Health / Medical

Our vision is to deliver outstanding emergency and urgent care whenever and wherever needed for everyone in London, 24/7, 365 days a year. We are the busiest emergency ambulance service in the UK serving one of the world’s most dynamic and diverse cities. We provide emergency and urgent healthcare that is free to patients at the time they receive it. We are the only NHS provider trust to serve the whole of London and the nine million people who live in, work in or visit the city.

We cover an area of 620sq miles and have more than 8,000 people who work or volunteer for us – rising to 10,000 when including bank staff and students. We answer around two million 999 calls a year and our crews attend more than 3000 emergencies a day. Our 24-hour 111 integrated urgent care services London answer around two million calls a year. We play a leading role in integrating access to emergency and urgent care in the capital and are striving to ensure patients receive the right response, in the right place, at the right time Our main role is to respond to emergency 999 calls, providing medical care to patients across the capital, 24-hours a day, 365 days a year.

Other services we offer include providing pre-arranged patient transport and finding hospital beds. Working with the police and the fire service, we are prepared for dealing with large-scale or major incidents in the capital. Job overview Very Senior Manager (VSM) London Ambulance Service NHS Trust Location: Waterloo, London London Ambulance Service is one of the busiest ambulance services in the world, serving more than nine million people across the capital.

We are looking for an exceptional leader to join our Trust Operations senior leadership team as Deputy Chief Operating Officer. This is a high-profile role at the heart of one of the NHS's most complex and demanding operational environments. Reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer, you will act as their principal deputy, providing the critical link between strategic ambition and operational delivery.

You will help lead performance, planning, resilience and improvement across Trust Operations while also building and maintaining strong relationships with partners across London's health and care system. Please note that informal discussions with the recruiting manager will not take place prior to longlisting. Candidates selected for longlisting will be invited to discuss the role in more detail before shortlisting decisions are made.

We welcome applications from all communities and are committed to building a diverse workforce that reflects the population we serve. Assessments & Interviews will take place w/c 2nd November 2026 Main duties of the job As Deputy COO, you will provide visible and inspiring leadership across the organisation. You will work alongside operational leaders to drive performance, improve patient outcomes and ensure that the Trust remains focused on delivering safe, compassionate and high-quality care.

You will also play a key role in major incident management, emergency preparedness, workforce planning, organisational improvement and system-wide transformation. We are looking for an experienced senior leader with a proven track record of delivering results in a large, complex healthcare or public service organisation. You will bring substantial experience of operational leadership, performance improvement, partnership working and leading through change.

You must demonstrate the ability to influence at the most senior levels, build credibility quickly and make sound decisions in fast-paced, high-pressure environments. The successful candidate will be a visible and values-led leader who champions inclusion, collaboration and psychological safety. You will have the confidence to provide constructive challenge, the ability to engage effectively with a wide range of stakeholders and a commitment to developing a culture where people can perform at their best.

This is a unique opportunity to help shape the