Operational Team Leader - Community Palliative Care Team

St Gemma; Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

St Gemma's Hospice is seeking an experienced Operational Team Leader to supervise the Community Specialist Palliative Care Team and ensure safe, equitable, person-centred care in the community. You will lead operations, triage, staffing, risk management and continuous improvement within a dynamic local service.

You will provide line management to Senior Clinical Nurse Specialists, support clinical decision-making, and work with colleagues across Leeds health and care to implement integrated

Qualifications

• Current NMC registration as an Adult Nurse
• Post-registration qualification in palliative or end of life care
• Significant recent experience in palliative care, oncology or community nursing
• Experience of leading, managing and developing clinical staff including supervision and appraisals

Responsibilities

• Oversee referral management, triage and caseload prioritisation
• Provide line management and professional support to Senior Clinical Nurse Specialists
• Coordinate staffing deployment and capacity management
• Monitor risk, escalation and service performance for quality improvement
• Collaborate to develop integrated pathways and workforce planning

Skills

Leadership

Clinical leadership

Communication skills

Influencing & interpersonal skills

Education

NMC registration (Adult Nurse)

Palliative/end-of-life care qualification

Experience at Band 6 level or above

Job description

At St Gemma's Hospice, we are passionate about providing outstanding specialist palliative and end of life care for patients and those important to them. We are seeking a compassionate, confident and experienced Operational Team Leader to provide day-to-day leadership and operational oversight of our Community Specialist Palliative Care Team.

This is an exciting opportunity to influence and shape a developing community service while making a meaningful difference to patients, families, carers and colleagues across Leeds.

About the Role

As Operational Team Leader, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring the delivery of safe, responsive, equitable and person-centred specialist palliative care within the community.

You will lead the effective coordination and operational management of the service, overseeing:

• Referral management and triage processes
• Caseload oversight and clinical prioritisation
• Staffing deployment and capacity management
• Risk identification and escalation
• Service performance and quality improvement

You will provide line management and professional support to our Senior Clinical Nurse Specialists, promoting consistent leadership, high standards of practice and a culture of continuous improvement.

Working clinically and collaboratively with colleagues across St Gemma's Hospice and the wider Leeds health and care system, you will help develop integrated pathways, implement service priorities and support innovative approaches to meeting the needs of patients and families.

You will also contribute to workforce planning, staff development and the creation of a positive, inclusive and psychologically safe working environment where colleagues feel valued and supported.

About You

We are looking for a visible, compassionate and inclusive leader who can balance operational demands with excellent clinical practice.

You will be confident supporting complex clinical decision-making, managing competing priorities and using service information and data to identify risks, inform decisions and improve patient care.

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• Current NMC registration as an Adult Nurse
• A post-registration qualification in palliative or end of life care, or equivalent knowledge and experience
• Significant recent experience in palliative care, oncology or community nursing
• Significant experience working at Band 6 level or above (or equivalent)
• Experience of leading, managing and developing clinical staff, including supervision, appraisals, performance management and staff development
• Experience of operational management within a clinical service, balancing caseloads, capacity, staffing and clinical demand
• Excellent communication, influencing and interpersonal skills
• The ability to manage challenging conversations with sensitivity and professionalism
• A non-medical prescribing qualification
• A full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle for work-related travel

Experience of community-based service delivery and an understanding of neighbourhood health models and integrated community working would be advantageous.

Why Join St Gemma's?

Our Community Team plays a vital role in supporting patients and those important to them beyond the Hospice walls. Working across Leeds, we provide expert clinical advice, practical support and compassionate care in patients' own homes and through our outpatient services.

At the heart of our approach is taking the time to listen, understand what matters most to each individual and tailor support around their priorities and wishes. Through specialist knowledge, guidance and reassurance, we help people navigate the physical, emotional, social and spiritual challenges associated with serious and life-limiting illness.

Joining our Community Team means becoming part of a collaborative, multidisciplinary service where your expertise will help make a real difference to people across Leeds every day.

Closing Date:

Sunday 8th November 2026

Interview:

w/c 16th November 2026

We encourage early applications and reserve the right to invite suitable candidates to interview before the closing date. We may also close this vacancy early should sufficient applications be received.