Team Leader - Sterile Services

Cambridge University Hospitals; Cambridge; Remote; GBP 28,000 - 31,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

On-site facilities

Staff travel benefits

Parking subsidy

Staff nurseries

Job summary

The Sterile Services Department at CUH NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an experienced Team Leader to supervise daily decontamination activities and lead a team of 15–20 staff. You will ensure compliance with national standards, quality systems and manufacturer instructions, while supporting staff development and delivering a high-quality service for patients and clinical users.

The role is based at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge with flexible working options.

Qualifications

• Trained technician and demonstrate competence in Sterile Services Practice.
• GCSE English and Maths at minimum.
• Confident user of Microsoft Office software.
• Evidence of further education.
• Course in supervision/1st line management completed.

Responsibilities

• Supervising staff within decontamination areas to ensure duties are performed to the required standard.
• Allocating, monitoring, and prioritising workloads to meet service demands.
• Supporting staff performance, attendance, and conduct, escalating issues appropriately.
• Ensuring compliance with decontamination procedures, manufacturer's instructions, and quality systems.
• Monitoring equipment performance, stock levels, and documentation, including tracking and traceability records.
• Supporting training, induction, and ongoing development of staff.

Skills

Team leadership

Decontamination knowledge

Quality systems knowledge

IT literacy

Sterile Services experience

Education

GCSE English & Maths

Supervision/1st line management course

Tools

Microsoft Office

Electronic database systems

Job description

Main area Team Leader - Sterile Services Grade NHS AfC: Band 4 Contract Permanent Hours

• Full time
• Part time
• Flexible working

37.5 hours per week (Full Time or Part Time / Flexible working hours may be considered) Job ref 180-F-CVA1175

Employer Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Addenbrookes Hospital-Division A Town Cambridge Salary £28,392 - £31,157 per annum pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 04/10/2026 23:59 Interview date 13/10/2026

Job overview

The Sterile Services Department at CUH is seeking an experienced Team Leader to support the day-to-day supervision of decontamination services.

This role involves leading and supporting a team of approximately 15-20 staff, ensuring all decontamination activities are carried out in line with national legislation, local policies, and quality standards. You will play a key role in maintaining service delivery, supporting staff development, and ensuring a high-quality service for patients and clinical users.

Main duties of the job

Key responsibilities include:

Supervising staff within decontamination areas to ensure duties are performed to the required standard

Allocating, monitoring, and prioritising workloads to meet service demands

Supporting staff performance, attendance, and conduct, escalating issues appropriately

Ensuring compliance with decontamination procedures, manufacturer's instructions, and quality systems

Monitoring equipment performance, stock levels, and documentation, including tracking and traceability records

Supporting training, induction, and ongoing development of staff

You will demonstrate:

Sound knowledge of decontamination processes and practices

Experience / Knowledge on operating washer disinfectors and Sterilisers

Experience / Knowledge on working within a quality management system (e.g. ISO standards)

Strong organisational, communication, and leadership skills

Good literacy, numeracy, and basic IT skills (experience with electronic tracking systems is desirable)

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Sterile Services technician or supervisor looking to develop their leadership skills within a specialist clinical support service.

Working for our organisation

Our Trust

Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust comprises Addenbrooke's Hospital and the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge. With over 13,000 staff and over 1100 beds the priorities of the Trust focus on a quality service which is all about people - patients, staff and partners. Recognised as providing 'outstanding' care to our patients and rated 'Good' overall by the Care Quality Commissioner, is testament to the skill and dedication of the people who work here. CUH's values - Together - Safe, Kind, Excellent - are at the heart of patient care, defining the way all staff work and behave. The Trust provides accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge, together with specialist services, dealing with rare or complex conditions for a regional, national and international population.

CUH is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where we can all be ourselves. We value our differences and fully advocate and support an inclusive working environment where every individual can fulfil their potential. We want to ensure our people are truly representative of all the communities that we serve. We welcome applications for all positions in the organisation irrespective of people's age, disability, ethnicity, race, nationality, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity status or social economic background.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.

As per Home Office guidelines, please be aware that, unfortunately, the Trust is unable to offer sponsorship for this particular position.

As there is a 12-week probationary period, successful candidates are expected to have the Right to Work for a period of at least 6 months from the proposed start date. Immigration and Right to Work status will be discussed with successful candidates at conditional offer. CUH will not offer sponsorship to candidates that have applied for a fee waiver.

Due to Home Office immigration rules, a full time permanent vacancy cannot be filled by individuals on a Student visa. Therefore, please be advised that if you are a Student visa holder, we will not be able to offer you a full time permanent contract unless you have:

• applied for a Graduate visa
• or you will have successfully completed your course and have applied for a Graduate visa before the anticipated start date of your employment
• or the Trust has agreed that they will Sponsor you as a Skilled Worker and you will complete your studies within 3 months of the anticipated start date of employment

This vacancy will close at midnight on 4th October 2026

Interviews are due to be held on 13th October 2026

Benefits to you

At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.

On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only café, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.

CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times.

Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.

We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Trained technician and able to demonstrate competence in Sterile Services Practice
• English and Math at GCSE level or equivalent
• Confident user of Microsoft Office software
• Evidence of further education
• Completion of a course in supervision/1st line management

Experience

• Experience of working in a Sterile Services or a production environment
• Experience of team leading
• Experience of record keeping where a high level of accuracy is required
• Experience of planning, prioritising and organising tasks
• Experience of using an electronic database

Skills

• Able to work on own initiative without regular supervision
• Ability to train and develop others in all areas of Sterile Services
• The ability to resolve complex problems

Additional Requirements

• The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of Safe, Kind, Excellent.

Knowledge

• Understanding of decontamination process and practice including sterilisation methods
• Knowledge of quality systems and procedures
• Understanding of confidentiality and data protection

Employer certification / accreditation badges