Job Description

We are seeking an experienced, visionary leader to join our Trust as Head of Operations for Adult Mental Health. This is an exciting opportunity to play a pivotal role in shaping and delivering high-quality care for adults across our inpatient and community services.



The postholder will support the Deputy Director to deliver the Trust's operational plan and strategic framework. The postholder will be responsible for the operational management of an agreed portfolio of services within the Mental Health & Learning Disability Care Group, ensuring effective and efficient use of allocated resources to provide a service organised around the needs of service users and our local communities.



This is a senior leadership role and the postholder will work in collaboration with the Heads of Professions and Corporate services to ensure effective performance of teams, high quality governance, workforce planning, emergency planning and on-going business development. The postholder will promote a culture of innovation, involvement and quality improvement.



Reporting to the Deputy Director of Operations and working closely with senior clinical and operational leaders, you will provide strategic and operational leadership across the adult mental health pathway including:



Adult Mental Health Inpatient Services including acute, PICU and adult secure



Acute Community Services including Psychiatric Liaison, First Response and Intensive Home Based Treatment



Community Mental Health Services including CMHT, IOT, EIP, Peri-natal and IPS

Closing Date:

9th November 2025

Shortlisting Date:

10th November 2025

Interview Date:

21st November 2025

Everything we do is underpinned by our core values:

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We Care - We act with respect and empathy, and always value difference

We Listen - We understand people's views and respond to their individual needs

We Deliver - We develop and provide excellent services and support our partners



We will consider a variety of flexible working arrangements to enable staff to balance their work and home lives and support staff by offering a fantastic range of benefits including :

Increase mileage rates for > 3500

A wide range of health and wellbeing support packages

A range of internal and external development and learning opportunities

Plus many more.

We are also proud to pledge our support to the Armed Forces and hold a Bronze Award in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme.

BDCFT is dedicated to environmental and social sustainability by delivering on the commitments within our Green Plan. All staff are actively encouraged and supported to participate in training and to identify and implement sustainable quality improvement across all service areas and activities.

The Trust reserves the right to close this position early if a significant number of applications are received.



The postholder will work strategically across the local system, crossing organisational boundaries and unblocking traditional barriers to access, ensuring that keyworkers are embedded within the pathways across health, education and LA facilitating a keyworker for all children, young people and families that need it.



To provide operational management and leadership to an agreed portfolio of services within the Mental Health & Learning Disability Care Group with support from the Deputy Director, to deliver the operational plan and operate within a clear accountability framework



Work with the Deputy Director to develop, implement and monitor quality and performance across services.



Support the Deputy Director to identify and implement innovative solutions to address key Care Group issues.



Lead on the delivery of actions that realise benefits in terms of sustainability and productivity.



Implement corporate operational policies and provide daily, weekly and monthly reports to the senior leadership team and teams across the care group.



Escalate exception reports to the Deputy Director and Senior Leadership Team for further support.



Ensure services are provided in a safe and well governed way, ensuring risk management strategies are implemented and monitored including risk register maintenance and management of incidents.



Ensure that successful clinical governance structures are embedded into the way the Trust delivers services to provide assurance about the quality of services and patient safety.



Take a lead in area of responsibility for the management of Serious Incident investigations, complaints management and disciplinary investigations promoting a culture of continual learning and quality improvement



Take a lead service wide for emergency planning and business continuity plans.



Engage teams in understanding the Trust vision and Strategy and their role in achieving it



Take a lead for your work area in delivering quality improvement processes.



Ensure sound financial management of services through delegated budgets with support from the Deputy Director and finance team.



Deliver high quality services and work with the Deputy Director and others to provide assurance that services meet the appropriate internal and national quality standards.



Please read the attached Job description and person specification for more details about this role.



Right to Work in the UK

Applicants should be aware that for any individual who requires a visa to work in the UK, the Trust provides sponsorship for registered healthcare practitioner roles only. This is an essential requirement of the role, and the Trust is unable to offer you a role if you are unable to meet Trust requirements for sponsorship and Home Office requirements for a visa.

Prior to your appointment you will be asked to provide confirmation of your right to work and reside in the UK. During your continued employment with the Trust, you have a personal responsibility to notify your manager as soon as possible should there be any changes to your right to work status.

Regrettably, if the role is not eligible for sponsorship under the Trust's eligibility criteria, the Trust are unable to extend your employment beyond the expiration of your current visa. The Trust is not responsible or liable for ensuring that your employment continues after this period.

As a condition of continuous employment, it essential you maintain the legal right to work in the United Kingdom throughout the duration of your employment with Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust (BDCFT). Any change in your right-to-work status, including but not limited to visa expiration, revocation, or denial of renewal, may impact your eligibility for employment with the Trust. It is your responsibility to promptly inform your Line Manager of any changes in your right-to-work status immediately and to provide necessary documentation for verification purposes. Failure to obtain or renew your visa in a timely manner is a breach of employment conditions and will result in termination of your employment. We appreciate your attention to this matter and your commitment to fulfilling this requirement promptly.