Divisional Director of Operations | Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust

North Middlesex University Hospital, part of the Royal Free London Group, is seeking an experienced operational leader to join the Integrated Medical Specialities and Therapies (IMST) Division as Divisional Director of Operations.

Working in a triumvirate with the Divisional Director and Divisional Director of Nursing, you will lead the operational delivery of a large and varied medical division across two directorates, Long Term Conditions and Therapies, and Specialist Medicine. You will drive improvement in access, patient flow, quality and financial sustainability, and help shape the future of medical services for the communities of Enfield, Haringey and beyond.

Lead the operational performance of the division against national and local standards, including referral to treatment, diagnostics, cancer and urgent and emergency care.

· Drive patient flow, length of stay and discharge improvement, working with the Site Management, Transfer of Care and Complex Discharge Teams.

· Lead divisional financial planning and the Financial Improvement Programme, managing delegated budgets in line with Standing Financial Instructions.

· With the Divisional Director and Divisional Director of Nursing, ensure robust clinical governance, risk management and patient safety.

· Lead, develop and hold to account the General Managers and divisional management team.

· Represent the division at executive, group, system and partner forums, and take part in the senior manager on call rota.

North Middlesex University Hospital is a busy acute and community provider serving one of the most diverse populations in London, and part of the Royal Free London Group, one of the largest hospital groups in the country. Our shared commitments are to care with compassion, act with integrity, champion inclusion and deliver excellence, so that our patients receive world class expertise and local care.

We offer a supportive, inclusive working environment, access to group wide leadership development and improvement programmes, flexible working, and the benefits of NHS employment including the NHS Pension Scheme and generous annual leave. We welcome applications from all sections of the community and are committed to inclusive recruitment.

The Divisional Director of Operations is the senior operational leader for the IMST Division and is accountable for the safe, effective and efficient delivery of all divisional services within budget, for an agreed level of activity and to the expected standard of quality. The role reports to the Divisional Director and is accountable to the Chief Delivery Officer.

The division includes cardiology, heart failure, respiratory, diabetes and endocrinology, renal, rheumatology, haematology, therapies and the medical wards, together with gastroenterology,

hepatology, endoscopy, the Rapid Diagnostic Centre, neurology, stroke, dermatology, HIV and sexual health, microbiology, and the Site Management, Transfer of Care and Complex Discharge Teams.

Service delivery and performance

· Lead, with the Divisional Director, the development and delivery of the divisional strategy and annual business plan.

· Be accountable for divisional performance against national access standards and the NHS Oversight Framework, through a structured performance review cycle.

· Ensure effective management of elective and diagnostic waiting lists, capacity and demand planning and validation.

· Ensure optimal patient flow through timely admission and safe, timely discharge, reducing length of stay and avoidable delays.

Quality and governance

· Ensure robust clinical governance, incident and complaints management, and the identification and mitigation of risk.

· Lead service redesign and quality improvement, involving patients and carers in pathway design.

· Work with Royal Free London Group Clinical Practice Groups to implement group pathways locally.

Finance

· Be accountable, with the Divisional Director, for the divisional income and expenditure position.

· Lead the divisional Financial Improvement Programme and productivity plans, including the reduction of premium staffing spend.

· Lead business cases, capital planning and activity and income planning.

Leadership and people

· Lead, motivate and develop the divisional management team, building operational capability and succession.

· Oversee workforce planning, vacancy control, recruitment and rostering with the HR Business Partner.

· Foster an open, inclusive and compassionate culture and work in partnership with staff side colleagues.

Partnership and resilience

· Represent the division with the North Central London Integrated Care Board, local authorities, primary and community care and other partners.

· Lead the division's emergency preparedness, resilience and response and business continuity arrangements.

· Take part in the senior manager on call rota.

Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of the role and the essential and desirable criteria.

This advert closes on Friday 6 Nov 2026