Overview
Directorate Support Manager – University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (279)
The closing date is 04 November 2025.
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the management team and help shape the future direction of travel for the Neurology, Stroke and Rehabilitation Directorate.
The role is multifaceted with the primary responsibility being the leadership of our administrative service across the Worthing and St Richard’s sites. This will include managing Band 4 Specialty Coordinators, overseeing outpatient clinics within the directorate and supporting waiting list management including RTT.
The role can be based at either Worthing or St Richard’s Hospital, but the successful candidate will be expected to be visible on both sites.
Main duties of the job
* Direct Line Management of our Band 4 Specialty Coordinators and to oversee their direct line management of our Band 3 and 2 Admin support staff (managing this where required and any bank admin staff). To include management of leave approval, rosters and all HR processes, acting as their first port of call.
* Manage and support the Directorate Administration processes.
* Manage the admin recruitment process from advertising to shortlisting, interviewing and appointing alongside the Operational Manager.
* Actively support the Directorate Patient Access Manager and Operational Managers in carrying out the Directorate waiting list validation to support delivery of the Trusts key performance targets.
* Actively support the Patient Access Manager and admin teams in reviewing Directorate outpatient waiting lists, clinics and capacity to ensure patients are booked in turn, clinics utilised and any capacity issues highlighted.
* Liaising with multi-disciplinary teams in the resolution of PALS concerns.
* Support the Directorate Management team in organising and supporting Directorate Board meetings where required.
* Ordering of non-clinical supplies for the Directorate teams based at Worthing and St Richard’s hospitals.
* Attend Divisional and Directorate meetings as required.
* Deputise for the Directorate Patient Access Manager when required.
Communication
* Develop and promote excellent working relationships and team-building skills within the Division and Directorate.
* To act as the first point of contact to our Directorate admin teams and all MDT admin service users, communicating punctually and effectively.
* To provide close support for admin team members where required.
* Actively support the Operational Manager in efficiently escalating and responding to all MDT Teams, actioning frequent requests with varying levels of complexity.
* Directly liaise with Outpatient Booking Teams to ensure clinic utilisation.
* To promote cross-cover within the Directorate admin teams and manage cover arrangements in the absence of admin team members, ensuring information escalated where appropriate.
* To act in accordance with Trust values and behaviours at all times.
* Organise and lead regular team meetings and huddles.
* Highlight directly to the Operational Manager any concerns regarding performance/delivery of the admin team/service.
Service Delivery and Improvement
* Prepare reports, analysing statistics i.e. weekly clinic utilisation, KPIs and RTT, highlighting any issues.
* Support the Operational Manager in all aspects of the Directorate admin service, risk management and governance activities.
* Advanced IT skills to be able to work autonomously and train admin team members on Trust IT systems.
* Support the delivery of performance targets, analysing and producing reports from various complex reporting systems.
* Manage and prioritise own workload and admin team workload, working autonomously to given timescales/targets.
* To have a detailed working knowledge of roles within the Directorate carried out by the admin teams, ensuring continuity of service during staff absence.
* Ensure all correspondence within the admin team is typed, signed off and presented within reasonable time frames, monitoring volumes.
* Manage rostering system, arranging regular 1-2-1s and Appraisals, ensuring staff mandatory training kept up to date, with any training needs identified/completed through PDP.
* Oversee and review admin teams electronic filing systems.
* Provide a flexible workforce and arrange for maximum admin team cross-cover covering leave periods.
* Share best practice and processes as updated.
* Undertake specific tasks/projects as requested by the Directorate General Manager or Operational Manager.
* Develop and update standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the admin teams.
* Actively involved in process mapping contributing towards service improvement.
* Propose change to practice and procedures for own and admin team areas, following and implementing guidelines/policies.
* Manage and maintain database and information systems, including inputting, collating and reporting on various complex data. i.e. clinic utilisation, PTLs and RTT.
* Collate reports for Directorate where required.
* Audit and evaluate own and admin data output to ensure quality, accuracy and consistency.
* Manage and maintain database and information systems, including inputting, collating and reporting on various complex data. i.e. clinic utilisation, PTLs and RTT.
* Collate reports for Directorate where required.
* Audit and evaluate own and admin data output to ensure quality, accuracy and consistency.
* Manage and monitor stationery levels and admin team equipment ordering/receiving, supporting the delivery of financial balance through best practice, resourcefulness and adhering to budgets set.
* Manage specific tasks/projects that contribute to service improvements aimed to deliver Patient First care.
People Management and Development
* Direct Line Management of our Band 4 Specialty Coordinators and to oversee their direct line management of our Band 3 and 2 Admin support staff (managing this where required and any bank admin staff). To include management of leave approval, rosters and all HR processes, mitigating any issues/risk promptly.
* Manage the admin recruitment process from advertising to shortlisting, interviewing and appointing.
* Manage admin team personal files, workload and staffing levels, including inducting and training of current and new admin team members.
* To complete workplace risk assessments.
* Management of admin team appraisals, performance, PDP objective setting/monitoring and 1-2-1s.
* Attend any continued development training to fulfil role and ensure mandatory training compliance of all admin staff in line with contracts.
* Support the Operational Manager with the development of an efficient and effective administration service and team, reviewing workforce planning and modernisation in line with current and future service demands.
* Promote staff engagement and satisfaction of an enabling culture that empowers and supports the Directorate to flourish and succeed.
* Manage change processes that lead to improved staff health and wellbeing.
* Manage staffing levels and workloads, recommending any adjustments to the Directorate General Manager.
* Provide appropriate support and advice to team members in line with Trust policies and procedures.
* Manage the admin recruitment process and staffing levels (incl. bank and overtime), adhering to the establishment and administration budget as directed by Operational Manager.
Patient Care Delivery
* Take prompt and professional action in liaising and responding to patient concerns, being proactive to minimise the risk of them escalating to formal complaints, seeking advice from Operational Manager where necessary.
* Maintain confidentiality in all sensitive aspects of the role.
* Monitor both urgent and routine patient wait times.
* Manage specific tasks/projects that contribute to service improvements aimed to deliver patient first care.
Learning and Development
* Attend mandatory training updates as required.
* Undertake training as necessary in line with the development of the post and as agreed with the line manager as part of the personal development process.
* Achieve and demonstrate agreed standards of personal and professional development within agreed timescales.
* Identify own learning needs and jointly plan training requirements with your line manager.
* Participate in the Trusts appraisal process to discuss how your role will help deliver the best possible care to our patients and help to deliver any changes in service.
Person Specification
Skills
* Innovative, with strong service focused approach, excellent communication, interpersonal, skills.
* Commitment and passion for customer focused service with the ability to embed such an ethos at all levels of the Directorate.
* Strong prioritisation skills with the ability to manage competing demands.
* Demonstrate attitudes and behaviours in support of the Trust's vision "We Care".
Qualifications
* Advanced/Higher Level/Vocational or Business and Administration qualification or equivalent experience
* Certificate in leadership or management.
* Understanding of the provision and delivery of health care services.
* Mentorship training and Lean management system knowledge.
People Management
* Ability to develop, build and maintain supportive and positive relationships within the team.
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
* Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles
* Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues
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 name
University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (279)
£31,049 to £37,796 a year per annum pro rata
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-time, Part-time, Job share, Flexible working, Home or remote working
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