General Manager - Head, Neck & Urology

We are seeking an ambitious, collaborative and experienced operational leader to join the Senior Leadership Team within our Surgical Division, providing leadership across a diverse portfolio of services including Audiology, Head & Neck (ENT, Oral Surgery, Ophthalmology and Orthodontics) and Urology. As General Manager, you will provide strategic and operational leadership across your portfolio, working in partnership with Clinical Directors, Lead Nurses, Matrons and multidisciplinary teams to deliver safe, effective and high-quality services. You will be accountable for the operational, performance and financial management of your specialties, ensuring that divisional priorities are translated into clear plans, measurable outcomes and sustained delivery., A key focus of this role will be providing leadership and oversight of elective recovery and RTT improvement across the portfolio. You will work collaboratively with specialty teams to ensure robust recovery plans are developed, delivered and regularly reviewed, with clear trajectories, governance arrangements and accountability for delivery. Using data and operational insight, you will oversee performance, identify risks and opportunities, provide constructive support and challenge, and ensure services remain focused on delivering sustainable improvements in access, productivity and patient outcomes. Alongside elective recovery, you will oversee programmes focused on service redesign, productivity and financial sustainability, ensuring operational priorities remain aligned with the division's longer-term strategic ambitions. This role requires someone who can balance strategic thinking with operational leadership. You will establish clear expectations, foster a culture of accountability and continuous improvement, and build strong relationships that enable teams to deliver ambitious objectives. You will be confident leading through influence, using data to inform decision-making and creating an environment where improvement is owned collectively and delivery is consistently achieved. Success in this role will be measured not only by improved operational performance, but by your ability to build high-performing teams, strengthen clinical partnerships and deliver sustainable improvements that enhance patient care, improve staff experience and leave services in a stronger position for the future., Most importantly, you will be a collaborative and supportive leader who enjoys developing people, solving problems and creating the conditions for services to succeed. The main duties for the post holder include but are not limited to providing: Strategic Leadership: Lead the development of service improvement and business plans aligned with divisional goals. Introduce innovative management strategies to optimise efficiency across services.Collaborate with community, social care, and academic partners to support broader healthcare objectives. Operational Management: Track and report performance against national and local targets, driving improvements. Ensure that departments within your portfolio are meeting key service and quality standards. Lead weekly PTL meetings and support escalations to ensure smooth operations. Financial Management: Oversee budgets, ensuring financial targets are met and income is optimised. Contribute to cost improvement initiatives and business case development for service reconfigurations. People Management: Ensure the workforce is effectively planned and resourced with the right skills to meet service demands. Lead, motivate, and develop teams to support continuous performance improvement. Oversee recruitment, appraisals, and staff development. Communication & Stakeholder Engagement: Regularly engage with clinical teams, staff, and senior management to ensure transparency and align objectives. Address sensitive issues, manage complaints, and ensure effective communication throughout the team.,

• Key issues and pace of change facing the NHS nationally and locally, assess and describe impact on services.
• Knowledge and understanding of governance arrangements and standards in the NHS and the wider health and social care economy.
Desirable
• Knowledge of current issues in the NHS.
• Understanding the principles of risk management, health and safety legislation.
  
  We are looking for an experienced NHS operational leader with a proven ability to build credible partnerships, influence across professional boundaries and deliver measurable improvements in performance. You will be comfortable overseeing complex service portfolios, developing and scrutinising recovery plans, using data to drive improvement and holding yourself and others accountable for delivery., Essential Qualifications and Experience: Proven experience in a senior operational or managerial role within healthcare. Strong understanding of financial management, performance targets, and budget oversight. Ability to lead teams and influence stakeholders at all levels. Excellent communication skills and experience working in multidisciplinary teams.
Alongside responsibility for your specialty portfolio, you will participate in the Divisional Tactical Operational Leadership rota, providing senior in-hours operational leadership for patient flow across the Surgical Division. Working closely with Clinical Directors, Matrons and operational colleagues, you will support the coordination of patient flow, oversee operational escalation where required and contribute to the safe, effective and efficient delivery of services across the division.,
• Education to degree level or equivalent qualification.
• Studying for/plans to study management qualification.
• Operational management experience in an Acute NHS organisation.
• Evidence of continuing professional development including regular attendance on internal and external study programmes., Higher professional or management degree (master's Level) or equivalent knowledge acquired by experience.
• Project Management / quality improvement qualification., Good experience of managing several complex NHS services, preferably within the Acute Sector.
• Demonstrable experience at a senior management level, with clear evidence of responsibility for supporting operational delivery including clinical quality, people management, budget responsibility and successful delivery of performance targets within strict financial controls.
• Evidence of managing in a busy, complex and dynamic environment.
• Understanding of principles of budgetary management.
• Experience of using numerical analysis in problem solving.
• Experience of budgetary management.
• Experience of and familiarity with business planning and preparation of business cases.
• Understanding of and experience of managing elective waiting times (RTT, PTL, Diagnostic etc)., Experience working or managing within medical or surgical speciality services.
• Experience leading capital development or service development projects.
• Understanding of medical staffing and rota issues.
• Knowledge and or experience of working closely with integrated care partners, integrated service.
  
  With a new hospital planned for Watford, work underway to update theatres at St Albans City Hospital and plans for a neighbourhood healthcare centre in Hemel Hempstead, this is an exciting time to join us. We are building on the success of our award-winning virtual hospital and re-imagining models of care, working closely with partners and making the most of advances in digital healthcare. Staff wellbeing and development are a priority, as is the role of innovation in improving clinical care, outcomes and patient experience. Our vision is Excellent patient care, together and our values are to be empowered, compassionate, professional and inclusive. They capture an important balance across what we must all do as individuals and to support others. We offer a variety of flexible working options as we recognise the importance of a good work life balance.www.westhertshospitals.nhs.uk/flexibleworking If you have a disability or long-term health