Subject Access Request (SAR) Operational Manager
University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust
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Benefits offered by this job
Job summary
University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an experienced Subject Access Request (SAR) Operational Manager to lead the SAR service. The role ensures UK GDPR and Data Protection Act compliance while delivering timely disclosures to patients and stakeholders.
As Band 6, you will oversee performance, developpolicies, and manage a team of SAR officers and administrators across NHS sites in Worthing.
Qualifications
- Educated to degree level or equivalent experience.
- Relevant Information Governance, Data Protection or Management qualification, or willingness to work towards one.
- Experience within the NHS or healthcare environment.
- ISEB Practitioner Certificate in Data Protection or equivalent qualification.
- Knowledge of healthcare records management practices.
Responsibilities
- Lead the day-to-day operational management of the Subject Access Request service.
- Ensure all SARs are processed in accordance with UK GDPR, Data Protection Act 2018 and organisational policies.
- Monitor team performance to ensure statutory timescales and service standards are consistently achieved.
- Manage, support, and develop a team of SAR officers and administrators.
- Implement quality assurance processes to ensure the accuracy and completeness of disclosures.
- Produce and present performance reports, risk assessments, and service improvement plans.
- Develop and maintain strong working relationships with clinical services, corporate departments, and external stakeholders.
- Identify opportunities for process improvement, service transformation, and efficiency savings.
- Manage complex, sensitive, and high-risk information requests and provide expert guidance to staff and managers.
- Support organisational compliance and readiness for audits, investigations, and regulatory reviews.
Skills
Education
Tools
Job description
Main area Information Governance Grade Band 6 Contract Fixed term: 3 years (For internal staff this will be a secondment opportunity) Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week Job ref 279-8215271-AUG26
Employer University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Across all Trust sites Town Worthing Salary £39,959 - £48,117 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 23/08/2026 23:59
At UHSussex we’re proud to be at the heart of the NHS. As one of the UK’s largest acute trusts, we’re a leading example of the excellence, the ambition and the values that have embodied the NHS for over 70 years.
Our hard-working, talented and dedicated people work together towards a common goal – to deliver Excellent Care Everywhere for our patients, our people and our communities. Whatever your role here at UHSussex you will play a part in driving us forwards and in improving the lives of patients across Sussex.
At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us deliver Excellent Care Everywhere. Your uniqueness and experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of staff networks to help break down barriers, and can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 3) and a Veteran Aware Trust.
We value compassion, inclusion and respect as our core values . We treat our patients and staff with the same compassion and empathy we expect for ourselves. We’re here for them when they need us, and we go above and beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in our wellbeing programme for staff which is extensive and designed to support you when you need it, including where possible, flexible working to support work life balance - because we know that to look after others we must first look after ourselves.
As a university trust and a leader in healthcare research , we value learning, teaching and training so that we can be the best that we can be. From the moment you start with us and throughout your career we will help you to grow and develop. We hope that in choosing UHSussex you are choosing a long and happy career where you will be able to see the difference you make and feel valued for all that you do.
We are seeking an experienced and highly motivated Subject Access Request (SAR) Operational Manager to lead and manage the delivery of our Subject Access Request service. This is an exciting opportunity for an individual with strong operational management, information governance, and leadership skills to play a key role in ensuring compliance with data protection legislation while maintaining an excellent service for patients, service users, and stakeholders.
The successful candidate will be responsible for overseeing the end-to-end management of Subject Access Requests, ensuring statutory deadlines are met, service standards are maintained, and continuous improvement initiatives are delivered across the function.
What We Offer
- Opportunity to lead a high-profile and important service.
- Flexible working opportunities where operationally possible.
- NHS Pension Scheme (if applicable).
- Generous annual leave entitlement.
- Learning and development opportunities.
- Access to staff wellbeing support programmes.
Interviews week commencing 7 th and 14 th September 2026
As the Subject Access Request Operational Manager, you will provide operational leadership for a team responsible for processing requests made under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018.
You will work closely with clinical and non-clinical services, Information Governance, Digital teams, and senior stakeholders to ensure requests are managed efficiently, accurately and in line with legal requirements.
You will also lead on service performance, workforce planning, quality assurance, reporting and the development of policies and procedures that support best practice in records disclosure and information rights management.
Working for our organisation
At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always deliver Excellent Care Everywhere, as shown in our Outstanding for Caring CQC rating. Your uniqueness and experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of staff networks to help break down barriers, and can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 3) and a Veteran Aware Trust.
This vacancy is advertised as a time-limited opportunity is expected to be undertaken on a secondment basis for internal applicants. Before applying, internal colleagues must discuss the opportunity with their current line manager to confirm whether they can be released from their substantive role if successful. Release to undertake a secondment is not automatic and must be agreed between the colleague, their current line manager, and the recruiting line manager.
- Lead the day-to-day operational management of the Subject Access Request service.
- Ensure all SARs are processed in accordance with UK GDPR, Data Protection Act 2018 and organisational policies.
- Monitor team performance to ensure statutory timescales and service standards are consistently achieved.
- Manage, support, and develop a team of SAR officers and administrators.
- Implement quality assurance processes to ensure the accuracy and completeness of disclosures.
- Produce and present performance reports, risk assessments, and service improvement plans.
- Develop and maintain strong working relationships with clinical services, corporate departments, and external stakeholders.
- Identify opportunities for process improvement, service transformation, and efficiency savings.
- Manage complex, sensitive, and high-risk information requests and provide expert guidance to staff and managers.
- Support organisational compliance and readiness for audits, investigations, and regulatory reviews.
We are looking for someone who can demonstrate:
- Significant experience managing Subject Access Requests or Information Rights services.
- Experience leading and managing teams within a complex organisation.
- Strong understanding of UK GDPR, Data Protection Act 2018 and information governance requirements.
- Experience managing operational performance and service delivery against key targets.
- Experience handling complex and sensitive information disclosure matters.
- Excellent leadership and people management skills.
- Strong communication and stakeholder management abilities.
- Excellent organisational and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to analyse performance data and produce meaningful reports.
- Strong attention to detail and commitment to quality.
Qualifications
- Educated to degree level or equivalent experience.
- Relevant Information Governance, Data Protection or Management qualification, or willingness to work towards one.
- Experience within the NHS or healthcare environment.
- ISEB Practitioner Certificate in Data Protection or equivalent qualification.
- Knowledge of healthcare records management practices.
- Experience leading service improvement or transformation projects.
Please note: This role does not meet the minimum criteria for visa sponsorship under the current UK immigration rules, which set specific salary and skill thresholds. As such, we are unable to provide sponsorship for this post. Applicants will therefore need to already have the right to work in the UK to be considered. We include this information at the outset to provide clarity and avoid unnecessary inconvenience for applicants.
I f you are applying using a Graduate visa as your right to work, you must have a minimum of 18 months remaining on your visa at time of application.
- Degree or equivalent experience in working in a public authority
- Experience of being in an Information Governance and Data Privacy Role and knowledge of dealing with complex Information Governance and Data Privacy requests, enquires and complaints.
- Educated to Post graduate degree level in specialist area or applicable relevant knowledge and experience to post graduate level.
- Ability to provide excellent customer experience Knowledge of IT databases and computer systems.
- Comprehensive PC skills - databases, word-processing, email, Excel
- Understanding of hospital IT systems
- Knowledge of PAS or equivalent information system.
- Analytical skills and ability to problem solve by analysing, investigating and resolving complex legislative queries, issues and problems, where there is a range of potential solutions.
- Implements departmental policies within own work area, proposes changes to working practices as a result of new guidelines or legislation, / proposes changes to and redesigns statistical, information and local managerial policies, concepts and procedures which have an impact on other areas.
- Excellent telephone manner
- Knowledge of Trust procedures
- Able to work independently, with minimum supervision
- Proven ability to motivate staff and encourage teamwork
- Ability to coach and mentor others.
- Ability to effectively manage and supervise staff on a day-to-day basis
- To effectively performance manage staff. Ability to engage and influence staff within their area of responsibility.
- Demonstrate commitment to own continued professional development (CPD).
- Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues.
- Experience of creating and delivering training programmes with a wide range of stakeholders.
- Experience of writing policies, procedures, and material for use by the team/project or organisation.
- High level of understanding of the information governance and data protection privacy risks and impacts on patients, their relatives or representatives[CW
- Experience of managing operational delivery staff to ensure statutory and regulatory timeframes are met.
- Supervision and the development of staff Operational managing of a service on a day-to-day basis.
- Experience of managing the administrative function within a large complex organisation.
- Formal experience of performance managing staff including sickness, absence and conducting performance or capability investigations.
- Manage and carry out continuing responsibility for a caseload ensuring accurate, up to date records of contacts/action by completion of relevant records and compliance with the team.
- You will be expected to work on your own initiative, reporting to the IG Validation and Release Manager and Head of IG/Data Protection Officer.
- Works to achieve agreed objectives and is given freedom to do this working within broad professional or organisational policies
- Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role).
- Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues
Important information for applicants:
A Note on AI Use in Applications
We value the individuality and authenticity that each candidate brings to the application process. While AI tools are increasingly accessible, we strongly discourage their use in completing your application. Your responses should reflect your own voice, experiences, and motivations—elements that are essential to a fair and accurate evaluation.
Applications that rely heavily on AI-generated content may misrepresent your abilities and could result in your application being rejected. We encourage you to take the time to present your genuine self, as this helps us better understand your potential and ensures a transparent selection process.
Closing Adverts Early:
Some of our adverts are capped for a limited number of applications; therefore, the advert will close once the cap has been reached. We therefore encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible if you are interested in the position to prevent you from missing out on applying for the opportunity.
Flexible Working: If you would like to explore potential options regarding flexible working please speak with the appropriate recruiting/line manager.
DBS Checks: As part of our commitment to a safe working environment, we undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service check on all new employees where the role is eligible for a criminal record check . We make offers in line with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1975.
Skilled Worker Visa: Applications for Skilled Worker sponsorship are welcome for the roles that meet the Visa and Immigrations eligibility criteria. For further information please visit the gov.uk website searching for Skilled Worker. It is your responsibility as the applicant to ensure that you meet this criteria.
UHSussex reserves the right to close the role early if we receive a high volume of applications
Further Information
For help with the application process for Nursing vacancies, please email uhsussex.nursingteam@nhs.net.
For help with the application process for Non‑Nursing vacancies, please email uhsussex.nonnursingteam@nhs.net.
Name Heidi Doubtfire-Lynn Job title Head of IG & Data Protection Officer Email address heidi.doubtfire@nhs.net Telephone number 01903 205111 Additional information
Heidi Doubtfire-Lynn, Head of IG & Data Protection Officer, heidi.doubtfire@nhs.net
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