Director of Central Operations

Who Are We?

Newmedica is one of the leading providers of NHS-funded and private ophthalmology services in England.

•    Our Purpose is to change lives through better sight and eye health   
•    Our Vision is to end avoidable sight loss in every community we serve

We provide services for NHS ICB’s, NHS Trusts and other providers of NHS funded services. We deliver thousands of patient interactions annually, including outpatient appointments, diagnostic testing and eye surgery. Our services are delivered mainly through Ophthalmology Joint Venture (OJV) Partnerships.

We have an ambition to significantly grow the business and create a national brand.  We are looking for people excited by our agenda and who demonstrate our company values and behaviours. 

Role Summary

The Director of Central Operations role is to lead the delivery and development of our operational systems and support we give to our services.  We want to continually improve the operational support we give regarding procurement, referral management, and operational systems so that we can continue to grow and drive efficiency.   The role is also the Senior Information Risk Officer and responsible for information governance, and also the Net Zero lead, responsible for our sustainability strategy and plans.

As a member of the Newmedica leadership team, you will be a visible, proven, credible and inspirational leader, with a passion for healthcare. You will have proven experience of leading operations functions and working with joint venture partnerships. You will have the ability to coach your team to meet their individual potential and lead them to resolve day to day operational issues with pace, with a focus on our patient and colleagues.

The role will proactively engage with OJV Partner stakeholders to seek feedback, continually explore ‘what next’ and how Newmedica’s system and process capability can be enhanced to meet both patient needs and organisation objectives.

The role will look forward and anticipate changes within the healthcare market and growth in our business and understand how the operations support teams need to adapt accordingly to maintain excellent patient care and drive efficiencies.

 
Key Responsibilities

Accountable for the development and implementation of Newmedica’s operational annual plan (across Operations Support Team, ePR enhancement programme, Procurement, Information Governance and Sustainability):

Business sponsor for technology enabled change.  In first instance this will be the Electronic Patient Record (ePR) enhancement programme.

Accountable for the development and implementation of the ePR enhancement programme working closely with the Technology and Learning and development teams.

•    Lead the cross functional steering group to manage the programme’s risks, issues and change delivery/implementation (reporting via Clinical Governance to ExCo)
•    Lead the communication of the plans, goals and status of the programme to the business and partners
•    Ensure that the clinical safety process is operating (Clinical Safety Engineer is part of the team reporting to this role)

Operational Support 

•    Look forward and anticipate changes within the healthcare market and growth in our business and understand how the operations support teams need to adapt accordingly to maintain excellent patient care and drive efficiencies
•    Accountable for first line support for our partnership; ensuring the Operations Support Team are appropriately structured, resourced and trained to deliver a high standard of support to all services.
•    Accountable for referrals management, including referral triage, data transfer (bulk referrals), demand projection, capacity and SLA management, rostering and scheduling and appointment booking.
•    Seek out automation/AI solutions to drive efficiencies in these teams.

Procurement 

•    Accountable for the procurement of c£35m of consumables spend, sterilisation services and goods not for resale across Newmedica.  
•    Ensure that we have a clear and deliverable supply chain/procurement strategy that protects our business and delivers best value for money
•    Manage key supplier relationships alongside other Newmedica colleagues, most notably Alcon (lens/consumables), Steris (sterilisation services). This carries significant risk as our business cannot operate at all without continuing sterilisation services and consumables supplies.

Statutory role - Information governance (as Senior Information Risk Owner (SIRO) 

•    Own and oversee Newmedica’s information risk policy, ensuring it aligns with strategic business goals and regulatory requirements 
•    Lead the risk assessment processes, prioritising risks and reviewing annual assessments to support Newmedica’s internal controls
•    Manage information incidents, ensuring threats and vulnerabilities are mitigated and incidents are handled appropriately.
•    Foster a culture that values and protects information, advocating for information risk management throughout Newmedica.
•    Ensure that colleagues are trained and aware of information risk management practices, maintaining their own skills through regular training.
•    Act as a focal point for information risk issues, ensuring effective communication and resolution of these issues within Newmedica.

Statutory role – corporate Net Zero 

The NHS has committed to reaching net zero as soon as possible and cascades this commitment to Newmedica via our contracts. 

This role will play a central role in shaping, developing and delivering the Newmedica sustainability plan, supported by the Specsavers Group Sustainability team.

Through procurement, innovation and partner engagement the Net Zero Lead will help our business reach net zero target and adapt to the challenges climate change poses. An annual report detailing ambitions & progress against milestones is mandatory as part of NHS reporting. 

Leadership

•    Play a key role in the Newmedica leadership team, chairing the Information Governance Committee and the ePR enhancement Steering Group and participating in other governance activities
•    Recruit, retain and develop high performing teams and coaching the leaders to work collaboratively to the benefit of the business
•    Ensure through their teams that operational best practice is adopted by all partners and proactively drive to simplify the operational procedures to allow businesses to focus on service.
•    Identify and manage risks across our business (e.g. key suppliers, business continuity, information governance) and record them in the corporate risk register and disaster recovery plans monthly
•    Manage relationships with key suppliers that support Newmedica  
•    Provide insight and analysis on the operations and efficiency of the OJVs and develop and deliver plans and initiatives to ensure we have the best operational processes
•    Champion the use of AI/automation in all teams – be obsessive about driving efficiencies.  
•    Chair of the incident management team.

Requirements

•    Degree level or equivalent experience and evidence of ongoing development
•    Healthcare experience – either NHS or private/independent sector experience
•    Proven successful track record of operational leadership
•    Proven experience of implementing successful change initiatives in complex multisite organisations
•    Proven experience of identifying and delivering performance enhancing initiatives 
•    Skilled at managing operational incidents – calmly assessing the risk, the issue, brainstorming solutions and communicating clearly.
•    Proven successful track record of coaching, managing and developing teams to obtain results – this role has multiple Heads of department reporting into it that should be responsible for delivery – this role needs to be able to coach performance in those direct reports rather than solve problems personally
•    Experience addressing different audiences across multiple mediums and platforms – strong gravitas with senior leadership required 
•    Experienced at managing multiple projects with multiple stakeholders
•    A high level of interpersonal skills with the ability to build strategic working relationships with a diverse range of people
•    Strong customer service focus

If you are looking to join a high growth market leader in Ophthalmology with exciting plans to expand across the UK, please apply and we look forward to connecting with you soon.

If you would like to request a job description or if you have ay queries, please contact joinus@newmedica.co.uk  

Our employment offers are subject to receipt of satisfactory pre-employment checks. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK and a Disclosure and Barring Service check will be necessary in the event of a successful application which we will pay for.  

At Newmedica, we actively promote diversity and equal opportunities, and we are committed to this in both the running of our services and how we recruit our staff. We actively encourage applications from everyone with the essential requirements of the job, regardless of any protected characteristics.  

Newmedica is fully committed to safeguarding the welfare of all people, irrespective of gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, race, language, religion, ethnic or social origin.  

CompensationCompetitive salary