Job summary
Role Purpose
The Service Manager provides strategic, operational, and governance leadership for clinical services, ensuring the delivery of safe, high quality, patient centred care. They oversee complex clinical and operational environments, applying deep service knowledge and sound judgement to ensure services are resilient, efficient, compliant, and aligned with organisational clinical strategies. Operating at a senior level, the post holder shapes policy, influences executive decision making, and leads continuous improvement across clinical pathways and multidisciplinary teams.
Main duties of the job
Role Accountabilities
Service Delivery Oversight
- Holds end to end accountability for the performance, quality, and resilience of services within their remit, ensuring they meet agreed standards and regulatory obligations.
Policy, Standards & Governance
- Leads the development and maintenance of clinical service policies, procedures, governance frameworks, and quality assurance mechanisms.
Innovation & Continuous Improvement
- Leads innovative ways of working, identifying and implementing new approaches, tools, and technologies to enhance patient pathways and service efficiency.
Stakeholder Management & Communication
- Builds effective partnerships with clinical leads, GPs, senior nurses, allied health professionals and external partners.
Leadership of People & Teams
- Provides leadership to operational managers, team leaders, and clinical support staff, ensuring workforce capability supports safe and effective care.
Risk Management & Assurance
- Leads the identification, management, and mitigation of clinical and operational risks.
About us
PML is a successful not-for-profit, GP-led organisation providing various NHS community and primary care clinical services to patients across Oxfordshire and Northamptonshire. We have evolved as a NHS healthcare provider since 2004 and in the last few years have grown significantly, now employing around 300 staff with a turnover of circa £16m. PML holds GMS contracts, as well as being a GP Federation representing circa 50 GP practices covering approximately 650,000 patients.
We welcome applicants from a diverse range of backgrounds and circumstances and people with protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010
Job description
Job responsibilities
Service Delivery Oversight
- Holds end to end accountability for the performance, quality, and resilience of services within their remit, ensuring they meet agreed standards and regulatory obligations.
- Oversees clinical service performance, including activity, flow, waiting times, patient experience, and clinical outcomes.
- Provides leadership during high risk operational or clinical incidents, making decisions that balance safety, quality, and service continuity.
- Ensures operational processes support clinical effectiveness and patient safety, with robust escalation and incident management protocols.
Policy, Standards & Governance
- Leads the development and maintenance of clinical service policies, procedures, governance frameworks, and quality assurance mechanisms.
- Ensures staff understand and adhere to governance structures, clinical standards, and regulatory expectations.
- Works with clinical leaders to ensure continuous readiness for inspection, audit, and accreditation processes.
Innovation & Continuous Improvement
- Leads innovative ways of working, identifying and implementing new approaches, tools, and technologies to enhance patient pathways and service efficiency.
- Leads service redesign and transformation initiatives to enhance efficiency, reduce variation, and modernise clinical delivery.
- Drives a culture of evidence based practice and continuous quality improvement, engaging with QI methodologies and clinical audit findings.
Stakeholder Management & Communication
- Builds effective partnerships with clinical leads, GPs, senior nurses, allied health professionals and external partners.
- Influences clinical and corporate decision making by presenting complex information clearly and strategically.
- Represents clinical services at organisational committees, operational boards, and quality governance meetings.
Leadership of People & Teams
- Provides leadership to operational managers, team leaders, and clinical support staff, ensuring workforce capability supports safe and effective care.
- Works closely with clinical leaders to support team culture, staff wellbeing, and professional development.
- Leads workforce planning and succession strategies to ensure sustainable clinical service delivery.
Risk Management & Assurance
- Leads the identification, management, and mitigation of clinical and operational risks.
- Ensures robust systems are in place for incident reporting, learning, governance reviews, and clinical audit.
- Provides assurance to senior leaders regarding patient safety, service resilience, regulatory compliance, and business continuity.
PositionService ManagerDepartment/TeamNeighbourhood TeamRoleServiceManager (L1 - 4)Reports ToDirector of Community ServicesDirect ReportsNeighbourhood Team Clinical Lead
Additional Accountabilities
Operational Leadership & Service Delivery
- Lead and manage day-to-day service operations of the Neighbourhood Team to ensure safe, efficient, high-quality delivery aligned to organisational objectives.
Quality, Governance and Regulatory Compliance
- Ensure full compliance with CQC, Health & Safety, and commissioner requirements through robust systems, audits, and risk management.
Financial and Performance Management
- Manage budgets, financial performance, and reporting to achieve agreed targets while identifying efficiencies and driving value for money.
Workforce Leadership and Culture
- Lead, motivate, and develop staff through effective recruitment, supervision, performance management, and the creation of a positive, high-performing culture.
Service Development and Stakeholder Engagement
- Drive service transformation and new clinical initiatives while maintaining strong relationships with commissioners, PCNs, and external partners.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Service Delivery Oversight
- Holds end to end accountability for the performance, quality, and resilience of services within their remit, ensuring they meet agreed standards and regulatory obligations.
- Oversees clinical service performance, including activity, flow, waiting times, patient experience, and clinical outcomes.
- Provides leadership during high risk operational or clinical incidents, making decisions that balance safety, quality, and service continuity.
- Ensures operational processes support clinical effectiveness and patient safety, with robust escalation and incident management protocols.
Policy, Standards & Governance
- Leads the development and maintenance of clinical service policies, procedures, governance frameworks, and quality assurance mechanisms.
- Ensures staff understand and adhere to governance structures, clinical standards, and regulatory expectations.
- Works with clinical leaders to ensure continuous readiness for inspection, audit, and accreditation processes.
Innovation & Continuous Improvement
- Leads innovative ways of working, identifying and implementing new approaches, tools, and technologies to enhance patient pathways and service efficiency.
- Leads service redesign and transformation initiatives to enhance efficiency, reduce variation, and modernise clinical delivery.
- Drives a culture of evidence based practice and continuous quality improvement, engaging with QI methodologies and clinical audit findings.
Stakeholder Management & Communication
- Builds effective partnerships with clinical leads, GPs, senior nurses, allied health professionals and external partners.
- Influences clinical and corporate decision making by presenting complex information clearly and strategically.
- Represents clinical services at organisational committees, operational boards, and quality governance meetings.
Leadership of People & Teams
- Provides leadership to operational managers, team leaders, and clinical support staff, ensuring workforce capability supports safe and effective care.
- Works closely with clinical leaders to support team culture, staff wellbeing, and professional development.
- Leads workforce planning and succession strategies to ensure sustainable clinical service delivery.
Risk Management & Assurance
- Leads the identification, management, and mitigation of clinical and operational risks.
- Ensures robust systems are in place for incident reporting, learning, governance reviews, and clinical audit.
- Provides assurance to senior leaders regarding patient safety, service resilience, regulatory compliance, and business continuity.
PositionService ManagerDepartment/TeamNeighbourhood TeamRoleServiceManager (L1 - 4)Reports ToDirector of Community ServicesDirect ReportsNeighbourhood Team Clinical Lead
Additional Accountabilities
Operational Leadership & Service Delivery
- Lead and manage day-to-day service operations of the Neighbourhood Team to ensure safe, efficient, high-quality delivery aligned to organisational objectives.
Quality, Governance and Regulatory Compliance
- Ensure full compliance with CQC, Health & Safety, and commissioner requirements through robust systems, audits, and risk management.
Financial and Performance Management
- Manage budgets, financial performance, and reporting to achieve agreed targets while identifying efficiencies and driving value for money.
Workforce Leadership and Culture
- Lead, motivate, and develop staff through effective recruitment, supervision, performance management, and the creation of a positive, high-performing culture.
Service Development and Stakeholder Engagement
- Drive service transformation and new clinical initiatives while maintaining strong relationships with commissioners, PCNs, and external partners.
Person Specification
Behaviours and Attributes
Essential
- Demonstrates leadership, accountability and resilience. To promote a positive culture and patient-centred care
- Excellent communication, negotiation and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to influence and inspire teams.
Desirable
- Innovative, proactive and adaptable, with a commitment to continuous service improvement and professional development.
Experience
Essential
- Significant experience managing healthcare or community-based services, including operational and financial responsibility.
- Experience of leading operational teams, managing performance and delivering improvements in patient care and service quality.
- Experience of leading and developing multidisciplinary teams, including performance management and workforce planning.
- Proven track record of delivering service improvement, regulatory compliance (e.g. CQC), and achieving performance targets.
Desirable
- Experience of working with NHS commissioning, regulatory frameworks (e.g., CQC) or multi-site service management.
Skills and Knowledge
Essential
- Strong knowledge of healthcare governance, quality standards and regulatory requirements within primary/community care.
- Strong understanding of healthcare governance, regulatory frameworks, and commissioner requirements.
- Proven ability in service planning, performance management and operational problem-solving.
- Demonstrable financial management skills, including budgeting, forecasting, and performance reporting.
- Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills with the ability to drive change and service transformation.
Desirable
- Knowledge of workforce planning, financial management and digital systems used in healthcare service delivery.
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree-level qualification (or equivalent experience) in healthcare management, business management, or a related field.
- Evidence of management or leadership training, relevant to healthcare service delivery
- Evidence of leadership and management training or recognised management qualification (e.g. ILM, CMI, or equivalent).
- Evidence of continuing professional development in governance, quality improvement, or service management.
Desirable
- Postgraduate qualification in healthcare management or business administration (e.g., MBA, MSc Healthcare Leadership).
Person Specification
Behaviours and Attributes
Essential
- Demonstrates leadership, accountability and resilience. To promote a positive culture and patient-centred care
- Excellent communication, negotiation and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to influence and inspire teams.
Desirable
- Innovative, proactive and adaptable, with a commitment to continuous service improvement and professional development.
Experience
Essential
- Significant experience managing healthcare or community-based services, including operational and financial responsibility.
- Experience of leading operational teams, managing performance and delivering improvements in patient care and service quality.
- Experience of leading and developing multidisciplinary teams, including performance management and workforce planning.
- Proven track record of delivering service improvement, regulatory compliance (e.g. CQC), and achieving performance targets.
Desirable
- Experience of working with NHS commissioning, regulatory frameworks (e.g., CQC) or multi-site service management.
Skills and Knowledge
Essential
- Strong knowledge of healthcare governance, quality standards and regulatory requirements within primary/community care.
- Strong understanding of healthcare governance, regulatory frameworks, and commissioner requirements.
- Proven ability in service planning, performance management and operational problem-solving.
- Demonstrable financial management skills, including budgeting, forecasting, and performance reporting.
- Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills with the ability to drive change and service transformation.
Desirable
- Knowledge of workforce planning, financial management and digital systems used in healthcare service delivery.
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree-level qualification (or equivalent experience) in healthcare management, business management, or a related field.
- Evidence of management or leadership training, relevant to healthcare service delivery
- Evidence of leadership and management training or recognised management qualification (e.g. ILM, CMI, or equivalent).
- Evidence of continuing professional development in governance, quality improvement, or service management.
Desirable
- Postgraduate qualification in healthcare management or business administration (e.g., MBA, MSc Healthcare Leadership).
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.
