Senior Operational Manager Sterile Services and Medical Engineering

SWFT Clinical Services Ltd; Warwick; On-site; GBP 58,000 - 68,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Pension scheme

Car lease scheme

Cycle to work

Discounts on leisure/travel

Job summary

SWFT Clinical Services Ltd. is seeking a Senior Operational Manager to lead Sterile Services and Medical Engineering across Warwick sites, ensuring safe, compliant and high-quality patient care.

The role requires strategic leadership, governance oversight, and effective management of budgets, procurement and multidisciplinary teams, with cross-site responsibility and a track record in healthcare leadership.

Qualifications

• Senior leadership experience in healthcare or large organisations.
• Background in healthcare, medical engineering, decontamination, estates or facilities.
• Budget control, governance and service improvement experience.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead operational management across EBME and Sterile Services.
• Oversee quality, compliance, governance and performance.
• Drive service improvement and value for money.
• Manage budgets, procurement and capital planning.
• Develop and support multidisciplinary teams.

Skills

Healthcare management

Budget management

Leadership

Communication

Education

Degree/Masters level qualification

Job description

Main area Sterile Services and Medical Engineering Grade Clinical services T&C's Contract Permanent: Clinical services T&C's Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week Job ref 203-SWFTCS288

Employer SWFT Clinical Services Ltd Employer type NHS Site Warwick Hospital Town Warwick Salary £58,176.60 - £67,747.20 Dependant on experience Salary period Yearly Closing 17/09/2026 23:59

Senior Operational Manager Sterile Services and Medical Engineering

Clinical services T&C's

Job overview

For your information sponsorship for this role is not available.

Senior Operational Manager

Sterile Services (HSDU) & Medical Engineering (EBME)

Location: Warwick Hospital, with cross-site responsibility across Warwick and George Eliot Hospitals

SWFT Clinical Services is looking for an ambitious, experienced Senior Operational Manager to help shape the future of Sterile Services and Medical Engineering. This is a high-impact leadership role at the heart of safe, effective healthcare delivery.

You’ll work with the Head of EBME and Sterile services to drive performance, standardisation, innovation and continuous improvement across two essential specialist services — helping ensure the right equipment, the right processes and the right standards are in place to support excellent patient care.

What you’ll do

• Lead operational management across EBME and Sterile Services.
• Oversee quality, compliance, governance and performance.
• Drive service improvement, innovation and value for money.
• Manage budgets, procurement, contracts and capital planning.
• Manage, support and develop multidisciplinary teams.

What we’re looking for

• We want a confident senior leader with:
• Strong healthcare or similar large organisation management experience.
• A background in healthcare, medical engineering, decontamination, estates or facilities.
• Proven skills in budget control, service improvement and governance.
• Excellent communication, influencing and relationship-building skills

Main duties of the job

To provide Senior Operational Management across South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust (SWFT) and George Eliot Hospital (GEH) for the safe, effective and compliant management of medical devices. Provide Senior Operational Management and the delivery of decontamination and sterile services for SWFT.

To ensure the provision of high-quality healthcare engineering and decontamination services that support clinical services across acute and community settings, ensuring compliance with national procurement frameworks, risk management standards, statutory regulations and best practice guidance.

To lead the development, alignment and continuous improvement of EBME and Sterile Services functions across South Warwickshire, promoting innovation, patient safety, operational efficiency and value for money.

Working for our organisation

SWFT Clinical Services is a wholly owned subsidiary of the South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust (SWFT). The company provides a number of services such as outpatient pharmacy facilities at Warwick, Stratford upon Avon, George Eliot, University Hospital of Coventry and Warwickshire and St Cross (Rugby) hospitals; estates and facilities management at Warwick, Stratford upon Avon and Ellen Badger hospitals, Acorn House and Lillington Health Hub; private patient service and consultancy services to NHS Trusts.

Subject to the Company and individual’s performance, an annual discretionary bonus will be awarded.

There is automatic enrolment to the Company pension scheme, with the Company contributing 5%.

A benefits package is available to the appointed candidate upon successful completion of the six month probationary period. This gives access to benefits such as a car lease scheme; Home & Electronics scheme; discounted leisure and travel; retail discounts and a cycle to work scheme.

There is also access to a 24/7, 365 days a year Employee Assistance Programme to support colleagues who may be facing some tough times or they need extra support with their mental well-being.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Key Result Areas:

Strategic Leadership and Service Development

Deliver highly developed planning, organisational and analytical expertise to ensure timely and effective delivery of high-quality services across SWFT and associated Trusts.

Work autonomously to anticipate and respond to emerging national policy, legislation and guidance, supporting the development of strategies, policies and procedures to support compliance with national standards and Trust objectives.

Align policies, strategies and operational best practices across sites to ensure standardisation and consistency of service delivery.

Support development and implement qualitative and quantitative performance measures to monitor compliance with Head of service strategies and national requirements.

Present performance updates, KPI reports and strategic recommendations at senior management forums, committees and Boards.

Ensure organisational strategies are effectively cascaded and implemented across all operational teams.

Promote innovation, service improvement and adoption of emerging healthcare technologies to enhance patient care and operational productivity.

Operational Management

Oversee and align operational activities across both EBME and Sterile Services departments, ensuring efficient allocation of resources and prioritisation of workloads.

Ensure effective management of medical device servicing, maintenance, repair and calibration activities in accordance with national standards and operational requirements.

Oversee the management and continual development of externally accredited quality systems, including ISO 13485:2016 and 9001:2015 compliance, ensuring all audits, corrective actions and non-conformities are appropriately managed

Ensure robust systems are in place for monitoring maintenance plans, project milestones, risks and operational performance.

Support and oversee equipment replacement programmes and medical equipment capital replacement planning across both Trusts.

Ensure all procurement activities relating to medical devices and sterile services are aligned across both Trusts, promoting standardisation and value for money.

Clinical and Technical Governance

Provide specialist scientific, technical and operational expertise relating to medical devices, sterile services and decontamination processes.

Advise clinical, scientific, technical and managerial staff on risks associated with medical devices and decontamination services, ensuring appropriate risk assessments and mitigation measures are implemented.

Develop detailed technical specifications, conduct product evaluations and provide evidence-based recommendations to clinicians and senior managers.

Represent both Trusts on relevant national safety networks and professional groups, including the National Medical Devices Safety Network.

Ensure full compliance with MHRA, NHS England and Central Alerting System (CAS) requirements relating to medical devices and decontamination standards.

Oversee the investigation and management of all medical device and sterile services safety incidents, ensuring robust investigations, corrective actions and reporting processes are completed.

Provide Trust-level assurance regarding the safe use, management and governance of medical devices and sterile services.

Continually review high-risk and complex medical devices and decontamination practices to ensure best practice standards are maintained.

Financial and Commercial Management

Hold budgetary responsibility for EBME and Sterile Services functions across both Trusts.

Monitor departmental expenditure and ensure services operate within agreed financial limits while maintaining high-quality standards.

Evaluate value for money in relation to equipment procurement, service contracts and operational delivery.

Support development and deliver annual cost improvement and efficiency programmes.

Ensure procurement and contract management activities align with contractual obligations, budgetary controls and service expectations.

Identify and implement opportunities for income generation and commercial service provision to external organisations where appropriate.

Lead initiatives to maximise joint Trust savings through collaborative procurement and service alignment.

Leadership and Workforce Development

Provide visible, effective and inspirational leadership to multidisciplinary healthcare engineering and sterile services teams.

Develop and maintain a highly skilled workforce through training, mentoring, succession planning and professional development.

Promote strong working relationships between EBME, Sterile Services, clinical teams and wider NHS professionals to support high-quality patient care.

Manage staff performance, conduct, welfare and development in accordance with Trust policies and procedures.

Lead on recruitment, appraisal, workforce planning and disciplinary processes as required.

Foster a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, collaboration and patient safety.

Communication and Stakeholder Management

Lead complex projects and present progress updates, risks and outcomes to a wide range of stakeholders including Executive Directors and external organisations.

Communicate highly complex, sensitive and technical information clearly and effectively to staff at all levels.

Influence and negotiate with senior stakeholders internally and externally to secure service improvements and strategic objectives.

Chair and oversee relevant operational and governance groups, including the Medical Devices Group.

Promote and disseminate best practice methodologies, standards and procedures throughout both Trusts.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Degree/Masters level qualification in a relevant area to this role and/or a long term equivalent level of senior management experience in a related field
• Must have in-depth professional specialist knowledge across multiple disciplines acquired through training and experience over a significant period
• Member of professional body or equivalent to fulfil lead professional roles, Good standard of education including good literacy and numeracy skills

Experience

• Significant proven and demonstrated experience at a senior level within Healthcare or similar environment for a minimum of 5 years. Experience of operational and technical interpretation, negotiation and service development across a range of service functions including Facilities, Estates, Medical Engineering and Sterile Services.
• Experience of implementing corporate systems, policies and procedures and ensuring organisation wide compliance
• Experience of reporting to/working with Corporate Management Team(s) and Boards or Committees on a regular basis
• Proven experience and track record of commercial activities; identifying developing and realising business growth opportunities
• Successful experience in leading and managing transformational change in the workplace, including services redesign to review and improve service delivery and policy development
• Specialist knowledge over more than one Services function and proven freedom to act and make decisions at a senior level on behalf of the organisation
• Providing board-level advice and guidance on service management strategic and operational issues including Risk management and regulatory compliance.
• Experienced in monitoring highly complex contracts and projects and auditing and compiling corporate documentation and reports
• Successful track record of effective people management including possessing excellent leadership qualities, staff engagement and development and performance management to deliver goals and targets
• High level budget management, with extensive revenue, pay and non-pay budget experience within large complex environments, including the delivery of cost improvement programmes, forecasting and financial expertise
• Understanding of clinical services, health services design guidance, health service procurement guidance and regulatory standards

Skills

• Ability to evidence/demonstrate key values and behaviours in line with the Organisational framework
• Progresive Diverse Supportive
• Extensive evidence of a collaborative and inclusive leadership style with a strong emphasis on employee engagement
• Skilled at analysing and presenting highly complex and contentious data at executive level
• Skilled at handling complex external relationships with commercial providers which will include challenging where appropriate, areas which impact on service quality
• Skilled at managing multiple projects and services simultaneously with conflicting priorities to ensure service delivery and deadlines are met
• Advanced interpersonal skills including proven ability to work as an individual level or in groups comprised of a variety of stakeholders
• The ability to assimilate and analyses highly complex and sometimes contentious information and to present at executives forums
• Able to think analytically, anticipating obstacles and thinking ahead, using analytical techniques to identify options and solutions
• Able to work independently where required or as a team and to provide expert advice in matters relating Service line management
• Computer skills with the significant proficiency in the use of MS office packages and other IT systems including broad knowledge of database systems

Personal Qualities

• Can demonstrate initiative, creativity, flexibility and a personal ethos of continuous improvement
• Able to significantly influence others without any direct authority
• Effective interpersonal skills, including the ability to actively listen, analyse, interpret and report complex data and promote discussion of views
• Excellent written and oral presentation skills and bale to effectively articulate a coherent vision to motivate others
• Knowledge of NHS procedures including standing financial instructions
• Recognises how their role contributes to the care of patients and others
• Ability to prioritise
• Self-motivate
• Can demonstrate evidence of Trust values

Other

• Ability to fulfil the travel requirements of the role
• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends
• To be part of the Trusts Manager On-call team

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.