Director of Improvement

University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust

Job summary

About the Role

This is a senior Trust wide leadership role, operating at executive level, with accountability for shaping and leading the organisation’s continuous improvement agenda.

As Director of Improvement, you will provide enterprise level leadership for how continuous improvement is developed and sustained across the Trust. You will act as the Trust’s senior professional expert in continuous improvement, ensuring this agenda is fully integrated into corporate strategy, decision making and delivery.

Working as part of the Trust’s senior leadership community, you will advise, influence and support the Executive Team and Board, ensuring Patient First is positioned as a critical enabler of quality, safety, workforce sustainability and performance. You will also act as a senior system leader, representing UHD with authority at regional and national level and contributing to wider system leadership for improvement and collaboration.

The role provides senior leadership to the Improvement Team and will deputise for the Chief Medical Officer within the portfolio as required.

Relocation expenses will be considered for this role in line with Trust policies and subject to internal review.

Our closing date for applications is 12 midnight on 29th July 2026.

Shortlisting will take place from 30th and 31st July 2026.

We will be contacting applicants from 3rd August 2026.

The interview selection process will take place on 11th and/ or 12th August 2026.

Main duties of the job

Key Responsibilities

  • Further shape the Trust’s approach to improvement, continuing to build a compelling vision forPatient First that inspires staff at every level.
  • Build improvement capacity, capability and culture across the organisation so that every member of staff can contribute to improvement, supported by coaching, training and systematic methodologies.
  • Collaborate closely with care groups and clinical directors to ensure improvement is embedded into clinical leadership and service (re)design.
  • Work with senior leaders to ensure alignment with national priorities (NHS Long Term Plan, NHS People Plan) and external regulatory requirements (CQC, DHSC, ICS).
  • Act as a senior system leader, representing UHD at local, regional and national levels – influencing policy and practice, contributing to academic research and professional networks, and ensuring the voices of patients and communities are central to improvement.

Person Specification

Education & Qualifications

Essential

  • Masters degree or equivalent senior level qualification in a relevant discipline
  • Evidence of ongoing personal and professional development

Desirable

  • Formal training and certification in recognised improvement methodologies e.g Lean, Model for Improvement, Six Sigma

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

  • Significant experience in working close to or at Board level, influencing strategy, and leading large-scale improvement programmes with measurable impact within merged or complex multi-site organisation(s).
  • extensive, successful track record in leading large scale continuous improvement (CI) strategies and interventions, embedding an improvement culture.
  • Substantial senior CI experience operating at a very senior level in a complex organisation, including working closely with and influencing executive team members.
  • Experience of chairing and reporting to Trust Board and Committees.
  • In-depth knowledge of improvement science and application in healthcare.
  • Understanding of NHS policy context including long term plan, NHS People Plan and CQC regulation.
  • Experience of working across organisational and system boundaries with diverse stakeholders.
  • Significant experience of operating effectively in a political environment with cultural sensitivity.
  • Experience of coaching, mentoring and developing leadership capability.

Desirable

  • Experience of working within an NHS integrated care system (ICS).
  • Understanding and professional knowledge in relation to equality, diversity and inclusion.

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: 29 July 2026

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