Job vacancy: Operations Manager, Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sutton-in-Ashfield

Job summary

Main area: Administration
Grade: NHS AfC: Band 7
Contract: Fixed term: 12 months (Secondment also considered)
Hours: Part time - 30 hours per week
Job ref: 214-W&C-8244515

Employer: Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type: NHS
Site: King's Mill Hospital
Town: Sutton-in-Ashfield
Salary: £49,387 - £56,515 pro rata per annum
Salary period: Yearly
Closing: 06/09/2026 23:59

Operations Manager

NHS AfC: Band 7

Thank you for your interest in this role, we would be delighted to welcome you to Sherwood Forest Hospitals.

Sherwood is nationally recognised as being an excellent place to work and deliver care. We are rightly proud of the 5,500 colleagues who work here and know that happy colleagues deliver better care.

Our teams work in a supportive, inclusive environment, which nurtures wellbeing and has opportunities for development and progression. We do not just care for our patients, we also care for you.

At Sherwood Forest Hospitals, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. As such, we particularly welcome applications from people who identify as Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic, or Disabled. We believe that a diverse team better represents the communities we serve and brings a wealth of perspectives and experiences to our work.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To understand the role in more detail, please refer to the attached job description and person specification.

Person specification

Knowledge & Understanding

Essential criteria

Demonstrable knowledge of NHS operational management, service delivery and performance management.
Knowledge of national healthcare targets and standards, including RTT, waiting list management, patient access and quality performance requirements.
Understanding of service improvement methodologies and change management principles.
Knowledge of governance, risk management and performance monitoring processes.
Understanding of workforce, financial and resource management principles.

Desirable criteria

Knowledge of Women & Children's services and associated operational challenges.
Knowledge of NHS funding mechanisms and business planning processes.
Training in quality improvement methodologies such as Lean, Six Sigma or Model for Improvement.
Experience of service benchmarking and utilisation of comparative performance data.
Experience of Cost Improvement Programmes (CIPs) and efficiency planning.

Qualifications & Professional Development

Essential criteria

Degree level qualification or equivalent experience in management, healthcare, business or related field.
Evidence of continued professional development.
Relevant management or improvement training.

Desirable criteria

Master's Degree or equivalent experience.
Leadership or management qualification.
Project Management qualification (e.g. PRINCE2, MSP).

Experience

Essential criteria

Significant experience in operational management within an NHS or healthcare setting.
Experience of managing operational performance against key targets and KPIs.
Experience of service planning, business case development and service improvement.
Experience of analysing and presenting complex performance information and operational data.
Experience of staff management, leadership and performance management.
Experience of implementing change and driving service improvement.

Desirable criteria

Experience within Women & Children's services.
Experience leading divisional or service-wide transformation programmes.
Experience of managing complex service redesign projects.
Experience of presenting information to senior management groups and committees.
Experience managing multidisciplinary teams.
Experience of financial management and budget responsibility.

Skills & Abilities

Essential criteria

Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate, influence and engage teams.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build effective relationships across professional groups.
Ability to analyse, interpret and communicate complex data and performance information.
Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills, with the ability to identify solutions and implement improvements.
Ability to manage competing priorities and deliver results in a fast paced environment.
Excellent organisational and project management skills.
Competent IT skills, including Microsoft Office applications and performance reporting systems.

Desirable criteria

Advanced facilitation and coaching skills.
Experience delivering formal presentations and workshops.
Advanced Excel, Power BI or business intelligence skills.
Experience of NHS reporting systems and dashboards.

Personal Attributes

Essential criteria

Demonstrates the Trust values and behaviours.
Resilient, adaptable and able to work effectively under pressure.
Committed to continuous improvement and delivering high-quality patient-centred services.
Collaborative and inclusive approach to leadership.
Professional, credible and able to challenge constructively when required.

Other Requirements

Essential criteria

Ability to travel between Trust sites and external venues as required.
Flexible approach to working arrangements to meet service requirements.
Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.

Not all of our roles are eligible for visa sponsorship. To find out which roles are eligible, please refer to the shortage occupation list found here:

Skilled Worker visa: eligible healthcare and education jobs - GOV.UK

Home Office guidance has changed. Anyone that requires switching visa type may not be eligible for sponsorship even if the role is on the shortage occupation list.

We as a Trust support the use of AI and other tools to support your application. However, all personal statements and behavioural examples must be truthful and factually accurate. Your application should reflect your own personal/professional experiences and qualifications to ensure authenticity and credibility.

For the avoidance of doubt, plagiarism includes presenting the ideas or experiences of others or content generated by artificial intelligence as your own. We review all applications carefully to ensure that the information provided in your supporting statement aligns with your qualifications, work history and the duties undertaken within those roles. Your experience will also be explored further during the interview process.

If you would like this information in an alternative format or in a different language please contact us on 01623 622515 ext 3271.

Please note that we no longer accept handwritten/paper applications and that the email address given on your application will be used for all correspondence regarding this post.

We reserve the right to close a vacancy before the closing date if a sufficient number of applications have been received. Priority for vacancies at the Trust will be given to existing employees of Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust whose roles are currently at risk of redundancy due to organisational change. If a high number of applications are received, a longlisting exercise will be conducted prior to shortlisting.

Only applications received on or before the closing date will be considered for short listing. This is to ensure that the Trust meets its commitment to Equality of Opportunity.

In submitting an application, you authorise Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to confirm any current and previous NHS Service details and you agree to the Trust obtaining and transferring personal date held about you, including Occupational Health data (inoculations and screening tests). This data will be shared using the NHS Electronic Staff Record (ESR) and third party systems via an automated process and will only be used for the purposes of maintaining your employment record.

Please note if you are successful in obtaining this position and the post involves regulated activity you will be required to undertake a Disclosure & Barring Service check. The Trust will pay for the check initially and then the money will then be deducted from your first salary once you've commenced employment. The current price of a check is £26.40 for a standard check and £54.40 for an enhanced. If you are asked to complete a DBS check and have a previous identity that you do not wish to be disclosed to your employer and/or on your DBS certificate, you should call or email the dedicated sensitive applications team before submitting your application. The team is experienced in dealing with sensitive cases and will advise you of the process and what you need to do.

Please note any genuine job offer letters will only be received if you have applied, interviewed, and received a verbal offer from the appointing manager for a vacancy within Sherwood Forest Hospitals. If you receive a job offer and you are not sure of its authenticity, please report it to the following email [email protected]