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Job summary

Main area
Deputy Head of Operations
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
278-DHOO-0126-LH
Employer
South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Paddock Wood
Town
Paddock Wood
Salary
£55,690 - £62,682 p.a. AFC Section 2
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
08/02/2026 23:59
Interview date
23/02/2026

Employer heading

South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust logo

Deputy Head of Operations – Paddock Wood

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

We are pleased to invite applications for the role of Deputy Head of Operations (DHoO) for Paddock Wood, an exciting opportunity to support the ongoing transition to our new Clinical Operating Model and help shape the future of operational leadership within the division.

As Deputy Head of Operations, you will play a key role in delivering high‑quality, safe and effective services across the Operating Unit. You will support the Head of Operations in leading teams, driving performance, strengthening clinical and operational oversight, and embedding the divisional approach. This is a pivotal leadership position at a time of significant improvement and development across the service.

Main duties of the job

The Deputy Head of Operations will:

  • Provide day‑to‑day leadership and oversight across Paddock Wood
  • Support the delivery of the divisional approach, ensuring consistent standards and high‑quality care
  • Lead and develop OTLs and operational teams through change
  • Work closely with the ACL, HOoS, DHOoS and wider leadership teams
  • Drive proactive operational performance, workforce planning, wellbeing and culture
  • Support incident and risk management, quality governance and escalation pathways
  • Champion continuous improvement and service resilience

This role requires a leader who is confident, visible, influential and committed to supporting colleagues through transition while maintaining safe and effective operational delivery.

Colleagues who previously interviewed for DHoO roles as part of the Organisational Change process are not eligible to apply for this position.

This ensures fairness, transparency and consistency with the agreed organisational change approach.

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

We welcome applications from individuals who can demonstrate:

  • Strong operational leadership experience
  • Ability to lead teams through change with compassion and clarity
  • Excellent communication, decision‑making and problem‑solving skills
  • A focus on proactive leadership and collaborative working
  • Commitment to delivering high standards of patient care and staff experience
  • Confidence in managing performance, quality and governance
  • Ability to build trust, influence others and deliver results

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Professional knowledge acquired through Degree supplemented by Diploma Level specialist training, management qualification, or equivalent knowledge and experience.
  • Full, driving licence, valid in the UK and with no more than 3 penalty points.
  • Evidence of post qualifying and Continuing Professional Development.
Desirable criteria
  • Qualified Tactical Commander, or willing to complete within the next 12 months.
  • Have completed, or be willing to complete, Blue Light Driver Course to enable a response to a Major or Critical Incident

Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Must have an understanding of the background to, and aims of, current Healthcare Policy, and appreciate the implications of this on engagement.
  • Should have an appreciation of the relationship between the department of Health, NHS England, and individual provider, and commissioning organisations.

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Experience of managing and motivating a team and reviewing performance of the individuals.
  • Experience of undertaking formal investigations and hearings.
  • Experience in producing reports and analysing data to support decision making and recommendations.

Skills

Essential criteria
  • Must be able to provide and receive highly complex, sensitive or contentious information, negotiate with Staff on difficult and controversial issues
  • Working knowledge of Microsoft Office with intermediate keyboard skills.
  • Demonstrated capability to plan over short, medium and long-term timeframes, and adjust plans and resource requirements accordingly.
  • Ability to make decisions autonomously, when required, on difficult issues, working to tight and often changing timescales.
  • Take decisions on difficult and contentious issues where there may be a number of courses of action.

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

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

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
Andy Rowe
Job title
Divisional Director of Operations
Email address
[email protected]
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