Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust

Clinical Manager - Surgical Day Case Theatres

The closing date is 24 November 2025

Job summary

Please refer to attached JD for full job spec.

Due to the retirement of the current post holder, we are looking to recruit an enthusiastic and dynamic leader to provide clinical leadership to staff within our surgical day case theatres. Working with the other Clinical Managers to provide day to day operational management of the operating department, ensuring the efficient utilisation of staff and resources.

Main duties of the job

  • Provide clinical leadership across designated area of responsibility in the department.
  • Undertake a clinical workload within theatres and maintain competency in a variety of specialist theatre skills (whether as ODP or Registered Nurse).
  • Management of a designated area ensuring effective utilisation of resources, use of safe practice, adherence to Trust policies and procedures.
  • Promote the highest quality service for patients and staff.
  • Ensure the collection, review and audit of quality measures within the set of theatres.
  • To ensure knowledge of the current national and local regulations (including Care Quality Commission and NHSE targets), and promotion of these to all staff and theatre users.
  • Ensure that a culture of continuous improvement in performance against national and local targets is embedded within the department.
  • Ensure all staff are supported in terms of the continuous professional development through the personal development planning process.

About us

As a world leader in healthcare and research we have already earned our place as one of the world's leading children's hospitals, thanks to innovation and pioneering medical work. We treat over 250,000 children and young people a year and safely perform over 13,000 surgical procedures. Our catchment area has a population of over 7m, stretching from Cumbria, through Lancashire, Merseyside, most of Cheshire, parts of Shropshire, North Wales and the Isle of Man.

Children from virtually every part of the UK, and also from around the world, visit Alder Hey for specialist treatment. As a result, we are recognised as Centre of Excellence for children with cancer, heart, spinal and brain disease and have been designated as a national centre for craniofacial surgery and epilepsy surgery by the Department of Health.

Details

Date posted

10 November 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£47,810 to £54,710 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

411-SUR-25-7580065

Job locations

Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust

Liverpool

L12 2AP


Job description

Job responsibilities

  • Assist the Theatre Manager and the Head of Theatre Services in achieving the Trusts aims and objectives.
  • Ensure the effective planning and implementation of theatre lists in order to optimise theatre time and use of staff and other resources by liaising with relevant medical/surgical staff, service managers and admissions staff.
  • Manage and implement change in a pro-active way to improve productivity, to enhance clinical practice by improving quality and standards of care and to encourage costs effectiveness and savings.
  • To exhibit and promote the highest standards of personal and professional behaviour in accordance with the departmental code of conduct, and Trust policies.
  • Ensure all staff in area of responsibility have clearly identified roles and responsibilities.
  • Regularly gauge the morale of theatre staff and implement/suggest corrective actions to help improve low morale if/when it is present.
  • Ensure there are clear communication processes in place to keep all staff fully up to date with current developments in Theatres, division and the Trust.
  • Actively promote partnership working with staff and their representatives
  • Monitor and manage staff sickness and absence within their area in line with Trust Policies and Procedures.
  • Keep accurate records of training and study leave for the staff group liaising closely with the Clinical Manager for Education and Governance.
  • Plan and participate in the recruitment, selection and orientation of staff and develop effective retention strategies.
  • Lead and participate in the Trusts PDR process in order to manage performance, ensuring that training needs are identified and training plans developed and monitored.
  • Facilitate a learning environment where staff can reach their full potential.
    • Communicate with other Clinical Managers and all staff to ensure they are informed and involved and have the opportunity to contribute to the development of the service.
    • Maintain a visible and accessible presence within the department.
    • Promote and maintain an open and effective communication structure within the theatres department with appropriate daily, weekly and monthly meetings as required.
    • Ensure that all direct reports are Team Briefed
    • Ensure staff treat all patients and their families with respect & dignity at all times.
    • Maintain effective external communication links with service mangers, senior nurses/practitioners, specialist nurses/practitioners, general managers and other divisional or departmental teams as appropriate.
    • Represent theatres at meetings as required and promote effective communications.
    • Delivery of a balanced budget for own cost centre including the cost effective use of resources, identifying budget pressures and proposing action to address them.
    • Ensure that cost improvement initiatives are identified and implemented and evaluate the outcome of such initiatives.
    • Influence the purchasing process by advising on the appropriateness of equipment within the sphere of responsibility and produce business cases for new and replacement equipment.
    • To ensure compliance with statutory requirements and standing financial instructions, including the procurement of equipment and clinical material.
      • Maintain credibility as a theatre practitioner and act as a role model within area of expertise.
      • Regularly review and update own personal development as identified by professional bodies.

Job description

Job responsibilities

  • Assist the Theatre Manager and the Head of Theatre Services in achieving the Trusts aims and objectives.
  • Ensure the effective planning and implementation of theatre lists in order to optimise theatre time and use of staff and other resources by liaising with relevant medical/surgical staff, service managers and admissions staff.
  • Manage and implement change in a pro-active way to improve productivity, to enhance clinical practice by improving quality and standards of care and to encourage costs effectiveness and savings.
  • To exhibit and promote the highest standards of personal and professional behaviour in accordance with the departmental code of conduct, and Trust policies.
  • Ensure all staff in area of responsibility have clearly identified roles and responsibilities.
  • Regularly gauge the morale of theatre staff and implement/suggest corrective actions to help improve low morale if/when it is present.
  • Ensure there are clear communication processes in place to keep all staff fully up to date with current developments in Theatres, division and the Trust.
  • Actively promote partnership working with staff and their representatives
  • Monitor and manage staff sickness and absence within their area in line with Trust Policies and Procedures.
  • Keep accurate records of training and study leave for the staff group liaising closely with the Clinical Manager for Education and Governance.
  • Plan and participate in the recruitment, selection and orientation of staff and develop effective retention strategies.
  • Lead and participate in the Trusts PDR process in order to manage performance, ensuring that training needs are identified and training plans developed and monitored.
  • Facilitate a learning environment where staff can reach their full potential.
    • Communicate with other Clinical Managers and all staff to ensure they are informed and involved and have the opportunity to contribute to the development of the service.
    • Maintain a visible and accessible presence within the department.
    • Promote and maintain an open and effective communication structure within the theatres department with appropriate daily, weekly and monthly meetings as required.
    • Ensure that all direct reports are Team Briefed
    • Ensure staff treat all patients and their families with respect & dignity at all times.
    • Maintain effective external communication links with service mangers, senior nurses/practitioners, specialist nurses/practitioners, general managers and other divisional or departmental teams as appropriate.
    • Represent theatres at meetings as required and promote effective communications.
    • Delivery of a balanced budget for own cost centre including the cost effective use of resources, identifying budget pressures and proposing action to address them.
    • Ensure that cost improvement initiatives are identified and implemented and evaluate the outcome of such initiatives.
    • Influence the purchasing process by advising on the appropriateness of equipment within the sphere of responsibility and produce business cases for new and replacement equipment.
    • To ensure compliance with statutory requirements and standing financial instructions, including the procurement of equipment and clinical material.
      • Maintain credibility as a theatre practitioner and act as a role model within area of expertise.
      • Regularly review and update own personal development as identified by professional bodies.

Person Specification

essential

Essential

  • Registered RN / ODP
  • Educated to degree level or clear equivalent experience in a theatre leadership role
  • Theatre based qualification
  • Extensive experience as a team leader
  • Experience of managing and leading staff within a theatre environment
  • Experience of delivering quality improvement programs
  • Broad knowledge of surgical specialties

Desirable

  • Leadership/Management course
  • Project management experience
  • Experience of delivering quality improvement programmes.
  • Masters qualification
  • Paediatric experience
Person Specification

essential

Essential

  • Registered RN / ODP
  • Educated to degree level or clear equivalent experience in a theatre leadership role
  • Theatre based qualification
  • Extensive experience as a team leader
  • Experience of managing and leading staff within a theatre environment
  • Experience of delivering quality improvement programs
  • Broad knowledge of surgical specialties

Desirable

  • Leadership/Management course
  • Project management experience
  • Experience of delivering quality improvement programmes.
  • Masters qualification
  • Paediatric experience

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

Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust

Liverpool

L12 2AP


Employer's website

https://alderhey.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust

Liverpool

L12 2AP


Employer's website

https://alderhey.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Head of Theatre Services

Neil Herbert

neil.herbert@alderhey.nhs.uk

01512284811

Details

Date posted

10 November 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£47,810 to £54,710 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

411-SUR-25-7580065

Job locations

Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust

Liverpool

L12 2AP


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)