Service Support Manager

Fulfil your potential in hospitals that make history: Charing Cross, Hammersmith, St Mary’s, Queen Charlotte’s & Chelsea and Western Eye. With five world-renowned hospitals, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust is full of opportunity if you are looking to develop your healthcare career. We are an NHS Trust of approximately 16,000 people, providing care for over a million and a half patients from north west London and beyond every year. We have a rich heritage and an ambitious vision for the future of our patients and local communities.

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Renal and Transplant Directorate at Hammersmith Hospital as a Service Support Manager, supporting the delivery of our elective admissions and theatre programme. We are looking for a dynamic, highly motivated individual with excellent interpersonal and organisational skills and experience of operational service delivery. The successful candidate will play a key role in supporting effective patient pathways, with responsibility for inpatient waiting list management, P2 reporting, theatre planning and elective admissions. The post holder will support the day-to-day operational delivery of the service, working closely with clinical and operational teams to ensure patients are managed effectively through their elective pathway. The role will have a particular focus on supporting RTT performance, theatre utilisation, delivery of elective activity against plan and maintaining effective patient flow.

Main duties of the job:

• Plan and coordinate daily administrative work for the service so that clinics, appointments and associated patient pathways run smoothly and efficiently.
• Promote clear, courteous and patient-centred communication across the administrative team, ensuring information given to patients, carers and staff is accurate, timely and easy to understand.
• Role-model compassionate, inclusive and professional leadership, promoting a positive, supportive team culture aligned with Trust values.
• Support cost-effective service delivery by monitoring the use of pay and non-pay resources within the administrative team and flagging variances or risks to senior managers.
• Maintain own learning and development, actively seeking feedback and development opportunities and supporting a culture of continuous improvement in the team.
• Provide cross-cover for key administrative duties (for example reception or call handling during peak demand) to maintain safe and responsive services for patients. This may include working cross site as well as evening and weekend cover.
• Follow Trust and departmental policies, procedures and agreed protocols, identify and suggest improvements where processes are not working effectively.

Working for our organisation:

At Imperial College Healthcare you can achieve extraordinary things with extraordinary people, working with leading clinicians pushing boundaries in patient care. Become part of a vibrant team living our values - expert, kind, collaborative and aspirational. You’ll get an experience like no other and will fast forward your career. Benefits include career development, flexible working and wellbeing, staff recognition scheme. Make use of optional benefits including Cycle to Work, car lease schemes, season ticket loan or membership options for onsite leisure facilities. We are committed to equal opportunities and improving the working lives of our staff and will consider applications to work flexibly, part time or job share. Please talk to us at interview.

Environmental sustainability:

Climate change and poor air quality is a health emergency that harms people’s health and wellbeing and widens health inequalities. The Trust is also committed to reducing its impact on the environment by reducing our greenhouse gas emissions to Net Zero by 2045. All our employees have a role to play, and we have an active green network that supports staff to act in ways that ensures that our services are efficient, sustainable and reduce our impact on the environment.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities:

The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. For both overviews, please view the Job Description attachment with the job advert.

Person specification:

Education/Qualifications:

• Educated to Foundation Degree level or equivalent level of knowledge through experience or specialist training.
• Management or leadership training.

Experience:

• Working in an administrative or service environment in healthcare, the public sector or other complex organisations.
• Experience of leadership behaviours such as giving guidance, providing feedback, supporting performance and handling sensitive situations.
• Experience coordinating and delivering services, including managing competing priorities and meeting performance indicators or targets.
• Experience managing difficult or sensitive conversations with patients, families, colleagues or stakeholders.
• Experience working with datasets and producing visual summary of key information.
• Experience handling formal complaints.
• Experience supporting multidisciplinary team coordination.
• Confidently contributing to meetings and presenting information clearly to colleagues and managers.
• Experience of service improvement or project work.
• Experience contributing to audit reports.
• Experience supporting staff recruitment.

Skills / Abilities:

• Excellent customer service and effective communication with ability to build trust and credibility with staff, patients, and stakeholders.
• Skilled in problem-solving and managing escalations or complaints with professionalism and empathy.
• Ability to set clear expectations and provide constructive feedback to staff.
• Ability to identify, implement and evaluate service improvements and efficiencies, using evidence and feedback.
• Ability to manage day to day operational challenges both independently and collaboratively.
• Ability to prioritise, delegate appropriately and manage competing demands within deadlines.
• Strong digital confidence including use of Microsoft Office applications (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams) and ability to learn NHS clinical and administrative systems.
• Clear, professional written communication skills including accurate minute taking and report writing.
• Ability to analyse information, identify trends, identify solutions and present findings clearly.
• Ability to review and update Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and communication protocols.
• Ability to contribute to communication plans for service change.
• Ability to design or deliver engagement activities to gather feedback and support improvement.

Right to work:

If you need sponsorship to work in the UK, please visit the Home Office website for information on sponsorship and visa status before you fill in your application form. Due to recent changes in the UK immigration rules which affect Skilled Worker Visas, Global Business Mobility, Higher Skill Level and Increased Salary Thresholds, please ensure that you are able to meet the requirements to live and work in the UK before applying. Further information about eligibility is available on UK Visas and Immigration - GOV.UK.

We operate a joint recruitment hub across the North West London Acute Provider Collaborative Group. As part of this, your application and personal data may be shared with partner trusts within the group for recruitment and workforce purposes, in line with general data protection regulation (GDPR).

Vacancy Closing Date:

This vacancy may close before the current listed closing date. Please ensure you check your emails regularly as this is how we will communicate with you throughout the recruitment process. If you are shortlisted you will be contacted by email and text message (if you provide a mobile contact number).