About this role
Job summary
The successful candidate must have demonstrable previous experience working within a theatre environment, with a strong understanding of theatre operations, utilisation, capacity planning, and the challenges of managing competing clinical and operational priorities. Experience in analysing and interpreting complex data to support service improvement, performance monitoring, and evidence-based decision-making is essential. The candidate should also have experience in line management, resource planning, and supporting financial and capital investment processes, including equipment bids and business cases. Excellent organisational, analytical, and communication skills are required, alongside the ability to work collaboratively with clinical and operational teams to maintain patient safety, improve efficiency, and support the effective delivery of theatre and outpatient services.
Main duties of the job
Main Duties and Responsibilities
- Provide operational management and oversight of theatre and outpatient services across WTWA, ensuring safe, effective, and efficient service delivery.
- Monitor theatre utilisation, capacity, productivity, and performance, identifying trends, risks, and opportunities for improvement.
- Collect, analyse, and interpret complex operational data to produce reports, dashboards, and performance information to support evidence-based decision-making.
- Work closely with clinical leads, theatre teams, and operational managers to improve patient flow, reduce cancellations, and maximise theatre utilisation.
- Provide line management, leadership, supervision, and support to relevant staff, promoting staff development, wellbeing, and accountability.
- Support the development of business cases, capital bids, and equipment replacement plans, ensuring investment proposals are supported by robust data and service needs.
- Monitor medical equipment requirements, maintenance, replacement priorities, and associated risks to support safe clinical services.
- Identify operational risks, implement improvement plans, and escalate issues that may affect patient safety, service capacity, or performance.
- Lead and support service improvement initiatives using performance data, audit findings.
- Manage competing priorities across theatres and outpatient services, ensuring resources are aligned with operational demands and patient care requirements.
About us
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) is a leading, integrated healthcare provider, the largest of its kind in specialist services, and our Oxford Road Campus in Manchester, the largest health academic campus in Europe, serving over 1 million people per year through our 10 hospitals and extensive community services. With a workforce of 30,000 plus, we are at the forefront of system leadership, innovation, and transformation across Greater Manchester.As a senior manager, you will play a critical role in shaping and delivering our strategic objectives. You will lead complex programmes, drive operational excellence, and influence Trust-wide transformation, working collaboratively with or through Executive and Clinical Leaders to deliver sustainable improvements for our patients, staff, and communities.
MFT offers a dynamic, inclusive environment where your leadership, vision, and expertise are valued. You will have the opportunity to lead high-impact projects, develop future talent, and contribute to a culture of continuous improvement, supported by advanced digital infrastructure and a commitment to professional development. Join us to make a lasting impact--help shape the future of our Trust, drive innovation, and deliver outstanding care for the people of Manchester, Trafford and beyond.
Job description
Job responsibilities
IMPORTANT CANDIDATE INFORMATION
To find out more about the key responsibilities and the specific skills and experience youll need for this role, take a look at the Job Description & Person Specification attachments under the Documents to download heading.
Explore Inside MFT Your Candidate Place
To help you feel confident, prepared and fully informed before you apply, we invite you to explore Inside MFT Your Candidate Place. This welcoming onestop hub gives you a real sense of who we are, what we stand for, how we reward and support you, and the many ways we care for you as you care for others. Youll also find practical hints and tips for submitting a great application, along with the essential information you need to know before you apply.
To access Inside MFT Your Candidate Place, simply click on the relevant PDF document under the Documents to download heading and once opened, you can either scan QR code or click on the link provided.
Closing vacancy listings early
We welcome applications from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences.To help us manage applications fairly and give each one the time it deserves, our adverts may close early if we receive a high level of interest. Early applications are therefore encouraged.
Diversity MattersMFT is committed to promoting equality of opportunity, celebrating and valuing diversity and eliminating any form of unlawful discrimination across our workforce, ensuring our people are truly representative of the communities we serve. All individuals regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation are encouraged to apply for this post. As an inclusive employer, we are here to support you. If you have any special requirements to help you with your application, please contact the manager named below.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in your application
Here at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, were proud to be ALL HERE FOR YOU, for our patients, our communities, and each other.As part of our commitment to fairness, transparency, and personal integrity, we ask all applicants to ensure that their job applications reflect their own experiences, skills, and motivations. While AI tools can support spelling, grammar, or formatting, we expect that the content of your application, especially personal statements and responses to role specific questions is written by you. This helps us get to know the real you and ensures that our recruitment process remains equitable and meaningful for everyone.
Thank you for helping us uphold the values that make our Trust a place where people belong, grow, and thrive. We look forward to receiving your application.
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
As part of our commitment to safeguarding patients and staff, many roles at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) require a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. This is a standard process across the NHS and helps us ensure a safe environment for everyone.
What is a DBS Check?
A DBS check is a background check that reveals any criminal convictions, cautions, reprimands, or warnings. The level of check required depends on the role:
Standard DBS: Checks for spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands, and final warnings.
Enhanced DBS: Includes the above, plus any additional information held by local police thats considered relevant to the role.
Enhanced with Barred Lists: Includes all of the above, plus checks against the childrens and/or adults barred lists.
Who Needs a DBS Check
Most roles involving direct patient contact, working with children or vulnerable adults, or access to sensitive information will require a DBS check. The job advert and recruitment team will let you know if this applies to your role.
The Costs for a DBS
At Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT), roles that require a DBS check are subject to a cost recovery policy. This means that the cost of submitting and processing a DBS application if you are successful and join us, will be deducted from your salary within the first three months of employment. If, however, you withdraw from a conditional offer after the DBS process has begun, you will still be liable for the cost incurred.
For more information about the cost of the various types of DBS, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/dbs-fees-are-changing-in-december
DBS Update Service
Candidates are also expected to register with the DBS Update Service which must be completed within 30 days of the certificate being issued. This helps streamline future employment checks and supports safer recruitment practices. For more information, please visit the DBS Update Service.
Person Specification
QUALIFICATIONS
Essential
- Graduate or or equivalent level of experience
- Managerial experience or qualification equivalent to post graduate diploma.
- Master's degree or equivalent experience.
Desirable
- Experience or qualification relating to specialty
KNOWLEDGE
Essential
- Knowledge of specific area acquired through a degree or equivalent experience or training.
- Highly specialist knowledge of managing within a NHS healthcare setting e.g. Finance, HR, project/programme management/change
- Highly detailed knowledge and experience of managing performance, capacity, demand and activity
- Knowledge of managing staff within a healthcare setting and significant experience of managing a Directorate.
- Knowledge and experience of project/programme management
TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE
Essential
- Proven experience of and demonstrable achievement in managing healthcare services
- Management of resources with a good track record with change management, efficiency savings and financial recovery plans
- Experience of developing and maintaining effective partnerships with internal and external stakeholders in the redesign of services
- Experience of project management and imaginative planning.
- Experience of modernising services without additional resources
- Experience of budget setting and managing multiple budgets.
- Experience of managing a diverse team
- Measurable track record in involving and motivating staff to improve performance
- Experience of successfully managing the implementation of change.
- Evidence of professional leadership, leading to innovation in practice
- Experience of identifying education and training needs of staff utilising
- Evidence of continuous professional development.
- Experience in clinical audit/benchmarking.
- Experienced in complaints management
Desirable
- Experience in workforce planning.
- Experience in setting establishments and using workforce toolkits including dependency tools.
- Experience in R&D
OTHERS
Essential
- Mobility to travel across sites.
- Can use constructive criticism and openly seeks to review and reflect on own style and presentation.
- Resilient and self-motivated with drive and vision, a can do attitude and is able to work on own initiative and manage a range of priorities against competing agendas.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Employer details
Employer name
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
Address
WTWA
SOUTHMOOR ROAD
MANCHESTER
M23 9LT
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://mft.nhs.uk/careers/ (Opens in a new tab)