Deputy Head of Operations – South-West

Not every operational leadership role is about managing teams and attending meetings.

This Deputy Head of Operations role is different.

We’re looking for someone who can turn plans into reality; mobilising new services, embedding change, improving performance and helping operational teams overcome barriers to delivery.

Working across a diverse portfolio of clinical and non-clinical services, you’ll play a pivotal role in ensuring new and existing services operate effectively, achieve their objectives and continue to grow. You’ll work closely with operational, clinical and senior stakeholders to implement change, drive service improvement and support the successful delivery of care for patients and families across the South‑West.

If you’re someone who enjoys solving complex problems, improving services and seeing projects through from idea to implementation, we’d love to hear from you.

Main duties of the job

As Deputy Head of Operations, you will help turn agreed priorities into delivered work.

That means building clear plans, keeping actions moving, resolving practical barriers, coordinating across teams, using data well, and staying with implementation after go‑live.

The work is not finished when a service launches. It is finished when the service is working, stable, understood and delivering what it was set up to deliver. You will help turn agreed priorities into delivered work.

This role does not carry a large line management portfolio. That is deliberate. Its value is in delivery, follow‑through and operational grip. You’ll work across multiple services and stakeholders to identify challenges, implement solutions and ensure services are delivering high‑quality outcomes for patients and families.

About us

Marie Curie is the UK’s leading end‑of‑life charity. We are the largest non‑NHS provider of end‑of‑life care in the UK, the only provider across all 4 nations, delivering community nursing and hospice care across the country, while providing information and support on all aspects of dying, death, and bereavement. Our leading research pushes the boundaries of what we know about good end‑of‑life, and our campaigns fight for a world where everyone gets to have the best possible quality of life while living with an illness they’re likely to die from.

The care and support we provide is highly valued by the people we care for and their loved ones, but at present we are only reaching around 10% of dying people at the end of life. Right now, one in four people in the UK with a terminal illness do not get the care or support they deserve at the end of their lives.

Job responsibilities

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Contract: Full‑time Permanent

Salary: £49,382 – £56,515 per annum (pro rata), plus a full range of Marie Curie benefits.

Location: Home‑based, with regular travel to Tiverton and services across the South‑West.

You’ll be someone who:

• Takes ownership and follows through on commitments.
• Enjoys solving problems and removing barriers to progress.
• Can balance multiple priorities and remain focused on delivery.
• Uses data and insight to drive decision‑making.
• Builds strong relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Thrives in environments where priorities evolve and change.

What success looks like:

In this role, success will mean that work moves more clearly and more quickly. New services are mobilised with better grip. Existing services have stronger follow‑through on performance and improvement. Operational problems are identified earlier and resolved more practically. Senior leaders have better visibility without needing to chase every detail. Teams experience the role as helpful because barriers are removed, decisions are followed through, and work does not keep returning to the same conversations.

Key responsibilities include:

• Supporting the mobilisation and implementation of new services and service developments.
• Driving operational improvement and service redesign initiatives.
• Monitoring performance data and identifying opportunities for improvement.
• Working with operational and clinical colleagues to resolve complex challenges.
• Developing effective processes, systems and ways of working that support sustainable service delivery.
• Supporting services to achieve quality, operational and performance objectives.
• Building strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to ensure successful delivery of operational priorities.
• Using insight and data to support decision‑making and service planning.

What we’re looking for:

We’re particularly interested in people who can bring structure without creating bureaucracy, are comfortable working in complex environments where priorities shift, and have the judgement to unblock problems while staying close to the detail. You’ll be someone who notices when work is drifting, clarifies ownership and follows things through to completion.

What’s in it for you:

• Annual leave allowance 27 days plus 8 public holidays (pro‑rata)
• Competitive policy for parental/sick leave
• Industry‑leading training programmes
• Season ticket loan for travelling to and from work
• Defined contribution schemes for pension
• Loan schemes for bikes; computers and satellite navigation systems
• Introduce a friend scheme
• Help with eye care costs
• Entitled to Marie Curie Blue Light Card
• Entitled to Benefit‑Hub Discount Scheme
• Life assurance for all employees

To apply, please send us your most recent CV and a cover letter detailing your experience, how you meet the person specification and why you would like to work for Marie Curie.

Advert closes: 7th August 2026

For more information or an informal chat please contact Ben Gadd on Ben.Gadd1@mariecurie.org.uk

Marie Curie is committed to its values, which underpin our work. We take stringent steps to ensure that the people who join our organisation through employment or volunteering, are suitable for their roles and are committed to safeguarding all our people from harm. This includes our staff, volunteers and all those who use or come into contact with our services. We are dedicated to creating not just a safe place to work but also a supportive and rewarding one.

We believe that diversity makes us stronger. Join Marie Curie and be part of an inclusive and equitable workplace where everyone’s unique perspectives and experiences are valued. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds and walks of life. Apply today to bring your talents to our diverse and inclusive charity.

We’re committed to making reasonable adjustments to support you throughout the application and selection process. You can request support via recruitment@mariecurie.org.uk

This role will be subject to receiving an enhanced DBS criminal record check.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early. Agencies need not apply.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level or relevant level of skills and experience
• Evidence of continuing education and development

Experience

• Experience of successfully leading and implementing service improvement projects.
• Demonstrable achievements in change management.
• Ability to understand complex issues, problem solve and propose solutions.
• Experience of analysis of complex data to produce meaningful information and support decision‑making.
• Ability to influence and build productive relationships with senior stakeholders and partners.
• Ability to develop new ways of working and improve service delivery.
• High level of organisation, self‑motivation and drive for performance.
• UK driving licence with access to a car

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

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