Job summary
This is a unique opportunity for a motivated and organised leader to join the Acute & Crisis Mental Health Directorate leadership team in Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust. The post holder will report to the relevant Service Manager, and work alongside an established group of clinical, operational and administrative leaders to oversee a range of 24 hour clinical mental health services. The Directorate incorporates Crisis, HBPOS, Liaison and Inpatient services for working age adult and older people. The Service Improvement Operational Manager is responsible for ensuring the efficient and effective management of services. The role provides high-level professional and managerial leadership, offering expert advice, interpretation and guidance to support the delivery of high-quality, patient-focused care within available resources.
We encourage interested applicants to speak to Paul Beynon or Aisling Clifford to discuss the role.
Location: Services are located in multiple locations across Bromley, Bexley and Greenwich. The directorate office base is Pinewood House, Pinewood Pl, Dartford, Bexley DA2 7WG.
Main duties of the job
The role also requires the post holder to work collaboratively across the Directorate to maintain high standards of service delivery while responding effectively to operational pressures. This includes coordinating with internal teams and external partners to resolve issues quickly, ensuring that patient pathways remain safe, efficient and person-centred. By maintaining a strong presence across teams, the post holder will ensure that services remain aligned with Trust values and stakeholder expectations.
A key duty of the job is to provide consistent leadership that strengthens communication across the service. This involves keeping teams informed about strategic developments, performance expectations and organisational changes. The post holder is expected to support managers to implement service improvement initiatives, enabling continuous innovation and fostering a culture that embraces constructive change.
The post holder must also demonstrate strong analytical and problem-solving abilities to address operational challenges proactively. This includes interpreting performance data, identifying risks, and developing sustainable solutions to improve service quality. By ensuring compliance with policies and standards,the manager plays a key role in supporting safe, equitable and effective service delivery across multiple sites.
Additionally, the role involves fostering an environment where staff development and wellbeing are prioritised.
About us
Oxleas offers a wide range of NHS healthcare services to people in community and secure environment settings. Our services include community health care such as district nursing and speech and language therapy, care for people with learning disabilities and mental health care such as psychiatry, nursing and therapies. Our multidisciplinary teams look after people of all ages and we work in close partnership with other parts of the NHS, local councils and the voluntary sector and through our new provider collaboratives. Our 4,300 members of staff work in many different settings including hospitals, clinics, prisons, secure hospitals, children's centres, schools and people's homes.We have over 125 sites in a variety of locations in the South of England. In London we operate within the Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley Greenwich and into Kent. We manage hospital sites including Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup and Memorial Hospital, Woolwich, as well as the Bracton Centre, our medium secure unit for people with mental health needs. We are the largest NHS provider of prison health services providing healthcare to prisons within Devon, Dorset, Bristol, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, Kent and South London. We are proud of the care we provide and our people.
Our purpose is to improve lives by providing the best possible care to our patients and their families. This is strengthened by our new values:
* We're Kind
* We're Fair
* We Listen
* We Care
Details
Date posted
20 February 2026
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 8b
Salary
£70,396 to £80,837 a year pa inc
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-time, Flexible working, Home or remote working
Reference number
AAC
Job locations
Pinewood House
Pinewood Place
Dartford
DA2 7WG
Job description
Job responsibilities
Management Responsibilities
* Manage mental health services and staff within agreed budgets.
* Oversee staff supervision, appraisals and mandatory training.
* Lead recruitment, performance management and HR processes.
* Monitor performance targets, activity levels and quality standards.
* Maintain governance systems and produce regular performance reports.
* Ensure accurate and highquality patient and clinical record keeping.
Risk & Safety Responsibilities
* Oversee risk management and health & safety compliance.
* Ensure safeguarding procedures are followed.
* Lead complaint investigations and embed learning from incidents.
* Ensure infection control standards are consistently met.
Leadership Responsibilities
* Provide visible leadership across Acute and Crisis Services.
* Promote inclusive, patientcentred and communityresponsive services.
* Support development of service objectives, policies and business plans.
* Strengthen engagement with service users, carers and stakeholders.
* Drive service improvement, efficiency and innovation (e.g., reducing waiting times).
* Support senior leaders with service development, governance and planning.
Research Responsibilities
* Participate in research that supports service development.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Management Responsibilities
* Manage mental health services and staff within agreed budgets.
* Oversee staff supervision, appraisals and mandatory training.
* Lead recruitment, performance management and HR processes.
* Monitor performance targets, activity levels and quality standards.
* Maintain governance systems and produce regular performance reports.
* Ensure accurate and highquality patient and clinical record keeping.
Risk & Safety Responsibilities
* Oversee risk management and health & safety compliance.
* Ensure safeguarding procedures are followed.
* Lead complaint investigations and embed learning from incidents.
* Ensure infection control standards are consistently met.
Leadership Responsibilities
* Provide visible leadership across Acute and Crisis Services.
* Promote inclusive, patientcentred and communityresponsive services.
* Support development of service objectives, policies and business plans.
* Strengthen engagement with service users, carers and stakeholders.
* Drive service improvement, efficiency and innovation (e.g., reducing waiting times).
* Support senior leaders with service development, governance and planning.
Research Responsibilities
* Participate in research that supports service development.
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications
Essential
* Evidence of management & leadership development
Experience
Essential
* Management of resources (both people and financial) with a good track record of change management, efficiency savings & financial recovery plans
* Measurable track record in involving and motivating staff to improve performance
Skills & Knowledge
Essential
* Good performance management skills combining clarity around expectations, direction and holding others to account
* Good understanding of the political landscape and challenges in which health and social care operate
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications
Essential
* Evidence of management & leadership development
Experience
Essential
* Management of resources (both people and financial) with a good track record of change management, efficiency savings & financial recovery plans
* Measurable track record in involving and motivating staff to improve performance
Skills & Knowledge
Essential
* Good performance management skills combining clarity around expectations, direction and holding others to account
* Good understanding of the political landscape and challenges in which health and social care operate
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).
Additional information
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
Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Pinewood House
Pinewood Place
Dartford
DA2 7WG
Employer's website
(Opens in a new tab)
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Employer details
Employer name
Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Pinewood House
Pinewood Place
Dartford
DA2 7WG
Employer's website
(Opens in a new tab)
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