Job overview
The Technical Head of Microbiology is a one year secondment role established to maintain service delivery and quality standards.
Main duties of the job
The postholder will be responsible for the effective leadership, management, and delivery of Microbiology, ensuring a high-quality, safe, and efficient diagnostic service in line with ISO standards and organisational objectives.
The successful candidate will ensure the highest scientific and technical standards are maintained, actively contributing to improvement of laboratory practice and service delivery. A key aspect will be ensuring maintenance of UKAS accreditation and ensuring the department’s participation in all relevant EQA Schemes. The postholder will ensure the department maintains full engagement with Clinical Governance processes, including audit, risk management, and quality improvement activities.
The role oversees the quality management system in place, works closely with the Consultant Clinical Lead and other stakeholders to ensure procedures remain current, effective, and compliant. There is responsibility for ensuring authorised laboratory results are accurately released, with appropriate verification of data entry and, where necessary, consultation with clinical colleagues.
The postholder will support staff development, mandatory and role-specific training compliance and promoting a culture of continual professional development (CPD).
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
- Responsibility for the delivery of the Microbiology service within SNHSFT
- To ensure the highest scientific standards are maintained and to contribute to the improvement of technical and scientific standards within the department.
- To ensure the department meets the national standards required by UKAS - retaining accreditation status.
- To undertake Continual Professional Development (CPD) and to encourage the staff to do likewise.
- To co-ordinate the setting-up, monitoring and maintenance of quality control procedures
- To be responsible for the department’s full compliance with National Assurance Schemes
- To co-ordinate the formulation of operational policies and to assess the need for additional resources and new developments
- To maintain set targets for staff mandatory and role specific training
- To co-ordinate the department standard protocols in conjunction with Consultant Clinical Lead and other relevant parties
- To be responsible for the department’s full participation in Clinical Governance e.g. Audit, Risk Management, Quality etc
- To supervise investigations of varying complexity, this includes both routine and specialist work.
Person specification
Knowledge
Essential
- Laboratory UKAS standards
- Staff management
- Budgetary management
- Knowledge of current methodology and developments in Microbiology
- Governance and risk management
Desirable
- Knowledge of developments in the NHS
Experience
Essential
- Senior operational / service management experience in an NHS environment
- Experience of significant people management including multi-professional staff
- Business planning and change management
- NHS Policy Implementation
Desirable
- Project management
skills and abilities
Essential
- Effective written communication skills including analysis and presentation of reports.
- Able to build and maintain working relationships with others
- Ability to critically analyse complex data and identify key trends
- Ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines.
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to degree level or equivalent – degree acceptable to HCPC.
- HCPC registration in a relevant discipline
- MSc/Higher Specialist Certificate or training/experience to Masters level equivalent
- Management qualification or relevant experience
Desirable
- Fellowship of the Institute of Biomedical Science
- Chartered Scientist
- Evidence of continued personal and professional development
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Technical Head of Microbiology (secondment 12 months) with Stockport NHS Foundation Trust in Stockport, North West, England. It is listed as a Band 8 Administrative and IT role. The advertised salary is £57,528 - £64,750 pro rata per annum. The contract type is Secondment: 12 months. The application deadline is 28 Jul 2026.
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