IPC Service Manager in Portsmouth

The IPC Services Manager plays a pivotal role in ensuring the smooth, safe, and effective delivery of Integrated Primary Care services across extended hours (08:00-22:30, 7 days a week). Responsible for the day-to-day operational leadership of services, the post-holder ensures stability, coordination, and high-quality patient care at all times. Acting as the vital operational link between Shift Managers and senior operational leadership, the IPC Services Manager oversees real-time service delivery ensuring staffing remains resilient, risks are identified and addressed early, and any issues are escalated quickly and appropriately.

This dynamic role sits at the heart of operational delivery, enabling Operations Managers and the Head of Operations to focus on strategic priorities, system partnerships, service improvement, and performance. By owning the tactical layer of operations, the IPC Services Manager helps create a responsive, well-coordinated service that consistently meets the needs of patients and the wider health system.

Main duties of the job

This exciting role sits at the heart of service delivery, providing day-to-day oversight of operational control and service flow across Integrated Primary Care services. The post-holder will play a key role in ensuring services run smoothly, efficiently, and safely, maintaining strong operational coordination across teams.

• Responsible for overseeing workforce deployment and rota management, ensuring that staffing levels remain resilient by proactively identifying gaps, escalating risks, and arranging short-notice cover when required.
• Ensure services operate in line with established Quality, Safety, and Governance frameworks, supporting a culture of safe and high-quality care.
• Monitor and report on operational KPIs, identifying emerging risks, performance trends, and opportunities for service improvement.
• Provide supportive, visible leadership to Shift Managers and Administrative teams, fostering collaboration, confidence, and high performance across the workforce.
• Work in partnership with IT, Workforce, and Quality teams to quickly resolve operational challenges and continuously strengthen service delivery.

About us

South Coast Alliance is a clinically led, community-focused organisation delivering integrated primary care services across Portsmouth and South East Hampshire. We work in a fast-paced but supportive environment where clinical, operational, and administrative teams collaborate closely to ensure services run safely and effectively. Our culture values teamwork, open communication, and shared problem-solving, with clear leadership and escalation pathways to support staff in their roles.

As a growing organisation, we offer opportunities to develop operational, leadership, and service improvement skills while working across a range of services including urgent care, primary care hubs, and home visiting services. We are committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

Job responsibilities

• Operational Control & Service Flow: Provide day-to-day operational oversight of IPC services, including AVS, CAS/IHCAS, Extended Access and GP Enhanced Access.
• Coordinate and support Shift Supervisors to ensure safe staffing levels and appropriate skill mix, effective patient flow and workload distribution, and timely response to surges in demand and operational pressures.
• Act as the first senior escalation point for operational issues arising during service delivery.
• Ensure operational continuity during incidents (e.g. IT disruption, staffing gaps, spikes in demand).

Workforce & Rota Oversight

• Oversee Rota integrity, escalation for gaps, and short-notice cover planning.
• Monitor sickness, absence trends, and immediate workforce risks.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, induction, and mandatory training compliance.
• Maintain accurate oversight of staff competencies and deployment.

Quality, Safety & Governance

• Ensure services operate in line with agreed SOPs, policies, and governance frameworks.
• Support incident identification, initial fact gathering, and immediate mitigations.
• Lead operational input into complaint investigations and patient concerns.
• Escalate emerging quality or safety themes to Operations Managers.

Performance Monitoring & Reporting

• Monitor real-time operational KPIs (staffing, access, responsiveness).
• Produce routine operational reports and intelligence for Operations Managers.
• Identify risks, trends and improvement opportunities from frontline operational data.

Leadership & Team Support

• Provide visible, supportive leadership to Shift Managers and administrative teams.
• Promote a culture of accountability, learning, and psychological safety.
• Support performance management, wellbeing conversations, and capability development.

System & Internal Collaboration

• Work closely with IT, Workforce, and Quality teams to resolve operational issues.
• Support implementation of service changes, pilots, and new pathways.
• Act as an operational conduit between senior leaders and frontline teams.

Person Specification

• Educated to degree level or equivalent relevant experience.
• Evidence of ongoing professional development.
• Management or leadership qualification (e.g. ILM, NVQ Level 5).
• Experience in an operational or service management role within NHS, primary care, urgent care or community services.
• Experience managing day-to-day service delivery across extended hours and/or multi-site services.
• Strong operational management and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication skills, able to engage confidently with frontline staff and senior leaders.
• Strong organisational and planning skills with attention to detail.
• Confident in escalation, risk management and maintaining service safety.

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.