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Job summary

Main area
Operations
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 8b
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
278-HOO-0926-LH
Employer
South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Paddock Wood Make Ready Centre
Town
Paddock Wood
Salary
£66,582 - £77,368 Per annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
12/10/2026 08:00

Employer heading

South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust logo

Head of Operations - Paddock Wood

NHS AfC: Band 8b

South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SECAmb) has a vision to ‘support our staff to provide a caring, high quality and efficient urgent and emergency care service to our communities’. We are rated ‘Good’ for care by the Care Quality Commission and while the other areas under their most recent report require improvement, our aim is to continually improve and to reach outstanding across all areas of the Trust.

Our 4,000+ workforce provide services to 4.9m people across Kent, Surrey, Sussex and North East Hampshire. We handle over 1 million calls to 999 and 1 million calls to NHS 111 every year. More information regarding our services and locations can be found on our website.

Job overview

Are you an experienced operational leader ready to influence healthcare delivery at scale?

South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SECAmb) is seeking an exceptional Head of Operations to provide strategic and operational leadership across a large and diverse locality.

This is a highly influential senior leadership role with responsibility for leading operational performance, workforce management, financial stewardship and service transformation. Working as part of the senior leadership team, you will play a key role in shaping the future of urgent and emergency care services, ensuring patients receive safe, effective and responsive care.

At SECAmb, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We provide emergency, urgent care and NHS 111 services across Kent, Surrey, Sussex and North East Hampshire, serving millions of people every year. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued, respected and supported to succeed.

If you are a visible, values-driven leader with the ambition to drive improvement, inspire high-performing teams and make a meaningful difference to patients and communities, we would love to hear from you.

Main duties of the job

As Head of Operations, you will provide strategic, operational and professional leadership across a designated locality, ensuring services are delivered safely, effectively and in line with national, regulatory and organisational standards.

You will:

  • Lead and support operational managers and frontline teams to deliver high-quality patient care.
  • Hold overall accountability for operational performance, workforce planning and financial management within the locality.
  • Drive service improvement and transformation programmes, ensuring benefits are realised and embedded.
  • Ensure robust governance, risk management and regulatory compliance arrangements are in place.
  • Develop effective partnerships with system colleagues and external stakeholders to improve patient outcomes and service delivery.
  • Lead workforce initiatives that promote engagement, wellbeing, inclusion and high performance.
  • Provide leadership during periods of operational pressure, major incidents and business continuity events.
  • Contribute to Trust-wide strategic objectives as a senior leader within SECAmb.

The successful candidate will bring substantial experience of leading large, complex operational services, with a proven track record of delivering performance improvement, managing significant budgets, leading organisational change and developing high-performing teams.

Working for our organisation

  • Option to join NHS pension scheme
  • A minimum 27 days' holiday each year, increasing after 5 years’ service.
  • Personal and professional development and training opportunities.
  • Salary Sacrifice schemes for cars or push bikes.
  • Access to occupational health and counselling services.
  • Award winning wellbeing hub
  • Access to NHS discounts, offering NHS employees a range of money-saving deals.

Other than in exceptional circumstances, the starting salary for staff new to the NHS will be the bottom point of the band to which they have been appointed.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The Head of Operations is responsible for providing strategic, operational and professional leadership across a designated locality, ensuring the effective delivery of services in line with organisational priorities, regulatory requirements and national standards.

Key responsibilities include:

  • Providing visible and effective leadership to operational managers and frontline teams.
  • Delivering performance against agreed service, quality, workforce and financial targets.
  • Leading the planning, implementation and evaluation of operational and transformational programmes.
  • Ensuring effective governance, risk management and regulatory compliance across the locality.
  • Managing complex workforce matters and promoting a positive employee experience.
  • Developing collaborative relationships with partner organisations and system leaders to improve patient pathways and service delivery.
  • Leading on business continuity, emergency preparedness and organisational resilience within the locality.
  • Monitoring and managing financial performance and resource utilisation.
  • Supporting the development of future leaders through coaching, mentoring and talent development.
  • Contributing to Trust-wide strategic objectives as a member of the senior leadership team.

The successful candidate will demonstrate strong strategic thinking, excellent communication and influencing skills, and a proven ability to lead large, geographically dispersed teams within a complex operational environment.

Previous experience of leading large-scale services, delivering change, managing significant budgets and developing productive partnerships across organisational boundaries will be essential.

This role presents an outstanding opportunity to contribute to the future direction of ambulance services and make a lasting difference to patients, staff and the wider healthcare system.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Educated to Master’s Level, or equivalent level of experience at senior level.
  • Postgraduate diploma or equivalent experience/training with further specialist knowledge to Master’s Level.
  • Evidence of post qualifying and Continuing Professional Development.
  • Full UK compatible Driving Licence.
Desirable criteria
  • NARU Tactical Commander accreditation or willingness to complete within 12 months.
  • Registrant or clinically practicing clinician.

Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Extensive knowledge of specialist areas.
  • Appreciation of relationships between Department of Health, NHS England, and provider/commissioning organisations.

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Evidence of planning and delivering programmes, projects, and services on time.
  • Working knowledge of financial processes.
  • Experience of leading a large team of multidisciplinary team members.
  • Management experience of complex HR and ER cases.
Desirable criteria
  • Previously responsible for a budget and involved in budget setting.

Skills

Essential criteria
  • Developed communication skills for delivering key messages to stakeholders.
Desirable criteria
  • Working knowledge of Microsoft Office with intermediate keyboard skills.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Veteran AwareAge positiveInvestors in People: GoldImproving working livesArmed Forces Covenant Gold AwardMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Disability confident employerThe Employers Network for Equality & Inclusion (enei) is the UK's leading employer network covering all aspects of equality and inclusion issues in the workplace.Care Quality Commission - Requires improvementStep into healthEmployers Network for Equality & InclusionArmed Forces CovenantCycle to Work

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.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
James Pavey
Job title
Divisional Director of Operations
Email address
[email protected]
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