Divisional Director of Operations (Medicine) – West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Are you an ambitious operational leader who can combine strategic thinking with a practical focus on delivery? This is an opportunity to lead a broad and complex portfolio of medical services, shape the future of patient care and make a tangible difference to the communities we serve.

We are seeking a Divisional Director of Operations – Medicine to join our senior operational leadership team. Working alongside the Divisional Director and senior nursing leadership, you will provide visible, compassionate leadership and take responsibility for operational delivery, performance, financial management and service improvement across the Medicine Division.

Our division spans specialist medicine, care of older people and frailty, and interventional specialties including cardiology, respiratory medicine and gastroenterology. With services across Watford General, St Albans City and Hemel Hempstead hospitals, alongside our Virtual Hospital model, the role offers scope to improve inpatient, outpatient and diagnostic pathways and develop care closer to home.

Main duties of the job

You will translate the Trust’s ambitions into clear divisional priorities and measurable improvements, balancing day-to-day operational pressures with longer-term service development. Working in partnership with clinical teams, corporate colleagues and system partners, you will strengthen access, improve patient flow and ensure resources are used effectively while maintaining a clear focus on quality and patient experience.

• Lead the operational running of the division, establishing clear accountability and effective performance oversight.

• Drive delivery of national and local access standards across planned care, diagnostics and cancer pathways, including robust waiting-list management and referral-to-treatment performance.

• Work across divisional boundaries to improve capacity, patient flow and discharge pathways, supporting timely care and service resilience.

• Lead business, capacity and workforce planning, aligning services and resources with demand.

• Deliver robust financial management, improved productivity and sustainable efficiency programmes.

• Lead service transformation and continuous improvement, using data, clinical insight and patient feedback to shape better pathways.

• Develop and support operational leaders, building a collaborative culture with clear expectations and a commitment to learning.

• Maintain effective operational governance, risk management and escalation, working closely with clinical and nursing colleagues.

• Build strong relationships with community providers, primary care and wider system partners to deliver joined-up care.

About you

You will bring substantial senior operational management experience in a complex healthcare environment, with a track record of delivering performance improvement, managing resources and leading change. You will understand how to turn strategy into action and how to sustain improvement through effective teams, sound governance and constructive relationships with clinical colleagues.

We are looking for someone who is credible, collaborative and confident in making decisions; able to challenge constructively, navigate competing priorities and maintain focus under pressure. Just as importantly, you will be a visible and approachable leader who develops others, listens to patients and colleagues, and creates the conditions for teams to deliver their best work.

For an informal and confidential conversation about this opportunity, please contact Finn McNulty at Hunter Healthcare on 07966 006091 or [email protected].

Job Description