Deputy Director of Operations (DDO)

Job description

Job responsibilities

The role reports to the group Director of Operations & Improvement and will be responsible for leading and improving the performance portfolio and over all elective recovery. This will include oversight of the long wait reduction programme, theatre and operational productivity and over all throughput as well as supporting the day to day running of the Groups clinical services.

The role will support the Director of Operations & Improvement in ensuring that operational services across the Clinical Group are delivered to a high standard for our patients and performance across all quality, access, people and financial domains is achieved. The role will work closely with the Trust Director of Performance and Information as well as colleagues across the Clinical Group and wider organisation to ensure that a collaborative approach is used in the achievement of key performance and quality indicators.

To succeed in this role, candidates need to be able to build confidence across the organisation as well as with external partners. Key responsibilities will be to challenge, support and develop the directorate management teams ensuring robust systems for performance and financial management and quality governance are in place. This role will have a strong focus on improvement, supporting teams to innovate and deliver quality improvements for our patients

The role would suit a driven, ambitious and patient centric leader looking for a stepping stone to a Director of Operations or other senior operational role.

Clinical Group Deputy Director of Operations Responsibilities

There will be 2 Deputy Director of Operations portfolios within the Evelina London Womens & Childrens Clinical Group, these will include specific directorate responsibilities, alongside Clinical Group-wide responsibilities. The nature and composition of these portfolios will naturally evolve over time and be subject to change in discussion with the postholder(s). The initial composition of the areas of responsibility for each role are described below:

*Operational responsibility includes:

• General Manager professional support, oversight and guidance

• Directorate Management Team support on planning, performance and delivery

• Key operating license delivery performance, finance, workforce and quality & safety

• Key Trust corporate service enabler support as required including estates and facilities (Essentia), contracting and finance (revenue and capital), core clinical services including imaging & pharmacy and other Trust-wide functions

• Senior operational support to directorate priorities, issues and risks as required

1. Key Relationships

The post holder will have regular contact with a wide range of staff at all levels within the Trust and with patients.

Internal to Clinical Group:

• Director of Operations & Improvement
• Group Chief Executive
• Other deputy director of operations
• Directorate Management Teams
• Medical Director
• Director of Nursing
• Chief Midwife
• Senior Finance and Workforce colleagues
• Clinical Information Officers and DTI business partner
• Clinical Groups central teams including improvement, informatics and performance

External to Clinical Group:

• EPIC, DT&I and Essentia colleagues
• Trust Director of Performance and Information
• Trust informatics, performance and planning colleagues
• Contractors including those related to specific projects
• GSTT Executives / Trust colleagues
• NHSE, ICS, APC and other external bodies

Specific Responsibilities

Corporate

1. Contribute to the overall direction and leadership of the Trust as member of the Clinical Group Senior Management Team.
2. Represent the Clinical Group/Trust externally and develop partnerships with other organisations to promote the development of local services.
3. Contribute to the formation of the Clinical Groups strategic and operational objectives.
4. Work in partnership with other directors to deliver on Clinical Group objectives and ensure the effective day to day running of the Clinical Group.
5. Undertake specific projects as required by the Director of Operations.
6. Ensure the appropriate stewardship and governance of the Clinical Group (as appropriate).

Person Specification

Skills (1)

Essential

• Highly developed leadership and influencing skills with the ability to enthuse, motivate and involve individuals and teams.
• Extensive experience influencing staff at all levels to ensure that programme or project objectives are owned by all members of the team, including users and stakeholders. Substantial evidence of the ability to involve teams in analysis of situation and solution development; persuade teams to take on new ways of working and to constructively challenge the status quo.
• Extensive experience of facilitating group discussions to design, plan and progress programmes and projects
• Ability to be intellectually flexible and to look beyond existing structures, ways of working, boundaries and organisations to produce more effective and innovative service delivery and partnerships
• Ability to work at a very senior level with a multi professional group of staff.
• Extensive, comprehensive experience of senior staff performance management, including motivating.
• Developing, and coaching to meet appropriate deadlines
• Demonstrable political judgement and astuteness in understanding and working with complex policy and diverse interest groups
• A commitment to improving patient services through an ability to sustain a clear focus on achieving demanding goals.
• Ability to problem solve using complex information, setting deliverable goals and monitoring performance.

Skills (2)

Essential

• Ability to lead change with and through the Trust's senior teams, by engaging them in the strategic direction and delivery plans, establishing clear work priorities with them, delegating effectively, ensuring a capability to deliver, monitoring performance and giving feedback.
• Ability to deputise for the Director of Operations
• Demonstrable visioning experience, including an ability to build organisational capabilities, establishing a clear strategic vision and direction and translating this into successful outcomes
• Ability to engage and fully involve senior staff in the delivery of complex programmes
• A strong sense of personal and team accountability coupled to a clear understanding of the boundaries around delegated authority
• Financial awareness and business acumen, drawn from experience of managing large scale budgets. Extensive experience developing, monitoring and managing budgets / delivering substantial multiple million financial benefits associated with programmes.
• Ability to work constructively with internal and external partners to create the conditions for successful collaborations
• Significant experience and knowledge of leading aspects of a large complex organisation through significant change

Skills (3)

Essential

• Demonstrate the ability to work under pressure whilst supporting and getting the most out of staff.
• Proven strong communication skills, in particular, in building and managing interpersonal and team relationships, with strong and effective listening skills
• High level of organisation, self-motivation and flexibility in approach and attitude.
• Strong sense of commitment to openness, honesty and integrity in undertaking the leadership role.
• Demonstrably excellent political skills and awareness, with the ability to understand the wider interest groups and stakeholders within the Trust, and to be able to work sensitively to overcome their differing positions and interests
• Highly developed interpersonal and diplomatic skills for influencing change, handling conflict, managing complex situations and sustaining engagement, including to unfamiliar and potentially antagonistic audiences
• Ability to meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

Knowledge/Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to Master's degree or equivalent level in-depth and significant professional
• Evidence of continued professional and managerial development knowledge and experience

Desirable

• Relevant post-graduate programme or project management qualification, such as Lean or MSP (Managing Successful Programmes), PRINCE2, or equivalent knowledge and experience

Experience

Essential

• A proven track record of extensive strategic, project or operational management for a significant experience of working at senior management level in a large complex environment
• Evidence of sustained and up to date continuous learning/professional development
• Extensive experience providing specialist advice to very senior managers, up to and including Board Directors which may materially affect strategic decision making. This will include advising a range of professionals and specialists in a range of environments.
• Highly developed knowledge and understanding of the changing NHS environment, strategy, and policy agendas, specifically NHSI, NHSE, and the South East London structures, strategy, vision and policies
• A proven track record of strategic and operational and / or performance management for a minimum of 5 years with responsibility for the full range of operational and clinical services.
• Experience designing and implementing performance frameworks and improvement plans
• Evidence of sustained and up to date continuous learning/professional development
• Extensive experience working across multiple organisations to secure change; within this, a proven track record of overcoming political or philosophical challenge, resistance to change, conflicting priorities or polarities.

Desirable

• Experience of leading complex major programmes ensuring they are delivered to the highest standard, to time and are cost effective

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Becket House

1 Lambeth Palace Rd

London

SE1 7EU

Employer's website

https://www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/careers/careers.aspx (Opens in a new tab)