Operational Manager

Greater Manchester Mental Health; Croft; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading health organization is seeking an Operational Manager to oversee the Health and Justice Service. This role involves ensuring high standards of mental health care in secure environments, strategic operations, and leading multidisciplinary teams. Candidates must have a core professional qualification in mental health and extensive experience in care management. This position offers competitive benefits and the opportunity to significantly impact mental health recovery services within the community.

Benefits

Pay enhancements for evenings and weekends

27 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Excellent pension scheme

Cycle to work scheme

Wellbeing programme

Qualifications

• Essential qualifications include a mental health professional license and ongoing professional development.
• Experience in health and social care environments is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily operations within Health and Justice Services.
• Ensure high standards of care and safety.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement and person-centred care.

Skills

Communication

Leadership

Budget Management

Knowledge of Mental Health Legislation

Teamwork

Education

Relevant Core Professional qualification in mental health

First degree or equivalent skills

Job description

Job overview

Job overview

An exciting secondment opportunity has arisen for the position of Operational Manager within the Health and Justice Service. This role will involve strategic and operational oversight of a Cat C and Cat D male prison's integrated mental health service, ensuring high standards of care, safety, and service delivery.

The Health and Justice Service encompasses a diverse range of secure care environments, including:

• HMP Risley
• HMP Thorn Cross
• HMP Manchester
• HMP Styal
• HMP Buckley Hall
• HMP Forest Bank
• OPD service
• Liason and diversion
• Approved Premises

This position offers a unique chance to contribute to the development and continuous improvement of Health and Justice services, working closely with multidisciplinary teams to support recovery-focused care and rehabilitation.

Main duties of the job

The Operational Manager will lead the day-to-day and financial operations of a designated area within the Health and Justice Services. This leadership role is central to ensuring that services run efficiently, safely, and in alignment with strategic goals.

The post holder will maintain a strong and visible presence across the service, engaging actively with both staff and service users. As a role model and advocate for recovery and positive change, they will foster a culture of continuous improvement and person-centred care.

A key responsibility will be to uphold and enhance the quality of care delivered within their area, achieved through the implementation and monitoring of performance standards, and by supporting the ongoing development of the workforce.

Working in close partnership with clinical colleagues, the Operational Manager will ensure that all care and interventions are responsive to the needs of service users and contribute meaningfully to their recovery journey.

In addition, the post holder will act as deputy to the Service Manager, providing leadership cover when required, and will report to the Head of Operations as necessary.

Working for our organisation

Greater Manchester Mental Health (GMMH) Foundation Trust employs over 6,400 members of staff, who deliver services from more than 160 locations.

We provide inpatient and community-based mental health care for people living in Bolton, the city of Manchester, Salford, Trafford and the borough of Wigan, and a wide range of specialist mental health and substance misuse services across Greater Manchester, the north west of England and beyond.

Greater Manchester is one of the world's most innovative places to live and work. From the beauty of the surrounding countryside to the heart of the vibrant inner city with great shopping, entertainment and dining options. Wherever you go you will experience a great northern welcome with people famed for their warmth, humour and generosity. Our people enjoy their work, have opportunities to learn and develop their skills and are encouraged to generate new ideas that improve care for our service users.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

See attached detailed job description and person specification.

Staff benefits

• Pay Enhancements – 30% additional for Evenings (8pm onwards) and Saturdays and 60% additional for Sundays and Bank holidays.
• 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays rising to 29 after 5 years and 33 days after 10 years
• Excellent pension
• Cycle to work scheme
• Salary sacrifice car scheme
• Wellbeing programme

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Relevant Core Professional qualification in mental health (registered nurse, clinical psychologist, social worker) plus evidence of continued professional development
• Evidence of professional registration
• Educated to first degree level or able to demonstrate equivalent skills and abilities to work at this level

Desirable criteria

• Experience in both health and social care—experience as a practicing professional in a mental/physical health environment
• Experience of working closely with service users and advocacy schemes

Skills and Knowledge

Essential criteria

• Highly motivated with strong personal integrity; ability to communicate with staff at all levels and with colleagues within and external to the organisation; leadership that supports positive relationships and effective teamwork
• Knowledge of legislation, statutory and good practice guidance relating to mental health (including the National Service Frameworks, NICE guidelines, the Mental Health Act, the Care Programme Approach and the Mental Capacity Act)
• Ability to provide leadership and management skills to an integrated multidisciplinary team; ability to organise, prioritise and monitor own and others' workload; supervisory skills including staff appraisal and supervision; ability to contribute to staff training and development; ability to communicate and work effectively with service users, carers, other agencies and professionals; ability to involve service users and carers in service delivery, service evaluation and service development; ability to manage change and contribute to the development of services; ability to contribute to the development of service policies and strategies
• Ability to ensure and oversee effective budget management
• Understand all Trust policies and procedures
• Understand the Trusts strategic goals and how they can support them
• Understand the need to safeguard children and vulnerable adults
• Carry out all duties in accordance with Equal Opportunities, equality and diversity and dignity in care and work policies and principles

The Trust mandates all post holders who require a DBS for their role to subscribe to the DBS Update Service. You will be required to enrol for this service for a fee of £16 per year and maintain registration throughout your employment with GMMH.

Applicants are encouraged to apply for posts at Greater Manchester Mental Health who have direct experience of mental health, learning disability or drug and alcohol services either as a service user or a carer.

The Trust is also committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults and requires all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

We are aspiring to ensure our workforce is representative of the diverse communities that we serve, and we are strongly committed to removing barriers to employment for candidates from under-represented groups, for example BAME, Disabled and LGBT+ communities. If you would like to have an informal chat about the recruitment process for this role or would value some additional support, we’d love to hear from you.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) when writing job applications

A candidate may utilise the help of AI when writing job application. The assessment of an application is made on its entirety and most times AI-generated content does not fully grasp the context and requirements of the job one applies for thus producing inaccurate and misleading information, especially in the supporting statement section of an application that can lack real life examples of one’s achievements, success and challenges.

We have added a disclaimer to our application process advising that the use of AI is monitored. GMMH reserves the right to follow up with a candidate at the interview on specific responses and those examples used in the supporting statement to explore it further.

Sponsorship

We are proud to be an approved sponsor for the Skilled Worker visa. Applications from individuals who require sponsorship will be considered alongside all other applications. Please be aware that not all roles are eligible for sponsorship. You can review the list of eligible roles and salary requirements on the UK Government’s website – click.

If you are offered a role with us and you require sponsorship, we will check your eligibility in line with the information on the above website. Your offer of employment could be withdrawn if the role is not eligible for sponsorship, and you are not otherwise able to evidence your right to work in the UK.

The Home Office introduces new changes from 22/07/2025 that impact the health and care sector; you may wish to familiarise with it.

Do you have experience outside the NHS?

We want to attract and retain people with diverse skills and experience, to deliver inclusive healthcare services to our communities.

We will consider relevant experience outside the NHS to calculate your salary on appointment.