Job overview
Directorate Manager – Cancer Services
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and motivated Directorate Manager – Cancer Services to join the Surgery and Anaesthetics Division at ELHT. This key leadership role will drive the delivery of high-quality cancer services, ensuring compliance with national cancer standards, effective governance, and continuous improvement in patient outcomes and experience.
Working alongside the Clinical Director for Cancer Services and Lead Cancer Nurse/Matron, the post holder will form part of the Cancer Leadership Triumvirate, providing strategic and operational leadership across Cancer Services.
The successful candidate will lead on cancer performance, pathway delivery, workforce, finance, governance and implementation of the Trust Cancer Action Plan, working closely with clinical teams and system partners to improve pathways and reduce delays.
We are seeking an inspirational leader with a proven track record of operational management, service improvement and delivering performance within a complex healthcare environment. Strong communication, stakeholder engagement and people management skills are essential, alongside the ability to influence, collaborate and lead change across organisational boundaries.
Main duties of the job
The Cancer Manager provides strategic and operational leadership for Cancer Services, ensuring delivery of national cancer standards, effective pathway management, robust governance and continuous improvement in patient outcomes and experience.
Key responsibilities include:
- Leading cancer performance, pathway delivery and achievement of national cancer waiting time standards.
- Working with the Clinical Director and Lead Cancer Nurse/Matron as part of the Cancer Leadership Triumvirate to deliver safe, effective and patient-centred care.
- Providing leadership and line management across Cancer Services, supporting staff development and high performance.
- Leading service improvement, transformation and delivery of the Trust Cancer Action Plan.
- Ensuring effective governance, quality assurance, performance reporting and risk management arrangements are in place.
- Developing productive relationships with clinical teams, the Cancer Alliance and wider system partners to improve cancer pathways and patient outcomes.
The post holder will uphold Trust values and the NHS Code of Conduct for Managers, promoting collaborative working to enhance the quality, efficiency and sustainability of cancer services.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
- Ensure activity and workforce reporting for the service area is accurate, timely, effective and contributes to the SAS Care Group's financial profile.
- 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.
- Develop comprehensive business plans
- Develop effective business case for any required developments as required
- 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.
- Develop effective partnerships within the SAS Care Group, with other Care Group and corporate functions in order to deliver the Strategic and Operational priorities of the Trust.
- Manage and monitor the financial position of the clinical area within the annual set budget.
- Ensure effective communication and staff involvement mechanism are in place in the service area.
- To participate in the Senior Manager on Call Rota within the organisation
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.
Person specification
General
Essential
- Substantial experience of managing performance targets
- Experience in day to day operational management
- Extensive budget management experience
- Ability to lead and motivate a large team of staff including senior clinicians.
- Business planning and development of business cases
- Understanding and appreciation of inclusion and diversity
- Demonstrable understanding of NHS policy and NHS Constitution
- Involvement in NHS service development and reconfiguration.
Qualifications
Essential
- GCSE Level 4 or above in English and Maths or equivalent
- Degree in relevant healthcare/management subject OR equivalent experience
Desirable
- Management /leadership qualification
- Educated to master’s level
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Directorate Manager - Cancer Services with East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust in Royal Blackburn Hospital. It is listed as a Band 8 Manager and corporate role. The advertised salary is £66,582 - £77,368 per annum. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 08 Sep 2026.
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