We are seeking an outstanding and values-driven Chief Operating Officer (COO) to join our Executive Team, where you will sit at the heart of how care is delivered today while shaping how it must evolve for the future.
Like many health and care organisations across the country, the Royal Devon is facing significant operational and financial pressures, but these do not define us. We are responding with ambition and pace for our patients and staff —strengthening how we work, making the changes we need to make, and embracing the NHS 10-year plan to deliver sustainable, high‑quality, patient‑focused care for our communities.
This is a compelling opportunity for an experienced COO or Deputy COO with the ambition, resilience and expertise to lead at scale, build strong partnerships across the system, inspire teams through change and make a lasting impact. In return, the Royal Devon offers a highly rewarding executive role alongside an exceptional quality of life in one of the UK’s most desirable locations.
More detail about the role
Working closely with a highly experienced and established Chief Executive, Chief Medical Officer and Chief Nursing Officer, you will form part of the Trust’s senior clinical and operational triumvirate and play a central role in shaping the Trust’s future.
You will bring strong strategic and operational leadership to deliver performance against NHS constitutional standards, regulatory requirements and local priorities. This includes leading improvements in access, patient flow and productivity, delivering elective recovery, driving urgent and emergency care performance, and ensuring operational resilience during periods of pressure and escalation.
A core priority will be the development and delivery of a consistent, high‑performing operating model across the Royal Devon. Working in close partnership with Care Group triumvirates, you will ensure strong governance, clear accountability and empowered clinical and managerial leadership. You will champion continuous improvement approaches, including GIRFT and the Trust’s 3Rs methodology, to enhance productivity, quality and patient experience.
As the Trust’s Accountable Officer for Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response (EPRR), you will lead the Trust’s response to major incidents and escalation, providing calm and decisive leadership in complex and high‑risk environments. You will also participate fully in the Executive Director on‑call rota.
This role offers a rare opportunity to shape a unified operating model across a large and complex Trust, influence system‑wide transformation, and lead with visibility, integrity and compassion in line with our values.
Why join the Royal Devon at a pivotal point in our journey?
We are focused firmly on our future, with major national funding secured, including:
- A new Surgical Hub at Heavitree, opening in early 2027
- Expansion of the Devon Nightingale Community Diagnostic Centre
- A new Community Diagnostic Centre at Bideford, opening in summer 2027
- New staff accommodation at North Devon District Hospital as part of the Future Hospital Programme, completing in autumn 2027
- An NHIR‑funded Clinical Research Centre at North Devon District Hospital, opening in 2027 to expand research capacity and improve patient outcomes
We are renowned for doing things differently. We have already achieved significant digitally innovative transformation:
- The first Trust nationally to deploy Epic in the community
- Supporting system partners to roll out Epic, making Devon the first county in the UK to have a single shared electronic patient record
- Piloting Ambient Voice Technology to improve efficiency and release clinical time
- Leading nationally in Acute Hospital at Home, with our Virtual Wards service collecting more remote data than any other Epic‑enabled hospital in Europe
We are a research‑active organisation, hosting, in partnership with the University of Exeter three NIHR research centres, alongside our own commercial research centre, to improve patient outcomes at the Royal Devon, in the UK and globally.
About you
To succeed in this role, you will be a substantive COO or Deputy COO from a large, multi‑site acute NHS trust, with experience of leading change in a turnaround or recovery context.
You are a visible, approachable and inclusive leader who models NHS values through integrity, fairness and compassion. You make clear, values‑led decisions that are positively experienced by staff, patients and partners.
Love where you live and work
Located in the South West of England, the Royal Devon sits between the landscapes of Exmoor and Dartmoor, with some of the UK’s most stunning coastlines on our doorstep. With excellent schools, low crime, vibrant communities and a Russell Group university in Exeter, Devon offers an outstanding quality of life.
If you are ready to take on a high‑impact executive role where you can make a real difference, professionally and personally, we would love to hear from you.
Working Pattern: 37.5 hours, Monday – Friday
Interview Date: Wednesday 8th and Thursday 9th July 2026
For further information please contact: Emily Simpson, Executive and Specialist Recruitment Lead on 07958931414 emily.simpson21@nhs.net
As an inclusive employer, the Royal Devon values diversity and is committed to creating a culture of inclusivity where everyone can be themselves and reach their full potential. We believe in fostering a sense of belonging and actively encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, cultures, and abilities. We recognise the advantages of having a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve.
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