Job summary
- Main area
- Operations
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 9
- Contract
- Secondment: 6 months
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 275-0426-DCOO
- Employer
- Medway NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Medway Maritime Hospital
- Town
- Gillingham
- Salary
- £112,782 - £129,783 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 25/04/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Deputy Chief Operating Office / Site Director
NHS AfC: Band 9
Job overview
Division: Corporate
Band: 9
Salary: £112,782 - £119,583 per annum/pro rata
Interview date: 7th May 2026
We are seeking an operationally credible and highly motivated individual to support Medway for six months as Deputy Chief Operating Officer (COO) / Site Director. The post holder will lead the day to day running of the hospital site, supporting clinical teams to deliver the best care by maximising timely flow. They will lead the corporate operations team which includes EPRR, site and the discharge lounge, and will act as SRO for the delivery of key trust operational programmes to support UEC and elective transformation. This is an exciting opportunity to make a real difference to patients and staff, and work alongside the COO to lead winter and surge planning for the trust.
Main duties of the job
The post-holder will on behalf of the Chief Operating Officer (COO) act as the Lead Director with specific responsibility to ensure the supportive and responsive day-to-day operational management of the hospital. In addition, they will play a key role in ensuring the Trust delivers on the full range of performance targets. They ensure quality of services to patients, visitors and staff, including management of clinical governance, healthcare standards and risk.
They will be an integral member of the COO’s team, supporting the implementation of service delivery and development plans, together with plans for on-site developments and assisting in the business planning process. The post-holder will deputise for the Chief Operating Officer at agreed times and will lead on agreed elements of the Chief Operating Officers portfolio
There will be a strong emphasis on the need to develop a culture of performance management and delivery, improvement and appraisal as a foundation for organisational performance. They will manage the delivery of agreed performance indicators in relation to clinical outcomes, clinical efficiency and service in reporting.
The post-holder will be expected to work closely with clinical staff in developing effective multi-disciplinary services. They will have a key role in the success of the Trust’s corporate agenda, working with Directors within the framework provided by the Trust Board and individual Directors.
Working for our organisation
Do you have the ambition and vision to deliver our mission of the Best of Care by the Best of People providing excellent care, every time?
Here at Medway, we pride ourselves on working together as one to ensure that our shared vision is achieved for our patients.
As a key partner in the healthcare of our local population, we are keen to deliver this as an outcome of our Trust-wide strategy – Patient First. Using an Operational Excellence approach to align our priorities and operational management structures, we are just over a year and half into our Patient First deployment. We are looking for creative, skilled people to join our Transformation Team and further support us on this journey.
Our culture and values define us here at Medway NHS Foundation Trust and are the heartbeat of who we are as an organisation.
Our BEST values underpin Patient First and are at the core of the care we give to our patients, the support we offer to our staff and our overall leadership approach:
B – Bold
E – Every person counts
S – Sharing and open
T - Together
Our Trust is a great choice for people who want to develop their career in an ambitious and dynamic environment; our employees are able to choose the coverage and supplemental benefits that best fit their needs and those of their families. This includes the promotion of flexible working opportunities across the Trust.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
- To be a designated MFT representative for system and Partnership working acting on behalf of the Chief Operating Officer (COO)
- To support the Divisional Teams in identifying new opportunities for individual services with the Trust, arising from changes in the external environment or internal innovation and to identify any potential threats along with appropriate responses
- To act as an advocate for the Trust and its contribution to the local health economy by creating and maintaining effective partnerships and relationships with internal and external stakeholders
- To work with the COO to ensure the effective operational management of the Trust on a day to day basis and, in turn, maintain achievement of the Trust’s key performance indicators. With a focus on developing a high-performance culture to ensure the delivery of all the Trust’s constitutional standards
- On behalf of the COO, to provide effective operational management systems and processes for clinical and other staff to deliver high quality clinical care within available budgets. To develop and embed systems, processes, tools and protocols that enhance flow and discharge and site operational management, such as escalation frameworks
- To exercise delegated authority on behalf of the COO to resolve day-to-day management issues within the Trust and operationally lead the divisions to deliver safe flow and discharge
- To ensure appropriate management capacity at all levels operating within an organisational structure which delivers responsive, safe and reliable patient services
- To ensure sufficient data availability to monitor and track performance and to satisfy reporting requirements. Provide appropriate input and challenge to clinical and business plans, where necessary
- To ensure that service improvement work is underpinned by a robust process of evaluation
- To ensure that the Trust’s service improvement and development work is focussed on the needs of patients
- Ensure that all staff are appropriately managed and developed and that they are therefore efficient, effective, engaged and highly motivated to deliver the business plan and reform agenda whilst improving patient experience
- Create a supportive organisational culture across the Trust in which people feel empowered and committed to high standards of care within the context of Trust’s management culture
- To support the development and implementation of Trust-wide cost savings schemes, through service and productivity improvement
- To ensure financial and budget requirements for areas of responsibility are met, including the delivery of any cost efficiency targets
- To ensure all budgets (pay and non-pay) are managed within the Trust’s Standing Orders and Standing Financial Instructions and relevant statutory provisions and national directives, and also in line with the annual financial plan
- To support the COO with the implementation of systems, control processes and risk management arrangements to support monitoring of compliance with clinical governance standards, other Trust-wide policies and processes and best practice requirements
Person specification
Experience
Essential criteria
- Substantial leadership and operational management experience in an acute hospital
- Experience of and ability to manage complex operational situations that involve staff from all levels within the organisation and across a range of professional and organisational boundaries
- Experience of leading and managing substantial service change and redesign in a complex environment
- Experience of working with multi-agency committees and establishing relationships with external organisations
- Demonstrably track record of achievement of performance management improvement and delivery at a senior management level
skills
Essential criteria
- Excellent inter-personal and communication skills, with a track record in writing complex business cases and policies
- Ability to analyse complex problems and to develop practical and workable solutions to address them
- Influencing and negotiating skills
- Ability to develop and deliver effective business and operational plans which are financially sound
- Ability to operate effectively within difficult financial and performance challenges
- Able to identify, interpret and analyse highly complex situations using judgemental skills across a range of options in order to make decisions and formulate plans
Employer certification / accreditation badges
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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
- Darren Palmer
- Job title
- Chief Operating Officer
- Email address
- [email protected]
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