Directorate General Manager - Surgical Services


Location
Salary
£66,582 - £77,368 per annum
Profession
General manager
Grade
Band 8
Deadline
29 Oct 2026
Contract Type
12 months (Fixed Term)
Posted Date
16 Oct 2026
Medical Protection — the side of locally employed doctors from £83

Job requirements

Essential

5 listed

Requirements the employer expects applicants to meet.

  • Experience

    Substantial line /general management experience within acute services, with responsibility for operational matters, including staff management, budgetary responsibility, performance targets, waiting list management, and discharge arrangements.

  • Experience

    Proven project management experience involving transformational change.

  • Qualifications

    Educated to degree level or equivalent

  • Qualifications

    Management/Leadership qualification or evidence of relevant experience

  • Qualifications

    Postgraduate diploma or equivalent

Desirable

4 listed

Additional qualities the employer would prefer.

  • Experience

    Proven experience of service development.

  • Experience

    Proven experience of change management ability

  • Experience

    Experience of working in Surgical Services

  • Qualifications

    Masters qualification or in process of obtaining.

Job overview

An exciting fixed-term maternity cover opportunity has arisen for a Directorate General Manager within Surgical Services, providing senior operational leadership across a diverse portfolio of specialties and helping to shape the continued development of high-quality, productive and well-led services.

We are looking for an experienced and dynamic operational leader who can drive performance, transformation and service improvement, while maintaining a strong grip on day-to-day delivery. The successful candidate will lead on key performance priorities including RTT, cancer and diagnostic standards, theatre productivity and utilisation, workforce, finance and governance, working closely with clinical and managerial teams to identify and resolve operational challenges.

This is a highly visible leadership role with the opportunity to influence both directorate and wider Trust priorities. You will lead service redesign and transformation, support delivery of financial and productivity improvements, develop strong clinical partnerships and contribute to strategic planning and future service development. The role would suit someone who enjoys working at pace, can manage competing priorities and wants the opportunity to make a tangible impact on both patient care and operational performance

Main duties of the job

With a strong focus on patient-centred care, the successful candidate will bring a proven track record of leading complex services, improving performance and delivering high-quality outcomes. You will work closely with clinical and multidisciplinary teams to tackle operational challenges and ensure services are safe, efficient and responsive.

The successful candidate will be expected to:

  • Provide senior operational leadership across the Directorate, making autonomous decisions and ensuring effective day-to-day delivery of services.
  • Maintain a strong grip on performance, including RTT, cancer, diagnostics, theatre utilisation and other Trust and national standards, taking early action where delivery is off track.
  • Lead transformation, service redesign and productivity improvement, identifying new ways of working that improve patient flow, quality and efficiency.
  • Troubleshoot complex operational issues, working with clinical and managerial colleagues to remove barriers and maintain safe, effective services.
  • Oversee workforce, financial and governance performance, including delivery of savings, effective use of resources and management of risk.
  • Build strong relationships across the Trust and with external partners, influencing change and contributing to wider strategic and service development priorities.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see attached Job Description and Person Specification for full details of what this role entails

Applicant requirements

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

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Applying for this NHS job

This advert is for Directorate General Manager - Surgical Services with Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust in Birmingham, England. It is listed as a Band 8 General manager role. The advertised salary is £66,582 - £77,368 per annum. The contract type is 12 months (Fixed Term). The application deadline is 29 Oct 2026.

Before you apply, compare the job description with the person specification and mirror the employer's essential criteria in your supporting information. Use the vacancy title, employer, location, salary, contract type, closing date and posted date (16 Oct 2026) to decide whether this role fits your current NHSjob search. If the employer can close applications early, prepare the application before the stated deadline rather than waiting for the final day.

For more context, review related Job Clerk pages for the same profession, band or location where they exist, then use the application-support guides to tailor your statement and prepare for interview.