Executive Director, Operations

Royal College of Radiologists

Hours
35 hours per week

About the Organisation

Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) is the leading professional membership body for clinical radiologists and clinical oncologists, and a registered charity that educates and supports doctors throughout their careers. With over 14,000 members in the UK and internationally, together we’re contributing to the advancement of each new generation of doctors and helping to improve patients’ lives.

We require a broad range of skills and experience to deliver our strategic goal of increasing the clinical radiology and clinical oncology workforce, which will ultimately lead to improving imaging and cancer care services for all. If you’re inspired by our strategy and values and are passionate about helping us meet our ambitious goals in an environment that celebrates differences, values diversity, and recognises that everyone here plays a role in the success of the College, then we encourage you to consider a career at the RCR.

About the role

The Executive Director, Operations provides strategic and operational leadership across the RCR’s internal services functions, ensuring the organisation runs effectively, efficiently, and in a way that supports delivery of our charitable objectives. The postholder has overall accountability for operational performance across IT, facilities, finance, HR, and governance, driving continuous improvement and maintaining the high standards of service that colleagues and members rely on.

They play a critical role in identifying and managing organisational risk, ensuring robust frameworks are in place to protect the RCR’s people, assets, and reputation, as well as supporting the Chief Executive in the leadership and development of the RCR.

Responsibilities

Lead and Develop Directorate Functions:

• Ensure that operations, resources and associated services work effectively and smoothly together in support of the College’s strategic and operational aims. This includes the setting, monitoring and review
• Effectively lead the Directorate functions, staying abreast with developments in best practice and overseeing the implementation of improvements and developments where required.
• Champion and model the RCR’s values, playing a lead role in shaping and sustaining an organisational
• Provide advice and, through the Directorate, support for Trustees as required from time to time, notably
• Develop external links, networks and relationships in relation to areas of responsibility so as to bring in intelligence and new ideas to the RCR.

Business Support and Development:

• Maintain strategic oversight of the College’s financial health and sustainability, ensuring that robust financial planning, governance and control frameworks are in place and operating effectively.
• Develop and maintain strategic oversight of the College’s financial health and sustainability, ensuring that robust financial planning, governance and control frameworks are in place and operating effectively.
• Develop and maintain a strategic perspective on all business matters for the College
• Take forward agreed opportunities for income development and diversifying income streams, including those on a commercial basis.
• Ensure the provision of a comprehensive business support function for the College covering finance, financial governance, VAT, payroll, investment, procurement, insurance, project planning and management, risk management and income diversification and income generation. This includes periodic review and development, and the creation, review and update of a financial plan.
• Lead on procurement for the College, including directly negotiating substantial business arrangements and setting procedures and processes for other authorised College staff to follow.
• Lead on contracts for the college. This includes negotiating on larger contracts and supporting others in their contract negotiations. It also includes being the expert on the suitability of contracts, suggesting amendments, and knowing and ensuring RCR ‘red lines’
• Be the lead advisor on business modelling, ensuring managers model future opportunities correctly, understand business risks and are able to present business cases in a clear manner.
• Ensure the College complies with all current and relevant charitable, financial and legal regulatory requirements through the necessary internal systems and procedures, including financial audit.

Information and Communications Technologies Leadership:

• Ensure the College has a comprehensive strategic and operational plan for information and communications technologies, encompassing infrastructure resilience, cyber security, data governance and records management.
• In partnerships with the Digital Products Team, lead the organisation’s approach to digital transformation, identifying and embedding technology-enabled improvements to internal processes and service delivery across the RCR.
• Ensure staff and Officers have an effective day-to-day IT service and that the College’s digital capability keeps pace with operational needs and sector developments.
• Ensure the College’s approach to data management meets all relevant regulatory requirements, including UK GDPR

Facilities Leadership:

• Ensure the College’s premise needs are met, including management, maintenance and facilities development. Lead on longer-term planning and provision.
• Maximise income generated from the estate consistent with membership and internal needs, and prevailing policies.

HR Leadership:

• Ensure the College has a comprehensive, strategic and operational plan for the HR function, covering workforce planning, employee relations, reward, learning and development, contributors, and equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Ensure the College is compliant with employment law and HR best practice, with policies that are fit for purpose and consistently applied.
• Oversee the development of the RCR as an employer of choice, supporting the attraction, retention and development of high-calibre staff.
• Work with the Head of HR to ensure effective people management practices are embedded across the organisation, and that managers are equipped and supported to lead their teams well.

Governance Leadership:

• Oversee the governance function, ensuring a comprehensive and high-quality governance service for Council, committees and Trustees, including effective board and committee administration.
• Ensure the College remains compliant with charitable governance requirements and Charity Commission guidance, and that Trustees are appropriately supported in discharging their duties.
• Oversee the review and development of governance frameworks, constitutional documents and delegated authorities, ensuring they remain fit for purpose as the organisation evolves.

Role as Executive Director:

• Contribute fully to the overall direction and leadership of the RCR
• Lead on development and delivery of RCR strategy and policy, collaborating with Officers to achieve this.
• Orientate service delivery and development to the needs of the whole College while being fully cognisant of the public benefit requirement of the College and the interests of other stakeholders.
• Collaborate with the elected Officers and other lead Fellows of the RCR.
• Build external networks to support the delivery of the RCR strategy by collaborating with and influencing external stakeholders
• Lead change and development of the Directorate’s operations, ensuring managers and others support and lead change in their areas as required.
• Ensure the Directorate is resourced appropriately to deliver its required operations.
• Lead, motivate, performance manage and develop the Directorate team in accordance with RCR policies and the Scheme of Financial, Contractual and HR Delegation.
• Promote effective communication between members of the directorate and other relevant RCR staff and stakeholders.
• Lead the Directorate in line with the RCR’s constitution and governing documents
• Manage records (attendance and absence) of direct reports using the RCR’s electronic HR system.
• Deputise for the Chief Executive and other Executive Directors as required.
• Undertake such duties appropriate to the level of the postholder’s qualifications and experience as may be required by the RCR from time to time.

Internal Working Relationships:

• Chief Executive and other SMT members, working collaboratively as the leadership team
• Directorate staff, leading, managing, developing and encouraging collaborative working
• Medical Director, Membership and Business, Treasurer and other Trustees, providing advice, guidance and support
• Members of the Finance and Investment Committee, providing advice, guidance and support
• Council members

External Working Relationships:

• Investment manager, managing relationships
• Auditors, managing relationships, providing information and support
• Pensions adviser, managing relationships
• Payroll provider, managing a relationship
• Holders of similar posts in other medical Royal Colleges and faculties, networking, relationship building, knowledge exchange, and collaborative working, where applicable
• Professional advisers, contracting, and managing a relationship

Skills, Competencies, Experience & Attributes

Knowledge, Qualifications & Experience:

• Deep knowledge of at least one (and preferably more) areas under the span of control – IT, finance, HR, Governance, Facilities, with the ability to get up to speed quickly in the other areas.
• Senior-level experience in an organisation of comparable complexity
• Significant financial experience
• Qualified accountant
• Experience in corporate development and decision-making as a member of a senior management team

Skills & Abilities:

• Accurate use and understanding of English.
• Highly developed and inclusive leadership skills, able to facilitate a culture that engages and motivates employees
• Strong analytical and evaluative skills, including the ability to understand and analyse complex issues and problems and use information to further RCR interest
• High-level interpersonal skills, including the capacity to motivate others, negotiate with, and influence key decision makers,
• Ability to plan and prioritise a substantial programme of work, and handle competing demands, to meet mid to long-term goals
• High-level written and oral communication skills
• Highly numerate
• Ability to handle complexity, uncertainty, high pressure and variable workload
• Excellent judgement, including knowing when to support and when to challenge, when to hold firm and when to bend, when to listen and when to talk
• Ability to manage externally commissioned work
• Ability to process complex information rapidly and make sound decisions under pressure

Other Requirements:

• Commitment to equality and valuing diversity, and understanding of how this applies to the delivery of one's own area of work
• Commitment to the aims and charitable objectives of the RCR
• Self awareness
• Enthusiasm for learning and development, and taking on new tasks
• Committed to own continuing professional development.

Compensation & Benefits

• Modern working environment with home‑working equipment provided
• Generous annual leave, plus the option to buy up to 5 extra days
• Enhanced family‑friendly leave (maternity, paternity and adoption) for those with 2+ years of continuous service 
• Excellent pension scheme
• Make a difference to the lives of Doctors and medical specialities
• Up to 60% remote working
• Sabbaticals (5+ years’ service) and secondment opportunities
• Interest‑free season ticket loan and cycle to work scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Long service recognition awards

Conditions of employment

• Candidates must have the right to work in the UK. We are unable to offer visa sponsorship for any role.

Working locations

• Hybrid model, working in the London office and remotely

How to apply

• Exec Director, Operations candidate pack
• Please send an email to [email protected] with your CV and a 1-page cover letter, your Full Name, Role, and a completed Diversity Monitoring Form.
• If you consider yourself to have a disability and require a hard copy pack or a different format, for example, large print, please contact the HR team at [email protected]

Interviews

• Shortlist and selection interviews are provisionally scheduled, and the interview dates for w/c 3rd June and w/c 8th June, respectively. Exact dates will be confirmed shortly.

Policies

Diversity means better ideas, better solutions, and more innovation. That’s why one of our key priorities is ensuring our workforce reflects our communities. We’re committed to creating an inclusive workforce and working environment for us all to enjoy, where everyone can bring their whole self to work to create change and reach new heights of creativity.

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