Job overview
Lead Operational Excellence. Drive Transformation. Improve Lives.
Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust is seeking an exceptional operational leader to join our Group Executive and Board as Chief Operating Officer.
This is a rare opportunity to make a lasting difference for the people Sandwell and West Birmingham, leading a large and diverse portfolio of acute, community and specialist services at a time of significant opportunity and transformation.
As a voting member of the Trust Board and Executive Leadership Team, you will provide strategic and visible leadership across the organisation, ensuring the delivery of safe, high-quality, responsive and financially sustainable services. You will be responsible for operational performance, service transformation, patient flow, urgent and emergency care, productivity, workforce effectiveness and delivery of our strategic ambitions.
Working closely with the Chief Executive, Executive colleagues, clinical leaders and system partners, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of services for our population whilst contributing to the development of our wider NHS Group model.
Main duties of the job
About you
You will be an experienced executive leader with a strong track record of delivering operational excellence within a large and complex healthcare organisation. You will have successfully led transformational change, delivered performance improvement, developed high-performing teams and built strong relationships with clinicians, staff and external partners.
You will bring:
- Significant senior leadership experience within the NHS.
- A proven track record of delivering sustainable operational and performance improvement.
- Experience of leading large-scale transformation and service redesign.
- Strong financial and workforce leadership credentials.
- Exceptional stakeholder engagement and influencing skills.
- A commitment to compassionate, inclusive and visible leadership.
Most importantly, you will be a leader who inspires confidence, builds trust and creates an environment where people can thrive and deliver their very best for patients.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Why join us?
At Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, our values of Ambition, Respect and Compassion underpin everything we do. We are committed to creating an inclusive culture where everyone can belong, contribute and succeed.
This is an opportunity to:
- Join an ambitious and forward-thinking Executive Team.
- Help shape the future of healthcare delivery across Sandwell and West Birmingham.
- Lead significant operational improvement and transformational programmes.
- Influence system-wide service development and integrated care.
- Work as part of a growing NHS Group and Provider Collaborative.
- Make a meaningful difference to patients, staff and local communities.
If you are an inspirational leader with the vision, resilience and determination to help shape the future of healthcare delivery, we would love to hear from you.
For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Diane Wake
Applicant requirements
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Person specification
Experience
Essential
- Significant senior leadership experience within a large, complex NHS provider organisation
- Substantial experience operating at Board, Executive Director or equivalent level within a large and complex organisation
- Proven track record of leading operational services and delivering sustained improvements in performance, quality and productivity
- Demonstrable experience of leading large-scale operational performance improvement programmes within challenging environments
- Evidence of successful delivery of national operational standards, including urgent and emergency care, elective care, diagnostics and cancer performance
- Significant experience of leading and managing large, complex service portfolios, multiple professional groups and multidisciplinary teams
- Experience of developing and delivering strategic objectives through operational plans and measurable outcomes
- Demonstrable success in leading major organisational change, service redesign and transformation programmes
- Extensive experience of working collaboratively with clinical leaders to improve quality, safety, performance and patient outcomes
- Significant experience of delivering operational performance within a financially constrained environment whilst maintaining quality and safety standards
- Experience of leading productivity, efficiency and value improvement programmes resulting in measurable benefits
- Proven experience of managing large and complex budgets and ensuring effective stewardship of resources
- Experience of leading organisations or services through periods of significant operational pressure, organisational challenge or regulatory scrutiny
- Experience of building and maintaining effective relationships with commissioners, regulators, system partners and external stakeholders
- Experience of workforce leadership including organisational development, staff engagement, talent management and leadership development
- Experience of leading partnership working across organisational boundaries to improve services and outcomes for patients
- Experience of presenting complex performance, quality and financial information to Boards, Committees and external organisations
- Experience of acting as Executive lead for major programmes, strategic projects or corporate objectives
Desirable
- Previous experience as a Chief Operating Officer, Deputy Chief Operating Officer or equivalent Executive Director role
- Experience within an acute and community healthcare provider organisation
- Experience of working within a Group structure, provider collaborative or integrated care system environment
- Experience of leading organisation-wide cultural change and continuous improvement programmes
- Experience of working with Governors, regulators and external assurance bodies
- Experience of system leadership across multiple organisations and sectors
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to Masters level or able to demonstrate equivalent level of knowledge, leadership experience and strategic expertise gained through senior NHS leadership roles
- Degree level qualification or equivalent professional qualification
- Evidence of continuous professional and executive leadership development
- Significant evidence of postgraduate study or professional development in a relevant discipline (e.g. healthcare management, leadership, business administration, operational management, finance, quality improvement or organisational development)
Desirable
- Completion of a recognised senior NHS leadership development programme or equivalent executive leadership programme
- Chartered status, fellowship or senior professional accreditation relevant to the role
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Chief Operating Officer- Sandwell & West Birmingham NHS Trust with Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust in West Bromwich, England. It is listed as a Administrative and IT role. The advertised salary is £100000.00 to £200000.00. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 09 Aug 2026.
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