University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (279)

Operational Manager Paediatrics

The closing date is 12 September 2025

Job summary

We are seeking an engaging, enthusiastic and experienced individual to provide operational leadership for the Paediatric Imaging Service.

Responsible for a range of professional leadership duties including the operational management of the waiting lists and capacity within their designated area of responsibility as well as ensuring that administrative and clinical processes are co-ordinated and managed to deliver both governance and performance functions.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will be a key member of the Imaging Management Team and will provide essential managerial support and leadership in order to:

  • Provide effective day-to-day operational management of the paediatric imaging service.
  • Develop and contribute to cross site service plans and projects, including change initiatives as required to ensure the service is delivered effectively.
  • Manage the business activities of the paediatric imaging service in accordance with Trust policies and within allocated resources.
  • To continuously develop the most effective, efficient and cost-effective structure for the future delivery of those services with the involvement of clinicians, professionals and commissioners.
  • To meet imaging performance targets in alignment with DM01 and the Cancer PTL.
  • To take a proactive role in continuous improvement of equitable cross site services.
  • To be a delegated budget holder and authorised signatory for specialties pay and non-pay budgets, including accountability for revenue budgets and procurement of capital equipment (with Trust delegated limits).

About us

At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always put the Patient First. Your uniqueness and experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of Staff Networks to help break down barriers, and can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We're proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2) and a Veteran Aware Trust.

We treat our patients and staff with the same compassion and empathy we expect for ourselves. We're here for them when they need us, and we go above and beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in ourWellbeing Programme for staff which is extensive and designed to support you when you need it, including where possible, flexible working to support work life balance - because we know that to look after others we must first look after ourselves.

As a university trust and a leader in healthcare research, we value learning, teaching and training so that we can be the best that we can be. From the moment you start with us and throughout your career we will help you to grow and develop. We hope that in choosing UHSussex you are choosing a long and happy career where you will be able to see the difference you make and feel valued for all that you do.

We look forward to receiving your application and the start of your journey with UHSussex.

Candidate Information Pack: https://www.uhsussex.nhs.uk/resources/candidate-information-pack/

Details

Date posted

03 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£55,690 to £62,682 a year per annum, per rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

279-7234909-SEP25

Job locations

RACH / PRH / RSCH

Royal Sussex County Hospital

Brighton

BN2 5BE


Job description

Job responsibilities

Use leadership and influencing skills to enthuse, engage and maintain effective two way channels of communication within the service area and to involve individuals and teams within service areas of responsibility to ensure delivery of relevant targets. Responsible for managing, coordinating and addressing escalations for urgent imaging requests as and when required Establish lines of communication with other colleagues in the Trust and wider healthcare community, to ensure that services are integrated and opportunities for improvements are maximised. Ensure that good practice is identified and shared within the Division and wider organisation where appropriate. Using the highest degree of motivational and negotiating skills, ensure an atmosphere of collaboration across the service area to deliver a programme of continuous improvement in a challenging and demanding environment. Develop political judgment and astuteness in understanding and working with policy and diverse interest groups, and judgement in knowing when to escalate upwards, interpreting and implementing changes to respond to policy developments. Analyse and communicate highly complex verbal and written data to relevant stakeholders (internal and external), ensuring all information concerning performance in all areas is communicated and understood and managed confidentially where appropriate. Negotiate with others to reach a decision/conclusion to complex problems and to use appropriate influencing skills with supporting departments to ensure the needs of the service are met. Challenge internal and external parties where necessary to overcome barriers to change and understanding and to ensure that learning is shared and that risks are mitigated and reduced. Demonstrate effective stakeholder management across different departments at all levels. Respond to and resolve conflict between different stakeholders when this arises through facilitation or other appropriate mechanisms. Attend, lead and participate in departmental meetings. Demonstrate empathy, compassion and diplomacy to communicate effectively with patients and relatives to resolve issues that may arise

Job description

Job responsibilities

Use leadership and influencing skills to enthuse, engage and maintain effective two way channels of communication within the service area and to involve individuals and teams within service areas of responsibility to ensure delivery of relevant targets. Responsible for managing, coordinating and addressing escalations for urgent imaging requests as and when required Establish lines of communication with other colleagues in the Trust and wider healthcare community, to ensure that services are integrated and opportunities for improvements are maximised. Ensure that good practice is identified and shared within the Division and wider organisation where appropriate. Using the highest degree of motivational and negotiating skills, ensure an atmosphere of collaboration across the service area to deliver a programme of continuous improvement in a challenging and demanding environment. Develop political judgment and astuteness in understanding and working with policy and diverse interest groups, and judgement in knowing when to escalate upwards, interpreting and implementing changes to respond to policy developments. Analyse and communicate highly complex verbal and written data to relevant stakeholders (internal and external), ensuring all information concerning performance in all areas is communicated and understood and managed confidentially where appropriate. Negotiate with others to reach a decision/conclusion to complex problems and to use appropriate influencing skills with supporting departments to ensure the needs of the service are met. Challenge internal and external parties where necessary to overcome barriers to change and understanding and to ensure that learning is shared and that risks are mitigated and reduced. Demonstrate effective stakeholder management across different departments at all levels. Respond to and resolve conflict between different stakeholders when this arises through facilitation or other appropriate mechanisms. Attend, lead and participate in departmental meetings. Demonstrate empathy, compassion and diplomacy to communicate effectively with patients and relatives to resolve issues that may arise

Person Specification

Experience & Qualifications

Essential

  • Educated to masters level or equivalent level of knowledge and experience
  • Experience of continued learning and professional development to postgraduate diploma or equivalent level.
  • Experience of working within a complex, varied and unpredictable environment

Desirable

  • Project management qualification

Skills

Essential

  • Demonstrable previous success in leading and delivering service change and performance initiatives
  • Evidence of preparing and presenting reports up to Board level
  • Evidence of the ability to source, interpret and report on highly complex data
  • Evidence of managing operational arrangements to a high degree of accuracy, timeliness and effectiveness
  • Ability to work as part of a team and/or independently across departmental, organisational and professional boundaries
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to deal with staff at all levels throughout the Trust and with external organisations on behalf of the Division
  • Ability to communicate effectively at all levels and overcome barriers to understanding and resistance to change
  • Experience of effectively managing a budget
  • Ability to deal with confidential, sensitive or contentious information with senior managers / clinical staff / clients, which requires persuasive skills where agreement and co-operation is required, e.g. sensitive staffing or finance information
  • Conflict management, influencing and negotiation skills

Desirable

  • Advanced use of Patient Administration Systems

People Management and Development

Essential

  • Proven evidence of managing a significant size team and utilising resource effectively and efficiently eg theatre and clinic capacity
  • Knowledge and understanding of people management processes required for both direct management and responsibility for involvement in supporting processes outside of own area
  • Experience of managing and implementing change within the workforce
  • Experience of a range of employment issues including but not limited to Sickness, Disciplinary, Performance and Grievance issues.
  • Experience of engagement with workforce colleagues including driving strategic plans forward to the point of delivery, establishing clear work priorities, delegating effectively, ensuring a capability to deliver, monitoring performance and giving feedback

Equality Diversity and Incusion

Essential

  • Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues
  • Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role).
Person Specification

Experience & Qualifications

Essential

  • Educated to masters level or equivalent level of knowledge and experience
  • Experience of continued learning and professional development to postgraduate diploma or equivalent level.
  • Experience of working within a complex, varied and unpredictable environment

Desirable

  • Project management qualification

Skills

Essential

  • Demonstrable previous success in leading and delivering service change and performance initiatives
  • Evidence of preparing and presenting reports up to Board level
  • Evidence of the ability to source, interpret and report on highly complex data
  • Evidence of managing operational arrangements to a high degree of accuracy, timeliness and effectiveness
  • Ability to work as part of a team and/or independently across departmental, organisational and professional boundaries
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to deal with staff at all levels throughout the Trust and with external organisations on behalf of the Division
  • Ability to communicate effectively at all levels and overcome barriers to understanding and resistance to change
  • Experience of effectively managing a budget
  • Ability to deal with confidential, sensitive or contentious information with senior managers / clinical staff / clients, which requires persuasive skills where agreement and co-operation is required, e.g. sensitive staffing or finance information
  • Conflict management, influencing and negotiation skills

Desirable

  • Advanced use of Patient Administration Systems

People Management and Development

Essential

  • Proven evidence of managing a significant size team and utilising resource effectively and efficiently eg theatre and clinic capacity
  • Knowledge and understanding of people management processes required for both direct management and responsibility for involvement in supporting processes outside of own area
  • Experience of managing and implementing change within the workforce
  • Experience of a range of employment issues including but not limited to Sickness, Disciplinary, Performance and Grievance issues.
  • Experience of engagement with workforce colleagues including driving strategic plans forward to the point of delivery, establishing clear work priorities, delegating effectively, ensuring a capability to deliver, monitoring performance and giving feedback

Equality Diversity and Incusion

Essential

  • Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues
  • Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role).

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Additional information

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (279)

Address

RACH / PRH / RSCH

Royal Sussex County Hospital

Brighton

BN2 5BE


Employer's website

https://www.uhsussex.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (279)

Address

RACH / PRH / RSCH

Royal Sussex County Hospital

Brighton

BN2 5BE


Employer's website

https://www.uhsussex.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

General Manager Imaging Services

Samantha Mitchell

samantha.mitchell27@nhs.net

07825063132

Details

Date posted

03 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£55,690 to £62,682 a year per annum, per rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

279-7234909-SEP25

Job locations

RACH / PRH / RSCH

Royal Sussex County Hospital

Brighton

BN2 5BE


Supporting documents

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