Operations Lead @ Milton Keynes Urgent Care Services

Job summary

The Operations Lead makes sure MKUCS runs smoothly day to day and keeps improving. The role is part of the Senior Management Team and covers operations, workforce and rotas, HR, systems, technology, premises and business continuity.

MKUCS is a small organisation, so this is a practical, hands-on role. The post holder must be willing to carry out routine administration and day-to-day operational tasks, solve problems directly and provide cross-cover for colleagues when needed.

The post holder must also be willing to carry out 24/7 on-call manager role, on a rotational basis.

TO APPLY PLEASE SEND YOUR CV TO IMOGEN BROWN at [email protected]

Main duties of the job

The post holder is responsible for making sure the full HR function is delivered. They will manage the external HR provider, use its specialist advice when needed and make sure HR work is completed properly, consistently and on time.

The role will find practical ways to improve how we work. This includes simplifying processes, introducing useful new technology, managing projects, helping staff adapt to change and activity, demand management and reporting.

About us

Milton Keynes Urgent Care Services, situated on the Milton Keynes Hospital site, provides walk-in minor injury and illness services as well as the GP out of hours service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We are a Community Interest Company, proud of the reputation we have developed for working closely with the local healthcare community to provide safe and effective care.

For the right candidate we can offer a friendly and supportive working environment, competitive employment package including access to the NHS pension scheme and opportunities for learning and development.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Main duties and responsibilities

Day-to-day operations

Take the lead on day-to-day operations and make sure agreed service standards and performance measures are met.

Keep simple and reliable systems for checking performance, staffing, capacity, risks and improvement actions.

Prepare and update service development plans with clear actions, owners and deadlines.

Keep operational policies and working instructions up to date and make sure staff understand them.

Support capacity and contingency planning so services can continue during busy periods or disruption.

Deal with practical problems directly, keep clear records and escalate significant concerns promptly.

Provide short, clear reports to the Director of Finance, Executive Team, Board or committees as required.

Activity, demand management and reporting

Monitor service activity and demand each day, identify pressure points and take practical action to support safe and timely service delivery.

Produce accurate and timely daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and ad-hoc activity and performance reports, including agreed key performance indicators.

Check the quality and completeness of activity data, investigate unexpected results and work with colleagues to correct issues at source.

Compare demand, activity, staffing and performance to identify trends, recurring pressures, seasonal patterns and areas where performance could improve.

Provide clear analysis and practical insights to the Executive Team, Board, commissioners and operational meetings as required.

Use activity and demand information to support workforce planning, rota design and decisions about shift patterns, staffing levels and skill mix.

Plan ahead for known peaks in demand, including bank holidays, winter pressures, seasonal changes and other service pressures.

Recommend and implement agreed changes to staffing or operational processes where this is needed to improve performance or respond to demand.

Monitor the impact of changes and report whether they have improved capacity, performance, patient experience or value for money.

Maintain clear records of performance issues, agreed actions, responsible owners and timescales, and follow actions through to completion.

Workforce and rota management

Take overall responsibility for workforce and rota management, working closely with the Operations Manager and clinical leads.

Oversee the rota day to day and make sure shifts are filled with staff who have the right skills, training and authority to work.

Respond promptly to gaps caused by sickness, leave, changes in demand or other pressures. Escalate risks where safe cover cannot be secured.

Maintain accurate staff, shift, availability and leave information in RotaMaster and make sure changes are entered promptly.

Act as the main organisational contact for the external RotaMaster supplier, raise system issues, coordinate changes and make sure supplier support is effective.

Make sure RotaMaster is used consistently, staff have suitable access and training, and data is accurate, secure and suitable for reporting and payroll.

Plan rotas well in advance so normal demand, known peaks, seasonal pressures, bank holidays and staff leave can be covered safely and affordably.

Use activity, demand and workforce information to identify future staffing needs and recommend changes to shift patterns, workforce capacity or recruitment plans.

Monitor temporary, bank and additional staffing, balancing safe cover, staff wellbeing and cost.

Provide hands-on support with rota administration and staff communications, including cross-cover during leave or periods of pressure.

Human resources

Take overall responsibility for making sure the full HR function is delivered effectively. The external HR provider will give specialist advice, complex case support, legal updates and agreed services, but the post holder remains responsible for making sure work is completed.

Act as the main contact for the external HR provider, agree priorities, monitor response times and quality, and follow up actions.

Keep a clear written agreement showing what MKUCS will do and what the external provider will do.

Manage the full employment journey, including recruitment, checks, contracts, induction, probation, attendance, performance, conduct, family leave, flexible working, wellbeing, training, organisational change and leaving employment.

Make sure contracts, letters and changes to terms are accurate, approved and legally compliant, using specialist advice when needed.

Keep HR policies, templates and manager guidance up to date and make sure they are applied fairly and consistently.

Give practical day-to-day HR guidance. Refer complex or high-risk issues to the external HR provider and make sure agreed advice is acted on.

Coordinate employee-relations cases, including grievance, disciplinary, capability and sickness absence.

Keep secure and accurate staff records that meet legal, data protection and CQC requirements.

Monitor right-to-work checks, recruitment checks, professional registration, training, probation and appraisal dates.

Prepare useful workforce reports covering vacancies, turnover, absence, employee-relations cases, training and workforce risks.

Make sure payroll changes are authorised and sent to finance or payroll accurately and on time.

Promote equality, inclusion, staff wellbeing and a positive working culture.

Monitor the external HR providers quality, costs, case volumes and recurring issues, and review whether the service remains suitable.

Line management and team support

Line-manage the Operations Manager and Senior Administrator, set clear objectives and make sure responsibilities are understood.

Hold regular one-to-one meetings, appraisals and probation reviews, and support staff development.

Manage attendance, performance, conduct and wellbeing fairly and promptly, using external HR advice when needed.

Plan workloads and cover, and support the team through pressure and change.

Work as part of the team and provide practical cross-cover for colleagues when needed.

Innovation and process improvement

Maintain a practical list of improvement ideas and agree priorities that support service needs.

Work with staff to understand current processes, remove unnecessary steps and design simpler, safer ways of working.

Clearly define problems, test changes on a suitable scale, measure the results and make successful changes part of normal working.

Prepare clear options and short business cases covering benefits, costs, staffing, safety, information governance and business continuity.

Invite improvement ideas from staff and service users and give clear feedback on what will happen next.

New technology and IT

Identify technology that could improve access, productivity, patient or staff experience, data quality or resilience.

Lead approved technology projects, including requirements, supplier contact, testing, training, launch and review.

Make sure new systems are safe, secure, affordable and suitable for the service before they go live.

Ensure MKUCS has suitable IT equipment, Microsoft 365, clinical systems and business systems.

Act as the senior contact for IT support and system suppliers and follow up recurring or service-affecting problems.

Maintain suitable knowledge of SystmOne and work with clinical users and system advisers to improve workflows.

Keep oversight of licences, user access, email capacity, equipment and renewals.

Change and project management

Manage operational, digital, workforce and improvement projects from start to finish.

Use clear project plans covering actions, deadlines, owners, costs, risks, communications, training and expected benefits.

Explain what is changing and why, involve staff early, listen to concerns and provide practical support.

Make sure staff are trained before new systems or processes go live.

Health and safety

Own and regularly review the Health and Safety Policy and make sure staff understand their responsibilities.

Monitor compliance with health and safety and fire-safety requirements and escalate gaps.

Keep COSHH, workstation, maternity and other required risk assessments up to date.

Coordinate RIDDOR reporting where required.

Own the Waste Management Policy and monitor safe waste management.

Keep clear risk assessments, training records and action plans.

Estates and facilities

Make sure premises and facilities are safe, secure, fit for purpose and able to support the service.

Work with the landlord, NHS partners, acute trust and contractors to resolve issues.

Keep track of repairs, maintenance, access, cleaning, security and other facilities matters.

Record and escalate estates risks and put contingency arrangements in place where needed.

Emergency planning and business continuity

Act as the Emergency Planning Officer and lead EPRR and business-continuity arrangements.

Own, update and test the Business Resilience Policy and plans.

Make sure staff understand the plans and their responsibilities.

Attend relevant internal and external meetings and provide reports as required.

Lead debriefs after exercises or incidents and follow improvement actions through to completion.

Finance, purchasing and suppliers

Manage delegated budgets and resources carefully.

Support purchasing and contract management for HR, IT, estates and operational services.

Monitor supplier costs, service levels and delivery, and escalate significant concerns.

Contribute practical information on costs, benefits, risks and implementation when investment decisions are being made.

General responsibilities

Work within MKUCS policies, agreed authority and relevant legal, regulatory and contractual requirements.

Keep personal, clinical, employment and commercial information confidential.

Promote equality, inclusion and respect.

Carry out other reasonable duties at a similar level. In a small team, this includes routine administration, practical day-to-day tasks and cross-cover for colleagues when needed.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree-level education or equivalent knowledge and experience in operations, HR, workforce management, technology or service improvement.

Desirable

• Relevant professional qualification in HR, management, projects, improvement or digital change.

Knowledge

Essential

• Good working knowledge of operations, HR, rota management, process improvement, projects, change and digital systems.
• Understanding of employment responsibilities and when specialist HR or legal advice is needed.

Desirable

• Knowledge of NHS urgent care, CQC requirements, SystmOne, RotaMaster, EPRR and health and safety.

Experience

Essential

• Significant experience in operations, business management, service improvement or transformation.
• Experience of coordinating a broad range of HR work and/or working with an external HR provider.
• Experience of planning rotas, filling shifts and planning workforce capacity to meet demand.
• Experience of improving processes, introducing technology or leading organisational change.
• Experience of line-managing staff and supporting performance and development.

Desirable

• Experience in the NHS, primary care, urgent care or an NHS-commissioned provider.

Skills and Abilities

Essential

• Able to turn operational problems into practical solutions.
• Well organised, able to manage competing priorities and follows actions through.
• Able to redesign processes, compare options and measure results.
• Confident using Microsoft 365, clinical systems and workforce or rota systems.
• Clear written and verbal communication.
• Able to lead change and support staff through new ways of working.
• Able to manage confidential matters and know when specialist advice is needed.
• Able to manage external providers and hold them to account.

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Practical, dependable and willing to get involved directly in administration and day-to-day tasks, rather than only managing from a distance.
• Works well in a small team, supports colleagues and provides cross-cover when needed.
• Curious and improvement-minded while keeping a strong focus on safety and good governance.
• Calm and able to prioritise in a changing environment.
• Committed to high-quality, patient-centred services and a positive staff experience.
• Flexible to support operational needs outside normal working hours where reasonably required.

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Milton Keynes Urgent Care Services

Address

Milton Keynes Univ Hospital Campus

Standing Way, Eaglestone

Milton Keynes

MK6 5NG

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.miltonkeynesurgentcare.com/ (Opens in a new tab)