Unit Manager | Maternity Unit

LIFE Healthcare Group; East London; On-site; ZAR 400 000 - 500 000; Full time

Job summary

A national healthcare provider is seeking a Unit Manager for their Maternity unit at Life Beacon Bay Hospital. The successful candidate will be responsible for managing clinical practices and resources to achieve high-quality patient care. Key responsibilities include leading nursing care plans, ensuring staff competence, and managing costs. Applicants need a nursing qualification and SANC registration, with leadership experience preferred. The role offers a chance to significantly impact patient outcomes in a supportive healthcare environment.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership and people management skills would be an advantage.
• Relevant experience in nursing to meet the critical outputs.
• Basic understanding of labour legislation and financial management principles.

Responsibilities

• Lead the implementation of the nursing care plan and coordinate treatment plans.
• Manage stock utilization and drive product management processes.
• Build and maintain productive relationships with stakeholders.

Skills

Problem-solving

Attention to detail

Professional and technical proficiency

Customer responsiveness

Building relationships

Education

Degree or Diploma in nursing with Midwifery or Advanced Midwifery

Current registration with SANC

Job description

Introduction

A vacancy exists for a Unit Manager for the Maternity unit based at Life Beacon Bay Hospital, reporting to Heather Purdon, Nursing Manager. The successful candidate will be responsible for managing and coordinating clinical practice and resources within the unit to achieve the company and hospital objectives of quality, growth and people.

Critical Outputs

Effective clinical leadership

• Lead the implementation of the nursing care plan and co-ordinate and facilitate the delivery of the correct treatment plan within the correct MDT program in order to achieve clinical outcomes.
• Function as clinical expert in achieving patient outcomes.
• Ensure competence of staff and students, determine and drive criteria for effective professional socialization, create an environment conducive to learning and provide feedback to relevant stakeholders.
• Promote customer satisfaction within unit, address customer complaints, conduct quality care rounds and clinical practice audits to monitor care levels and report accordingly.
• Implement national quality initiatives within unit with the focus on improved clinical outcomes and report accordingly.
• Identify clinical and safety risks and trends in all of the above, implement corrective action where necessary and monitor on an ongoing basis.
• Initiate and drive unit specific best operating practice, communicate these for wider implementation and participate in hospital specific marketing initiatives.

Effective leadership and people management

• Demonstrate visible leadership in respect of LHC values, operating model, Nursing strategy and image of the profession, actively sponsor LHC initiatives and projects to ensure continued and improved productivity.
• Drive and manage all people related processes within unit.

Effective financial management (including equipment)

• Participate in business planning and budgeting processes and manage nursing costs according to budget.
• Manage stock utilization and drive product management processes within unit together with relevant stakeholders.
• Ensure staff are trained on the operation of equipment within unit and together with relevant stakeholders ensure equipment is in working order to provide a safe patient environment.

Effective relationships with internal & external stakeholders

• Build and maintain productive relationships with internal and external stakeholders (i.e. HOD’s, Enabling functions, patients, family members, service providers etc.) through ongoing communication and feedback.
• Build and maintain productive relationships with doctors by agreeing professional code of conduct, driving and monitoring effective communication regarding positive patient outcomes, functioning as an advocate for LHC and communicate impact of industry challenges on the Nursing profession

Requirements

• Degree or Diploma in nursing with Midwifery or Advanced Midwifery
• Current registration with SANC
• Relevant experience in nursing to meet the critical outputs
• Proven leadership and people management skill would be an advantage
• Basic understanding of labour legislation, financial and chain management principles
• Understanding of the private healthcare industry, its challenges and role players would be an advantage
• Computer proficiency
• Driver’s license and ability to travel

Competencies

• Problem‑solving, analysis and judgement
• Attention to detail.
• Resilience
• Engaging diversity
• Professional and technical proficiency
• Excellence orientation
• Building relationships
• Customer responsiveness
• Organisational awareness
• Action orientation
• Ethical behaviour
• Motivating and developing people
• Lead by example

Email: [e-mail]

Closing date: Monday, December 22, 2025

Internal applicants - Before making an application, you are requested to discuss your application with your line manager. External candidates will also be considered.

Life Healthcare is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Thank you for your interest in this opportunity. Kindly note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Applicants who have not been contacted within two weeks of the closing date of this advert, should consider their application as unsuccessful.