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Job requirements
Requirements from the employer’s person specification. These describe the role, not your personal match.
Essential
27 listedRequirements the employer expects applicants to meet.
- Experience
Substantial experience of working at a senior level in an acute or specialist hospital setting, including a sound understanding of the performance and governance requirements of the NHS for acute Trusts.
- Experience
Track record of achievement as a leader which demonstrates significant successes through innovation and a strong but sensitive style, which contributes directly to the patient experience and continuous improvement.
- Experience
Significant experience of financial management and rigorous financial management and control to meet agreed targets.
- Experience
Experience of establishing and applying performance management systems in areas like contract monitoring, staff management and departmental performance indicators.
- Experience
Demonstrate well developed negotiation skills coupled with the ability to tackle poor performance effectively.
- Experience
Experience of instigating and leading complex change to achieve continuous improvement.
- Experience
Substantial experience of service demand and capacity planning and financial management including NHS costing and payment regimes.
- Experience
Significant experience of influencing others with a view to delivery of desired outcomes and objectives.
- Experience
Experience of building effective working relationships with management and clinical teams and external stakeholders.
- Experience
Ability to negotiate and influence staff at all levels of seniority, including engagement in difficult situations.
- Experience
Ability to access, analyse and translate complex data and information to clinical teams.
- Experience
Significant experience of the development of business cases/proposals for both capital and revenue investment cases.
- Experience
Substantial experience of managing within a complex organisation and balancing multiple objectives.
- Experience
Highly numerate, confident manipulating and interpreting data.
- Experience
Sound analytical, negotiation and numerical skills.
- Experience
Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work proactively and cooperatively with senior management, clinical staff and other staff at all levels.
- Experience
Ability to develop and influence a high performing, collaborative team, whilst allowing flexibility for members to develop against their own personal targets.
- Experience
Detailed knowledge of annual service planning with the ability to support and direct divisional team effectively through the planning cycle.
- Experience
Skills in sourcing and analysing data (including waiting list, 18-week RTT and demand information).
- Experience
Ability to assess situations and take calculated risks based on learning and experience, to achieve longer-term service improvements.
- Experience
Understanding of clinical and business information systems.
- Experience
Ability to deal with competing priorities and to organise self and team members to deliver outputs to meet multiple deadlines.
- Qualifications
Professional knowledge acquired through degree or equivalent experience/qualification to masters or equivalent level, or management qualification or equivalent experience
- Qualifications
Further evidence of management / leadership training.
- Qualifications
Evidence of Continuous Professional Development.
- Additional Criteria
Please provide evidence of your commitment to uphold the Trust's values: Compassion, Excellence, Collaboration
- Additional Criteria
Ability to travel.
Desirable
1 listedAdditional qualities the employer would prefer.
- Qualifications
Relevant postgraduate qualification in a management discipline.
Job summary
We are seeking an exceptional Divisional Director of Operations for Clinical Administration to join our divisional leadership team.
Reporting to the Deputy Chief Operating Officer, you will lead the Trust-wide Clinical Administration Division, overseeing booking pathways, reception services, ward administration, MDT coordination, secretarial services, and other core administrative functions that support the delivery of outstanding patient care.
You will provide strategic and operational direction, drive service improvement, lead performance against key access standards, support workforce development, and ensure high-quality, efficient services across the Trust.
We are looking for an inspirational leader who brings:
*Significant senior operational management experience within an acute or specialist healthcare setting.
*A strong track record of delivering operational performance, service transformation and continuous improvement.
*Extensive experience in financial management, demand and capacity planning, and performance management.
*Exceptional leadership, influencing and relationship-building skills.
*The ability to lead complex change programmes while maintaining a focus on patient experience and staff engagement.
*A commitment to our values: compassion, excellence and collaboration.
This role will include some out of hours and weekend working. For an informal chat contact Zoe Robinson, Deputy Chief Operating Officer.
Main duties of the job
Key responsibilities:
*Leadership and strategy: lead Trust-wide Clinical Administration functions to drive improvement initiatives and optimise patient care pathways.
*Operational excellence: develop and implement operational strategies to ensure the highest standards of patient care, outcomes and experience. Lead workforce, financial and capacity planning, delivering performance targets, efficiency programmes and sustainable service improvements.
*Team management and development: foster an environment of continuous improvement and support the development of staff.
*Collaboration and stakeholder engagement: work closely with internal and external stakeholders to ensure system-wide goals are aligned.
*Decision-making and influence: influence Trust-wide initiatives and provide advice and guidance to senior management. You will deputise for the Deputy Chief Operating Officer when required.
Key Attributes:
*Proven track record of delivering performance improvement, service redesign and complex organisational change.
*Strong financial, analytical and demand and capacity planning skills, with the ability to interpret data and drive informed decision-making.
*Inspirational and compassionate leader, able to influence, engage and build effective relationships.
*Values-driven, resilient and collaborative, with a commitment to delivering excellent patient and staff experiences.
The role is based at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus with a requirement to work at Kingfisher House, Huntingdon.
About us
Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is the UK's leading heart and lung hospital, delivering care to more than 50,000 patients a year in its new state-of-the-art hospital in Cambridge. We perform the most heart and/or lung transplants in the UK and carried out the UK's first successful heart transplant in 1979. It also offers emergency heart attack treatment, sleep centre care and is one of just five centres nationally for those in severe respiratory failure.
Based on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus the largest centre of medical research and health science in Europe the Trust is at the heart of treatments of the future. Royal Papworth became the first hospital trust in the country to be rated outstanding in all five areas assessed by the Care Quality Commission - a rating it still holds today. The Trust holds its values of compassion, excellence & collaboration at its core, and all colleagues joining the team are expected to uphold these in their day-to-day roles & interactions. Royal Papworth is proud of its diverse workforce and encourages people to embrace their individuality.
The Trust values difference and welcomes all applications irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy & maternity, race, religion & belief, sex and sexual orientation. Providing they meet the minimum post criteria, applicants with disabilities will be offered an interview.
For a street view tour: https://royalpapworth.nhs.uk/virtual-tour
Details
- Date posted: 14 September 2026
- Pay scheme: Agenda for change
- Band: Band 8c
- Salary: £79,504 to £91,609 a year
- Contract: Permanent
- Working pattern: Full-time
- Reference number: 175-2627-OP1910
- Job locations: Kingfisher House, Huntingdon, Kingfisher Way, Hinchingbrooke Business Park, Huntingdon, Cambridge, PE29 6FH, United Kingdom, Royal Papworth Hospital, Papworth Road, Cambridge Bio Medical Campus, Cambridge, CB2 0AY, United Kingdom
Job responsibilities
On this page you will find a Role Profile which provides information about the hospital and full details about the role. We recommend that you review this and refer to it as you complete your application. Please include how you will meet the Trust Values Compassion, Excellence and Collaboration. If you would like more information about the role or working at Royal Papworth Hospital, please get in touch with the contact for this role.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Divisional Director of Operations - Clinical Administration with Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in Cambridge, England. It is listed as a Band 8 Operations manager role. The advertised salary is £79504.00 to £91609.00. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 27 Sep 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 (14 Sep 2026) to decide whether this role fits your current NHSjob search. If the employer can close applications early, prepare the application before the stated deadline rather than waiting for the final day.
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