Chief of Staff to the National Chief Operating Officer

NHS England

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Job summary

The National Chief Operating Officer (COO) Directorate in NHS England is seeking a dynamic Chief of Staff (CoS) who will lead a team to support the COO and their Senior Leadership Team including a number of National and Regional Directors. In this pivotal role, the postholder will work closely with the COO Private Office, teams across all sub-directorates, regions, and other national directorates to provide strategic advice to the COO, as well as leadership of the overall COO Directorate.

The refreshed COO Directorate following the New NHS England Programme oversees all of the major operational delivery areas across different sectors of the NHS, including Integrated Urgent and Emergency Care, Elective Recovery and Outpatients Care, Cancer, Diagnostics, Mental Health, Learning Disability & Autism, Primary Care & Community Services, Resilience & Emergency Preparedness, and National Recovery Support for challenged systems and providers. The postholder will work across these areas to ensure the thorough development and delivery of policy, including working closely with the CEO's office and government colleagues. The CoS will ensure that the Directorate's objectives are aligned with organisational priorities, reflected in the business plan, and followed through into operational delivery.

The CoS leads on a wide range of corporate issues to ensure the smooth running of the whole COO Directorate, manages the COO Business Unit, and acts as the senior link with Finance and HR teams.

Main duties of the job

1. Represent views of the COO and COO SLT internally and externally to ensure the business of COO Directorate and regions is clearly formulated, understood by all stakeholders, and delivered efficiently and effectively.
2. Work on behalf of the COO with a wide range of senior stakeholders, Department of Health & Social Care and other government departments and Arm's Length Bodies including regulators, as well as external organisations.
3. Support the COO in managing high profile agendas e.g. the NHS's ongoing performance recovery work, winter planning, and the operational response to industrial action.
4. Provide high quality policy advice to and support the delivery of programmes and ensure the COO is well-equipped with the right information and advice as a key Executive member of the NHS England Board. The postholder will ensure they and the wider COO Private Office work effectively to synthesise information from a wide range of internal and external sources, using it to provide high quality advice and support to the COO.
5. Manage the day-to-day financial and people matters of the Directorate working with the Business Unit, Finance and HROD colleagues.

About us

The NHS England board have set out the top-level purpose for the new organisation to lead the NHS in England to deliver high-quality services for all, which will inform the detailed design work and we will achieve this purpose by:

Enabling local systems and providers to improve the health of their people and patients and reduce health inequalities.
Making the NHS a great place to work, where our people can make a difference and achieve their potential.
Working collaboratively to ensure our healthcare workforce has the right knowledge, skills, values and behaviours to deliver accessible, compassionate care
Optimising the use of digital technology, research, and innovation
Delivering value for money.

If you would like to know more or require further information, please visithttps://www.england.nhs.uk/.

Colleagues with a contractual office base are expected to spend, on average, at least 40% of their time working in-person.

Date posted

21 June 2024

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 9

Salary

£107,637 to £122,695 a year

Contract

Secondment

Duration

6 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

990-COO-1001-E

Job locations

Wellington House

London

SE1 8UG

Job description

Job responsibilities

You can find further details about the job in the attached Job Description and Assignment Brief documentation.

Job description

Job responsibilities

You can find further details about the job in the attached Job Description and Assignment Brief documentation.

Person Specification

Essential criteria

Essential

i.Educated to Masters level in a relevant area of academic practice with in depth additional knowledge in specialist areas/subject matters expertise in a number of relevant disciplines or equivalent senior-level experience supporting Board-level Executives and/or Ministers
ii.Sound management of large budgets and teams through direct line management, matrix management and corporate leadership
iii.Confidence in competently juggling a wide-ranging, complex portfolio in a very high-pace environment with strong political acumen
iv.Excellent communication skills and the ability to influence Executives and senior government officials on healthcare matters
v.Extensive knowledge of the background to and aims of current healthcare policy and appreciation of the implications of this on engagement, demonstrating sound judgement

Person Specification

Essential criteria

Essential

i.Educated to Masters level in a relevant area of academic practice with in depth additional knowledge in specialist areas/subject matters expertise in a number of relevant disciplines or equivalent senior-level experience supporting Board-level Executives and/or Ministers
ii.Sound management of large budgets and teams through direct line management, matrix management and corporate leadership
iii.Confidence in competently juggling a wide-ranging, complex portfolio in a very high-pace environment with strong political acumen
iv.Excellent communication skills and the ability to influence Executives and senior government officials on healthcare matters
v.Extensive knowledge of the background to and aims of current healthcare policy and appreciation of the implications of this on engagement, demonstrating sound judgement