Job overview
This is a pivotal senior leadership role within Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, offering the opportunity to shape and deliver high-quality, responsive services across a complex and evolving system.
As Associate Director of Operations, you will work as part of a multi-professional leadership team to deliver safe, effective and high-performing services across your clinical network. You will be accountable for operational performance, quality, workforce, and financial delivery, ensuring services meet the needs of our population and align with Trust and system priorities.
You will lead with clarity and credibility, working across organisational boundaries to strengthen pathways, improve outcomes, and deliver sustainable transformation. This role requires someone who can operate confidently at scale, influence across systems, and bring together people, services and partners to deliver meaningful change.
Main duties of the job
The Associate Director of Operations will work closely with the Associate Director(s) of Nursing and Associate Medical Director(s) to ensure that high quality care is delivered within the Locality services and providing professional leadership to operational colleagues across the locality.
You will promote a culture of learning and openness and ensure clinical staff have the knowledge, capability, systems and support to deliver evidence based care and embed lessons learned in practice for the improvement of patient experience.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
You will be an experienced senior operational leader with a strong track record of delivering improvement within complex NHS environments. You will be comfortable working in ambiguity, managing competing priorities, and leading through periods of change.
You will bring:
- Proven experience of delivering operational performance and service improvement at scale
- Strong system leadership and partnership working across health and care
- The ability to lead, influence and motivate multidisciplinary teams
- Experience of delivering transformation and embedding new ways of working
- A values-driven approach, with a clear focus on quality, safety and outcomes
Please find attached our Job Description and Person Specification for more detail on your Key Accountabilities, then if you feel you have what it takes to make a difference in your local communities, click APPLY!
Please visit our Facebook and Twitter page @NSFTjobs
Applicant requirements
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Person specification
Knowledge
Essential
- Good understanding of current emerging health issues, commissioning systems and performance standards.
- In depth knowledge of the NHS, recent reforms including Health and Social Care Act 2012.
Experience
Essential
- Significant budgetary and staff management experience.
- Demonstrable experience of business planning, and the production of comprehensive and complex business cases
Desirable
- Engaging with appropriate stakeholders to shape delivery of healthcare services
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree level education supplemented by postgraduate study and management or clinical experience to master’s degree level or equivalent.
Desirable
- Other professional qualifications relevant to the role
WhatsApp job alerts
Get instant WhatsApp alerts for Manager and Corporate roles in Bury St. Edmunds
Create your Job Clerk account first. We'll collect your alert preferences during onboarding and help you turn on WhatsApp notifications for matching healthcare roles.
Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Associate Director of Operations with Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust in Wedgwood House. It is listed as a Manager and corporate role. The advertised salary is £79504.00 to £91609.00. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 19 Aug 2026.
Before you apply, compare the job description with the person specification and mirror the employer's essential criteria in your supporting information. Use the vacancy title, employer, location, salary, contract type, closing date and posted date (11 Aug 2026) to decide whether this role fits your current NHS job search. If the employer can close applications early, prepare the application before the stated deadline rather than waiting for the final day.
For more context, review related Job Clerk pages for the same profession, band or location where they exist, then use the application-support guides to tailor your statement and prepare for interview.