Job overview
Reporting to the Director of Operations the post holder will be an integral member of the Directorate Senior Leadership Team and will be fully accountable for the delivery of Directorates operational and financial performance. They will take a lead role in both shaping and delivering the Directorate strategy in conjunction with the Trust’s overall strategies and objectives to deliver SAFE, PERSONAL and EFFECTIVE CARE.
The Directorate Manager will work with the Clinical Director and Matron (or clinical lead) to drive operational performance and planning within the Directorates. The post holder will work closely with other Divisions, Corporate services and external partners to achieve Trust objectives and make a positive contribution to the provision of health services across the local economy.
Main duties of the job
Specifically, the Directorate Manager is accountable for:
· Functioning at a senior level within the Directorate leadership team, proactively leading and providing solutions to resolve complex operational issues, in accordance with agreed Divisional objectives, targets, quality standards and resource constraints.
· The postholder will have extensive leadership experience in driving the performance of teams and will possess personal qualities and skills to deal competently with complex issues in ensuring that policy is implemented, and performance managed within the Directorate.
· Leading the implementation of a patient-centered clinical strategy and operational plans, ensuring that systems and processes are in place to comply with relevant legislation and governance requirements, linking with external bodies such as commissioners about service developments, contracts and clinical care pathways whilst utilising the expertise and skills of the wider Divisional team. This includes accountability for the delivery of those clinical services within their scope of responsibility.
· As a lead member of the Directorate team, the Directorate Manager defines the strategic direction and policy setting for the Care Group.
Working for our organisation
· The Directorate Manager will be fully accountable for the Directorate budgets and will monitor the income for the Directorate alongside controlling all pay spend (to include bank/locum and agency staff costs and controls) and non-pay.
· Ensure achievement of the WRP target for the Directorate and represent the senior team at appropriate meetings to monitor financial performance.
· Deputise for the Director of Operations, where appropriate, including representing them at divisional level/sub-board level meetings.
· The post holder has line management responsibility for the Deputy Directorate Manager or equivalent admin staff and other identified direct reports specific to the Directorate they are working within, this may include some clinical and AHP lead roles too.
· The post holder may be asked to undertake project work across the Care Group and/or corporately. Directorate Managers may be asked to move/support another Directorate by the Director of Operations at any time as required with agreement from the Clinical Director.
· The Directorate Manager will lead on pulling together any improvement cases which will brief the Care Group Senior Leadership Team and Trust Executives on any background, risks and future solutions for improvements that are required within the Directorate.
· The Directorate Manager will work very closely with the senior team to manage the Directorates governance
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
MAIN DUTIES
1. Support the Senior Management Team of the Family & Community Care Group in the development of a compelling clinical strategy and service improvement initiatives within their service area.
2. Lead the multi-disciplinary team within the service area to deliver on the entirety of the Trust’s performance agenda including finance, activity, workforce and quality/safety, access and clinical governance.
3. Work with the Matron and Clinical Director (or equivalent clinical lead) to ensure standards of patient care are met and the quality of the patient experience within the service area is high.
4. Ensure effective leadership and line management arrangements are in place for all staff within the service area.
5. Adhere to the standards laid down in the NHS Code of Conduct for Managers and at all times act in a manner that reflects and promotes the values of the Trust.
6. Work closely with other colleagues within the service area to achieve improvements in the quality and efficiency of patient services.
7. Represent the Trust in external forums as appropriate to the role.
8. Actively seek opportunities to enhance the reputation of the Trust as a service provider and employer of choice, translating the Trust’s overall marketing strategy into specific actions for the service area.
9. Deputise for the Director of Operations for Family & Community Care Group as required.
10. Act as a positive role model to promote a professional and well-motivated workforce.
11. Develops and implements policies for medical services and adheres to national policies.
12. Deliver outpatient, diagnostic and inpatient pathways in line with the NHS constitutional standards.
13. Support the clinical team to deliver the highest standards of care that meets the need of local service users.
14. Achievement of all relevant national and local performance standards through the establishment of performance objectives for the service area.
15. Ensure activity and workforce reporting for the service area is accurate, timely, effective and contributes to the Care Groups financial profile.
16. Ensure service teams utilise available performance information to facilitate the monitoring of performance and identify opportunities for improvements, agreeing plans to improve service efficiency and quality.
17. Develop comprehensive business plans
18. Develop effective improvment case for any required developments as required
19. Facilitate regular communications with all members of the team to ensure all staff are aware of service issues and priorities so that they can input ideas and suggestions.
20. Develop effective partnerships within the Care Group, with other Division’s and corporate functions in order to deliver the Strategic and Operational priorities of the Trust.
21. Manage and monitor the financial position of the clinical area within the annual set budget.
22. Deliver against the cost improvement plan set for the Directorate
23. Ensure effective communication and staff involvement mechanism are in place in the service area.
24. To participate in the Senior Manager on Call Rota within the organisation and represent at the clinical flow meetings as indicated by the Care group rota.
Leadership
1. Lead, manage and motivate staff within the Directorate, ensuring that appropriate management structures, policies and practices are in place to achieve high levels of performance.
2. Provide leadership that promotes patients and users as partners in care and treatment.
3. Working with the Clinical Directors and matrons (or equivalent clinical leads), provide leadership to ensure that the clinical team is empowered to deliver agreed quality targets and standards.
4. Working with the Clinical Directors and matrons (or equivalent clinical leads), monitor the standard of service provision on the wards to improve the quality of patient care and safety in line with local/national guidelines.
5. Develop and sustain relationships, partnerships and networks to influence and improve health, outcomes and health care delivery for the locality.
6. Develop the leadership, managerial and business capability within the service area to bring about effective change.
7. Develop and maintain excellent relationships with external stakeholders.
8. Hold appropriate staff to account in the delivery of targets, the development and maintenance of high standards and ensuring that staff, patients, carers and the public are treated with dignity and respect
9. Model best practice behavior in line with the Trusts behavioral framework.
Service Development
1. Ensure the service continually improves to meet the needs of patients and improves the patient experience.
2. Identify opportunities to involve users in the development of services
3. Lead and encourage redesign of services and embed new ways of working which support patient care aims.
4. Maintain active involvement in planning and marketing of services.
5. Establish links with external agencies that will ensure the continued development of new ways of working and collaboration on key tasks within the health economy.
6. Responsible for planning and management of service improvement within the defined area.
Quality
1. Ensure all complaints and incidents are dealt with appropriately and within agreed time limits.
2. Ensure the clinical areas are conducive to learning and development for all trained staff and nursing/medical students.
Human Resource
1. Develop workforce and training plans for staff within the Directorates.
2. Promote the implementation of key HR initiatives / targets and HR policies / practices.
3. Develop strategies to achieve sickness and absence targets set for the Directorate.
4. Utilising the relevant HR policies and guidance manage performance of all Directorate staff
5. Lead on the investigation of complex disciplinary/poor performance issues, presenting to panel as required.
6. Performance manage teams / staff within the service area, including agreeing and monitoring activity, access, financial, workforce and quality/safety targets.
7. Review and monitor rostering arrangements to ensure the most effective and efficient use of staff.
8. Ensure all staff have timely yearly appraisal, objectives and personal development plans
9. Encourage staff to complete the annual survey and then act on the feedback for the Directorate.
Governance
1. Ensure that investigations, related written material and follow through of learning are all to a consistently high quality.
2. Expedite decision-making on matters relating to the patient and staff experience, escalating serious issues as appropriate.
3. Ensure health and safety of staff and patients by complying with appropriate standards. These include radiological protection, decontamination, COSHH, Medical Devices, Infection Control and the safe administration of medicines standards.
4. Ensure probity is maintained at all times.
5. Ensure that practice is informed by research, effectiveness and quality.
6. Perform role and responsibilities with due regard to all Trust Procedural and Policy documentation.
7. Ensure all aspects of risk are managed effectively with reference to current Health & Safety legislation.
8. Work with the Directorate senior team to ensure that all Trust policies and procedures are adhered.
9. Ensure that all activity and service objectives are effectively met in compliance with Trusts Standing Orders and Standing Financial Instructions
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
* Educated to Masters level or equivalent level of experience.
Desirable criteria
* Management qualification or equivalent relevant experience
Experience
Essential criteria
* Substantial experience of performance targets
* Experience in day to day operational management
* Leading change in a complex environment.
* Extensive budget management experience
* Business planning and development of business cases
* Extensive staff management experience
* Experience in achieving a range of complex performance and financial targets
* Experience of leading and working within multi-disciplinary teams including clinicians.
* Leading on capacity and demand planning.
Desirable criteria
* Involvement in NHS service development and reconfiguration.
* Working in a clinically led organisation.
Knowledge
Essential criteria
* Comprehensive knowledge of the performance agenda including the challenges, initiatives, outcomes, and targets.
* Knowledge and understanding of computerised financial, management, budgetary management, and workforce information systems
* Knowledge and understanding of governance arrangements and standards in the NHS and the wider health and social care economy
* Evidence of structured and professional career development.
* Understanding and appreciation of inclusion and diversity
* Demonstrable understanding of NHS policy and NHS Constitution
Skills and Aptitudes
Essential criteria
* Ability to lead and motivate a large team of staff including senior clinicians.
* Coaching & values led leadership style, encouraging engagement and empowerment amongst staff and stakeholders, and in developing high performing teams
* Basic IT skills
* A high level of communication skills, to include but not exclusively, mediation, negotiation, consultation, facilitation, presentation, training and coaching skills.
* Well-developed interpersonal skills to influence, inform, reconcile differences and resolve conflicts.
* Presentation and interpretive skills both in written and numerical form.
* Ability to prioritise work to competing timescales and targets.
* An ability to manage complex issues through a range of approaches to communication.
* Ability to deal with difficult and sensitive situations including decision making on competing pressures.
* Ability to influence others in a positive and assertive way to achieve results.
* Ability to work to precise timescales.
* Political awareness
* Ability to write effective business cases to enable decision making
* Analyse detailed data and information, including preparing responses to issues, weighing risks and forming judgements often within tight timescales
Personal
Essential criteria
* Demonstrable drive, commitment, and self-motivation.
* Resilient – able to deal effectively with stressful working environment without affecting performance.
* Imaginative and innovative in developing new ways of working in meeting patient care and service needs.
* Team player
* Consistently demonstrate Trust behaviors
* Hardworking
* Able to participate in on call, with access to transport