Bolton NHS Foundation Trust
Deputy Divisional Director of Operations
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Help Shape the Future of Surgical Services
We are looking for an experienced and ambitious operational leader to join our Surgery Division as Deputy Divisional Director of Operations.
This is a key senior leadership role at an exciting time for the Division. We are focused on delivering our clinical strategy, growing and developing services for our patients, improving access to care and ensuring our services remain sustainable for the future.
Working as part of the Divisional Leadership Team, you will support the Divisional Director of Operations in leading the operational performance of the Division and of the Trust, ensuring patients receive safe, effective and timely care while delivering against operational, financial and quality objectives.
Interviews will be held on 3rd September 2026.
About The Role
This role offers the opportunity to make a significant impact both within the organisation and across Greater Manchester.
You will lead the Division's elective improvement agenda, driving sustainable improvements in RTT performance and elective pathways. You will be expected to bring a strong understanding of the national elective recovery agenda, GIRFT recommendations, NHS operational priorities and the wider healthcare environment.
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You will be the Trust lead for RTT performance, chairing the trust PTL meeting and driving delivery of elective access standards across all divisions. Working alongside the Cancer Services Leadership Team, you will provide strategic leadership for cancer performance, ensuring patients receive timely, high-quality care.
This is a role for an influential leader who can work across organisational boundaries, engaging senior clinicians and operational managers to deliver results. You will thrive in an environment where success depends on collaboration, credibility and the ability to lead horizontally, bringing people together around shared goals and improved outcomes for patients.
A key part of the role will be translating complex information into meaningful insight, using data to identify opportunities, tackle variation and support decision-making at Divisional Board, Trust Board and executive level. You will need to be confident presenting performance information and recovery plans to senior stakeholders and clinicians alike.
The successful candidate will have significant experience managing an RTT specialty or elective service and a proven track record of delivering performance improvement in a complex healthcare environment.
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Leading Our People
This role is about people as much as performance.
You will provide leadership to our operational management teams across four directorates, creating an environment where colleagues feel supported, valued and empowered to make improvements.
We're looking for a leader who combines high expectations with kindness and compassion. Someone who can build trust, develop talent and help teams achieve their potential while maintaining a clear focus on delivery.
You Will
- Lead, support and develop operational leaders across the Division.
- Create a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.
- Encourage teams to challenge existing ways of working and identify opportunities to improve patient care.
- Coach and develop future leaders.
- Foster strong working relationships across clinical, nursing and corporate teams.
- Create an environment where success is recognised, learning is shared and people are supported to grow.
For further details / informal visits contact:
- Name: Alex Cottrell
- Job title: Divisional Director of Operations
- Email address: Alex.Cottrell@boltonft.nhs.uk
- Telephone number: 01204 390369
- Internal ext: 145369
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