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Job overview
Do you want to work in a service where we diagnose lung cancer early and save people’s lives? Do you have experience in NHS operational management and are looking for a new opportunity? Are you enthusiastic, autonomous and able to positively respond to change? With experience in the delivery of innovation and new NHS services, including (ideally) a screening programme?
An exciting opportunity has arisen to work as part of the expanded Greater Manchester Lung Cancer screening programme. This award-winning programme delivers lung cancer screening to people aged between 55 and 74 years old, who have ever smoked in their lifetimes, from mobile clinics in the community.
This dynamic senior operational manager post will be based at Wythenshawe hospital but will require occasional travel to our community clinics when they are situated at locations across Greater Manchester. Travel payments will be made for any travel completed above home to base mileage.
You will receive an enhanced induction and training package and be part of an established team with support for you to thrive in your role and contribute to improved patient care, health, and quality of life. If you are successful, you will be part of the operational leadership of the GM LCS programme and within the Lung cancer and thoracic surgery directorate, based at Wythenshawe hospital.
Main duties of the job
The Senior Operational Manager will support the Programme Manager by providing senior operational leadership and day‑to‑day management for the Greater Manchester Lung Cancer Screening Programme, one of the largest and most complex lung screening programmes in England.
The post holder will take delegated responsibility for the safe, effective, and responsive operational delivery of the programme across multiple community sites and providers, ensuring delivery against national and local performance standards, contractual requirements, and payment‑by‑activity trajectories.
The role retains core operational responsibilities at scale (similar to the Band 6 Operational Manager role) while exercising a higher level of autonomy, initiative, oversight, and decision‑making, including:
- Line management and professional oversight of Band 6 Operational Manager(s)
- Senior leadership of administrative and failsafe functions
- Proactive risk management and problem solving
- Deputising for the Programme Manager as required
The post holder will play a key role in supporting the programme’s transition to business‑as‑usual operations, implementing new ways of working, responding rapidly to operational pressures, and ensuring continuity, resilience, and quality across the pathway.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Person specification
Skills
Essential
- Able to communicate effectively verbally and in writing (e-mails) with a wide range of people, including senior medical staff, other health care professionals, managers, patients and people from other organisations
- Ability to motivate staff and demonstrate effective and positive leadership
- Ability to work autonomously and exercise sound judgement in complex, fast moving situations
- Ability to analyse and interpret complex and varied information and develop/enact action plans
- Ability to manage competing priorities and deliver under pressure
Desirable
- Excellent management skills and ability to manage conflict
Knowledge
Essential
- Strong understanding of NHS operational management and governance
- Understanding of confidentiality, data protection and information governance requirements.
Desirable
- Knowledge of national lung cancer screening guidancef national and local initiatives
- Awareness of health inequalities and population health approaches
Experience
Essential
- Experience of management of complex healthcare services and working with multi-disciplinary teams in the NHS
- Experience of senior operational management across multi-site or community-based services
- Contributing to improvements in service standards and patient experience
- Experience of developing innovative and lasting solutions to operational and performance issues.
- Monitoring compliance with local and national performance and quality targets
- Experience of working across organisational boundaries
- Experience of working with external agencies
- Experience of operational risk management and service improvement
- Experience of budget awareness and contributing to financial management and human resource management
- Experience of managing administrative and support staff
Desirable
- Experience of working in a screening programme
- Experience of payment by activity or contract based services
- Experience of Finance and cost improvement programmes
- Experience of working within a cancer pathway (ideally Lung)
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to degree level or equivalent experience
- Evidence of continuing professional development
Desirable
- Recognised leadership or management qualification
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Senior Operational Manager - Lung Cancer Screening with Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester, North West, England. It is listed as a Band 7 Manager and corporate role. The advertised salary is £49,387 - £56,515 per annum, pro rata. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 29 Jul 2026.
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