Chief Operating Officer

Job overview

As Chief Operating Officer for the NIHR London Applied Research Collaboration (ARC), you will provide strategic and operational leadership to a £22m pan-London programme spanning more than 20 partner organisations. Working at the interface of research, policy and practice, you will ensure the ARC delivers measurable improvements in population health, tackles inequalities, strengthens health and care systems, and drive innovation across London.

Central to the role is translating research into real-world impact. You will lead the development and delivery of a multi-year strategy, ensuring alignment with regional and national priorities including prevention, neighbourhood health, economic growth and data-driven innovation. You will oversee programme direction, resource allocation and partnership development across a complex multi-organisational environment.

Operating at the most senior levels across the NHS, academia, local government and national bodies, you will influence policy, shape investment priorities and strengthen London’s position as a leader in applied health research. As a key member of the ARC Executive, you will act as a trusted advisor to the ARC Directors and Board, ensuring strong governance, performance and accountability.

This is an exceptional opportunity to lead at system scale, bringing together world-class organisations to deliver innovation and measurable benefits for more than nine million people across London, with national and international influence.

Main duties of the job

The Chief Operating Officer will lead the strategic and operational delivery of the NIHR London ARC, ensuring the programme delivers maximum impact across health, care and research systems.

You will provide executive leadership for strategy and delivery, co-developing and implementing a multi-year vision aligned with regional and national priorities, including population health improvement, reducing inequalities, innovation and economic growth. You will oversee a diverse portfolio of research and improvement programmes, ensuring strong performance, effective prioritisation and measurable outcomes.

A key part of the role is system leadership. You will build and maintain influential relationships across the NHS, Integrated Care Systems, local authorities, universities, voluntary sector organisations and national bodies. As a senior ambassador for the ARC, you will represent the partnership in high-level forums, influencing policy, shaping investment priorities and working across organisational boundaries.

You will ensure robust governance, risk management and financial stewardship, including delegated responsibility for a £22m budget.

Leading a distributed multidisciplinary team, you will foster a high-performing, collaborative culture and drive organisational development. You will accelerate the translation of research into practice and policy, delivering tangible improvements in health outcomes and system performance across London.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The COO will:

• Be accountable for operational delivery and strategic execution of the London ARC on behalf of the Partnership Board and Host Trust.
• Hold delegated executive authority for delivery of ARC objectives, performance management, and cross-partner programme coordination.
• Exercise independent judgement on matters with significant financial, reputational, research, and system-wide implications across London health and care organisations.
• Be responsible for ensuring delivery of the ARC’s objectives across a highly complex partnership environment involving NHS, academic, local government, voluntary sector and industry partners.
• Be accountable for ensuring ARC delivery aligns with NIHR contractual, governance, financial, and performance requirements.
• Be accountable for operational delivery and strategic execution of the London ARC on behalf of the Partnership Board and Host Trust.

The COO will act as a senior ambassador and the principal operational and strategic advisor to the ARC Directors and Board, influencing policy, practice, and research translation, while supporting governance and ensuring delivery aligns with the expectations of National Institute for Health and Care Research.

The COO will:

• Hold delegated executive authority for delivery of ARC objectives, performance management, and cross-partner programme coordination.
• Exercise independent judgement on matters with significant financial, reputational, research, and system-wide implications across London health and care organisations.
• Be responsible for ensuring delivery of the ARC’s objectives across a highly complex partnership environment involving NHS, academic, local government, voluntary sector and industry partners.

Be accountable for ensuring ARC delivery aligns with NIHR contractual, governance, financial and performance requirements.

Guy’s and St Thomas’ celebrates, respects and values the diversity of its staff and patients. We review our policies, procedures and practices to ensure that all employees, patients and carers are treated equitable according to their needs. We are actively committed to ensuring that no one who applies for a job, works or study’s at the Trust,  or accesses our services is discriminated against on the grounds of race, ethnicity, nationality, disability, religion or belief, age, gender identity , gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity/paternity, or marital/civil partnership.

Applications are welcomed from applicants with a disability. We can make reasonable adjustments and offer support and advice in a variety of ways throughout the application process. Equality of opportunity is our policy.

As an organisation we are committed to developing our services in ways that best suit the needs of our patients. This means that some staff groups will increasingly be asked to work a more flexible shift pattern so that we can offer services in the evenings or at weekends.

Flexible working

We are committed to supporting all employees to achieve a healthy work life balance and to work in a way that is best for them and our patients. We will consider all requests to work flexibly, taking in to account the individual’s personal circumstances as well the needs of the service. We encourage all prospective applicants to discuss their individual circumstances with the recruiting manager as part of the on-boarding process.

Due to recent changes in the UK immigration rules which affect Skilled Worker Visas, Global Business Mobility, Higher Skill Level and Increased Salary Thresholds, please ensure that you are able to meet the requirements to live and work in the UK before applying. Further information about eligibility is available on the UK Government website.

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