Switchboard Operator in Manchester

Main area: Mental Health

Grade: Band 2

Contract: Permanent

It is a 4 week pattern, doing Night Shifts (22:00-8:00). Week 1 - MON & SUN; Week 2 - TUE & SUN; Week 3 - WED & SUN; Week 4 - SAT & SUN.

Hours: Part time - 20 hours per week.

Job ref: 437-8267044

Site: The Curve, Prestwich Town, Manchester

Salary: £25,272 per annum pro rata

Salary period: Yearly

Closing: 29/09/2026 23:59

Job overview: The GMMH Switchboard division of the directorate provides services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, for the Trust's 9 hospitals, including 160 locations. Teams are embracing a new and exciting future by leveraging technological breakthroughs and reimagining processes to provide an exceptional customer experience. The task will be varied, engaging, and difficult, necessitating creativity, good communication skills, and attentiveness. The postholder will be part of a dynamic and multifunctional team that is responsible for providing great customer service to all stakeholders of the Trust.

Main duties of the job: The postholder will be part of a dynamic and multifunctional team that is responsible for providing great customer service to all stakeholders of the Trust. Operator Leads will be responsible for working on the new system, i.e., call console attendants, which is an integrated application within MS Teams, as well as a call handling console, monitoring emergency response systems, and other activities to support communications throughout the Trust. Maintain effective working relationships with a variety of customers, both internal and external to the Trust. Team members are also expected to respond in accordance with the Trust's EPO2 Incident Response Plan, as well as to implement the business contingency plan and coordinate with all sites. Switchboard Operators are also known for lone working due to shift patterns being out of normal working hours and weekends. This includes ensuring adequate levels of cover for annual leave and sickness, as well as having a degree of flexibility and being willing to cover shifts including evenings, nights, and weekends to maintain service continuity.

Working for our organisation: Greater Manchester Mental Health (GMMH) Foundation Trust employs over 7000 members of staff, who deliver services from more than 160 locations. We provide inpatient and community-based mental health care for people living in Bolton, the city of Manchester, Salford, Trafford and the borough of Wigan, and a wide range of specialist mental health and substance misuse services across Greater Manchester, the north west of England and beyond. Our people enjoy their work, have opportunities to learn and develop their skills and are encouraged to generate new ideas that improve care for our service users.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities: Please see attached job description and person specification.

• 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays rising to 29 after 5 years and 33 days after 10 years.

Person specification:

• Education / Qualifications - to be able to complete the duties as laid out on the Job Description.
• Demonstrable experience in customer service or Switchboard roles.
• Evidence of continuous professional development.

Experience:

• Experience of delivering excellent customer support.
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office applications including Teams, Excel, Word.
• Knowledge of IM&T procedures or knowledge of telephone equipment or computer and software tools e.g. ECDL.

Knowledge:

• Dealing with non-routine issues such as problem solving.
• Previous working experience within an NHS or public sector environment.

Skills and Abilities:

• An excellent telephone manner and communication skills.
• Ability to prioritize workload.
• Experience in contributing to service improvement and development plans.

Flexibility:

• Flexible approach to working hours and shift patterns including working unsociable hours, bank holidays and weekends.
• An existing understanding of the organization.

Important Information about working for GMMH: All positions within the Trust are subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks. The Trust mandates all post holders who require a DBS for their role to subscribe to the DBS Update Service. You will be required to enrol for this service for a fee of £16 per year and maintain registration throughout your employment with GMMH. The Trust is also committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults and requires all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.