Senior Surgery Manager

Optical Express Group; Greater London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

33 days annual Leave

Free Laser Eye Surgery

Free eye tests

Free prescription eyewear (£250 value)

Pension scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Wellbeing solutions

Job summary

Optical Express Group is recruiting a Senior Surgery Manager in London to lead ophthalmic surgical services and ensure outstanding patient care. You will oversee CQC regulatory compliance, drive governance, and coordinate multidisciplinary teams across Cataract and Laser Vision Correction services.

The role requires strategic leadership, operational excellence, and a strong focus on quality improvement, risk management, and stakeholder engagement within a private eye-care network.

Qualifications

• Leadership experience in ophthalmology settings and multi-disciplinary teams.
• Strong understanding of regulatory governance and patient safety.
• Excellent communication skills with stakeholders and clinical staff.
• Proven ability to drive service performance and improvements.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership across surgical services.
• Act as the CQC Registered Manager, ensuring regulatory compliance.
• Lead multidisciplinary teams to deliver high-quality patient care.
• Oversee Cataract and Laser Vision Correction services with safety and quality focus.
• Manage clinical governance, risk, audits and quality improvement initiatives.
• Drive service performance against KPIs and financial targets.

Skills

Leadership in ophthalmology

Regulatory governance

Strong communication

Stakeholder management

Staff development

Job description

Job Title: Senior Surgery Manager

Location: London

Salary: Commensurate with experience.

Optical Express is focused on delivering exceptional patient care, outstanding clinical outcomes and continued investment in our people and technology.

For over 35 years, millions of patients have trusted Optical Express with their eye care. As the UK’s leading private provider of laser eye, premium intraocular lens and cataract surgery, our Surgeons undertake more laser procedures collectively than any other provider. We look after thousands of patients in our clinics every week and it’s a privilege to transform the lives of so many.

The Optical Express team work together, collectively and consistently striving for excellence. We support each other, respect each other and are committed to a culture of care, trust and integrity.

The culture extends to our local communities, through our range of charitable and environmental projects. We focus on doing what is right for our patients, our colleagues, our local communities and our planet.

We are seeking an experienced and dynamic Senior Surgery Manager to lead and oversee our high-performing ophthalmic surgical services. This is an exciting opportunity for a proven healthcare leader with a strong background in Laser Vision Correction (LVC) and Cataract Surgery, combined with comprehensive knowledge of CQC regulations and governance requirements.

As Senior Surgery Manager you will be responsible for setting and maintaining world class surgical standards throughout our hospitals, you will ideally be will be a CQC Registered Manager or have demonstrable experience managing a regulated surgical service, ensuring exceptional patient outcomes, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence.

Due to the nature of the role you will be expected to travel regularly to our hospitals across the Midlands, London, Anglia and the South West.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership across surgical services.
• Act as the CQC Registered Manager, maintaining full compliance with all regulatory requirements.
• Lead multidisciplinary clinical and non-clinical teams to deliver outstanding patient care.
• Oversee the delivery of Cataract and Laser Vision Correction services, ensuring the highest standards of safety and quality.
• Manage clinical governance, risk management, audits, and quality improvement initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with CQC standards, policies, and healthcare legislation.
• Drive service performance against KPIs, patient satisfaction, and financial targets.
• Lead workforce planning, recruitment, training, and staff development.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and patient-centred care.
• Work closely with Consultant Ophthalmologists and senior stakeholders to optimise service delivery and patient outcomes.

Essential Requirements

• Previous experience as a Surgery Manager, Hospital Manager, or Theatre Manager within ophthalmology
• Strong background in LVC and Cataract surgery
• Proven experience of managing Multi Disciplinary teams in a surgery setting
• Excellent understanding of Clinical governance and HCC systems
• Must be a confident and effective communicator
• Have meticulous attention to detail
• Ability to drive operational performance whilst maintaining excellent patient care standards

A career at Optical Express is fulfilling, fun and rewarding. As an employee, you can benefit from the following

• State of the art, modern working environment
• 33 days annual Leave
• Free Laser Eye Surgery and Intraocular Lens Surgery
• Free eye tests
• Free prescription eye wear to a value of £250 and discounted sunglasses
• Generous Optical Express friends and family discount scheme
• Ongoing training and development opportunities
• Pension scheme
• Access to a range of exclusive offers, discounts and rewards
• Employee Assistance Programme and Wellbeing Solutions Support

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a global organisation where you will have the opportunity to grow and develop within a professional working environment.

Optical Express is an equal opportunities employer.