Department: Surgery, Paediatrics and Women’s Health
Location: To be determined
Contract and hours: Permanent / Full Time - 37.5hpw
Closing date: 23 January 2026 - Interviews are anticipated to be held on the week commencing 2nd February 2026
Job purpose
Working on a Trustwide basis, the Service Manager of General Surgery is accountable to the Assistant Director of Operations and Service Improvement for the delivery of strategic development, operational and managerial responsibility within their service area.
The postholder will deliver access, cancer, governance and financial targets within their area of responsibility including the management of cost improvement programmes to support the achievement of a balanced budget.
The postholder will ensure that staff are fully engaged in the process of change management and in particular, that clinicians are fully involved at the forefront of strategic development and service improvement projects.
The postholder will work in collaboration with the Assistant Director and associated Clinical Leads to develop and ensure a team approach within their service areas.
Main responsibilities
- Provide leadership and managerial direction supported by an Assistant Nursing Service Manager to all staff in their designated service area so that agreed objectives and policies set are achieved.
- In partnership with Clinical Lead be responsible for the management and leadership of all medical personnel within the service area.
- Ensure the clinical areas are provided with advice and information required to formulate policies, decide priorities, set and achieve objectives and monitor progress in collaboration with the Assistant Directors, Assistant Nursing Services Manager and Clinical Lead.
- Review current service provision and define priorities and objectives in order to maintain and further develop the services.
- Undertake mapping of existing strategy, services and policies and outline appropriate action plans for improvement in collaboration with the Assistant Directors, Assistant Nursing Service Manager and Clinical Lead.
- Support service areas in day to day operational delivery of services and ensure operational issues that require action and escalation are dealt with.
- Empower and engage all staff and ensure involvement at all levels to achieve new ways of working and alternative models of service delivery.
- Support and manage all staff including medical staff, ensuring good systems are in place for annual leave, sick leave and appropriate plans in place for replacing staff including short notice absences.
- Be responsible for the development, implementation and ownership of effective information and communication systems and co-ordinate working practices between staff in service areas.
- Work in collaboration with key stakeholders internally and externally to enhance services.
- Ensure staff have a clear understanding of the care and environmental standards they are expected to maintain and ensure prompt corrective action to rectify poor performance.
- Respond to patient complaints, incidents and learn lessons by implementing improvements as part of the overall risk management framework.
- Monitor and regularly review the patient journey and staffing requirements to improve productivity and efficiency with Service applying the principles of lean. Lead the implementation of necessary actions.
- Provide leadership and direction to staff so that agreed objectives and policies set are achieved.
- Be accountable for the effective and efficient operation of services within the Directorate.
- Lead service change working with key stakeholders to redesign plan and deliver to improve patient care pathways in collaboration with the Assistant Director, Assistant Nursing Services Manager and Clinical Lead.
- In line with Trust Internal Performance arrangements provide information for Elective Care Planning and report weekly patient access and waiting times. Agree key target priorities and ensure targets are met both locally and regionally. Participate in Internal performance meetings and have a full working knowledge of Patient Access in line with this service area.
For complete details view the full job description in the Additional information section below.
