Band 8a - Deputy General Manager Unplanned Care, Medicine in Watford

We are seeking an exceptional operational leader to join our Medicine Division as Deputy General Manager for Unplanned Care, providing operational leadership across a diverse and high-profile portfolio of services. This is a pivotal senior management role responsible for delivering high-quality, safe and sustainable services across Care of the Elderly, Stroke, Frailty and the Virtual Hospital, whilst also leading the management and coordination of the Trust-wide Acute Medical On-Call rota.

Working in partnership with Clinical Directors, Matrons, senior clinicians and corporate colleagues, you will lead the operational delivery of designated Unplanned Care services, supporting performance, patient flow, workforce management and continuous service improvement across the portfolio. You will play a key role in ensuring that patients receive timely, effective and compassionate care, whilst delivering against operational, quality and financial objectives.

Main duties of the job

• Lead the day-to-day operational management of key Unplanned Care services, ensuring safe, effective and patient‑centred care.
• Drive patient flow across the hospital by working collaboratively with clinical and operational teams to optimise capacity, reduce delays and improve patient outcomes.
• Build strong working relationships with Consultants, Matrons, Clinical Leads and corporate teams to support service delivery and continuous improvement.
• Work independently to manage operational challenges, resolve complex issues and make timely decisions in a fast‑paced environment.
• Monitor service performance using operational data, implementing recovery plans and service improvements where required.
• Lead service transformation, pathway redesign and quality improvement initiatives to enhance patient experience and operational efficiency.
• Provide visible leadership to operational teams, supporting workforce management, staff development and a positive, high‑performing culture.
• Ensure effective governance by managing risks, complaints, incidents and compliance with Trust policies and quality standards.

Working for our organisation

With a new hospital planned for Watford, work underway to update theatres at St Albans City Hospital and plans for a neighbourhood healthcare centre in Hemel Hempstead, this is an exciting time to join us. We are building on the success of our award‑winning virtual hospital and re‑imagining models of care, working closely with partners and making the most of advances in digital healthcare. Staff wellbeing and development are a priority, as is the role of innovation in improving clinical care, outcomes and patient experience. Our vision is Excellent patient care, together and our values are to be empowered, compassionate, professional and inclusive.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

We are looking for a highly motivated and experienced operational leader with a strong track record of delivering high-quality services within a complex acute healthcare environment. The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Operational management experience within the NHS or a comparable healthcare setting.
• Experience of leading operational services within Unplanned Care, Urgent and Emergency Care, or other acute care pathways.
• Ability to deliver operational performance against patient flow, access, quality and financial targets.
• Leadership, organisational and decision‑making skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast‑paced environment.
• Experience of leading service improvement, pathway redesign and implementing sustainable operational change.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, with the ability to build effective multidisciplinary relationships across clinical and corporate teams.
• A collaborative leadership style with a commitment to delivering safe, responsive and patient‑centred care.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key operational leadership role within the Unplanned Care Division, supporting the delivery of high-quality services across Acute Medicine, Frailty, Stroke, Virtual Hospital and Medical Patient Flow. Working closely with the General Manager, Clinical Directors, Matrons and multidisciplinary teams, you will lead the day‑to‑day operational management of designated services, ensuring effective patient flow across the urgent and emergency care pathway.

The post holder will provide visible operational leadership, managing complex operational issues independently while ensuring services achieve key performance standards, deliver continuous improvement and provide safe, efficient and high‑quality care for patients accessing urgent and emergency care services. This role offers an excellent opportunity to lead service improvement, strengthen multidisciplinary working and contribute to the delivery of the Trust's Urgent and Emergency Care and patient flow objectives.

Person specification

Education and qualifications

• Education to degree level within a relevant area e.g. management degree, clinical degree or equivalent experience.
• Post graduate management qualification or in the process of studying for.

Knowledge

• Strong understanding of the health and care sector including operational management.
• RTT management.
• Understands admissions and outpatient services and processes.
• Experience of both primary and secondary care organisations.
• Prior experience of working across two or more organisational boundaries.

Experience

• Previous NHS experience.
• Experience operating at a senior organisational level.
• Experience of using numerical analysis in problem solving.
• Experience of budgetary management.
• Experience of producing business cases.
• Experience of managing RTT targets and Cancer waiting times.
• Demonstrable operational management experience, with managing large groups of staff.

West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust provides acute healthcare services to a core catchment population of approximately half a million people living in west Hertfordshire and the surrounding area. The Trust also provides a range of more specialist services to a wider population, serving residents of North London, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and East Hertfordshire. As an employer of nearly 6,000 people the Trust is one of the biggest employers in the area and sees nearly a million patients each year.