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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead urgent care operations, ensuring high-quality patient services across multiple regions.
- Company: Dynamic healthcare provider focused on urgent care and out of hours services.
- Benefits: Competitive day rate, flexible expenses, and the chance to make a real impact.
- Why this job: Shape the future of urgent care during a transformative period and leave a lasting legacy.
- Qualifications: Extensive leadership experience in urgent care and multi-site operations required.
- Other info: Opportunity for significant career growth and influence in a critical healthcare sector.
Interim Director of Operations – Urgent Care & Out of Hours Services
Contract: 3–4 months (Inside IR35)
Day Rate: £500 - £550 + expenses (flexible)
Start: Immediately
Location: Northern and Southern England. Ideally our client is looking for a midlands based candidate due to travel requirements.
Are you an exceptional operational leader with deep experience in Urgent Care and Out of Hours services? Have you successfully stabilised complex services, inspired operational leaders, and delivered measurable improvements in performance, commissioner confidence, and patient experience? This is a pivotal opportunity to take the helm of national urgent care services during a period of integration, transformation and growth - and to leave a meaningful legacy in a short timeframe.
This interim role requires a resilient, emotionally intelligent, commercially minded leader who can bring people together, build trust quickly, and drive high-quality, patient-centred services across multiple regions.
The Role
As Interim Director of Operations, you will provide strategic and operational leadership for urgent care and out of hours services nationally, and be fully accountable for delivering high-performing, patient-focused, commercially sustainable services.
You will lead a group of Service Delivery & Performance Managers, ensuring they “own” their contracts, understand all KPIs and service specifications, and cultivate strong stakeholder relationships. This requires someone who is both hands-on and strategic, with the ability to work at pace, motivate mixed teams, and bring cohesion to services that currently vary in maturity, stability, and commissioner satisfaction.
You will work collaboratively with clinical and non-clinical teams, system partners, and stakeholders across a variety of commissioning landscapes. Your influence will directly shape the future of urgent care operations during a period of significant organisational transformation.
What You’ll Bring
- Extensive leadership experience in urgent care, out of hours, unscheduled primary care, or a closely related independent healthcare environment.
- Experience leading multi-site operations and managing senior regional leaders.
- Strategic acumen with proven ability to integrate services, transform performance, and deliver commercial outcomes.
- Experience managing contracts valued at £15m+ and working within complex commissioning environments (knowledge of APMS, GMS and NHS Standard Contracts advantageous).
- Strong understanding of governance, patient flow, service design, workforce mobilisation and performance frameworks.
- Experience of large-scale service change or transformation programmes.
- Experience working within an independent provider (non-NHS) is essential.
Practical Requirements
- Ability to travel nationally between sites.
- Full UK driving licence.
- Willingness to work flexibly, including presence during out-of-hours periods.
Why This Role Matters
In just a few months, you will play a critical role in stabilising services, uplifting performance, strengthening commissioner relationships, and aligning national urgent care operations under one consistent, high-quality model. Your leadership will set the foundation for long-term success and support a smooth transition to a permanent post-holder.
Operations Director - Urgent Care in England employer: Practicus
Contact Detail:
Practicus Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Operations Director - Urgent Care in England
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the healthcare sector, especially those who have experience in urgent care. A friendly chat can lead to insider info about opportunities that aren't even advertised yet.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by practising common questions related to operational leadership and patient-centred services. We recommend role-playing with a friend or using online resources to boost your confidence and refine your answers.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your achievements! When you get the chance to speak with potential employers, highlight specific examples of how you've transformed services or improved performance in previous roles. Numbers and results speak volumes!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive and engaged in their job search.
We think you need these skills to ace Operations Director - Urgent Care in England
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV speaks directly to the role of Operations Director - Urgent Care. Highlight your experience in urgent care and out of hours services, and don’t forget to showcase any leadership roles you've held that demonstrate your ability to stabilise and transform services.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to tell us why you’re the perfect fit for this interim role. Share specific examples of how you've inspired teams and improved performance in previous positions, and make sure to connect your experiences to the key responsibilities outlined in the job description.
Showcase Your Strategic Acumen: In your application, emphasise your strategic thinking and operational leadership skills. We want to see how you've successfully integrated services and delivered commercial outcomes in complex environments. Use metrics and achievements to back up your claims!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother process. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates. Plus, it shows you’re keen to join our team at StudySmarter!
How to prepare for a job interview at Practicus
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of urgent care and out of hours services. Understand the key performance indicators (KPIs) and service specifications that are relevant to the role. This will not only show your expertise but also demonstrate your commitment to delivering high-quality, patient-centred services.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've successfully led teams in complex environments. Think about times when you've stabilised services or improved performance. Be ready to discuss your strategic acumen and how you've integrated services in the past, as this is crucial for the role.
✨Build Rapport Quickly
Since this role requires building trust with various stakeholders, practice your interpersonal skills. During the interview, engage with your interviewers, listen actively, and respond thoughtfully. This will help you convey your emotional intelligence and ability to motivate mixed teams.
✨Be Ready for Scenario Questions
Expect questions that ask how you would handle specific challenges in urgent care operations. Prepare for scenarios related to service transformation or managing contracts. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your responses effectively.
