Graduate Operational Management Apprentice | Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust


Company:	Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Salary:	£39,959 - £48,117 Per annum (Annex 21)
Hours:	Full-time
Location:	Lower Ln, Liverpool, L9 7AL
Job type:	Apprenticeship
Posting date:	16 Sept 2026
Closing date:	16 Oct 2026

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Summary

Graduate Operational Management Apprentice

This is a unique opportunity to join Aintree University Hospital on a 36‑month graduate development programme. You will gain hands‑on experience in operational management through rotational placements across clinical and corporate services, working alongside senior managers and multidisciplinary teams.

You will contribute to key areas including capacity management, performance, workforce coordination and service improvement, with increasing responsibility over time. Alongside this, you will complete the Level 5 Operations / Departmental Manager apprenticeship and Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Programme.

This programme is designed to develop future NHS operational leaders and prepare you for progression into senior management roles.

This is a locally managed Trust apprenticeship programme and is not part of the NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme.

Annex 21 Pay Arrangement (36‑Month Programme)

Programme YearPeriod (Indicative)Annex 21 % of Band 6 salaryYear 1Sep – Aug (Year 1)65%Year 2Sep – Aug (Year 2)70%Year 3Sep – Aug (Year 3)75%

As an Operational Management Apprentice, you will undertake a structured development programme, gaining practical experience in NHS operational management through rotational placements across clinical services and support functions. You will be supported by senior operational and clinical leaders, with responsibilities increasing as your competence develops.

Your main duties will include:

Service delivery and performance:

Supporting day-to-day operations, coordinating activity, resources and capacity, and contributing to performance monitoring and improvement against local and national standards.

Leadership and workforce:

Supporting operational teams, contributing to workforce coordination and communication, and developing leadership capability through multidisciplinary working.

Quality, improvement and governance:

Assisting with audits, data analysis, and improvement activity, while supporting governance processes, risk management, and compliance.

Planning, finance and resource management:

Gaining experience in operational planning, demand and capacity, and contributing to financial and resource management, including business cases and improvement initiatives.

Education and development:

Completing the required learning with protected learning time, portfolio development, End-Point Assessment, and delivery of a Trust-priority improvement project.

The postholder will work flexibly across services, with responsibilities progressing in line with development.

Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust comprises Aintree University Hospital, Broadgreen Hospital & Royal Liverpool University Hospital.

We are part of NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group, formed on 1 Nov 2024 from the coming together of LUHFT and Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust. The Group was born from a shared aim to improve the care we provide our patients.

UHLG is one of the largest employers in the region, with over 16,800 colleagues dedicated to caring for our communities - from birth and beyond.

For the 630,000 people across Merseyside, we are their local NHS. We provide general and emergency hospital care, alongside highly specialised regional services for more than two million people in the North West.

Aintree University Hospitalis the single receiving site for adult major trauma patients in Cheshire and Merseyside and hosts a number of regional services including an award-winning stroke facility.Broadgreen Hospitalis home to elective surgical, diagnostic and treatment services, together with specialist patient rehabilitation.Liverpool Women’s Hospitalspecialises in the health of women and babies, delivering over 7,200 babies in the UK’s largest single site maternity hospital each year. TheRoyal Liverpool University Hospitalis the largest hospital in the country to provide inpatients with 100% single bedrooms and focuses on complex planned care and specialist services.

For roles at Liverpool Women’s, visit theircareers page.

The Graduate Operational Management Apprentice will be an integral member of the Aintree University Hospital management community, contributing to operational delivery across a range of services and functions.

Reporting to a General Service Manager and supported by senior operational leaders, the postholder will undertake a structured developmental role designed to build capability in NHS operational management through supervised responsibility, rotational experience and formal learning.

Responsibilities will span service delivery, performance management, workforce coordination, quality improvement, governance activity and operational planning. The role is explicitly developmental; responsibility, autonomy and decision‑making authority will increase over time in line with assessed competence and formal review.

Important information

Completion of the Graduate Operational Management Apprentice Programme does not guarantee appointment to a substantive role. Where suitable vacancies exist, individuals will be supported to apply through open recruitment processes in line with Trust policy.

This advert closes on Wednesday 30 Sep 2026

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