Job summary
- Main area
- Mental Health
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 8b
- Contract
- Secondment: 18 months
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 354-AE-21244
- Employer
- Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- St Mary's House
- Town
- Eastbourne
- Salary
- £64,455 - £74,896 pa
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 29/01/2026 23:59
Employer heading
General Manager
NHS AfC: Band 8b
Come and join us
We’re looking for people who share our values of compassion, accountability and optimism to help us provide high quality care for the patients, carers, families and communities we serve. We specialise in NHS mental health and learning disability services and we’re proud to make a difference every day.
At SPFT we put people first. We’ll do everything possible to help you feel respected, valued and included. You’ll have opportunities to learn, grow and gain new experiences to support your career, with access to lifelong learning and professional development.
We actively promote flexible working and understand how important work life balance is, especially in healthcare. Whether it’s part time hours, hybrid working or flexible start and finish times, we’ll explore what works for you and the role.
We recognise that AI is becoming part of daily life and you may choose to use it to help prepare your application. We welcome innovation but ask that anything you submit reflects your own abilities, experience and voice. AI can support how you describe your skills and experience, but it should never replace your own words as we want to get to know you.
We’re shaping a workplace where ideas are encouraged, technology supports you and everyone has a voice in how we improve. If that sounds like the kind of organisation you want to be part of, we’d love to hear from you.
Job overview
We are looking for an enthusiastic and experienced manager to operational lead the NMHT Community Services in Eastbourne and In Patient services currently at the Department of Psychiatry and Thinking Well Service.
This is a key operational leadership role, within the East Division that is responsible for ensuring safe, effective, and high-quality care. We are seeking someone with a values-driven approach and a strong track record of delivering against local and national targets to balance the need for authenticity and compassion in leadership alongside performance improvement and financial accountability.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will ensure that all aspects of service delivery, development and quality improvement are focused on patient/carer experience, patient safety and clinical effectiveness. With this in mind, we are seeking a leader that can establish excellent relationships with clinical staff, leaders and external stakeholders successfully developing high quality clinical services in response to evidence-based practice, service targets and objectives as set out in the business plan and commissioner requirements. As a service we strive to ensure that all care pathway services within the area of responsibility meet their quality objectives and comply with the governance requirements of CQC, NHS Improvement, and the Mental Health Act. The post offers a fantastic career development opportunity to progress career and work closely with the Divisional Leadership team and partners to drive service improvement in line with national agendas and embedding of neighbourhood mental health teams developing key relationships with our stakeholders. The role offers a diverse portfolio, as there is also a role in leading the in patient services currently at Department of Psychiatry, and this service is due to move in Winter of 2026 to a new purpose-built hospital Combe Valley Hospital in Bexhill and our complex needs pathway Thinking Well Service.
Working for our organisation
1) Corporate: As a member of the DLT, work closely with service managers, professional leads, colleagues in corporate services and partner agencies (including the Children’s Trusts where relevant) to continuously improve services. Is committed to ensure service user / carer experience is positive, services are responsive and accessible, and transitions between services are smooth and seamless. To communicate effectively with all staff, recognising the need for good information during periods of change. At all times supporting the Trust’s reputation and that of all senior colleagues, maintaining a positive attitude with strong
commitment to results. Take part in the on-call rota.
2) Service Specific: working within the DLT contributing to the formulation of business objectives and service plans. Accountable for implementation and leading on service development actions that arise in this context, taking account of the needs of the relevant local communities, striving at all times to promote personalised care, wellbeing, safety and social inclusion. Proactively identifying and using all opportunities to maximise benefits of integrated leadership in service improvement.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Work effectively within the DLT facilitating trust, holding self and colleagues to account appropriately and demonstrating personal commitment to integrated (managerial/professional) leadership.
Achieve a defined set of health and social care performance targets, in accordance with contractual requirements and the performance framework for Monitor, the Care Quality Commission, and other relevant statutory and professional bodies.
Provide services within the agreed financial resources and achieve all financial targets, including cost efficiency savings, ensuring maximum value in terms of clinical and cost effectiveness.
To actively contribute in the planning and delivery of the business objectives, service plans and change projects, ensuring customer focus, consistency, quality, and cost effectiveness.
Respond to Serious Untoward Incidents (SUIs), complaints and communications, ensuring timely and thorough investigation, disseminating recommendations and monitoring that
actions are fully implemented
Identify risks and take corrective action in line with trusts integrated governance framework.
Promote through personal actions support for the Trust’s key policies on Equality and Diversity, Exemplar Employer and use of the recovery orientated approach for people with longer term problems
Contribute to external groups and specific projects and work streams as required e.g. within the local health and social care community
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Educated to degree/ diploma level with a relevant qualification or equivalent experience
- Clinical/post graduate management qualification to masters or equivalent level of experience and proven ability to perform at this level
Knowledge/Experience
Essential criteria
- Extensive experience of and demonstrable achievement in managing health/social care services.
- Management of resources and good track record with change management, efficiency savings and financial recovery plans
- Experience of modernising services without additional resources
- Experience of developing and maintaining effective partnerships with stakeholders in the redesign of services
- Experience of project management and imaginative planning
- Experience of managing a diverse practitioner team (multi site)
- Measurable track record in involving and motivating staff to improve performance.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Ruth Hillman
- Job title
- Managing Director East Sussex
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07880 576106
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