Job Description
Head of Strategic Operations
This vacancy is not eligible for Visa Sponsorship. Please do not apply unless you have another means of establishing a right to work, or you are already employed by the NHS and would transfer to the pay point at the top of Band 8b
Job Summary
At NHS Blood & Transplant (NHSBT), we are committed to saving and improving patient lives every day through the generosity of our donor community.
We are looking for a Head of Strategic Operations to join our Donor Engagement (DX) Directorate to be accountable for developing and, leading service transformation, operational delivery and long-term planning ensuring day to day performance, quality and assurance.
You will join us to ensure that robust, forward-looking governance underpins every stage of donor experience, engagement, and management. You will be responsible for defining the strategic direction for DX strategic operations and ensuring that exemplary standards of wellbeing, health and safety, risk, compliance and ethical practice are consistently achieved across all donor services.
Main duties of the job
Your main duties:
- The role leads the design, approval, implementation, and ongoing refinement of a comprehensive DX strategic operations framework and related delivery plans that safeguard the integrity of NHSBT’s donor services and ensure full compliance with regulatory, legislative, and NHS requirements.
- As DX’s senior authority on governance, you are accountable for setting governance expectations and advising the DX Senior Management Team (SMT), Executive Team, and Board on governance, risk, strategic delivery and assurance relating to donor matters, driving alignment, consistency, and disciplined delivery of agreed assurance strategies across the DX Directorate and the wider organisation.
- Through visible and proactive leadership, the Head of Strategic Operations sets the strategic tone for a culture of learning, transparency, and continuous improvement, ensuring donor-centric governance principles are embedded within service design, transformation, and operational delivery.
- The role requires advanced strategic influence, the ability to shape and steer responses to complex clinical, operational, and regulatory challenges, and clear accountability for protecting public trust in the safety, quality, and ethical standards of NHSBT’s donor services while strengthening organisational resilience and enabling the achievement of long-term strategic ambitions.
About You
Experience and Knowledge
- Demonstrable experience in leading change initiatives, embedding best practices, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement and learning within a high-stakes environment.
- Advanced competence in MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) for reporting and presentation.
- Strong people management and leadership skills gained from working at a senior management position in a large organisation, with proven ability in influencing, negotiating motivation, staff development, conflict resolution and performance management.
- A senior manager and professional with extensive proven experience of managing and developing operational processes in a large-scale organisation.
Qualifications and Training
- Educated to Masters level (e.g. in healthcare, science, management, or a relevant discipline), or evidence of equivalent relevant experience
- Relevant postgraduate qualification (such as leadership, management, business administration, public health, or clinical governance), or equivalent demonstrable expertise through senior-level roles
- Evidence of ongoing Continuing Professional Development (CPD), particularly in governance, risk management, leadership, or compliance.
- Advanced training or significant experience in governance systems, regulatory frameworks, risk management, and assurance (including ISO 22301 or business continuity standards, if possible).
- Knowledge of NHS regulation, clinical safety standards, audit methodology, and relevant legal frameworks.
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. 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:
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 23:59 on 5th July 2026.
The assessment process for this role will likely include a presentation and an interview. Interviews are anticipated to be held week commencing 20th July 2026 – subject to confirmation.
For informal enquiries please contact Daniel Madzikanda – Lead Recruiter via email at daniel.madzikanda@nhsbt.nhs.uk
