NHS Blood and Transplant
Assistant Director – Strategic Operations
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Job Summary
Help save lives, leading the strategy for Blood Donation. Our dedicated team collects, tests, stores and delivers blood, plasma and tissue to every NHS Trust in the England and North Wales, as well as matching, allocating and analysing organ donations UK wide. As an essential service, we’re committed to positive transformation and are currently embarking on an ambitious programme of change.
As Assistant Director, you’ll improve the effectiveness of Blood Donation by developing a long-term strategic operating model – and secure agreement. Upholding strategic objectives, you’ll also work with the Senior Management Team and key stakeholders to put plans into action. Your impact will be far-reaching: you’ll be responsible for developing and implementing Information Systems and Workforce strategies, as well as setting the direction for internal communications. Committed to high standards, you’ll also develop governance and risk management processes – aligned to corporate requirements.
With senior level experience of at least one highly complex organisation, you’ll have delivered quality service and tangible change. You’ll have successfully managed large budgets and projects and understand national and international blood services. Masters and Management degrees or equivalent are desired along with experience of Programme Management analysis and design. Highly articulate and credible, you’re an adept motivator of large teams.
Note: This role provides a hybrid-working option. You will be assigned a base location which could be one of NHSBT main centres/blood centres, which will be confirmed after the final interview and mutually agreed upon with the line manager during the verbal offer stage.
Main duties of the job
In this role you will be responsible for the Strategic Operations of Donor Experience Directorate. Your responsibilities will include:
- Leading the development and maintenance of long-term strategies for the UK's Donor Experience systems, aligning with NHSBT corporate strategy.
- Work with stakeholders from NHS, government, and third sectors to define roles and responsibilities for strategy delivery.
- Develop a robust evidence base to support strategy, using complex activity models to assess key indicators of the donor journey.
- Provide strategic direction and recommendations to the Senior Management Team, Executive Team and Board, including long-term strategies, staffing, and operational models.
- Design and implement business change initiatives and deliver major projects within Donor Experience, ensuring alignment with NHSBT's strategic goals.
- Secure internal and external resources to support delivery of key initiatives, ensuring sufficient capacity and capability.
- Monitor project milestones, ensuring successful delivery and addressing issues promptly.
- Ensure resource and activity plans are managed effectively, with a focus on meeting financial targets and delivering efficiency savings.
- Lead corporate and business planning processes, ensuring they align with NHSBT's goals and resources.
- Development of policy and strategic vision around donor campaigns and NHSBT’s donor experience strategy, including assumptions with robust plans in place to deliver the ambitions within this strategy. Providing leadership within this strategy.
- Accountable for developing a framework for policy development within Donor Experience and Community partnerships
- Deputising for the Director of Donor Experience when necessary and attendance at Exec and Board meetings on an ad hoc basis to present business case papers and highly strategic documents.
- Lead, motivate, and manage a national, multi-functional team, ensuring staff development and effective service delivery across the Directorate.
- Develop and implement the Community Engagement strategy, overseeing donor recognition, local events, and community-based programmes.
- Manage the integration of community engagement activities across donation types (blood, plasma, organs, stem cells), ensuring consistent messaging and avoiding conflicts across services.
- Work closely with the Finance lead to ensure services are appropriately funded and monitored against financial targets.
- Adhere to and role model NHSBT’s behaviours with regard to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
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You will be required to travel and spend time away from base, which will involve working irregular hours and overnight stays when required, with prior notice.
About You
Experience and Knowledge
- Extensive senior management experience, including development and implementation of system and business strategies, change management plans, and operational processes in large-scale organisations.
- Proven ability to manage and influence at a senior level, including working with Directors, external stakeholders, and resolving complex strategic and operational issues.
- Highly developed leadership, people management, and communication skills, with experience in staff development, motivation, conflict resolution, and performance management.
- Strong financial and management knowledge, including experience in managing and setting large budgets.
- Significant experience in handling service user complaints and conflict resolution, demonstrating effective stakeholder engagement and problem-solving skills.
Qualifications And Training
- Highly specialist knowledge of healthcare at master’s level or holds a master’s Qualification in this field
- Possess a recognised change management, analytical or finance qualification e.g. MSP, qualified accountant
- MBA or equivalent senior and/or strategic management experience
- Possession of a valid driving licence, allowing you to drive in the UK
- Demonstrates commitment to own continued professional development (CPD)
About Us
It takes all types of people to deliver the kind of service that saves and improves lives. At NHS Blood and Transplant, you’ll join a team of more than 6,000 people who are making a genuine difference to communities, families, friends, relatives and more across the UK. We play a unique and special role in the NHS by helping people do something extraordinary- donate blood, blood products, organs, tissues, or stem cells to save someone in need.
Our three core values are what set us apart. They guide and inspire everything we do.
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By being caring, expertly meeting the needs of our patients and our people, and accepting nothing less than the best quality, we can do extraordinary work – and help our people to do something extraordinary in their career, too. Three small words, one big difference - Caring, Expert and Quality. Together we'll save and improve more lives than ever.
You will join us on our journey to create an inclusive workplace and aim to reflect the diverse communities we work with, and we positively encourage applications from all sectors of the community.
What We Offer
- Hybrid working arrangements – because NHSBT works nationally, we’re able to offer hybrid working options that give you more flexibility to balance work with life.
- Flexible working options – we promote flexible working where the role allows. We’re happy to discuss what flexibility might look like for you.
- Generous annual leave - 27 days annual leave (pro rata for part-time) plus Bank Holidays, increasing to 29 days after 5 years’ service and to 33 days after 10 years.
- Inclusive pension scheme - the NHS Pension Scheme is a defined benefit scheme (not dependent on investment returns). Further details and outline of benefits can be found at: http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/information-about-nhs-pensions
- Supportive learning culture - we’ve fostered a culture of continuous learning where colleagues are well-led, engaged, and encouraged to grow. We support you in reaching your full potential, both in your current role and future career. Our Thrive program embodies our commitment to learning and development, offering a wide range of activities to support your personal and professional growth. It’s open to everyone at NHSBT, ensuring you have the resources to succeed and shine in your role.
- Health and wellbeing support – we offer confidential services including occupational health, employee assistance programme, and wellbeing resources. Our support is available to all colleagues and we endeavour to provide tailored workplace adjustments where possible.
As a Disability Confident Employer, we welcome applications from disabled candidates. We will talk with you to explore any adjustments that may help you during the recruitment process.
You can find more information about accessibility, our culture, and how we support applicants on the NHSBT Careers website:
- Read about our application process
- Learn more about our culture at NHSBT
To learn more, please see the job description and person specification. These can be accessed via the link below, or by clicking ‘Apply’ if you are viewing this advert on another site.
Next steps
This vacancy will close at 23:59pm on 23rd August.
The assessment process for this role will include multi-stages consisting of a video presentation and if successful then an interview.
Interviews are anticipated to be held on 14th September at Birmingham New Street – subject to confirmation.
For informal enquiries please contact –
Name: Charlotte Walker
Job Title: Recruiter
Contact Details: Charlotte.Walker@nhsbt.nhs.uk
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