Job requirements
Essential
17 listedRequirements the employer expects applicants to meet.
- Experience
A demonstrable record of delivering sustained improvement in quality, access, operational performance and productivity across complex services.
- Experience
Experience of leading organisation-wide performance recovery and managing significant operational risk
- Experience
Experience of working with clinical leaders to make safe, evidence-based operational decisions.
- Experience
Demonstrable experience of managing complex patient flow, capacity and demand across organisational boundaries
- Experience
Experience of delivering measurable transformation benefits and successfully transitioning programmes into operational services.
- Experience
Experience of leading during operational escalation, major incidents or significant service disruption.
- Experience
Significant and senior level experience of NHS, social care, local authorities and more broadly across the government, private and voluntary sector providers.
- Experience
Experience of working in partnership with other mental health/ NHS Trusts / primary care services / voluntary sector.
- Experience
Significant experience of managing and motivating diverse and multi-professional teams, transforming cultures.
- Qualifications
First Degree
- Qualifications
Masters degree/ MBA or equivalent level postgraduate qualification
- Qualifications
Evidence of recent continued professional development
- Knowledge and Skills
Excellent experience of successful management of multiple stakeholders with competing interests, and of operating in a complex political environment.
- Knowledge and Skills
Strong leadership, interpersonal skills and authority; able to successfully foster and manage inter-relationships between own organisation and differing professions including executive and non-executive.
- Knowledge and Skills
Advanced skills in negotiation and influencing at the most senior levels across all disciplines including executives.
- Knowledge and Skills
Lucid, fluent, logical speaker, able to enthuse and hold the attention of the listener; able to influence a variety of audiences at a variety of levels of seniority (including unfamiliar and potentially antagonistic audiences).
- Knowledge and Skills
Excellent ability to negotiate and influence others in a positive manner with the confidence to manage differing views to achieve change and improvement.
Desirable
2 listedAdditional qualities the employer would prefer.
- Qualifications
Clinical background
- Qualifications
Postgraduate qualifications/ research to Doctorate level
Job overview
The Deputy Chief Operating Officer will contribute to delivery of the Trust's strategic plan, by working in partnership with the Executive team, Directorate teams and external organisations to achieve the Trust's corporate objectives and to make a positive contribution to the provision of mental health services across the local health economy.
As a key member of the Trust Senior Management Team the post holder is responsible for the visibility of leadership and responsible for upholding the values, behaviours and standards expected of all employees in the Trust The postholder will be required to work across the health and social care economy of Kent and Medway which will involve deputising for the Chief Operating Officer at meetings with key stakeholders.
Working under the delegated authority of the Chief Operating Officer, the Deputy Chief Operating Officer will provide Trust-wide operational leadership and hold directorates to account for the delivery of agreed quality, access, performance, workforce and financial objectives.
The post holder must hold a full, valid, UK driving licence and have access to a car/vehicle to use for business purposes (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010).
Main duties of the job
Act as Senior Responsible Owner for designated transformation programmes, ensuring clear governance, benefits realisation, delivery against agreed milestones, effective management of interdependencies, risks and resources, and safe transition into business-as-usual arrangements.
- Ensure operational decisions are informed by quality, safety, patient experience, workforce and financial considerations, with appropriate clinical leadership and governance applied to service change, performance recovery and capacity decisions.
- Work with stakeholders including strategic delivery partners to ensure transformation programmes are realised.
- Ensure effective joint working and relationships with stakeholders across the system.
- Participate and represent the Trust as required at forums which will include KMMH contribution to system-wide integrated delivery and development of integrated neighbourhoods.
- Lead and enable staff to deliver high-quality services that demonstrate the trust values.
- Enable the meaningful involvement of service users and carers in the development, delivery and monitoring of services.
- Support the service Directorates to operate in a culture to promote social inclusion and support for people experiencing mental health issues considering the characteristics of the local community.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of the main responsibilities and requirements of the role.
Please note: Visa sponsorship is not available for this role.
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.
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Deputy Chief Operating Officer with Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust in Maidstone, England. It is listed as a Band 9 Chief operating officer role. The advertised salary is £112782.00 to £129783.00. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 24 Nov 2026.
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