University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust

Microbiology Laboratory Manager

The closing date is 27 July 2025

Job summary

It is an exciting time to join the University Hospitals Dorset as there are several new developments including the creation of a new state-of-the-art clinical laboratory - the One Dorset Pathology (ODP) hub and future alignment with laboratories within the Southern Counties Pathology Network. The transformation of the hospitals in the region has already seen a new LIMS installation across the networked sites in Dorset and standardised equipment procurement. With this will come the need for reconfiguration of pathology services to which you will have to opportunity to contribute.

Responsibility for the operational planning, organisation, and delivery of the quality diagnostic services for Microbiology at University Hospitals Dorset (UHD) to ensure service outcomes in collaboration with the Pathology management, Heads of Services and Clinical Leads.

Base location: Royal Bournemouth Hospital

Date of interview: To be confirmed

Main duties of the job

Managerial responsibility for non-clinical staff in Microbiology within the designated hub lab.

To form part of the management team within the pathology service, taking a key role in the direction of the service.

Responsible for ensuring resources are used effectively and efficiently whilst adhering to Trust Standard Financial Instructions (SFIs) and delivering agreed cost improvements allocated by the Trust.

Responsible for the operational delivery of all local and national targets relating to service standards and turnaround times.

To be responsible for local compliance with all relevant legislation and accreditation frameworks as assessed by bodies such as UKAS, HSE and CQC and take a lead operational role in the laboratories for implementation of the Pathology Quality Management system.

About us

Our values define who we are as #TeamUHD. They underpin everything we do now and in the future. They define how we treat our patients, visitors, and each other, our valued teammates and colleagues.

UHD are investing in services across the Trust, with many being transformed and developed following merger and the New Hospital Programme.

This means that some services may move site this year or next, either temporarily or long term. Recruiting Managers interviewing for this role will be happy to answer any specific questions that you have about this at interview.

Please note if the role or service is relocated as part of a planned move, employees will not be eligible for excess mileage reimbursement. Travel from the postholder's home to the new work base will be considered a normal commute. Any other changes not related to this relocation will be managed according to the relevant Trust or National terms and conditions.

Details

Date posted

11 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£53,755 to £60,504 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

153-SP04785

Job locations

The Dorset Pathology Hub, Royal Bournemouth Hospital

Castle Lane East

Bournemouth

BH7 7DW


Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see job description and person specification for full requirement and responsibilities of the role.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see job description and person specification for full requirement and responsibilities of the role.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Registered with the HCPC as a Biomedical Scientist
  • MSc or equivalent
  • Formal management training
  • Fellow of the Institute of Biomedical Scientists

Experience

Essential

  • Minimum of 5 years post graduate experience working in a UKAS accredited laboratory
  • Experience of managing staff effectively
  • Experience of staff recruitment
  • Experience of assessing staff performance
  • Evidence of developing staff by teaching
  • Experience of working across organisational boundaries
  • Evidence of using scientific experience to evaluate new and existing systems and processes to initiate change in practice
  • Experience of clinically assessing current ways of working and introducing efficient and cost-effective practices
  • Experience of understanding planning and project management
  • Understanding and experience of the basics of financial management
  • Experience and understanding of performance indicators such as workload statistics, costings, turnaround times, quality management indicators etc.
  • Experience of liaising with suppliers and users of the service
  • Experience of effectively maintaining laboratory quality management system
  • To continue the learning process through academic or practical experience

Technical Skills Competencies

Essential

  • Aptitude for managing people and assessing performance
  • Able to lead and motivate others, encourage teamwork and get the best out of people
  • Able to plan and use own time economically and effectively
  • Able to convey complex instructions, concepts and opinions clearly and concisely both orally and in writing
  • Able to develop staff skills and capabilities
  • Able to criticise constructively
  • Able to design and introduce improvements and manage change
  • Able to appraise and evaluate evidence in planning, problem solving, decision making, negotiating and counselling
  • Able to assess complex data and turn it into useful information
  • Able to provide judgement on a range of complex problems
  • Able to give presentations to staff and others
  • Able to represent the department both within the Trust and externally
  • Able to interpret local and national standards and policies and apply them to the laboratory

Knowledge

Essential

  • A very high level of theoretical and practical knowledge relating to microbiology
  • Able to perform technically advanced procedures
  • Able to troubleshoot and rectify technically advanced systems
  • Able to initiate changes in procedures and policies to induce service development
  • Understand Microbiology and its application on clinical practice and public health
  • Extensive knowledge of quality assurance procedure \ thorough knowledge and understanding of laboratory safety requirements
  • In depth knowledge of common IT software
  • Maintains up to date and in-depth local and national standards and policies and apply them to the laboratory

Personal Attributes

Essential

  • Able to work as an individual, part of a team and as team leader
  • Highly developed initiative skills
  • Able to monitor wellbeing of staff and act when required
  • Good communication skills
  • Ability to enthusiastically lead as an individual and part of a professional team
  • Reliable
  • Enthusiastic
  • Flexible
  • Organisational and, trouble shooting skills
  • Able to deal with problems in a calm and efficient manner
  • Able to maintain concentration for prolonged periods of time

Language requirement

Essential

  • Able to speak English as necessary to undertake the role
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Registered with the HCPC as a Biomedical Scientist
  • MSc or equivalent
  • Formal management training
  • Fellow of the Institute of Biomedical Scientists

Experience

Essential

  • Minimum of 5 years post graduate experience working in a UKAS accredited laboratory
  • Experience of managing staff effectively
  • Experience of staff recruitment
  • Experience of assessing staff performance
  • Evidence of developing staff by teaching
  • Experience of working across organisational boundaries
  • Evidence of using scientific experience to evaluate new and existing systems and processes to initiate change in practice
  • Experience of clinically assessing current ways of working and introducing efficient and cost-effective practices
  • Experience of understanding planning and project management
  • Understanding and experience of the basics of financial management
  • Experience and understanding of performance indicators such as workload statistics, costings, turnaround times, quality management indicators etc.
  • Experience of liaising with suppliers and users of the service
  • Experience of effectively maintaining laboratory quality management system
  • To continue the learning process through academic or practical experience

Technical Skills Competencies

Essential

  • Aptitude for managing people and assessing performance
  • Able to lead and motivate others, encourage teamwork and get the best out of people
  • Able to plan and use own time economically and effectively
  • Able to convey complex instructions, concepts and opinions clearly and concisely both orally and in writing
  • Able to develop staff skills and capabilities
  • Able to criticise constructively
  • Able to design and introduce improvements and manage change
  • Able to appraise and evaluate evidence in planning, problem solving, decision making, negotiating and counselling
  • Able to assess complex data and turn it into useful information
  • Able to provide judgement on a range of complex problems
  • Able to give presentations to staff and others
  • Able to represent the department both within the Trust and externally
  • Able to interpret local and national standards and policies and apply them to the laboratory

Knowledge

Essential

  • A very high level of theoretical and practical knowledge relating to microbiology
  • Able to perform technically advanced procedures
  • Able to troubleshoot and rectify technically advanced systems
  • Able to initiate changes in procedures and policies to induce service development
  • Understand Microbiology and its application on clinical practice and public health
  • Extensive knowledge of quality assurance procedure \ thorough knowledge and understanding of laboratory safety requirements
  • In depth knowledge of common IT software
  • Maintains up to date and in-depth local and national standards and policies and apply them to the laboratory

Personal Attributes

Essential

  • Able to work as an individual, part of a team and as team leader
  • Highly developed initiative skills
  • Able to monitor wellbeing of staff and act when required
  • Good communication skills
  • Ability to enthusiastically lead as an individual and part of a professional team
  • Reliable
  • Enthusiastic
  • Flexible
  • Organisational and, trouble shooting skills
  • Able to deal with problems in a calm and efficient manner
  • Able to maintain concentration for prolonged periods of time

Language requirement

Essential

  • Able to speak English as necessary to undertake the role

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 (Opens in a new tab).

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 (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

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

Additional information

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 (Opens in a new tab).

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 (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

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

Employer details

Employer name

University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust

Address

The Dorset Pathology Hub, Royal Bournemouth Hospital

Castle Lane East

Bournemouth

BH7 7DW


Employer's website

https://www.uhd.nhs.uk/careers (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust

Address

The Dorset Pathology Hub, Royal Bournemouth Hospital

Castle Lane East

Bournemouth

BH7 7DW


Employer's website

https://www.uhd.nhs.uk/careers (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Microbiology Laboratory Manager

Rachel Hayter

rachel.hayter@uhd.nhs.uk

03000194846

Details

Date posted

11 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£53,755 to £60,504 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

153-SP04785

Job locations

The Dorset Pathology Hub, Royal Bournemouth Hospital

Castle Lane East

Bournemouth

BH7 7DW


Supporting documents

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