Director of Healthcare Operations

Overview

This job is with St John Ambulance, an inclusive employer and a member of my Gwork – the largest global platform for the LGBTQ+ business community. Please do not contact the recruiter directly. When registering to this job board you will be redirected to the online application form. Please ensure that this is completed in full in order that your application can be reviewed.

Hybrid. Full Time/Permanent.

• Competitive salary and pension scheme
• 33 days holiday (inclusive of bank holidays) - increasing to 38 days over 5 years
• Hybrid, Flexible working
• Cycle to work scheme Electric Vehicle Scheme
• Health and Wellbeing portal – access to financial, health and wellbeing support and an Employee Assistance Programme
• Discounts – you will have access to Blue Light and NHS Discounts as well as discounts on mobile phones, gym membership, cinema tickets, restaurants, holidays and shopping

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a team of over 1,300 employees and over 28,000 volunteers, united by our goal of saving lives through essential first aid services, training and campaigning. As a charity with rich heritage and a long history of serving humanity, we are proud of our past and excited about creating a healthier, safer, more resilient future.

St John Ambulance works at the heart of communities, supporting and enabling them to access and receive physical and mental health first aid. We do this through developing and providing effective community response and outreach services including our Ambulance Operations and using our longstanding expertise to empower people with vital clinical skills and the confidence to use them such as SJA Volunteers, and our Young Responders programmes.

There is also a buoyant social enterprise network which delivers first aid training and supplies medical consumables to businesses and consumers. And now with a new strategy and after a review of our current structures were recruiting to a new National Head of Ambulance Operations to help take our delivery to the next level and build our services.

In a newly refreshed role, were looking for an outstanding individual, someone that will bring robust experience in aligned fields, is used to working in a challenging but rewarding environment, enjoys leadership and is genuinely driven by the cause of St John.

We have huge ambition at St John to increase our income, reach and impact and as lead Director, you will hold overall responsibility and accountability for the Healthcare Operations Directorate encompassing Event Healthcare, Ambulance Operations and Community Healthcare delivery. You will drive the commercial ambition of your portfolio, shaping strategy, setting direction, and delivering against stretching targets. You’ll work closely with volunteer leaders across the organisation, forging strong partnerships that strengthen our impact and help us build new community centred healthcare provision.

You will take the lead on our engagement with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and key external partners, regulators, stakeholders and commissioners, including Event Customers, ICBs, Trusts and the wider NHS. Central to the role is championing innovative, high quality, patient centred services that are reliable, financially viable, effective and continuously improving. You will provide visible, motivational leadership across your directorate, embedding our HEART values and positioning our services as an employer of choice beyond the NHS.

Alongside fellow leaders, you will share collective responsibility for delivering the charity’s strategic objectives, while confidently managing a significant P&L of approximately £20m+.

You will be degree‑educated (with a relevant master’s desirable), ideally hold a clinical qualification such as Registered Paramedic. You’ll bring substantial senior leadership experience in large, complex organisations, with a strong track record in delivering ambulance or health service strategies, leading in CQC‑regulated environments, and managing a commercial operation of £20m+ with full P&L accountability. You’ll have experience shaping effective policies and processes,…