About this role
Job summary
Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (WWL) is seeking an exceptional Divisional Director of Operations to lead our Live Well & Urgent Care Division.
This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced operational leader to work alongside senior clinical and nursing colleagues to deliver high-quality patient care, drive transformation, and improve operational, workforce, quality and financial performance.
Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, you will work closely with the Deputy Chief Operating Officer, Divisional Medical Director and Divisional Director of Nursing to deliver Trust objectives and national priorities. You will provide visible leadership, support service improvement, and maintain a strong focus on patient experience, quality and staff wellbeing.
We are looking for a credible leader with significant senior operational management experience, a proven track record of delivering performance improvements, strong financial and workforce management skills, and excellent stakeholder engagement abilities.
At WWL, our values of Compassion, Respect, Accountability and Excellence underpin everything we do.
Please note: Interviews will take place in person at Trust HQ, WWL, on 14 September 2026. Due to panel availability, no alternative interview dates can be offered, and shortlisted candidates must be available to attend on this date.
Main duties of the job
The Divisional Director of Operations provides strategic and operational leadership for the Division. They are responsible for ensuring delivery of divisional performance standards, workforce and financial objectives, while supporting service transformation and the delivery of high-quality patient care. The Divisional Director works in partnership with the Divisional Medical Director and Divisional Director of Nursing and is accountable to the Deputy Chief Operating Officer.
About us
Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust are the proud providers of acute hospital and community services to the people of the Wigan Borough and surrounding areas. At WWL, we value our staff believing that 'happy staff, makes for happy patients'. We have a recognised track record in staff engagement, and living our values 'the WWL Way'.
WWL are committed to placing the patient at the heart of everything we do, and in the provision of safe, effective care that acknowledges and ensures dignity. With this in mind we are seeking to recruit people who share our values and beliefs.
At WWL we value the benefits a rich and diverse workforce brings to our community and therefore welcome applications from all sections of society.
Job description Job responsibilities
Divisional Leadership & Operational Management
Provide visible leadership for all services within the Division, ensuring operational effectiveness and safe delivery of care.
Work in partnership with medical and nursing leads to drive a culture of accountability, improvement, and collaboration.
Ensure divisional teams are supported and empowered to achieve high standards of performance and patient care.
Performance
Ensure divisional delivery of national and local standards including ED, RTT, diagnostics, and cancer performance targets as applicable to the Division.
Lead divisional improvement programmes to address underperformance and ensure sustainable compliance with standards.
Oversee divisional capacity planning and service demand management to maintain safe, effective, and timely access to care.
Governance and Risk
Ensure divisional compliance with governance, risk management, and quality frameworks.
Maintain divisional risk registers, ensuring risks are assessed, mitigated, and escalated as appropriate.
Promote a culture of learning, safety, and continuous improvement across the Division.
Finance and Resources
Ensure that divisional workforce is continually developed and competent to undertake required roles.
Provide line management to the Directorate Management Team and ensure effective management of services.
Develop integrated workforce plans (medical and non-medical) aligned with the Service and Financial Frameworks, addressing recruitment, retention, and supply challenges.
Ensure all areas are safe and appropriately staffed, liaising with senior colleagues for professional leadership support where required.
Oversee organisational change and working practice changes in partnership with HR, ensuring compliance with the Trusts Job Security and Change Policy.
Ensure full compliance with appraisal, mandatory training, and other HR performance indicators, incorporating these within divisional objectives. Agree consultant job plans and appraisals with the DMD, Clinical Directors and Directorate Managers, ensuring engagement of doctors and clinical professionals in planning and managing services.
Ensure all staff in the Division have an up-to-date Personal Development Review and Plan reflecting both core training and CPD requirements.
Manage HR policies within the Division, including disciplinary, capability, and grievance, ensuring issues are managed fairly and consistently.
Ensure robust systems are in place to identify and address poor performance and conduct, and ensure grievances and whistleblowing are handled in line with Trust policy.
Promote flexible working practices that comply with the Working Time Directive and balance individual staff preferences with service needs.
Ensure effective use of financial resources, budget management, delivery of cost improvement programmes, and sustainability of divisional services.
Communications and Relationships
Develop and maintain strong working relationships with divisional leaders, corporate colleagues, clinicians, and external partners.
Represent the Division at Trust-wide forums and in external meetings with commissioners and partner organisations.
Promote effective communication across divisional teams to ensure staff are engaged and informed about key priorities.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
Degree of equivalent professional Qualification Postgraduate qualification at Master's degree level or equivalent experience PRINCE 2 qualification or equivalent Evidence of recent and relevant professional CPD Evidence of further study in areas such as leadership, project management or related areas
Desirable
Higher level management qualification
Experience Essential
Significant, demonstrable experience of senior operational management including responsibility for service development Experience of developing joint and collaborative working with local partners including other NHS Trusts, voluntary organisations and the Local Authority Senior level involvement in major projects and experience of professional leadership of services Experience of working with multi-disciplinary teams and achieving key service improvement outcomes in a challenging environment Experience of staff development and performance management of multiple service areas with delivery of associated outcome improvements Experience of successfully producing business cases Experience of budgetary managment Experience of managing change within a health care environment Experience of Elective Care
Skills Essential
Excellent communication skills, with the ability to lead discussion and negotiation with staff at all levels and across multiple disciplines and organisations Ability to interpret and communicate highly sensitive and complex issues from multiple sources both orally and in writing with authority and credibility to key stakeholders Ability to prioritise and meet pressing deadlines Ability to make difficult decisions and communicate these decisions to key stakeholders in a manner that ensures maximum 'buy in' to support key objective delivery Strong analytical skills and the ability to consider the wider picture Data manipulation and data analysis skills. Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to motivate, influence and persuade staff and clinicians, including those for whom the post holder does not have direct line management responsibility Political awareness and an understanding of local and national agendas. Ability to hold professionals & peers to account Ability to present highly complex, emotive information clearly and openly with staff Ability to persuade Board and senior managers of the respective merits of different options, innovations and new opportunities
Knowledge Essential
Excellent insight and working knowledge of current health policy Extensive knowledge of specialist directorate areas acquired via formal training and professional experience Good IT skills with evidence of the ability to access and use complex health related data Proficient skills in the use of MS Office - Excel, Access, Word & PowerPoint Knowledge of data security and confidentiality issues
Additional Essential
Communicate with confidence and accuracy Ability to make calm, rational decisions in the face of adversity Ability to facilitate cross site working Ability to work flexibly Negotiation & persuasion skills Ability to effectively prioritise, delegate and escalate with clear rationale and purpose
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Employer details Employer name Wrightington Wigan & Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Address Royal Albert Edward Infirmary
Wigan Lane
Wigan
WN1 2NN
United Kingdom
Employer's website http://www.wwl.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)