Job summary
- Main area
- 317 Microbiology - Corporate
- Grade
- Band 8a
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 317-2026-06-021
- Employer
- The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Freeman Hospital
- Town
- 317 01 Freeman Hospital
- Salary
- £55,690 - £62,682 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 12/03/2026 23:59
- Interview date
- 01/04/2026
Employer heading
Quality Manager
Band 8a
Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the busiest and largest NHS hospital trusts in the country. We have around 16,000 staff and an annual budget of £1.7 billion.
With strong history of providing high quality care, clinical excellence, research and innovation regionally, nationally and internationally, we’re in the top five providers of specialised health services in the country.
As well as providing a wide range of hospital and community services, we support people with a range of rare and complex medical, surgical and neurological conditions, cancers and genetic orders.
We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and recognise the benefit in providing an inclusive environment. We value and respect the diversity of our employees and aim to recruit a workforce which reflects the communities we serve, and is equipped to deliver the best service to our patients. We welcome all applications irrespective of people’s race, disability, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity and in particular those from under- represented groups.
Newcastle Hospitals are proud to be one of the exemplar organisations across the NHS on sustainability, with a long history of delivering Sustainable Healthcare in Newcastle (Shine) and the first healthcare organisation in the world to declare a climate emergency. Our strategy includes commitments to being Net Zero by 2030, for our direct carbon footprint, and Net Zero by 2040 for our footprint plus. Delivering these ambitions will not be possible without the help, support and action of every single member of our team.
Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a suitably qualified individual to become the new Quality Manager in Microbiology and Virology Services at Newcastle Upon Tyne’s NHS Trust.
The Quality Manager will be responsible for the design and maintenance of the Quality Management System to UKAS ISO 15189 standards. It will include the interpretation of accreditation and legislation rules, standards and requirements on behalf of the department and ensure that the quality management system reflects these. The Quality Manager polices the running and effectiveness of the quality management system and instigates all necessary remedial actions to ensure it runs smoothly.
The Department is UKAS accredited, progressive and well equipped and is accredited for training, with participation in CPD being actively encouraged.
- Interview Date: Wednesday 1 April 2026
- 37 hours 30 minutes/week
- You will be redirected to Trac to apply for the vacancy. Please expand the job details section and read all of the information before applying for the vacancy.
NO AGENCIES PLEASE
Main duties of the job
The post holder will attend departmental, directorate and regional management meetings as the quality representative. They will also lead in the management of UKAS accreditation and will be responsible for ensuring clinical governance and risk management of processes are monitored and actions implemented where necessary. They will have responsibility for a dedicated quality team and will be able to demonstrate leadership qualities. The role requires the individual to work closely with departmental colleagues, consultant microbiologists/virologists and other service users.
They will support other members of the team with producing policies, standard operating procedures and carrying out quality assurance on all procedures performed in the laboratory. There will also be a requirement to provide input in departmental training strategy and H & S.
Working for our organisation
As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.
With around 2 million contacts with patients every year, we deliver care from:
- Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI)
- Freeman Hospital
- Newcastle Dental Hospital
- Cramlington Manor Walks
- Urgent treatment centres
- Newcastle Fertility Centre
- Northern Centre for Cancer Care, North Cumbria
- Northern Genetics Service
These include a range of flagship services which deliver cutting-edge care (supported by state-of-the-art diagnostic services in both radiology and pathology) and are a catalyst for innovation to support pioneering clinical practice in the NHS.
We also have offices at Regent Point in Gosforth and community sites.
Please see attached information on what Staff Benefits we have to offer at our Trust under ‘Documents to download’ or ‘Supporting documents’.
For further information on The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust please visit: Careers | Newcastle Hospitals | NHS | Newcastle Hospitals and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
• Responsible for designing a quality management document control system and leading the Quality Management process and ensuring that it functions effectively. This will include the production and maintenance of the department Quality Manual and Quality Policies. The post holder will be responsible for managing the Quality system.
• The Quality Manager will require the necessary skills and ability to promote quality within all areas of the Department.
• Lead in management of UKAS accreditation for the department and other relevant accreditation standards.
• Verify any corrective action highlighted by reports following external inspections of the department
• Ensure that all quality control procedures are followed, and high analytical standards are maintained.
• The lead in the production of an annual Quality Report, contributing to and providing information for Quarterly and Annual Management Review.
• Introduce and supervise a programme of internal vertical, examination and horizontal audits against defined performance quality measures and to ensure that rapid remedial actions are taken in the event of non-compliance.
• Assists other members of the Laboratory Management Team in producing and implementing policies, standard operating procedures (SOPs), Health and Safety and training requirements within the department. Some of these policies will impact on other departments/directorates within the Trust and in other Trusts.
• The Quality Manager is vital to the clinical governance of and risk management the services within the department.
• Ensure that all external QA samples are handled in a timely manner on receipt within the department, and in accordance with the departmental SOP, while working within Laboratories.
Person specification
Qualifications & Education
Essential criteria
- Degree in Biomedical Sciences or equivalent.
- Professional knowledge acquired through a vocational MSc or equivalent
- Post graduate management qualification or significant management experience
Desirable criteria
- Current Health and Care Professions Council registration.
- IBMS Certificate of Extended Practice in Quality Management or equivalent
Knowledge & Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience in the management of quality in a laboratory environment (audit, EQA & IQC).
- Sound working knowledge of the requirement for UKAS accreditation
- Knowledge of Quality Management Systems (QMS).
- Participate in Continuous Professional Development
- Participative approach to change management and problem solving
- Advocate of the Newcastle Leadership Way
Desirable criteria
- Knowledge of and experience in one or more biomedical science disciplines (Blood Sciences, Cellular Pathology, Genetic, Microbiology, Virology).
- Operates as a UKAS Assessor
- Significant proficiency in use of MS office Suite, Ideagen Q-Pulse and other IT systems
- Familiarity with current educational and training requirements for staff.
- Experience of appraisal system.
- Familiarity with guidelines for the retention and storage of human tissue archives.
Skills & Abilities
Essential criteria
- Excellent interpersonal and negotiating skills
- Strong analytical, organisational and planning skills
- Excellent communication skills; written and verbal
- Ability to work autonomously, with creativity, drive and flexibility
- Ability to work under pressure, managing multiple projects to tight deadlines
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Kimberley Young
- Job title
- Operational Site Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 0191 9177425
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