Deputy Head of Operations SOW at Marie Curie · South-Wes…

Company Description

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 Description

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

Qualifications

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.

Essential criteria:

• Experience of successfully leading and implementing service improvement projects.
• Demonstrable achievements in change management.
• Ability to understand complex issues, problem solve and propose solutions.
• 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

Additional Information

What's in it for you: 

• Annual leave allowance 27 days plus 8 public holidays (pro rata)

• Hybrid working

• Competitive Policy for parental/sick Leave

• Continuous Professional development

• Industry leading training programmes

• Season ticket loan for travelling to and from work

• Defined contribution schemes for Pension

• Marie Curie Group Personal Pension Scheme

• 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 view the job description, please click here:

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

At Marie Curie, our values are central to everything we do. They guide how we care for people, how we work together, and how we make decisions every day. We are committed to creating a workplace that is safe for everyone — staff and volunteers alike — supportive, inclusive and rewarding. We take stringent steps to ensure that anyone who joins our organisation are suitable for their roles and are committed to safeguarding all our people from harm. We actively consider our impact on the planet, embedding sustainability into everyday decisions to create a lasting, positive difference for the individuals we care for and the world we share.

We believe everyone should have the opportunity to thrive and fulfil their potential. Marie Curie is deeply committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, recognising both the social justice imperative and the strength a diverse workforce brings. We actively encourage applications from people of all cultures, perspectives and lived experiences.

We are happy to make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process. If you require any support, please contact us at recruitment@mariecurie.org.uk.

Every application we receive is personally reviewed by a member of our Talent Acquisition team, and in return, we ask that your application authentically reflects you — your experience, perspective and voice.