Job summaryWe are seeking an experienced and inspirational Registered Nurse to join our senior operational leadership team as Head of Site Operations.
This pivotal role provides strategic and operational leadership for Clinical Site Management, Patient Flow and Discharge Services across the Trust. The successful candidate will combine operational expertise with professional nursing leadership to ensure the delivery of safe, effective and patient-centred care.
Working closely with clinical and operational leaders, the post holder will lead Trust-wide initiatives to improve patient flow, optimise capacity, reduce delays and enhance patient experience. They will provide visible leadership to the Clinical Site Team, promoting high standards of clinical practice, professional development, governance and patient safety, while ensuring effective management of hospital capacity and escalation.
The post holder will provide expert clinical leadership during periods of operational pressure, supporting timely decision-making, risk management and service improvement. They will work across organisational and system boundaries to develop innovative pathways and deliver sustainable improvements in quality, performance and patient outcomes.
This is an exciting opportunity for a senior nurse leader with significant experience in acute hospital operations, patient flow and service transformation to influence care delivery at scale and help shape the future of hospital site operations.
Main duties of the jobThe Head of Site Operations will provide strategic and operational leadership for Clinical Site Management, Patient Flow and Discharge Services, ensuring the safe, effective and efficient management of patient flow across the Trust. As a senior Registered Nurse, the post holder will provide visible professional leadership, promoting high standards of patient safety, clinical governance and quality of care. The role is responsible for leading operational resilience, escalation management, capacity optimisation and discharge improvement programmes, whilst supporting delivery of national and local performance standards. Working collaboratively with clinical, operational and system partners, the post holder will lead service improvement and transformation initiatives, develop the Clinical Site workforce, and provide expert advice on patient flow, capacity management and site safety to senior leaders across the organisation.
About usWe are proud to be part of BSW Hospitals Group - a formal partnership between the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust, Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust. With a combined workforce of over 17, 600 colleagues, and budget of 1.6 billion the Group is united by a common purpose to deliver the best possible care to over 1 million people.
We are creating a health and care system that works with the people we care for, reducing the differences people currently face in access, experience and outcomes, improving the experience of our colleagues and tackling shared challenges like sustainability and finances. Every improvement we make across our Group will be guided by what creates the greatest benefit for our colleagues, our patients, our communities and our partners.
By working together, we make a real difference for our patients, each other, and our community. Every role matters in delivering the exceptional, person-centred care we're proud of.
We're committed to a compassionate, inclusive culture where kindness is championed, differences are valued, and diversity makes us stronger.
We want to support you to thrive, taking your career to its full potential. We prioritise staff wellbeing - and yes, we even have a pool!
Discover what it's like to live and work in Bath, explore our RUH staff benefits, and learn how we're building healthcare for the future through the Dyson Cancer Centre and our commitment to research.
DetailsDate posted: 07 August 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 8c
Salary: £79,504 to £91,609 a year pro rata
Contract: Fixed term
Duration: 12 months
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 427-8132410
Job locations: Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust, Combe P, Bath, BA1 3NG, United Kingdom
Job responsibilitiesThe Head of Site Operations will provide strategic and operational leadership for Clinical Site Management, Patient Flow and Discharge Services, ensuring the safe, effective and efficient flow of patients across the Trust.
The post holder will lead and develop a high-performing multidisciplinary workforce, providing visible professional nursing leadership and promoting a culture of patient safety, continuous improvement and compassionate care.
The role is responsible for overseeing capacity management, patient placement, discharge processes, escalation management and operational resilience arrangements, ensuring the organisation can respond effectively to periods of increased demand and operational pressure.
The post holder will lead implementation of the National FOCUSED methodology and other best-practice approaches to improve patient flow, reduce delays and optimise the use of hospital capacity.
Working collaboratively with clinical, operational and executive leaders, the post holder will support the delivery of key performance standards, develop and monitor performance frameworks, identify risks to service delivery and lead recovery and improvement plans where required.
The role will provide expert advice on patient flow, site safety, capacity management and operational performance, supporting decision-making at both operational and strategic levels.
As a senior Registered Nurse, the post holder will provide professional leadership for the Clinical Site Team, ensuring high standards of clinical practice, governance, workforce development and patient experience. They will lead service redesign and transformation programmes, working closely with internal and external partners to deliver sustainable improvements in quality, performance and patient outcomes.
The post holder will participate in the senior manager on-call rota and act as a senior operational leader during major incidents, business continuity events and periods of significant operational escalation.
Person SpecificationExperienceEssentialQualificationsEssentialDisclosure and Barring Service CheckThis 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.
Certificate of SponsorshipApplications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK RegistrationApplicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer detailsEmployer name: Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust, Combe P, Bath, BA1 3NG, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.ruh.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)
Employer contact detailsFor questions about the job, contact: Deputy Chief Operating Officer UEC, Sarah Hudson, sarahhudson@nhs.net, 07813199479
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.Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications.Applicants must have current UK professional registration. 
