Senior Operational Manager For Acute Services

Job responsibilities

1. Operational Leadership & Service Delivery

Oversee daily operations of acute inpatient units

Ensure delivery of high-quality, trauma-informed care in line with national mental health standards and local policies.

Lead service improvement initiatives to enhance patient outcomes, safety, and flow.

2. Workforce Management

Lead, motivate, and support multidisciplinary teams, including nurses, healthcare assistants, allied health professionals, and administrative staff.

Manage recruitment, retention, rota planning, sickness levels, and mandatory training compliance.

Conduct regular supervision, appraisals, and ensure staff well-being and resilience.

3. Patient Safety & Infection Control

Ensure robust compliance with infection prevention and control (IPC) standards across all clinical and non-clinical areas.

Implement evidence-based cleaning protocols, hand hygiene practices, isolation procedures, and audit cycles.

Manage outbreaks in collaboration with Infection Control Teams and Public Health authorities.

Promote a culture of safety, ensuring incident reporting and follow-up actions are completed.

4. Performance & Quality Assurance

Monitor and evaluate service performance against national targets, regulatory bodies (CQC, NHS England), and local commissioning standards.

Lead quality improvement projects using methodologies such as PDSA and Root Cause Analysis.

Ensure compliance with safeguarding, Mental Health Act, Health & Safety, and GDPR.

5. Financial & Resource Management

Manage budgets, control expenditure, and ensure cost-effective service delivery.

Oversee procurement and maintenance of clinical supplies, infection control products, and ward infrastructure.

6. Stakeholder Engagement & Communication

Work closely with internal and external stakeholders, including service users, carers, infection control teams, community services, commissioners, and voluntary sectors.

Deliver reports, presentations, and updates to senior managers meetings, executive boards and clinical governance meetings.

7. Strategic Development

Contribute to the development of long-term strategies for acute mental health service improvement.

Lead service redesign, digital transformation, and integration with community mental health pathways.

Knowledge

Essential

• Ability to negotiate, persuade and influence at a senior level across the organisation and externally.
• Ability to analyse highly complex information (including financial and performance data) which may be conflicting.
• High level of written and oral communication skill.
• Ability to use/excellent IT skills- Microsoft office (including MST, Word and Excel).
• Ability to work effectively as a member of a team.
• Demonstrable leadership skills.
• Demonstrable presentation skills.
• Ability to communicate with staff at all levels.
• Ability to improve quality and develop services using Virginia Mason methodology or equivalent other.
• Ability to provide effective leadership and team effectiveness.
• Organisational skills including project planning /management.
• Ability to engage and motivate staff.
• Ability to lead individuals to improve practice.
• Expert knowledge of the MHA/MHA/MCA/DoLS/LPS
• Expert knowledge of mental health, treatment options, evidence-based practice in rehabilitation.

Desirable

• Completion of high level reports such as SUI/PSII.
• Demonstrating an ability to assess, plan and develop services for change.

Experience

Essential

• Evidence of knowledge and experience as a clinical manager
• Demonstration of personal development.
• Demonstrable working knowledge of Health and Social Care Governance.
• Experience of staff management.
• Experience of performance management.
• Experience of clinical risk assessment and risk management.
• Demonstration of collaborative working with multi -disciplinary Team / other services across the system.
• Expert knowledge of Mental Health Act 2007, Mental capacity Act 2005, Care Act, Safeguarding adults and children and other relevant legislation / government developments.
• Experience of supporting individuals back into their local community with complex frameworks and needs

Desirable

• Experience of working as part of a rehabilitation service/working with those who have a dual diagnosis.

Qualifications

Essential

• Professional Registration with the NMC/Social Worker England/HCPC
• Educated to degree level.
• Completion of Teaching, Mentorship, Practice Assessors or Coaching experience or equivalent.
• Practice experience working with complex individuals under different legal frameworks.

Desirable

• Qualifications in substance use, psychological interventions, specialist risk assessments.
• Non medical prescriber/willing to work towards.

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).