HealthHarmonie
Head of Operations (Children Services)
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Head of Operations - Children's Services
The Head of Operations - Children's Services will have overall operational responsibility for all children's services delivered by Minds, with an initial focus on Autism and ADHD pathways.
This is a senior leadership role responsible for the mobilisation, launch, and growth of children's services, starting with the first services in Hereford and Worcester. The postholder will lead the operational set-up, ensure services are safe and effective once live, and develop scalable operational models to support future expansion.
The role will work in close partnership with the Clinical Lead for Children's Services, ensuring strong alignment between clinical quality and operational delivery. Over time, the postholder will build and manage a structure of service managers, team leads, and administrative teams, with learning informing the future launch of private children's services.
Key Responsibilities
Service Mobilisation and Launch
- Lead the operational mobilisation of children's Autism and ADHD services, including initial launches in Hereford and Worcester
- Develop and deliver project plans covering:
- Workforce set-up
- Clinic models and capacity planning
- Patient pathways and access models
- Systems and operational readiness
- Ensure services are fully operational, compliant, and stable at go-live and beyond
Operational Leadership and Service Delivery
- Provide day-to-day operational oversight of all children's services within Minds
- Ensure effective delivery across:
- Referrals and patient access
- Appointment booking and clinic delivery
- Post-assessment and follow-up pathways
- Monitor operational performance, identifying and addressing risks, bottlenecks, and inefficiencies
- Ensure consistent service standards as services expand
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People Management and Team Development
- Line manage team leads and administrators during early service mobilisation
- Build and oversee a structure of service managers as services scale
- Support recruitment, onboarding, and development of operational teams
- Foster strong collaboration between operational and clinical teams
Technology and Systems
- Oversee and optimise the use of core systems, including:
- Hero Health
- EMIS
- Heidi
- Microsoft platforms (Teams, Excel, SharePoint)
- Ensure systems are configured to support efficient patient journeys, reporting, and service scalability
- Work closely with internal IT teams and external suppliers to resolve issues and drive system improvements
Stakeholder Collaboration
- Work closely with internal stakeholders including:
- Clinical leadership
- Finance
- IT and digital teams
- Private services and growth teams
- Act as a key operational point of contact for children's services
- Ensure alignment between clinical, operational, and strategic objectives
Service Growth and Continuous Improvement
- Support the expansion of children's services beyond initial launch sites
- Use learning from mobilisation and service delivery to:
- Improve operational models
- Inform future service launches
- Contribute to the development of private children's services
- Drive continuous improvement in efficiency, quality, and patient experience
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Person Specification
Essential
- Significant experience in an operational leadership role
- Experience within healthcare, mental health, or children's services
- Proven experience in service mobilisation, project management, or service launch
- Strong people management experience, leading multidisciplinary teams
- Excellent organisational and problem-solving skills
- Confidence working with digital systems, including patient management platforms
- Ability to work across multiple sites, with regular presence in Hereford and Worcester, particularly during initial service launch
- Strong communication and stakeholder management skills
Desirable
- Experience within children's services or neurodevelopmental pathways (Autism/ADHD)
- Experience working alongside clinical leaders or within clinically led services
- Knowledge of NHS or NHS-adjacent service delivery models
- Experience scaling services or supporting service growth
- Exposure to private healthcare or mixed public/private service models
Equality and Diversity
All staff members are expected to treat colleagues and clients with respect and contribute to a secure, inclusive, and supportive working environment. Minds is committed to preventing harassment and discrimination on any grounds, including age, disability, gender, gender identity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, marriage, and civil partnership.
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