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East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Assistant General Manager - Surgical Division

The closing date is 12 January 2026

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Job summary

We are looking for an enthusiastic and experienced operational manager to join our team in the key leadership role of Assistant General Manager.

We are looking for an operationally experienced individual who is keen to work on developing existing services and providing motivation and support to the wider teams, encouraging optimum utilisation and productivity across all areas.

Please note, there are two positions available:

o Theatres, Anaesthetics and Critical Care based in Ipswich with cross-site cover for Colchester at timeso Gastroenterology, General Surgery and Urology, based in Colchester with travel to Ipswich weekly

Reporting to the General Manager, you will play a major role in the continuing development of service delivery for the benefit of our patients and high-quality patient focused care. You will work closely with other services across the organisation, contribute to the delivery and implementation of the strategic plan for the service, as well as operational management whilst maintaining financial performance. You will ensure the achievements of a high standard service, delivery of key performance indicators and continual development and review of processes for improving productivity and efficiency while working to national and internal quality standards.

If you enjoy being part of a close-knit team, working alongside clinical and nursing colleagues, thrive on a fast-paced, high pressured and challenging environment then this is the job for you.

Main duties of the job

  • Ensure that service delivery standards are achieved (for instance, wait time milestones)
  • Work collaboratively with the Divisional Director, Clinical Leads, other CDG leads Clinical Services, and other colleagues to ensure that service delivery and improvement plans are developed, implemented and reviewed
  • Ensure that financial controls are established and maintained within the relevant clinical specialties
  • Act as a champion for patient safety, operational effectiveness and quality

About us

We are ESNEFT and we provide hospital and community health services to almost one million people across east Suffolk and north Essex. Our dedicated staff deliver care from acute hospitals in Colchester and Ipswich, community hospitals, surgeries, community clinics and in patients' own homes.

We are one of the largest NHS organisations in England, employing more than 12,000 staff.

We pride ourselves on supporting our staff. We offer a wide range of training and development opportunities, as well as flexible working options.

Along with supporting you to achieve your career goals we offer a generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (where applicable), 27 days annual leave on commencement (pro rata) and access to a range of NHS discounts. Our Staff Health and Wellbeing programme offer a variety of services.

Our philosophy is that Time Matters to everyone. Across the Trust, we concentrate on improving the things we do and removing those which cause time delays for our staff and patients.

We are investing in our commitment to Time Matters with a partnership with leading electronic patient record (EPR) supplier Epic. This digital transformation will bring what's widely regarded as the world's best EPR system to ESNEFT, transforming life in hospital for staff and patients.

If you are passionate about patient care and want to develop your skills and knowledge, then we want to hear from you.

Find out about living and working here - www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkPu7HphU8A

Details

Date posted

29 December 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£55,690 to £62,682 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

432-HR1063-25

Job locations

Colchester/ Ipswich Hospital

Turner Road

Colchester

CO4 5JL


Job description

Job responsibilities

For full details of the responsibilities and duties of this role please see the attached job description.

Job description

Job responsibilities

For full details of the responsibilities and duties of this role please see the attached job description.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Proven experience of working in a management/leadership role
  • Experience of managing , leading and motivating a team
  • Leading service changes to improve performance
  • Responsible for a budget and budget setting
  • Business case development and annual planning, longer term planning

Qualifications

Essential

  • Educated to masters level or equivalent experience
  • Management/leadership qualification or equivalent experience at post graduate level

Desirable

  • Project Management Qualification

Knowledge

Essential

  • In depth understanding of change management
  • Able to use IT systems including Microsoft Office
  • Good understanding of the current NHS agenda and healthcare policy
  • Risk management and governance

Desirable

  • NHS IT systems
Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Proven experience of working in a management/leadership role
  • Experience of managing , leading and motivating a team
  • Leading service changes to improve performance
  • Responsible for a budget and budget setting
  • Business case development and annual planning, longer term planning

Qualifications

Essential

  • Educated to masters level or equivalent experience
  • Management/leadership qualification or equivalent experience at post graduate level

Desirable

  • Project Management Qualification

Knowledge

Essential

  • In depth understanding of change management
  • Able to use IT systems including Microsoft Office
  • Good understanding of the current NHS agenda and healthcare policy
  • Risk management and governance

Desirable

  • NHS IT systems

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).

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).

Employer details

Employer name

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Colchester/ Ipswich Hospital

Turner Road

Colchester

CO4 5JL


Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Colchester/ Ipswich Hospital

Turner Road

Colchester

CO4 5JL


Employer's website

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

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

General Manager

Mel Newnham

mel.newnham@esneft.nhs.uk

Details

Date posted

29 December 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£55,690 to £62,682 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

432-HR1063-25

Job locations

Colchester/ Ipswich Hospital

Turner Road

Colchester

CO4 5JL


Supporting documents

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