Service Improvement Lead

Job overview

Closing Date: 01.09.26 (this may change dependent on response).

Shortlisting to take place in the week following closing date: commencing 02.09.26

Interview expected to take place in the week following shortlisting: commencing 08.09.26

We are looking for an experienced and motivated Service Improvement Lead to join the Corporate Operations Team at Bradford Teaching Hospitals.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in delivering some of the Trust’s major improvement and transformation priorities. Working across clinical and corporate services, you will help teams understand complex problems, identify opportunities for improvement and turn ideas and evidence into practical changes that deliver measurable benefits for patients, staff and the organisation.

You will work closely with senior clinical and operational leaders across the Trust, supporting key programmes including Outpatient Optimisation and the Airedale & Bradford Collaboration of Acute Services (ABCAS), alongside other emerging improvement priorities.

If you enjoy solving complex problems, working collaboratively with a wide range of people and seeing improvement work through from idea to implementation, we would love to hear from you.

Main duties of the job

The Service Improvement Lead will support a portfolio of complex improvement and transformation work across the Trust.

You will:

• Work with clinical and operational teams to identify, design and implement service improvements.
• Lead defined workstreams within major programmes, including Outpatient Optimisation and ABCAS.
• Use quantitative and qualitative data to understand performance, identify opportunities and support evidence-based decision making.
• Apply improvement and programme management approaches from initial diagnosis and planning through to implementation and benefits realisation.
• Build strong relationships with senior clinicians, managers and other stakeholders, using effective facilitation, communication and influencing skills to support change.
• Identify opportunities to improve quality, safety, patient access and experience, productivity and financial sustainability.
• Ensure programmes are well managed, with clear plans, risks, actions, governance and benefits tracking.
• Support and coach colleagues in the practical application of improvement tools and techniques.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Reporting to the Head of Innovation, the Service Improvement Lead will work as part of the Corporate Operations Team to deliver a portfolio of improvement and innovation priorities across Bradford Teaching Hospitals.

The postholder will work closely with Clinical Service Unit leadership teams, senior clinicians, operational managers, nursing leaders, corporate teams and external partners. They will lead defined improvement workstreams and provide structured programme management and service improvement expertise to help teams translate strategic priorities into practical and sustainable change.

A key part of the role will be understanding complex services and pathways, using data, evidence, benchmarking and stakeholder insight to diagnose problems and identify opportunities for improvement. The postholder will work with teams to develop solutions, facilitate redesign, support implementation and ensure that the impact and benefits of change are clearly defined and measured.

The role will also involve:

• Planning and managing complex programmes and projects, including development and maintenance of appropriate programme documentation.
• Supporting services to redesign pathways, processes and models of care.
• Undertaking and commissioning detailed analysis of activity, performance, productivity, workforce, quality and financial information.
• Presenting complex findings and recommendations clearly to a range of clinical, managerial and senior leadership audiences.
• Facilitating workshops and improvement sessions and supporting teams to overcome barriers to change.
• Managing programme risks, issues, dependencies and delivery plans, escalating where appropriate.
• Developing and tracking benefits plans to ensure improvements deliver measurable outcomes.
• Identifying and scoping new opportunities for innovation, productivity and service improvement.
• Supporting the development of improvement capability across the organisation through coaching, facilitation and sharing of good practice.
• Working collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders to support sustainable service change.

The successful candidate will be comfortable working in a complex and changing environment, able to operate with a high degree of autonomy and equally comfortable working with data, managing programmes and building relationships with people across different professional groups and levels of seniority.

Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification for further details of the role and the essential and desirable requirements.