Head of Operations and Performance

• Significant operational management experience in a complex organisation
• Experience of delivering against performance standards and recovery plans
• Strong financial, workforce and governance awareness
• Ability to lead service improvement, transformation and productivity programmes
• Excellent communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills
• A values-led, inclusive and collaborative leadership style
• Strong analytical and digital capability to support performance assurance and decision-making

Essential

• Project Mgmt Experience
• Proven operational management experience within a large, complex organisation (ideally NHS), including delivering against performance standards/trajectories
• Demonstrable experience of performance assurance, including performance reviews, setting trajectories and agreeing recovery plans, managing escalation, and providing clear assurance reporting.
• Demonstrable knowledge of the NHS financial regime and probity, and proven experience of budgetary management
• Experience of financial management and delivering cost improvement schemes within agreed governance framework
• Experience of partnership working across boundaries, influencing stakeholders to deliver shared pathway and performance outcomes
• Experience of leading multi-disciplinary teams
• Knowledge and understanding of the concepts and process of annual planning and ability to contribute effectively

Essential

• Knowledge and understanding of a range of issues across the NHS
• Knowledge and understanding of recent NHS policy and ability to translate this into action
• Knowledge and understanding of governance, assurance and risk management arrangements in the NHS and the wider health and social care economy
• Experience of change management with proven and measurable results, based on and promoting positive culture and organisational values.

Desirable

• Knowledge of relevant NHS performance and assurance frameworks, regulatory requirements and good governance practice (quality, safety and finance), and the ability to apply these in operational delivery.

Essential

• Strong digital literacy, including use of operational and corporate systems to support performance management (e.g., finance systems, e-rostering) and assurance reporting
• Coaching & values led leadership style, encouraging engagement and empowerment amongst staff and stakeholders, and in developing high performing teams
• Excellent communication skills with ability to use personal influence to build and maintain credibility
• Ability to produce clear, concise assurance reports presenting complex information and recommendations to senior stakeholders
• Ability to interpret and communicate the Trust vision to key stakeholders, develop prioritised objectives and monitor a coherent delivery plan for designated area of responsibility.

Desirable

• Experience of using advanced analytics/BI and automation tools to improve performance reporting and insight, in line with information governance and organisational policy
• Experience using approved AI-enabled productivity tools (e.g., Copilot) in line with information governance and organisational policy.

Essential

• Resilient and adaptable, able to perform effectively in a high- pressure environment with rapidly changing priorities while maintaining appropriate judgement and governance
• Values-driven, inclusive leader who models constructive challenge, accountability and collaborative working across professional boundaries
• Developed leadership, negotiation and influencing skills with the ability to motivate and engage individuals.