Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust

Senior Soft Service Manager

The closing date is 13 May 2025

Job summary

The post holder takes specific responsibility for ensuring all Soft FM Services namely Housekeeping and Patient Food Services and the general physical environment f in specific hospital site buildings are serviced and maintained; in a timely, efficient and cost effective way.

The post holder acts as an account manager and point of liaison/escalation for all Essentia services to the clients using the St Thomas' Hospital buildings and manages client relationships on a day-to-day basis. They liaise between operational line managers and other Essentia services, working closely with the Essentia Helpdesk as the first point of contact regarding operational issues.

The post holder reviews and reports on the day-to-day performance standards of Soft FM contract providers working in the building. A key element of the role is focusing upon a continuous improvement of productivity, efficiency and service to the clients.

Main duties of the job

Ensures the smooth and efficient running of the hospital buildings in relation to front line "soft" facilities management services within the Essentia scope namely. Housekeeping and Patient Food Services, as well as being the soft FM lead for the general environment of the hospital buildings.

Oversees the daily activities of Facilities Management contract providers, monitoring day-to-day performance metrics for Soft FM and ensuring that agreed standards are met and reports upon them to the appropriate operational line manager.

Manages all staff so as to ensure that local teams meet the objectives set and that the staffs themselves have excellent opportunities for development in order to fulfil their potential.

About us

Guy's and St Thomas' is among the UK's busiest & most successful NHS foundation trusts. We provide a full range of hospital and community services for people in south London,as well as specialist care for patients from further afield including cancer, renal, orthopaedic, respiratory and cardiovascular services.

In February 2021 the Royal Brompton and Harefield joined Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, bringing together world-leading expertise in the care and research of heart and lung disease. Our merger provides a once in a generation opportunity to build a lasting, world-renowned heart and lung centre, providing the highest quality care for patients & conducting world-leading research.

Patients are at the heart of everything we do & we pride ourselves on ensuring the best possible patient experience as well as safe, high quality care. Following a comprehensive Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection in 2019 we maintained our overall rating of 'good'. Our adult community services achieved a rating of 'outstanding'.

The commitment of our 23,500 staff is key to our success. We are one of the largest local employers & we aim to develop and support all our staff so they are able to deliver high quality, safe and efficient care. The 2019 NHS staff survey results show that we have one of the most engaged and motivated workforces in the NHS. We know this has a positive impact on the care provided to our patients.

Date posted

08 May 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£54,320 to £60,981 a year p.a inc HCA

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

196-ESS1552-S

Job locations

St Thomas' Hospital

129 Westminster Bridge Road

London

SE1 7EH

Job description

Job responsibilities

Acts as the relationship manager with the building clients and users for all facilities management services and tracks existing and future building and service requirements/dynamics to enable them to be identified and addressed.

Works closely with the Building Maintenance and Engineering staff providing Hard Facilities Management services to the building to ensure a joined up approach between them and Soft services provided to the clients and service users at all times. The role of the Senior Soft Services Manager will act as the informed client to the occupiers of the buildings on behalf of Essentia Operations and will be the link between clinical and non- clinical teams and Essentia services.

Works with all operational services on an agenda of service and performance improvement, with a clear focus on the quality of customer service and aligned with both Essentia Way and Trust values.

Monitors service provision levels to ensure internal quality, contractual and other standards are met, and implements action to rectify any deficiencies.

Provides excellent services and establishes and maintains appropriate service agreements with wards and departments. Produces Key Performance Indicators and benchmarks of performance.

Acts as an on-site operational contact for clients to meet with, to review and improve all FM services performance and be a contact to escalate and resolve day-to- day issues.

Escalates operational issues and works closely with the Essentia helpdesk regarding the resolution and addressing of specific Facilities Management operational service issues in the building.

Assists in the investigation of complaints regarding services in line with Trust policy.

Meets with the building clients and users face-to-face on a regular basis to report upon, discuss and review Essentia Soft FM Services and potential improvements.

Works with colleagues providing services in the planning of day-to-day delivery of those services to ensure that building specific issues are considered and that clinical services are properly supported.

Supports conflict resolution between building service users, internal and external service suppliers and patients.

Supports the monitoring of compliance of service standards via internal and external governance and best practise requirements to ensure that PLACE and CQC assessments are held.

Contributes to strategic planning activities in relation to the development of new and existing FM services provided to the building.

Contributes to any tenders of Soft or Hard FM services delivered to the building, to ensure that service requirements are fully scoped and any soft FM building specifics are fully catered for.

Forms strong working relationships with the central service teams in ensuring that the specific requirements of the building clients and users in relation to services are correctly understood and delivered against.

Works closely with the business performance and improvement team in the implementation of new ways of working and efficiency policy and process improvements for the building.

Ensures value for money and efficiency and productivity of building FM services, by the implementation of new and improved ways of working.

Participates and contributes to change and improvement projects relating to the future FM service needs of the building clients.

Works with the asset management team in ensuring the optimum usage and allocation of space given the activities being undertaken in the building.

Ensures that over night and weekend resourcing arrangements, project plans and authorisations and escalation processes are in place and well communicated.

Provides accurate, reliable and timely reporting regarding Soft FM services and where appropriate contributes to reports to the Essentia Board on the performance of the department and progress against specific projects. Ensures accurate and satisfactory completion of any statutory or NHS returns and the provision of information within the Trust to the department and others on a timely basis.

Monitors and influences workforce allocations (staff bank and agency bookings) in line with the departments financial targets and Trust polices.

Ensures that the procedures and systems within the department meet all statutory requirements, through the development and implementation of appropriate policies and procedures and through appropriate audit and control.

Ensures team members are knowledgeable about expectations of performance and monitors capability taking remedial action when required with discussion and /or referral to Site Soft Services Manager regarding any issues of concern.

Responsible for the management of team leaders and operational teams. To motivate and develop staff and co-ordinate the education and training requirements of the team and in line with the objectives of any staff development initiatives internally or externally.