Assistant Service Manager

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Bedford; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a capable manager to coordinate the ophthalmology workforce and support the Senior Team in delivering activity targets and best practice tariffs.

You will be responsible for day-to-day support to management, line managing administration staff, and contributing to business planning and development across two hospital sites in Bedfordshire.

Qualifications

• Management qualification and evidence of continued professional development.
• Service development and project management skills.
• Degree level education, preferably in management.
• Prince 2; MSP; Lean management.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate medical workforce across the ophthalmology service in line with the General Manager, Service Manager and Clinical Director.
• Provide day-to-day support to management teams and ensure delivery of performance targets.
• Support line management of back office and front-of-house teams.
• Contribute to business planning and development, and to the delivery of service improvements.

Skills

Management qualification

Professional development

Project management

Degree in management

Prince 2

MSP

Lean management

Education

Degree in management

Tools

MS Office

NHS Applications (ICE, iPM, Evolve)

Job description

Main area Ophthalmology Grade NHS AfC: Band 6 Contract Fixed term: 12 months (Maternity leave cover) Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Monday - Friday) Job ref 418-DTO93061-KA

Site Luton Town Luton Salary £39,959 - £48,117 pa Salary period Yearly Closing 24/11/2026 23:59 Interview date 09/12/2026

Job overview

The post holder is responsible for the effective coordination of specific projects and service developments within Ophthalmology Services and Outpatient Space.

This will include ensuring that all financial and operational activity and information objectives are achieved within agreed deadlines together with effective day to day support to the management teams.

The post holder will provide clear managerial support to the Senior Team in the delivery of activity targets and best practice tariff.

The post holder will support the line management of back office and front of house A&C teams.

The post holder will contribute and be intrinsically involved in the development of service developments reflecting those in the Business Plans and will support the development of business opportunities.

Main duties of the job

The Job Description and Person Specification are attached to this job, please review for the full details and responsibilities.

Responsible for supporting of aspects of and co-ordinating the medical workforce of the service line. This will be in direct support to the General Manager, Service Manager and Clinical Director as well as working closely with the Medical Workforce team and Finance.

The post holder will support the Service Manager to ensure that the service is meeting all performance requirements, including quality and activity targets. They will assist with close monitoring and escalation of potential risks to delivery of key performance measures such as 18 week waits, clinical correspondence turnaround times and follow up waiting lists.

They will have line management responsibility of the administration team and deputise for the Service Manager. They should be resilient, motivated, organised, work well under pressure and have excellent communication skills.

Working for our organisation

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology.

Our Values

We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity and creating a culture that values differences.

Vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The Job Description and Person Specification are attached to this job, please review for the full details and responsibilities.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Management qualification and evidence of continued professional development.
• Service development and project management skills.
• Degree level education, preferably in management.
• Prince 2; MSP; Lean management.

Experience

• Proven experience within an NHS organisation with operational management.
• Experience within an acute hospital setting.
• Business planning & Development.

Knowledge

• Sound knowledge base of the NHS, the current issues, its values and principles of timely local access for the population.
• Wider experience of the health industry and production or service industries

Personal Skills

• A proven ability to obtain and consistently achieve results and targets.
• Proven ability to analyse data and information and take appropriate decisions.
• A proven ability to solve problems using their own initiative.
• Excellent collaborative working skills and ability to build good relationships with all professional groups.
• Proven ability to influence and change those groups.
• Proven ability of leading change through people.
• Ability to recognise the need for change and to support that change.
• Track record of maturity and integrity.

Others

• Working knowledge of MS Office and the ability to use these resources in the delivery of clear communication.
• Knowledge of NHS Applications (ICE, iPM, Evolve etc.)

It is an exciting time to join Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. We run two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Our 7,500 staff provide high quality care for a growing population of around 700,000 across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas.

You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. Travel between hospital sites may be required. We have state-of-the art facilities placing us at the heart of cutting edge health care. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.

All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering their first six months in post.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Name Andrea Pugh Job title Service Manager Email address [e-mail] Additional informationApplicants are encouraged to get in touch with the Service Manager and General Manager (Heather Spackman [e-mail]) prior to the interview.

If you have problems applying, contact

Address Luton & Dunstable Hospital NHS Trust
Lewsey Road
Luton
Bedfordshire
LU4 0DZ
Telephone [phone]