Service Manager - Specialist Children Health Services Unit

NHS National Services Scotland; Wishaw; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave 35 days

NHS pension

Incremental salary progression

Paid sick leave

NHS discounts

Job summary

NHS Lanarkshire is seeking an experienced service leader to drive delivery across defined localities and clinical areas. You will manage a wide range of professional disciplines, ensuring performance, resource use and strategic alignment with health priorities.

The role focuses on leadership, policy implementation, and partnership working within the Health & Social Care Partnership framework, with deputising duties for the Unit General Manager as required.

Qualifications

• Public service background in care delivery.
• Minimum of 5 years management experience with a proven track record.
• Educated to/working towards Masters Degree level or equivalent.
• Excellent leadership and interpersonal skills to support negotiation and collaboration.
• A driving licence is required; valid UK/EU/EEA.

Responsibilities

• Lead and provide operational management of staff within locality and possibly across the unit.
• Support care packages, attend case conferences and discuss service delivery.
• Ensure effective communication strategies to collaborate with partners and providers.
• Deputise for the Unit General Manager when required.

Skills

Public service background

5 years management

Leadership

Interpersonal skills

Driving licence (UK/EU/EEA)

Education

Masters degree or equivalent

Job description

About The Organisation

Here at NHS Lanarkshire, we put the patient at the heart of everything we do. Each colleague within the organisation plays a key role in how we deliver our healthcare services.

We proudly serve a population of 655,000 across rural and urban communities in both North and South Lanarkshire. NHS Lanarkshire is comprised of Acute Services (which currently provide hospital based services over 3 main sites), Corporate & Property & Support Services, North and South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnerships which provide integrated primary healthcare and social care services to local communities and surrounding areas.

The Role

The post holder is accountable for the direct delivery of services within defined geographical areas and/or clinical specialities. Plans and implements activities within own area of responsibility, this may be for a part of the organisation such as paediatrics, learning disability, forensic mental health etc. There is also responsibility for developing local policies for their delegated area and protocols for implementing NHSL policy within that area, taking into account impact on other parts of the organisation or other agencies.

To provide dynamic leadership in respect of service development within a locality and to be accountable at locality level for the operational management of a wide but defined range of professional disciplines taking responsibility for performance management, resource usage and activity. Also to be involved in the strategic management of services within the locality.

To manage, develop and direct services with the overall aim of improving health and reducing health inequalities in line with Scottish Government priorities and local need.

To lead in the implementation of the redesign and modernisation agenda for defined geographic areas and/or clinical specialities and to contribute to the wider redesign and modernisation agenda.

To contribute to the development and implementation of strategy across the Health & Social Care Partnership and NHSL including work with Partner Agencies.

To deputise as required for the Unit General Manager.

• Participate as a member of the Unit Management Team;
• Lead and provide effective operational management and leadership of a wide but defined range of staff within the Locality and possibly across the Unit, Health & Social Care Partnership and NHS Lanarkshire;
• Provide management support to challenging clinical areas and attend case conferences and meetings to discuss care packages and complaints.
• Ensure the development and maintenance of a range of effective communication strategies to support practice and develop working relationships with other service providers. These will be within the locality and across localities and will promote the partnership agenda and whole systems working

What You'll Bring:

• Public service background in care delivery.
• Minimum of 5 years management experience with a proven track record in the successful management of staff and other resources.
• Educated to/working towards/operating at Masters Degree level or equivalent*.
• Excellent leadership and interpersonal skills to support effective negotiation, influencing, involvement and encouragement.
• A driving licence is required; this must be a full UK/EU/EEA licence.

What we Offer

As a valued employee of NHS Lanarkshire, you can enjoy an extensive range of benefits including:

• Annual Leave - 35 days including public holidays
• Generous NHS pension scheme
• Annual incremental salary progression
• Paid sick leave increasing with length of service
• NHS discounts and more.

NHS Lanarkshire is dedicated to building a diverse workforce where everyone can thrive, develop, and succeed based on their skills, knowledge, and talent - regardless of race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, or care experience* or any other dimension that can be used to differentiate people from one another.

*Care experienced applicants include those who have lived with foster parents, kinship carers, or in residential/secure children’s settings.

For informal discussion, please contact Laura Jack, Service Improvement Manager on [e-mail]

If you have any questions about the recruitment process or require support with your application, contact Marion Bisset Recruitment Administrator on [e-mail]

AI tools like ChatGPT or Copilot can be great for planning and preparing your application, but your answers must be your own.

• Show us the real you: Your application should reflect your skills, experience, and motivations authentically.
• Use AI wisely: It’s fine to use AI for ideas or to check spelling and grammar, but don’t let it write your answers.
• Why this matters: Applications that rely on AI-generated content may be withdrawn. By applying, you confirm your responses are based on your own knowledge and achievements.

Tip: Think of AI as a helper, not a substitute. We want to understand you, not an AI tool.

Interested?

Full details about the role are provided in the attached Job Description and Person Specification.

Please review our Application Guidance which explain key information including closing dates, amendments, right‑to‑work requirements, sponsorship eligibility and important points to be aware of before submitting your application

You can also learn more about working with NHS Lanarkshire by viewing our Information Pack

Unless otherwise stated, the deadline for applications is 23:59 hours on the closing date. Please note, CVs will not be accepted.