General Manager – Cancer Services

Location: Croydon

Job Type: Temporary 

Duration of booking: Expected to last 3-6 months with possible extension

Proposed start date: ASAP

Pay Rates: Up to £35 per hour PAYE inclusive of holiday pay

Hours / Working Days: 37.5 hours per week / Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm 

Organisation Overview

• Provides integrated NHS services at hospitals, clinics, and in the community.
• Offers specialist services including emergency care, maternity, outpatient diagnostics, physiotherapy, ophthalmology, and GP services.
• Employs over 3,600 staff delivering care across all age groups.
• Focuses on professional, compassionate, respectful, and safe care.

Values

• Professional: High standards, partnership working, resource management.
• Compassionate: Empathy, dignity, kindness, patient-centred care.
• Respectful: Inclusivity, patient involvement, valuing staff contribution.
• Safe: Honest, confidential, continuous learning, training & development.

Job Summary

• Lead operational management of cancer services, balancing strategic planning with day-to-day delivery.
• Ensure high-quality, cost-effective patient services and compliance with national targets.
• Provide leadership to the Clinical Business Unit (CBU) and contribute to service strategy.
• Participate in on-call rota for urgent operational issues.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Delivery & Performance

• Lead daily operations of the CBU, achieving national and local targets.
• Monitor, analyse, and report on cancer performance and waiting times.
• Identify pathway improvements to meet 42-day referral, 28-day diagnostic, and RTT targets.

Staff Management

• Manage, lead, and develop direct and indirect reports, including recruitment, appraisal, and performance management.
• Support staff training and customer service development.

Budget & Resource Management

• Oversee pay/non-pay budgets and cost improvement programmes.
• Ensure value for money and financial viability of services.

Governance & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with policies, procedures, and statutory regulations.
• Maintain confidentiality and adhere to safeguarding, infection control, and health & safety standards.

Communication & Stakeholder Engagement

• Provide updates and reports to directors, boards, and external partners.
• Build relationships with commissioners, clinicians, and local authority partners.
• Support patient-centred service improvements and corporate initiatives.

Person Specification

Education & Qualifications

• Essential: First Degree and/or Masters
• Desirable: Postgraduate management qualification or NHS corporate experience, clinical background

Knowledge & Understanding

• NHS structures, targets, legislation, and policy.
• National and local issues affecting service delivery.

Experience

• Senior operational management in multidisciplinary settings.
• Leadership, organisational, and analytical skills.
• Budget management and performance monitoring experience.
• Experience managing complex organisational change.
• Familiarity with PAS systems (Cerner Millennium preferred).

Skills & Abilities

• Excellent communication, negotiation, and influencing skills.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Ability to manage teams, inspire confidence, and hold staff accountable.
• Advanced IT skills and ability to work autonomously and collaboratively.