Project Improvement Manager

NHS Jobs; East Midlands; Hybrid; GBP 43,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust is recruiting a Project Improvement Manager to lead major cancer pathways improvement across the East Midlands. Based at County Hall, Leicester, with hybrid working and travel across the region, the role focuses on delivering Faster Diagnosis Standard and other national cancer standards.

You will combine project management expertise with strong stakeholder engagement to drive sustainable service improvements within the NHS setting.

Qualifications

• Degree-level education or equivalent experience.
• Experience of leading service improvement or transformation projects.
• Excellent programme and project management skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Experience working with complex datasets and performance information.
• Outstanding communication, negotiation and influencing skills.
• Ability to build effective relationships across organisational boundaries.
• A proactive, organised and solutions-focused approach.
• Experience within the NHS or healthcare improvement is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex pathway improvement projects from inception through to delivery.
• Support providers to improve cancer performance and deliver sustainable change.
• Develop project plans, manage risks and provide programme assurance.
• Deliver improvement workshops and facilitate stakeholder engagement.
• Analyse performance data to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Support implementation of innovative diagnostic and pathway redesign initiatives.
• Work alongside clinical leaders to reduce unwarranted variation and improve patient outcomes.

Skills

Project management

Stakeholder engagement

Data analysis

Communication skills

Healthcare improvement

Education

Degree-level education

Job description

University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust

Project Improvement Manager

The closing date is 28 September 2026

Location: County Hall, Leicester (Hybrid Working)

Band: 7

Lead transformational change across cancer services in the East Midlands

Do you have a passion for service improvement, programme delivery and making a real difference to patient outcomes?

The East Midlands Cancer Alliance (EMCA) is looking for an experienced and motivated Project Improvement Manager to lead the delivery of high-profile cancer improvement programmes across the region.

This is an exciting opportunity to work across one of the largest cancer systems in England, collaborating with NHS provider Trusts, Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), clinical leaders and regional partners to improve cancer pathways, deliver national standards and transform services for patients

Vacancy may close early if sufficient applications received

Main duties of the job

As a Project Improvement Manager, you will lead complex pathway improvement projects from inception through to delivery, supporting providers to improve cancer performance and deliver sustainable change.

Working as part of the East Midlands Cancer Alliance Programme Team, you will:

• Support providers to improve Faster Diagnosis Standard (FDS), 28-day and treatment performance.


• Undertake pathway reviews, operational diagnostics and process mapping.


• Develop project plans, manage risks and provide programme assurance.


• Deliver improvement workshops and facilitate stakeholder engagement.


• Analyse performance data to identify opportunities for improvement.


• Support implementation of innovative diagnostic and pathway redesign initiatives.


• Work alongside clinical leaders to reduce unwarranted variation and improve patient outcomes.

What you'll be working on

The role spans a wide portfolio of cancer improvement programmes including:

Faster Diagnosis Standard (FDS) improvement

Early Diagnosis and Diagnostic Pathways

Living With and Beyond Cancer

Operational Performance Recovery

Clinical Pathway Redesign

Expert Clinical Advisory Groups (ECAGs)

Programme Governance and Benefits Realisation.

About us

Our new strategy, developed with the support and feedback of colleagues, patients, and partners, is our compass for the next seven years (2023-2030).

We have four primary goals:

• high-quality care for all,


• being a great place to work,


• partnerships for impact, and


• research and education excellence

And we will embed health equality in all we do - taking active steps to reduce the avoidable differences in healthcare that some people face, working in partnership with communities.

Our strategy is underpinned by new values and we will work to ensure they are an everyday reality for all:

• we are compassionate,


• we are proud,


• we are inclusive, and


• we are one team

This is an exciting moment as we look to the future with clarity on what we already do well and where we need to focus our energies to make an even bigger difference for the people we serve.

About the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust:

Job responsibilities

About you

We're looking for someone who can combine project management expertise with excellent stakeholder engagement skills.

You'll bring:

Degree-level education or equivalent experience.

Experience of leading service improvement or transformation projects.

Excellent programme and project management skills.

Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.

Experience working with complex datasets and performance information.

Outstanding communication, negotiation and influencing skills.

The ability to build effective relationships across organisational boundaries.

A proactive, organised and solutions-focused approach.

Experience within the NHS or healthcare improvement is highly desirable.

Why join the East Midlands Cancer Alliance?

At EMCA you'll help shape the future of cancer care across the East Midlands, working alongside nationally recognised clinical leaders and improvement teams.

We offer:

• A challenging and rewarding leadership role


• Opportunities to influence regional and national cancer improvement


• Flexible hybrid working


• Excellent annual leave entitlement


• Learning and development opportunities


• A collaborative and supportive team environment


• Every improvement you deliver has the potential to improve outcomes for thousands of patients across the region.

Working arrangements

The role is based at County Hall, Leicester, with hybrid working available. Regular travel throughout the East Midlands is required, including attendance at provider Trusts, Integrated Care Boards and regional meetings. The successful candidate must be able to travel independently across the region.

If you're an experienced improvement professional who enjoys leading change, influencing across complex systems and delivering measurable improvements, we'd love to hear from you.

Together, we'll transform cancer services and improve outcomes for patients across the East Midlands.

Person Specification

Knowledge, Training and Experience

• Degree level or equivalent knowledge and experience.


• Diploma level qualification or experience in specialist area

Communication and Relationship Skills

• Provide and receive highly complex/sensitive/contentious information where there maybe barriers to understanding that will need developed persuasion, negotiation, reassurance and empathy skills

Analytical and judgement skills

• Complex facts, situation that require analysis, interpretation and comparison to ensure compliance

Planning and organisational skills

• Plan and organise a broad range complex activities requiring formulation and adjustment. Facilitate collaborative working, implement new ways of working

Responsibilities for policy and service deployment implementation

• Lead on service development for specialist area. Lead on policy development for specific area that may have wider implications for working practices

Responsibilities for financial and physical resources

• Hold delegated budget for service area. Authorised signatory for expenses and small payments

Responsibilities for human resources

• Line manager for department. Manage the delivery of teaching and development interventions

Responsibilities for information resources

• Regularly Develops and maintains reports and documents pertaining to area of responsibility from numerous sources or use by various audiences

Responsibilities for research and development

• Undertakes surveys pertaining to own area of work

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.

University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust