Band 8b - General Manager, Surgery | West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust; Watford; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare organization in Watford is seeking an experienced General Manager to oversee the operational and financial performance of its Surgical Division. This role involves strategic leadership, collaboration with clinical teams, and management of direct reports to ensure high-quality patient care. The position requires onsite presence, strong leadership skills, and a background in healthcare operations. Exciting developments including a new hospital and innovation in care models are underway.

Benefits

Flexible working options

Strong emphasis on staff wellbeing

Professional development opportunities

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a senior operational or managerial role within healthcare.
• Strong understanding of financial management, performance targets, and budget oversight.
• Ability to lead teams and influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Excellent communication skills and experience working in multidisciplinary teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of service improvement and business plans aligned with divisional goals.
• Introduce innovative management strategies to optimise efficiency across services.
• Collaborate with community, social care, and academic partners to support broader healthcare objectives.
• Track and report performance against national and local targets, driving improvements.
• Ensure that departments within your portfolio are meeting key service and quality standards.
• Oversee budgets, ensuring financial targets are met and income is optimised.
• Lead, motivate, and develop teams to support continuous performance improvement.

Skills

Healthcare operational management

Financial management

Team leadership

Stakeholder influence

Communication

Job description

Overview

We are seeking an experienced and strategic General Manager to oversee and drive the operational and financial performance of key services within our Surgical Division. Covering designated specialty portfolios – Audiology, Head and Neck (ENT, Oral Surgery and Orthodontics) and Urology. This role will require close collaboration with clinical and operational teams to ensure high-quality patient care, operational efficiency, and the achievement of key performance targets. This is a new role and part of the senior leadership team within the respective divisions. The successful candidate will play a key role in driving the delivery of the division’s objectives and development of service strategies for the forthcoming year. The position involves working across multiple sites: Watford General Hospital, St Albans City Hospital and occasionally Hemel Hospital.

The post will have direct line management responsibility for a number of staff and reports to the Deputy Director of Operations for the Surgical Division. This role requires regular time on site (80%) and cannot be fully remote. Flexible working arrangements are supported, but anything less than 0.8 WTE cannot be considered due to service requirements. Interviews will be held in person at the Watford site.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of service improvement and business plans aligned with divisional goals.
• Introduce innovative management strategies to optimise efficiency across services.
• Collaborate with community, social care, and academic partners to support broader healthcare objectives.
• Track and report performance against national and local targets, driving improvements.
• Ensure that departments within your portfolio are meeting key service and quality standards.
• Lead weekly PTL meetings and support escalations to ensure smooth operations.
• Oversee budgets, ensuring financial targets are met and income is optimised.
• Contribute to cost improvement initiatives and business case development for service reconfigurations.
• Ensure the workforce is effectively planned and resourced with the right skills to meet service demands.
• Lead, motivate, and develop teams to support continuous performance improvement.
• Oversee recruitment, appraisals, and staff development.
• Regularly engage with clinical teams, staff, and senior management to ensure transparency and align objectives.
• Address sensitive issues, manage complaints, and ensure effective communication throughout the team.
• Support the strategic and operational leadership of the assigned service area in line with the Division’s objectives.

Qualifications and Skills

• Proven experience in a senior operational or managerial role within healthcare.
• Strong understanding of financial management, performance targets, and budget oversight.
• Ability to lead teams and influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Excellent communication skills and experience working in multidisciplinary teams.

Additional Information

With a new hospital planned for Watford and work underway to update theatres at St Albans City Hospital, this is an exciting time to join us. We are building on the success of our award-winning virtual hospital and re-imagining models of care, working closely with partners and leveraging advances in digital healthcare. Staff wellbeing and development are a priority, as is the role of innovation in improving clinical care, outcomes and patient experience. Our vision is Excellent patient care, together and our values are to be empowered, compassionate, professional and inclusive. We offer a variety of flexible working options and recognise the importance of a good work-life balance.

We reserve the right to close this advert early due to the volume of applicants. Please apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. If you do not hear back within 3 weeks of your application, please assume you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.

Contact and Miscellany

The Post Holder will work with the Deputy Director of Operations, Associate Director of Operations and Divisional Management Team to lead and manage the services assigned to them. The post holder will be responsible for the strategic and operational leadership and management of the assigned service area supporting the Division’s overall strategy and objectives. This advert closes on Tuesday 23 Sep 2025.