About this role
Job summary
Associate Director of Operations
Department Medicine
Band 8d £94,356 - £108,814 Per annum
Hours 37.5 per week, all roles are considered for flexible working
Are you an exceptional operational leader ready to make a real impact in a dynamic and ambitious NHS Trust?
Milton Keynes University Hospital is seeking an experienced and influential Associate Director of Operations (ADO) to join our senior operational leadership team. This is an exciting opportunity to influence the future of healthcare delivery within a growing and forward thinking NHS Trust. Working closely with clinical, nursing and corporate colleagues, you will help maintain patient safety and treatment effectiveness, improve patient experience, transform services and make a positive difference to the health and wellbeing of the communities we serve.
We are looking for an ADO with substantial senior NHS operational leadership experience and a strong alignment to our values and behaviours. We want our ADO to be enthusiastic, energetic, outgoing and a highly visible leader who promotes professionalism and openness, empowering our staff to consistently provide high quality care with compassion. You will be someone who inspires confidence, builds strong relationships and brings people together to deliver sustainable improvements for patients and staff.
If you see yourself reflected in our values, behaviours and ambitions, we would love to hear from you.
Interviews will be in person on Monday 24 August 2026.
Main duties of the job
'We care We communicate We collaborate We contribute'
94% of staff within this team, who participated in the 2025/26 NHS Staff Survey, reported a strong team culture and positive working relationships, reflecting a supportive, collaborative environment where colleagues feel respected, valued and able to work together effectively.
The ADO has a pivotal leadership role at the heart of our organisation. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer and Divisional Director, you will provide strategic and operational leadership across your portfolio, ensuring the delivery of safe, effective and high quality services while achieving demanding national and local performance standards.
You will play a key role in shaping and delivering the strategic direction of your services, driving operational performance, leading service transformation and ensuring patients receive outstanding care and experience.
We seek colleagues as diverse as the population we serve and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued, respected and able to thrive. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds who share our ambition to deliver outstanding care and improve the lives of our patients and communities.
About us
Milton Keynes University Hospital, in proud partnership with the University of Buckingham, is a University Teaching Hospital committed to advancing patient care through cutting-edge research and education. With a "Good" rating from the CQC and significant investment underway, this is an exciting time to join our team and grow your career.
As a medium sized general hospital, we provide a full range of general medical and surgical services, including a busy Emergency Department, Maternity, and Paediatrics. As the population of our city and surrounding areas continues to grow rapidly, we are expanding and enhancing our facilities to meet rising demand and improve access to care for all our communities.
We are also proud to offer a growing portfolio of specialist services. In January 2025 we opened our state-of-the-art Radiotherapy Centre, bringing advanced cancer treatment closer to home. Our services also include neonatology, specialist surgical care, and a wide range of diagnostics, supported by the new Community Diagnostic Centre at Whitehouse Health Centre. We have just opened the Oak Wards - a new ward block featuring two 24-bed wards.
Further investment is underway, including the recently approved Women and Children's Centre, set to open by 2030.
Visit our website to explore the latest news and opportunities at MKUH - News - Milton Keynes University Hospital -
For further information about Milton Keynes please visit - Visit Milton Keynes
Job description Job responsibilities
The Associate Director of Operations will build effective relationships across organisational and system boundaries, working collaboratively with clinicians, corporate teams, commissioners and partners to support service development and transformation. Through strong governance, effective resource management and a commitment to staff engagement and development, the post holder will create the conditions for high performing teams to deliver outstanding patient care.
As Associate Director of Operations, you will:
Contribute to the delivery of the Trust's vision, strategy and objectives through the development and implementation of divisional and service plans.
Lead operational performance across services, ensuring delivery against quality, access, workforce and financial targets.
Analyse performance, identify risks and opportunities and develop mitigation plans to support sustainable service delivery.
Drive service improvement, transformation and clinical pathway redesign, using best practice, patient feedback and benchmarking to inform change.
Support business planning, workforce planning and resource allocation, ensuring services remain effective, productive and financially sustainable.
Manage delegated budgets and contribute to the achievement of cost improvement and efficiency programmes.
Lead, develop and performance manage operational teams, creating a culture of accountability, engagement, learning and continuous improvement.
Ensure robust governance, risk management and assurance arrangements are in place across all areas of responsibility.
Build strong relationships with clinical leaders, corporate departments, commissioners and system partners to support integrated patient care and service development.
Represent the Division and the Trust at internal and external meetings, providing operational expertise, influence and leadership.
Act as a role model for the Trust's values and behaviours, promoting collaboration, inclusion and compassionate leadership.
Participate in the Trust's senior manager on call rota and provide leadership during periods of operational pressure or incident response
Please refer to the attached Candidate Pack, Job Description and Person Specification for further details
Person Specification
Skills Essential
Strong leadership, interpersonal skills and authority; to be able to successfully foster and manage inter- relationships between own unit and other Directorates A proven track record of creating a common purpose and instilling organizational values and behaviours that promotes a Corporate vision
Service Delivery Essential
Extensive in-depth demonstrable success in delivery change and performance with/and through management teams, by engaging them in the strategic direction and delivery plans, establishing clear work priorities with them, delegating effectively, ensuring a capability to deliver, monitoring performance and giving feedback A comprehensive understanding of the changing NHS environment and the challenges it faces
Qualifications and knowledge Essential
Relevant Masters/MBA qualification or equivalent professional qualification Demonstrate a successful track record of delivering effective healthcare services as a Senior Manager or Director in a large, multifaceted healthcare environment including staff management, financial management and change management
Personal and people development Essential
Strong sense of commitment to openness, honesty and integrity in undertaking the role
Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Employer details Employer name Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Address Medicine Business Manager (Dept)
Milton Keynes
MK6 5LD
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.mkuh.nhs.uk/working-at-mkuh (Opens in a new tab)