Band 7 Operations Manager Neurosurgery

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a highly motivated, results-driven Operations Manager to join the Department of Neurosurgery (CDG 10B) at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham on a permanent basis, acting as deputy to the General Manager. Neurosurgery is a complex tertiary service covering a wide range of subspecialties, including neuro-oncology, epilepsy, CSF disorders, pituitary and skull base surgery. A high volume of unpredictable emergency and trauma activity competes every day with the elective programme for the same theatres, beds and critical care capacity, and you will play a central role in managing that balance.

We are looking for an experienced operational manager with a proven track record of delivering results against NHS performance standards. Experience in a surgical specialty is essential, ideally neurosurgery or another complex tertiary service. You will use data to drive decisions, be highly organised, resilient and proactive, and able to influence senior clinicians and colleagues across the Trust. You will be motivated to improve and grow the service, and flexible to work outside core hours, including occasional weekends, with reasonable notice.

You will join a supportive, experienced management team committed to excellence for patients. This is an outstanding development opportunity within a leading teaching hospital, with exposure to senior leadership, complex operational challenges and strategic service development.

Main duties of the job Working with the General Manager, Clinical Service Leads and multidisciplinary teams, you will lead day-to-day operational management of Neurosurgery, ensuring safe, effective and patient-centred care, and deputise for the General Manager when required. You will deliver performance across RTT, Cancer Standards, diagnostics, waiting lists, Theatres and service productivity. You will lead the 18-week RTT standard, owning the PTL and reducing long waits, and achieve theatre utilisation of 85% or above by leading scheduling, reducing avoidable cancellations and improving booking efficiency.

You will oversee neuro-oncology pathways and tertiary referrals and transfers. You will manage emergency and elective capacity daily, attending bed meetings and working with theatres, critical care and site teams to protect electives where safe, using demand and capacity planning to shape theatre sessions and clinics. You will lead forward service planning, write business cases, project-manage them to delivery and identify new business opportunities.

You will line-manage and develop the admin, booking and scheduling teams, setting clear standards and holding them to account, and support workforce planning, governance, risk, data quality and financial management, including cost improvement.

About us University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust strives to have an inclusive culture where everyone feels like they belong, can thrive, knows that they add value and feels valued. We do this by developing compassionate and culturally competent leaders, being values driven in all that we do and by creating a welcoming and inclusive workplace that thrives on the diversity of our people.

As such we want to attract and recruit talented individuals from all backgrounds, and for each of you to feel supported for the diversity you bring, to achieve your full potential. For those staff with a disability, including physical disability, long term health condition, mental health or neurodiverse condition, this also means being committed to making reasonable adjustments needed for you to carry out your role.

Details Date posted
05 October 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

BandBand 7

Salary
49,387 to 56,515 a year

Contract Permanent Working  pattern

Full-time

Reference number

Job locations

Queen Elizabeth Hospital Mindelsohn Way Birmingham West  MidlandsB
15 2TH
United Kingdom Job description

Job responsibilities
* Please Note :
For a detailed job description for this vacancy, please see attached

Job Description
* Job description
Job responsibilities
* Please Note :
For a detailed job description for this vacancy, please see attached

Job Description
* Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential Degree or equivalent professional qualification, or equivalent experience at a senior operational level

Evidence of continuing professional development in management

Desirable

Postgraduate qualification in management or healthcare leadership (e.g. MBA, NHS Leadership Academy programme)
Project management…