motivation and morale
• Keeps abreast with national developments in health and social care through active involvement in local and national networks

Experience

Essential

• Extensive experience at a senior level in a complex environment, including a sound understanding of the performance and governance requirements of the NHS for acute Trusts
• Track record of achievement as a leader which demonstrates significant successespatient experience and continuous improvementthrough innovation and a strong but sensitive style, which contributes directly to the
• Significant experience of financial management and rigorous financial management and control to meet agreed targets
• Experience of establishing and applying performance management systems in areas like contract monitoring, staff management and departmental performance indicators

Closing Date: 7 October 2026