Job summary
- Main area
- Assistant Director of ICC - Call Taking and Operations
- Grade
- Band 8c
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 195-26-319-TAM
- Employer
- South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Northern House/Otterbourne
- Town
- Bicester/Otterbourne
- Salary
- £76,965 - £88,682 Pro rata, per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 05/04/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Assistant Director of ICC - Call Taking and Operations
Band 8c
Job overview
South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) is seeking an exceptional leader to take on the pivotal role of Assistant Director of ICC for Call Taking & Operations. This is a rare and exciting opportunity to shape the strategic direction of our Integrated Contact Centre (ICC), driving the delivery of high‑quality, safe, and responsive services for the communities we serve.
As the senior leader responsible for 999, 111 and future call-handling service lines, you will oversee the operational performance, development, and continuous improvement of our contact centre functions. You will play a critical part in supporting SCAS’s mission to provide outstanding care, every time.
Main duties of the job
As a senior manager within SCAS, you will provide visible leadership to ensure effective service delivery, drive organisational change, and promote a positive, inclusive, high‑performing culture. You will oversee governance, risk, compliance and operational improvement plans, achieve clinical KPIs, lead investigations, support patient safety reviews, and drive continuous improvement through audit and learning.
You will lead all aspects of people management including recruitment, performance, development, engagement, retention and EDI. Operationally, you will lead across multiple sites and service lines, oversee workforce and KPI performance, ensure safe rotas and training, support planning, produce reports, ensure Civil Contingencies Act compliance, participate in the ICC on‑call rota and deputise when required.
You will manage financial and physical resources, deliver cost improvements, maintain NHS 111/999 quality standards, analyse complex data and oversee clinical audit. You will lead patient experience activity, learning from incidents and complaints, and drive digital innovation across CAD, Adastra, telephony and analytics. You will build strong internal and external partnerships, represent the Trust nationally, champion staff development and lead strategic innovation, digital transformation and major redesign programmes.
Working for our organisation
Benefits we offer:
- Full training and a range of courses which you can book locally.
- Holiday entitlement of 27 days, rising to 29 days after 5 years’ service and 33 days after 10 years’ service, plus an additional 8 days bank holiday (pro rata for part time).
- Automatic enrolment into the NHS Pension Scheme.
- Access to continual professional development within SCAS and the wider NHS.
- Occupational Health support and direct access to our Employee Assistance Programme as well as our own Health and Wellbeing Team.
- NHS Discounts in over 200 + stores saving money on holidays, days out, car insurance, restaurants, clothing and much more.
- Ability to join our staff networking groups (as a member, ally or just for interest).
Corporate Induction
It’s really important for us to ensure you have the best onboarding experience which allows you to feel a sense of belonging from the start. To help with this, we will book your Corporate Induction as soon as we possibly can (depending on availability).
All new starters need to attend our *Corporate Induction in person, this is held over one and half days from our educational centres based in: Newbury (Berkshire), Bicester (Oxfordshire) or Whiteley (Hampshire). More specific details will be sent to you once your start date has been confirmed.
*Please note – depending on your role additional training may be required following on from your corporate induction.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Accountable for delivering annual operational improvement plans aligned to Trust objectives and ensuring effective governance, risk management, and compliance across call handling services. Provide oversight of service delivery, maintain high corporate and clinical governance standards, ensure policy adherence, and achieve clinical KPIs. Produce high‑quality investigations, contribute to PSIRF reviews, support inquests, analyse incidents, implement learning, and drive patient safety improvements through audit, trend monitoring and action planning. Maintain outcome and audit programmes to demonstrate effectiveness.
Lead all aspects of people management including recruitment, performance, development, engagement, retention, and promoting equality, diversity and inclusion. Foster a high‑performance, empowered culture, identify learning needs, and support coaching-led improvement.
Provide senior operational leadership across sites and service lines, oversee KPI and workforce performance, ensure effective rotas, wellbeing and recruitment planning, produce reports, support annual planning, participate in ICC on‑call rota, ensure Civil Contingencies Act compliance, and deputise when required.
Manage finance and resources, deliver cost improvement programmes, and ensure budget controls. Ensure NHS 111/999, safeguarding, IG and licensing compliance, analyse complex information, and oversee audit and clinical outcome frameworks.
Lead patient and customer experience reviews and learning. Drive digital innovation across CAD, Adastra, telephony and analytics, ensuring system compliance. Build strong relationships with NHS England, ICBs, partners and represent the Trust externally.
Champion continuous learning, oversee training and appraisal frameworks, maintain own professional development, and uphold Trust values. Lead strategic change, digital transformation, virtualisation, service redesign, multi‑agency programmes, and deliver improvements using recognised quality methodologies.
For full details please read Job Description and Person Specification
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Educated to MSc/MA level in a clinical, leadership or business-related discipline or equivalent experience working at commensurate band / level
- Evidence of on-going professional development.
- Project/ programme management qualification at Practitioner level
- Quality Improvement training and experience e.g. LEAN Six Sigma, IHI or QSIR
- Must hold a current NHS Pathways licence or have previously held a licence and/or completed NHS Pathways training
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Extensive senior management experience in a healthcare or contact centre environment, ideally within urgent or emergency care with proven leadership experience in an Emergency Operations Centre or NHS 111 setting.
- Proven track record of leading large, multi-site teams and delivering complex service transformation.
- Experience in strategic planning, digital innovation, and performance improvement.
- Experience of managing large teams and complex projects.
- Experience of influencing policy and decision-making at a senior level.
Skills
Essential criteria
- Inspirational leadership and excellent communication skills.
- Strong analytical and decision-making abilities.
- Expertise in telephony systems, workforce management, and service redesign.
- Ability to work collaboratively across organisational and system boundaries.
- Ability to lead change and innovation across complex systems.
- Professional, approachable, and values-driven.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
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
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Ruth Page
- Job title
- Director of ICC
- Email address
- [email protected]
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