Job summary
- Main area
- Operations Management
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 5
- Contract
- Fixed term: 9 months (end date 03/05/2026)
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Preferred working pattern 09:30-17:30)
- Job ref
- 249-7413842
- Employer
- Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Great Western Hospital
- Town
- Swindon
- Salary
- £31,049 - £37,796 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 27/10/2025 23:59
Employer heading

Operational Support Manager - Ophthalmology
NHS AfC: Band 5
Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is a unique organisation, serving as the sole integrated provider in the Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon, and Wiltshire system. Our scope extends beyond boundaries as we oversee adult community services in Swindon and provide acute care from the Great Western Hospital.
Our 5,500 staff have 1.2m patient contacts a year, with 13,000 operations carried out in our Theatres, around 4,000 babies born, and our emergency attendances are now well over 100,000 per year. Those numbers only tell part of our story about what an exciting time it is to join Great Western Hospitals.
We are cultivating a culture that fosters our ambitions, prioritising equality, diversion, inclusion, wellbeing, and leadership. We aim to create an environment where every member of our team can truly thrive.
The Trust is a Disability Confident Employer; all applicants who have a disability can opt to be considered under the guaranteed interview scheme, which means that, providing they meet the minimum essential criteria for the post, they will be offered an interview. We are also proudly accredited as a Veteran Aware organisation and have signed The Armed Forces Covenant.
If we receive a high volume of applications, we may close adverts prior to the published closing date. Therefore, we advise you to complete and submit your application as soon as possible.
Job overview
An opportunity has arisen to join the Ophthalmology department as an Operational Support Manager on a fixed term basis. This would also be a good development opportunity and secondment would be considered.
The postholder will be responsible for ensuring the smooth and efficient running of the service on a day to day basis.
The postholder will assist the Operations Manager and the Head of Service to ensure key performance, quality and financial targets are met in line with the service strategic objectives.
You will contribute to the delivery of challenging performance and quality targets through effective communication and liaision with Consultant, medical, nursing, AHP and administration staff across the department and with other departments throughout the Trust.
With experience in an operational setting you will be able to demonstrate good team management skills and good problem solving ability, You will also be able to prioritise your own workload in order to meet deadlines.
Main duties of the job
The postholder will:
Deputise for the Operations Manager
Line manage administration teams
Be responsible for the efficient utilisation of theatre and clinic capacity
Work closely with the Operations Manager on all aspects of waiting list management, performance and administration
Communicate across all staff in the unit to main a cohesive approach to day to day tasks
Manage the equipment maintenance for the department
Working for our organisation
Our STAR values – Service, Teamwork, Ambition and Respect – are a golden thread running through everything we do. These values serve as a guiding principle, driving us towards our vision of delivering great joined up services to our local community. Whether at home, in the community, or within the hospital, our goal is to empower individuals to lead independent and healthier lives.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
1. To deputise for the Service Operations Manager, covering all aspects of the job as required when absent.
2. To work closely with the Service Operations Manager on all aspects of waiting list management, performance and administration.
3. To act as line manager to administrative teams (subject to variances across services). Within this line management, you will be responsible for the day-to-day management of 1:1s and appraisals, absence and sickness monitoring, Individual Development, Performance Reviews, training and Health and Safety issues.
4. To utilise problem-solving and analytical skills to co-ordinate all operating theatre bookings for consultant team, ensuring theatre sessions are booked in accordance with agreed guidelines and processes ensuring the efficient use of theatre and bed capacity.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Degree level qualification or equivalent experience
- IT Literate to include Microsoft Office and Spread sheets
- Evidence of Continuing Professional Development in related subject
- Demonstrable working knowledge of Microsoft packages (esp. Word, Excel and Outlook)
Desirable criteria
- Supervisory management qualification
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of managing a team and proven achievement of targets through team working
- Experience of managing a team and proven achievement of targets through team working
- Prioritisation and workload management
- Staff and team work management
Desirable criteria
- Project management experience
- Customer focus experience, ability to deal with complaints and challenging / upset patients
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.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Emma Adkins
- Job title
- Operations Manager Ophthalmology
- Email address
- [email protected]
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