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- Tasks: Lead and scale operations for a fast-growing healthcare organisation focused on neurodiversity.
- Company: Join Held Health, a pioneering healthcare provider transforming support for neurodivergent individuals.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, generous holidays, pension scheme, and professional development opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in people's lives while building a supportive and inclusive service.
- Qualifications: Experience in healthcare operations and CRM management is essential.
- Other info: Dynamic, collaborative environment with excellent career growth potential.
The predicted salary is between 47000 - 65000 £ per year.
Permanent Full Time Hybrid role in North Devon - initially one day a week in Barnstaple. Salary £55,000 - 70,000 DOE pa.
About us... Held Health is a fast‑scaling healthcare organisation redefining assessment and support for neuro‑diversity, Autism, ADHD, learning difficulties, and mental health across the UK. We deliver evidence‑based clinical pathways supported by rigorous governance, strong data quality, and a genuinely neurodivergent‑affirming culture. As we grow, we’re building modern, digital‑first operations that make accessing care simpler, faster, and more accessible for children, adults, and families. Our goal at Held Health is to deliver care so exceptional that it becomes the natural choice people recommend to their friends and family.
You will play a central role in building, scaling and leading Held Health’s operational capability. This includes designing and managing a Customer Support Hub care coordination function, implementing and managing a new CRM/helpdesk solution, and defining and delivering an outstanding customer experience for families navigating ADHD pathways.
As the Operations Manager you will lead day‑to‑day operations, own the Held Health’s key patient journey processes, ensure operational excellence is aligned with ISO standards, information security requirements and clinical governance standards achieving this through the initial and ongoing development of your team.
You will need a hands‑on, high‑ownership approach, so this role is ideally suited to someone who has built operations in a fast‑growth healthcare organisation and is passionate about delivering accessible, supportive, high‑quality service and developing team capability.
Key Responsibilities
- Build & lead a Customer Support Hub Operations function.
- Design, implement and scale a multi‑channel Patient Access / Care Coordination service.
- Develop scripts, triage frameworks, escalation processes and service protocols.
- Establish SLAs, quality standards and monitoring systems (including call auditing, ticket QA, and coaching frameworks).
- Oversee current capacity management, staffing levels and real‑time responsiveness, whilst ensuring service levels are not compromised.
- Oversee workforce planning and Support Hub capacity modelling to support future growth.
- Lead the selection, setup and rollout of a CRM/helpdesk platform (e.g., Zendesk, Freshdesk, Intercom, HubSpot Service).
- Ensure the mapping throughout the patient journey into CRM to facilitate workflows, triggers, key communications, views, reporting and automations.
- Develop dashboards and reporting within the system to monitor and report performance and to drive improvements.
- Provide clear training, development and standards for the team to ensure consistent adoption and usage of CRM throughout the patient journey.
- Ensure CRM integrates effectively with clinical systems, scheduling, and other internal tools.
- Build and embed a CX framework tailored to neurodivergent patients and their families.
- Drive and champion a culture of empathy, clarity and exceptional service quality across all Held Health.
- Create and maintain high-quality documentation, SOPs and operational guidance that support the delivery of Customer Experience Excellence.
- Define and introduce proactive, informative communication touchpoints throughout a family’s journey with clear and structured follow-up processes.
- Define and monitor communication standards, tone‑of‑voice guidelines, guidance scripts and key response protocols.
- Lead continuous improvement initiatives based on family feedback, complaints, operational insights and best practice.
- Ensure all patient-facing processes, communications, guidelines and online forms are neurodivergent‑affirming, accessible, inclusive and easy to navigate.
- Maintain a system for identifying and supporting vulnerable families or those needing additional adjustments and act as point of escalation as required.
- Work with clinical leadership to simplify and improve navigation of the our clinical pathways.
- Oversee end‑to‑end patient operations, from referral through to assessment and follow‑up.
- Identify and resolve operational issues quickly and proactively, ensuring stability and consistency and any learnings identified to prevent reoccurrence.
- Lead coordination across clinical, and care-coordination teams.
- Ensure operational processes remain aligned with ISO 9001, ISO 27001 and ICO standards.
- Work closely with the Head of Operations & Clinical Governance on QMS processes.
- Contribute to risk assessments, incident investigations and improvement plans.
- Maintain excellent data hygiene, documentation and audit readiness.
- Lead, coach and develop Team Leads and Coordinators to reach their individual potential and achieve team goals, with a key focus on the customer experience.
- Build a high-performance culture with clear expectations and accountability.
- Support change management during periods of rapid growth and system evolution.
Skills & Experience
- Demonstrable experience building or scaling a call‑centre‑style operations function (e.g., patient access centre, care coordination hub, digital health support team).
- Experience working in a rapid-growth healthcare organisation, ideally within mental health, digital health, community services or private pathways.
- Proven experience implementing or managing CRM/helpdesk platforms (Zendesk-type solutions).
- Strong capability in process design, workflow optimisation and service scaling.
- Experience developing CX frameworks and driving measurable improvements in service quality.
- Excellent communication skills with a strong ability to support, reassure and inform families.
- Proven engaging leadership and coaching capability.
- Data-driven mindset with comfort building KPIs, dashboards and operational reporting.
- Experience in regulated environments with an understanding of safeguarding, data protection and governance.
Desirable
- Experience working in neurodevelopmental, ADHD or mental health settings.
- Familiarity with ISO management systems (9001, 27001).
- Experience with EHR platforms or healthcare scheduling systems.
- Background in customer service transformation or accessibility-led service design.
Attributes & Behaviours
- Empathetic, calm and patient‑centric approach.
- Highly organised with excellent attention to detail.
- Pragmatic, solutions-focused and comfortable with ambiguity.
- Strong sense of ownership and accountability.
- Enthusiastic about improving accessibility and reducing friction for families.
- Thrives in a fast-paced environment with evolving processes and priorities.
In return you will get:
- Salary £55 - 70K (pro rata), DOE.
- Company Pension scheme where applicable.
- Holidays – 34 including bank holidays Pro Rata.
- Induction Programme.
- Opportunities for professional learning and development with career advancement.
- Supportive and collaborative work environment, including a proactive Multi-disciplinary Team.
- Maternity / Paternity / Adoption Leave.
- Regular Team events.
- Cycle to work scheme.
Operations Manager in Exeter employer: Held Health
Contact Detail:
Held Health Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Operations Manager in Exeter
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the healthcare sector, especially those who work in operations. Attend industry events or webinars and don’t be shy about introducing yourself. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching Held Health thoroughly. Understand their mission and values, especially around neurodiversity and patient care. Tailor your responses to show how your experience aligns with their goals – it’ll make you stand out!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to explain how your skills in building operational functions can help Held Health scale effectively. Use specific examples from your past roles to demonstrate your impact and how you can contribute to their success.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in being part of the Held Health team. Let’s get you that Operations Manager role!
We think you need these skills to ace Operations Manager in Exeter
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in building operations, especially in healthcare. We want to see how your skills align with our mission at Held Health!
Showcase Your Passion: Let us know why you're excited about working with neurodiversity and mental health. Share any personal experiences or insights that fuel your passion for this field – it really helps us connect with you!
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it straightforward and to the point. We appreciate clarity, so make sure your key achievements and skills shine through without unnecessary fluff.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to submit your application directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for the role as quickly as possible!
How to prepare for a job interview at Held Health
✨Know the Company Inside Out
Before your interview, dive deep into Held Health's mission and values. Understand their focus on neurodiversity and how they aim to improve patient experiences. This knowledge will help you align your answers with their goals and show that you're genuinely interested in the role.
✨Showcase Your Operational Expertise
Be ready to discuss your experience in building or scaling operations, especially in a healthcare setting. Prepare specific examples of how you've implemented CRM systems or improved customer experience frameworks. Highlighting measurable outcomes will demonstrate your capability to drive operational excellence.
✨Emphasise Empathy and Communication Skills
Given the nature of the role, it's crucial to convey your empathetic approach. Share instances where you've successfully supported families or patients, and explain how you ensure clear communication. This will resonate well with Held Health's commitment to exceptional service quality.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that assess your problem-solving skills in real-world scenarios. Think about challenges you've faced in previous roles, particularly in fast-paced environments. Practising your responses will help you articulate your thought process and decision-making effectively during the interview.
