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Job summary

Main area
Executive
Grade
Executives / VSM: Executives / VSM
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
285-0810-COPR
Employer
Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
The Civic Centre
Town
Wolverhampton
Salary
Salary to be determined by Non-Exec Trust Remuneration Committee
Closing
28/10/2025 23:59

Employer heading

Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust logo

Chief Operating Officer

Executives / VSM: Executives / VSM

Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust provides specialist mental health, learning disability, and community healthcare services for the population of the Black Country.

Across the whole of the region we provide:

  • Adult and older adult mental health services
  • Specialist learning disability services
  • Mental health services for children and young people
  • Community healthcare services for children, young people and families in Dudley

Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust was formed on 1 April 2020, with the merger of Black Country Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Dudley and Walsall Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust. Combining resources, strategies and talented workforce enables us to deliver a wider variety of outstanding services that are based on best practice and are continually improving.

We currently employ over 4,000 people and just like the population we serve, we are made up of diverse cultures and backgrounds. Whatever your role, working in a NHS Foundation Trust, like ours, is a demanding and extremely rewarding experience. Knowing that every day you can help to make a positive difference to someone’s life is a very powerful feeling. We know that our Trust runs on this desire to help and support people, and our Trust vision expresses this. Our vision is to improve health and wellbeing for everyone, especially our colleagues to achieve the best possible work/life balance.

We proudly offer supportive, inclusive and family friendly employment and flexible working policies. We have a wide range of professional services and employee networks to help our colleagues be at their best - and find support if they need it. To find more about our staff benefits, please visit our website: blackcountryhealthcare.nhs.uk. 

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and ethnic minority candidates are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Black Country Healthcare we recognise and value all forms of knowledge and expertise, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification or criteria in the job description/person specification, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

For further supporting information to help you apply for this role please see documents attached under ‘Additional documents’.

Job overview

We are delighted that you’re considering joining us as our Chief Operating Officer. This is an exciting time for our organisation, and we are looking for someone who shares our passion for making a real difference in people’s lives.

We’re a Trust that’s big enough to make an impact, but small enough to feel personal. We care deeply about our people - both those we support in the community and those who work with us. As our Chief Operating Officer, you’ll play a key role in shaping our future, improving our culture, driving excellence, and helping us deliver compassionate, high-quality care every day.

The post holder must ensure that services are delivered within a culture of continuous improvement and safety and in line with our Trust values. They will be accountable for all aspects of operational service delivery and performance.

They will work collaboratively with other executives to optimise service performance and productivity, ensuring high quality care and rigorous resource management which supports the Trust’s financial recovery programme.

The COO will also be accountable for the delivery of national and local key performance indicators, as well as compliance against Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response (EPRR) core standards. 

Main duties of the job

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is accountable to the Chief Executive Officer and the Trust Board for the overall strategic and operational leadership of service delivery within the Trust.

The post holder must ensure that services are delivered within a culture of continuous improvement and safety and in line with our Trust values. They will be accountable for all aspects of operational service delivery and performance.

They will work collaboratively with other executives to optimise service performance and productivity, ensuring high quality care and rigorous resource management which supports the Trust’s financial recovery programme.

Key relationships

Internal

·       Chair

·       Chief Executive

·       Executive and Non-Executive Directors

·       Chair of the Audit Committee

·       Board level Directors

·       NED Chairs of board subcommittees

·       Governors

·       Clinical Directors

·       Senior Clinicians, Directors, Associate

·       Directors and Managers

·       Internal auditors

External

·       Directors and Officers from partner organisations within the wider ICB cluster

·       Directors and Officers of stakeholder organisations

·       External auditors

·       Directors and Officers from other NHS Bodies

·       Directors and Officers from other statutory and regulatory bodies

·       Voluntary, community, social enterprise and faith (VCSEF) sector

 

Working for our organisation

Why this role matters

We are an ambitious organisation, proud to advocate for and stand alongside our Black Country communities. As Chief Operating Officer, you’ll be at the heart of operational delivery, strategic execution and compassionate leadership.

In organisations such as ours, care is often complex, multi-disciplinary and deeply personal. Operational leadership needs to balance delivery and performance targets with the human realities of recovery, wellbeing and dignity.

As the NHS embraces new models of care; shifting from hospital to community, analogue to digital, and sickness to prevention, you will play a pivotal role in leading that change locally. You will help shape and implement new care pathways, integrate services across systems and neighbourhoods, and ensure that innovation is embedded in practice.

You will help foster collaboration across clinical and corporate teams, build trust with partners, and ensure that our values are lived, not just stated. You will help create a culture of inclusion, hope, and recovery.

Ultimately, you will be part of a team that is accountable for delivering results that matter: improved patient outcomes, reduced inequalities, better access to care, and enhanced productivity. Your leadership will help ensure that every part of the organisation is aligned with its mission

This is your chance to make a lasting impact. To help us do our best for the Black Country, and for everyone who calls it home.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Core executive responsibilities

Executive director

·       Wholly participate in the role of the unitary Board of Directors in discharging its collective responsibilities for:

·       Providing active leadership to the Trust within a framework of robust and effective controls which enable risk to be evaluated and informed decision-making.

·       Ensuring compliance with the Trust’s Terms of Authorisation, its Constitution, mandatory guidance issued by regulators, relevant statutory requirements and contractual obligations.

·       Setting the strategic aims and objectives of the Trust, taking into account the views of the Council of Governors and ensuring that the necessary human, physical and financial resources are in place for the Trust to meet its objectives and deliver on Trust-wide performance.

·       Ensuring the quality and safety of services, education and training and research delivered by the Trust, and applying the principles and standards of clinical governance.

·       Setting the Trust’s values and standards of conduct, and ensuring its obligations to its members, service users and other stakeholders are understood and met.

·       Be objective and offer constructive challenge in forming the decisions of the Board in the interests of the Trust.

·       Accept joint and collective responsibility for the decisions of the Board.

·       Represent the Trust as required and authorised, in appropriate forums and events.

·       Work in partnership with other key stakeholders to ensure delivery of the Trust’s key strategies.

 

Please download the accompanying Application Pack for a full

background to the role, further information and Job Descriptions and Person Specifications.  

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • First degree or equivalent senior operational experience
  • Related masters’ qualification or equivalent level of experience
  • Evidence of continuous personal and professional development
Desirable criteria
  • Management qualification/related professional qualification

Skills and Abilities

Essential criteria
  • Excellent communication skills, oral and written
  • Effective influencing and negotiating skills
  • Ability to evaluate and act on complex performance and financial information
  • Able to develop effective partnerships and alliances
  • Highly developed interpersonal skills
  • Able to manage conflict and bring resolution
  • Demonstrable ability to develop, motivate and lead high-performing, multi-disciplinary teams

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Extensive senior leadership and management experience within the NHS or similar body, preferably at Board level
  • Experience of leading a diverse range of complex services with a track record of delivering against key performance targets
  • Demonstrable experience of leading effective change in complex environments.
  • Demonstrable experience of managing large, complex budgets and delivering efficiency programmes
  • Track record of developing and implementing effective strategies
  • Extensive experience of developing effective networks and partnerships, and stakeholder management
Desirable criteria
  • Experience of leading the integration of health and social care services

Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Excellent understanding of NHS policy and governance.
  • Understanding of statutory and legal frameworks within which the NHS operates.
  • Understanding of problem solving and negotiation techniques.
  • Knowledge of Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity and legislation linked to EDI

Personal Qualities

Essential criteria
  • Values demonstrably aligned to those of the Trust and NHS
  • Self-motivated and self-confident
  • Integrity and professionalism
  • Resilient and adaptable
  • A mindset of collaboration
  • Humility and a willingness to learn

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Apprenticeships logoNo smoking policyAge positiveDisability confident leaderCare quality commission - GoodArmed Forces Covenant Bronze Award

Applicant requirements

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Marsha Foster - (via Deborah Earl)
Job title
CEO
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
07741 628679
Additional information

Marsha positively encourages interested parties to reach out for more detailed pre-application discussions - via her executive PA Deborah Earl in the first instance,  (so that she can book a suitable time).

Alternatively  - you can contact our Clinical Resourcing Lead (Simon Pownall) on [email protected]

Closing date 28th October at 23.59pm

Interviews to be held W/C 17th November - and will likely comprise a stakeholder event (digital) and face to face interview on different days.

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