Head of Imaging Services
Job summary
We are seeking an outstanding, innovative and inspirational leader to join our senior leadership team as Head of Imaging Services.
As Head of Imaging Services, you will provide strategic and operational leadership, ensuring safe, effective, high-quality and patient-centred services. Working closely with clinical, operational and care group colleagues, you will drive service transformation, improve productivity and performance, and support wider organisational objectives.
This is a pivotal role at a time of significant transformation and investment in diagnostic services. We are looking for a leader who can build on strong foundations while embracing innovation, technology and new ways of working.
You will lead a large, diverse workforce across multiple sites, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement.
The successful candidate will have substantial senior leadership experience, ideally in diagnostic or imaging services, with strong financial management, change leadership and stakeholder engagement skills.
We are seeking a visible, approachable leader with the vision and drive to deliver excellence. You will use data to inform decisions, lead change in complex environments, and balance patient outcomes, workforce sustainability, financial performance and strategic priorities.
Main duties of the job
We are looking for a dynamic and credible leader with:
- Significant senior leadership experience within healthcare services, ideally diagnostic or imaging services
- A proven track record of delivering operational performance and service improvement
- Strong financial and contractual management skills
- Experience leading large, multidisciplinary teams through change and transformation
- Excellent stakeholder engagement and partnership-working abilities
- A commitment to quality, patient experience, and continuous improvement
- Degree-level education or equivalent professional experience, with evidence of ongoing leadership development
About us
UHD are investing, developing and transforming Trust services in line with the New Hospital Programme. As part of this, some services may move site this year or next, either temporarily or permanently. Recruiting Managers will be happy to answer any service-specific questions at interview.
UHD has active networks including Women's, BAME, Pride, EU, Pro Ability, and Armed Forces. We support Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant interview schemes.
AI tools may be used, but applications must honestly reflect your own skills and experience. Integrity is key to our recruitment process.
If a role or service relocates as part of a planned move, excess mileage will not be reimbursed. Travel from home to the new work base will be classed as a normal commute. Any other changes will be managed under Trust or national terms and conditions.
This role requires HCPC Registration.
Base Locations: All sites
Interview date: Week commencing 19th October 2026
Job description
Job responsibilities
Reporting to the Care Group Director of Operations, you will be responsible for the overall management and development of imaging services, including:
- Strategic leadership and service planning across Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging
- Delivery of national and local performance standards, including diagnostic waiting time targets
- Workforce planning, recruitment, retention, and staff development
- Financial management, budgetary control, and business planning
- Quality improvement, governance, patient safety, and regulatory compliance
- Leading service redesign, innovation, and digital transformation initiatives
- Developing productive relationships with clinical leaders, operational teams, regional networks, and external partners
You will play a pivotal role in shaping the future direction of imaging services, ensuring patients receive timely access to high-quality diagnostics while delivering excellent value for money.
Experience of leading diagnostic service transformation, digital imaging programmes, or capacity and demand improvement initiatives would be highly desirable.
Person Specification
Qualifications
- oRadiography BSc (hons) or equivalent
- oCurrent professional registration with The HCPC as a Diagnostic Radiographer
- oClinical and/or managerial Postgraduate (master's level) qualification(s)
- oEvidence of further personal development
- oEvidence of formal management development and current professional development activity
- oFormal Project Management qualification
- oEvidence of experience in advanced/extended scope Radiographic practice
- oEvidence of training in change management
Experience
- oSignificant senior leadership experience within an NHS or comparable healthcare environment.
- oPersonal experience of managing and implementing a significant programme of change or service development
- oExperience as an effective senior leader, demonstrating leadership skills and the ability to motivate others
- oExperience of human resource management including recruitment, appraisal, performance monitoring, staff development and discipline
- oExperience of financial and budget management, including delivery of an efficiency improvement plan
- oExperience of influencing the decision-making process in complex environments
- oProven pro-active approach to problem solving
- oExcellent analytical and interpretative skills enabling the development, planning and implementation of service changes
- oExperience managing complex multidisciplinary services.
- oEvidence of strategic planning (able to work towards a clear vision of the future while ensuring that shorter term goals are met)
- oExperience of leading oversight and improvement across a clinical governance and patient safety agenda
- oExperience of managing competing organisational priorities.
- oExperience in participation in hospital on-call service with an acute trust.
- oExperience in Asset Management and Procurement
- oPrevious experience as Head of Imaging Services or Head of Radiology
- oExperience of leading large-scale transformation
- oExperience of regional or system-wide diagnostic programmes
- oExperience of major capital schemes and equipment replacement
- oExperience of PACS/RIS implementation or digital transformation
Skills
- oGood IT skills
- oAbility to apply appropriate management techniques and skills
- oAbility to performance manage across all disciplines
- oExcellent organisational and time management skills with the ability to prioritise work and to meet deadlines under pressure
- oExcellent negotiation and persuasive skills enabling effective arbitration and conflict resolution.
- oComprehensive understanding of data protection, freedom of information and confidentiality issues Excellent presentation skills and the ability to write clear and concise managerial
- oExcellent leadership skills with evidence of being an effective team player
Knowledge
- oDetailed understanding of NHS operational and strategic priorities.
- oKnowledge of diagnostic imaging pathways.
- oUnderstanding of imaging demand and capacity management.
- oKnowledge of clinical governance and patient safety.
- oUnderstanding of workforce planning and skill mix.
- oKnowledge of equality, diversity and inclusion.
- oUnderstanding of relevant regulatory and professional requirements.
- oSound knowledge of Clinical Governance and Health & safety issues, including the ability to undertake risk assessments
- oKnowledge of professional & NHS policies and guidelines relating to service provision
- oKnowledge of national diagnostic transformation programmes.
- oKnowledge of PACS, RIS and electronic patient records.
- oUnderstanding of AI and emerging imaging technologies.
- oKnowledge of regional imaging networks.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship
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. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.
Employer details
Employer name
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Royal Bournemouth Hospital
Bournemouth
BH77DW
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.uhd.nhs.uk/careers