Programme Lead - Operations

The Royal Marsden Private Care Division is entering an exciting period of growth and transformation, and we are seeking experienced Programme Leads to join our high-performing senior team. These newly established roles will play a pivotal part in delivering the Private Care Growth Strategy, leading complex programmes that support service development, operational transformation, commercial growth and sustainable income generation. Working across multiple stakeholders and workstreams, you will help deliver initiatives that enhance patient experience, increase capacity and utilisation, and optimise performance.

We are looking for dynamic individuals with exceptional programme management skills, strong analytical capability and the ability to influence at all levels of the organisation. Whether your expertise is operational transformation or commercial development, you will have the opportunity to lead strategically significant programmes that directly contribute to the future growth of The Royal Marsden Private Care.

Main duties of the job

• The Programme Lead – Operations will be responsible for leading and delivering a portfolio of strategically significant operational transformation programmes within the Royal Marsden Private Care Division.
• The post holder will provide expert programme management leadership and specialist advice, with responsibility for the delivery of a portfolio of strategic programmes arising from the Private Care Growth Strategy, ensuring agreed operational, financial and service objectives are achieved.
• The role will lead complex programmes involving multiple stakeholders, develop business cases and implementation plans, coordinate governance arrangements, and ensure benefits realisation following programme delivery.
• The post holder will work closely with senior clinical, operational, commercial, workforce, estates and finance colleagues to drive the successful delivery of major capacity, utilisation and service development initiatives.

Working for our organisation

The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust is a world‑leading cancer centre. Our role is to offer our patients the best cancer care available anywhere in the world, and to continue to make a global contribution to finding better ways of diagnosing and treating cancer. We employ over 4,500 staff in a diverse range of careers including nursing, medical, science, radiography, pharmacy, occupational therapy, finance and administrative services. We have two hospitals – one in Chelsea, London, and one in Sutton, Surrey – as well as a Medical Daycare Unit in Kingston Hospital.

At The Royal Marsden, we deal with cancer every day, so we understand how valuable life is. When people entrust their lives to us, they have the right to demand the very best. That's why the pursuit of excellence lies at the heart of everything we do.

At the heart of the hospital is our dedicated team. We offer a stimulating and dynamic working environment, a wide range of staff benefits, learning and development opportunities and clear career pathways. There are opportunities to work flexibly across a range of areas and specialities and we welcome flexible working requests from point of hire to support employees work life balance. We are looking for employees who aspire to excellence, share our values and can play a crucial role in our on‑going achievements.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate the delivery of major operational growth initiatives across the Private Care division including:
• Capacity assessment, optimisation and expansion programmes
• Mobilisation and implementation of approved operational developments
• Delivery of service improvement and utilisation initiatives
• Implementation of new services aligned with strategic growth priorities
• Development of robust business cases and oversight of approved projects through to delivery
• Develop and maintain comprehensive programme plans, implementation schedules, milestones and reporting frameworks.
• Ensure programmes are delivered within agreed scope, timescales, quality standards and budgetary parameters.
• Manage programme interdependencies and ensure alignment between concurrent workstreams.
• Identify, assess, manage and accelerate programme risks, issues and delivery barriers.
• Lead programme mobilisation and implementation, determining and coordinating the programme delivery approach and ensuring successful transition into operational delivery.
• Maintain oversight of programme outcomes and ensure delivery of agreed benefits.

Person specification

Education/Qualifications

• Educated to master’s degree level in a relevant subject, or able to demonstrate an equivalent level of highly developed specialist knowledge acquired through postgraduate study and/or specialist training and extensive relevant experience.
• Highly developed specialist knowledge of programme and project management, change and transformation methodologies, business case development, financial appraisal, programme governance and benefits realisation, underpinned by theoretical knowledge and significant practical experience.
• Evidence of continuing professional development.
• Specialist knowledge of healthcare operational management, capacity, and demand management, service redesign, workforce planning and transformation within a complex healthcare environment.

Experience

• Significant experience leading complex programmes or transformation projects within healthcare.
• Experience of business case development and benefits realisation.
• Experience managing competing priorities across multiple workstreams.
• Experience of governance, assurance and reporting to senior committees.
• Experience working with senior clinical and operational stakeholders.
• Significant experience of managing programme budgets, including budget setting, expenditure control, financial forecasting and variance management.

Knowledge

• Knowledge of programme and project management methodologies.
• Understanding of healthcare operational performance and service transformation.
• Advanced computer skills, particularly Excel and PowerPoint.

Skills

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to present complex information to senior audiences.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to interpret operational and financial data.
• Excellent organisational and planning skills.
• Ability to influence and negotiate with senior stakeholders.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
• Ability to lead change and drive service improvement.
• Ability to work autonomously and use initiative.

The Royal Marsden values diversity and is committed to the recruitment and retention of underrepresented minority groups. We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates, LGBTQ+ candidates and candidates with disabilities.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we are working to create a workplace that enables all staff to reach their full potential. We are committed to this because we know that greater diversity and inclusion will lead to an even greater positive impact for the people we serve.

Due to the high volumes of applications we receive, we reserve the right to close any adverts before the published closing date once we have received a sufficient number of applications. We advise you to submit your application as early as possible to prevent disappointment. Please ensure your information is accurate to avoid errors with processing your application.

All applicants will be contacted by email to the address supplied on your application. Applicants are advised to check their email accounts regularly and to ensure that email filters are set to allow our emails.

Flu Vaccination – What We Expect of our Staff

At The Royal Marsden we have an immune compromised patient population who we must protect as much as we can against the flu virus. Each year, seasonal flu affects thousands of people in the UK. Occurring mainly in winter, it is an infectious respiratory disease capable of producing symptoms ranging from those similar to a common cold, through to very severe or even fatal disease.

The wellbeing of our staff and patients is of the upmost importance to us, and it is the expectation of The Royal Marsden that all patient-facing staff have an annual flu vaccination, provided free of charge by the Trust.