Deputy Office Manager

We are offering a fantastic opportunity for a dynamic and motivated Deputy Office Manager to join our dedicated Genetics team in Synnovis Analytics, which is responsible for the provision of Pathology testing services to Synnovis’ patients and customers. This position provides an excellent opportunity for someone to step into a deputy management role within Europe’s leading provider of laboratory diagnostic services. Synnovis is a scientific organisation with a clinical purpose and is part of SYNLAB Group. We work in partnership with Guy’s and St. Thomas’ Hospitals, King’s College Hospital, Princess Royal University Hospital and local CCG networks, aiming to set the standard for the future of pathology.

The post holder will support the smooth running of the day-to-day operation of the relevant administrative/specimen reception section based at Guy’s Hospital. Working closely with the Office Manager, Specimen Reception (SR) Managers, relevant operational leads and the clinical team, the Deputy Manager will play a key role in enhancing workflows, staff allocation and service delivery, ensuring a seamless, high-quality service for patients and stakeholders.

The roles sit within a large, established office team supporting multiple Genetics services and offer exposure to a wide range of operational, quality and leadership activities. The post holder will act as a senior point of contact within their allocated service area, supporting staff, troubleshooting and identifying operational issues and taking initiative within their delegated remit to support service continuity.

The successful candidate will demonstrate strong leadership and organisational skills, excellent communication and ability to work both autonomously and collaboratively. A high level of attention to detail and strong IT skills are essential, enabling the post holder to produce rotas, collect data and contribute to development and monitoring of operational performance metrics including audits, training and performance monitoring activities.

Main duties of the job

• Support the management of the Genetics Administration and Specimen Reception service within the allocated service area, ensuring the effective day-to-day operation of administrative and specimen reception activities.
• Act as a senior point of contact for the section, supporting staff, troubleshooting operational issues, and escalating concerns appropriately to the Office/SR Managers or relevant operational lead.
• Support staff allocation, duty lead cover and workload prioritisation to ensure service requirements and turnaround times are met.
• Oversee daily administrative and specimen reception workflows, maintaining high standards of data quality, accuracy and compliance with local procedures.
• Contribute to service delivery through participation in audits, quality activities and performance monitoring (e.g. OPMS or equivalent), including the collection and analysis of operational data.
• Support the implementation of service improvement initiatives aimed at improving efficiency, resilience and service performance.
• Work closely with scientific, clinical and administrative colleagues to support smooth end-to-end processes from specimen receipt through to result distribution.
• Support staff development through day-to-day supervision, guidance and training, and assist with the induction of new staff.
• Deputise for the Office Manager as required to ensure service continuity and operational resilience.
• Work flexibly across administrative and specimen reception functions in response to service needs.

Your development and learning

You will have a suite of learning opportunities available through The ACCE competencies programme, the Scientific Learning and Development Fund and the Synnovis Academy through which you can receive funding/support for advanced qualifications. Through our Innovation Accelerator Fund, you can apply for finance to get that new innovative scientific project off the ground, and participate with the wider scientific community through symposiums, conferences and other peer group meetings.

The Genetics Administrative and specimen reception team plays a vital role in supporting patient pathways across South-East London, working closely with laboratory, clinical and corporate colleagues. You will be part of a supportive management structure with opportunities to contribute to service improvement and innovation that directly benefits patients and staff.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

At Synnovis, we are currently shaping the future of pathology services by creating a world-leading Hub and Spoke pathology network with our NHS partners. A large part of this modernisation will involve moving 70% of our services to a purpose-built, state-of-the-art Hub laboratory in the heart of London. For now, the job you are applying for will be based at Guy’s Hospital however there is potential in the future that our service will transfer into our Hub laboratory in Blackfriars, Southwark, SE1, with some work remaining in refurbished essential services laboratories across our hospital network, focusing on the rapid turnover of urgent tests.

Duties and Key Responsibilities

• Responsible for the relevant section rotas ensuring they are prepared in advance with appropriate cover for all tasks, including training and managing authorisations.
• Responsible for day-to-day allocation of workload in your team in conjunction with the Office Manager.
• Responsible for day-to-day service provision of your admin/specimen reception sections, providing advice and guidance when necessary.
• Hold daily review meetings (DRM) for staff and facilitate regular meetings with Office/SR managers.
• Deputise for the Office manager in their absence and ensure the area runs efficiently.
• Act as an intermediate between the office manager and clinical leads within your section; proactively contribute and implement any service improvements and streamline workflows.
• Take delegated responsibility for the development, completion and review of service audits within the relevant area.
• Work in partnership with the Office Manager to support the collection and submission of operational performance data/statistics, including OPMS figures and other agreed performance metrics.
• Identify trends, risks or areas for improvement through audit outcomes, workload data and performance figures, and escalate findings with proposed actions to the Office Manager.
• Ensure that all queries and requests within your section are investigated, responded to promptly with appropriate actions and successful outcomes within an agreed time frame.
• Ensure that all errors are appropriately logged on Q-pulse and assist with investigations and actions as required.
• Assist with and drive through the development and implementation of policy and procedure.
• Strict adherence to the Laboratory’s SOPs and create and maintain up-to-date versions of Operating Procedures for the duties assigned.
• Liaise with procurement to ensure that there are no equipment shortages in both the laboratory and offices.
• Organise the team’s tasks/activities, prioritising urgent and emergency workload.
• Line-manage staff members under the supervision of the Office Manager.
• Motivate and support staff so that they understand the objectives of the service and they can maximise their contribution to the highest standard of patient care.
• Ensure that all Health and Safety documentation for the relevant section is up to date and that all staff abide by the guidelines.
• Ensure all work carried out meets the legislative guidelines.
• Participate and contribute to the Quality Management System (QMS) in line with the SDM and Quality Officer’s objectives and guidance.

Administrative Tasks

• Oversee and assist with all administrative and specimen reception tasks as required within your section.
• Assist with all office/specimen reception tasks as part of the wider Genetics admin/specimen reception team as required.
• Perform accurate data entry of sensitive patient information onto the laboratory computer system requiring frequent, long periods of concentration.

Laboratory Tasks

• Receive and process patient samples within the relevant Genetic specimen reception.

Training and Recruitment

• Support the training officer in training new and existing staff for tasks to ensure staff are receiving sufficient training in line with the department’s training framework.
• Reassess office/specimen reception administrative staff on office and specimen reception duties when required to ensure competency is achieved.
• Work with the Office Training and Development team to ensure the competency matrix and mandatory training spreadsheets are kept up to date and that a training timeline is being adhered to.
• Assist with the recruitment, selection and induction of newly appointed staff.

Financial Management

• Support the Office/SR managers with logging and management of staff overtime.

Customer Service

• Liaise with all services external to Genetics such as portering, couriers and build on professional relationships.
• Responsible for ensuring an excellent service is delivered to its customers.
• Check and ensure all equipment and environments are kept clean and in a safe working condition according to Trust policies, procedures and legislative guidelines.
• Provide and promote a high level of customer service to patients, visitors and Trust colleagues via face-to-face contact, telephone and email.
• Deal with any patient, visitor or Trust colleague complaints or queries working with the SDM, Office/SR managers and HR.
• Act at all times, in a way that will enhance team working within the department.

Scientific/Technical

• Undertake training and development to successfully acquire core competencies necessary for performance as a Deputy and thereafter maintain the required standards of competence for effective service delivery.
• Implement changes and report to line manager, instances where there are foreseeable risks and/or opportunities.
• Efficiently manage patients’ clinical material and maintain a safe ethical system of storage to comply with all national guidelines and regulations.
• Manage the referral process for samples referred out of the Genetics Department.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Essential criteria: GCSE level education including English, Maths or Science subjects. A-Level education or equivalent.
• Desirable criteria: Higher level of education such as NVQ in administration or science related qualification such as Biology at degree/diploma level.

Experience

• Essential criteria: Extensive experience working in an administrative environment including handling patient samples and accurate data entry within a clinical laboratory setting. Advanced experience using Microsoft Office applications (particularly Excel and Word) and experience working with LIMS such as Geneworks and Epic. Experience of supporting service delivery through performing audits, quality activities or the use of performance data (OPMS or equivalent).
• Desirable criteria: Experience of leading a team. Experience of using initiative to implement or develop service improvement initiatives such as enhancing data collection processes, introducing new metrics or streamlining workflow processes.

Skills & Knowledge

• Essential criteria: Demonstrate high levels of organisational skills with the ability to prioritise and manage workload effectively in a busy environment. Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills with the ability to liaise with a wide range of staff and stakeholders. High level of attention to detail when undertaking administrative and specimen reception tasks utilising a lot of similar information, enabling a high degree of accuracy, ability to perform audits and ensuring training proceeds according to the SOPs.
• Desirable criteria: Proven ability to use initiative and professional judgement to manage operational challenges within delegated authority, escalating appropriately when required. Ability to understand the wider workload for the section to effectively manage the day-to-day workload in line with operational priorities as part of a duty lead rota.

Applications are welcomed from applicants with a disability. We can make reasonable adjustments and offer support and advice in a variety of ways throughout the application process. All applicants are welcome to apply regardless of age, disability, gender, marital status, race, nationality or ethnic origin, religion, or sexual orientation. Equality of opportunity is our policy.

All employees are entitled to: Contributory pension scheme. Generous annual leave entitlement. Ground breaking development opportunities. Safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. All employees have a responsibility for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults in the course of their daily duties and for ensuring that they are aware of the specific duties relating to their role.