Band 8b- General Manager, Private Care

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We are seeking an exceptional and driven General Manager to lead and grow Private Care services across the Trust.

This is a rare opportunity to take the lead in shaping the future of Private Care at West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. We are looking for an ambitious, commercially astute General Manager to drive growth, innovation, and excellence across a rapidly developing service at a pivotal moment in the Trust’s journey.

You will be at the forefront of transformation—building and scaling a high-quality, patient-centred private care offer that complements our NHS services. With real scope to influence strategy and delivery, you will work closely with clinical and corporate leaders to modernise pathways, elevate patient experience, and position the Trust as a provider of choice for private healthcare.

Main duties of the job

West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves a core population of around half a million people, with specialist services reaching across North London, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and East Hertfordshire. With nearly 6,000 staff and close to a million patient contacts each year, we are one of the largest and most important organisations in the region.

Our services span four sites: Watford General Hospital, the hub of acute and emergency care; St Albans City Hospital, our dedicated elective centre; Hemel Hempstead Hospital, providing diagnostics, outpatient services and rehabilitation; and our Abbots Langley outpatient therapy unit.

There has never been a more exciting time to join us. As part of the Government’s New Hospital Programme, we are driving forward plans for a new, state-of-the-art hospital that will transform care for our communities. At the same time, we are investing in and expanding our Private Care services—building the infrastructure, capability, and ambition to grow significantly.

Working for our organisation

With a new hospital planned for Watford, work underway to update theatres at St Albans City Hospital and plans for a neighbourhood healthcare centre in Hemel Hempstead, this is an exciting time to join us.

We are building on the success of our award-winning virtual hospital and re-imagining models of care, working closely with partners and making the most of advances in digital healthcare.

Staff wellbeing and development are a priority, as is the role of innovation in improving clinical care, outcomes and patient experience.

Our vision is Excellent patient care, together and our values are to be empowered, compassionate, professional and inclusive. They capture an important balance across what we must all do as individuals and to support others.

If you are a Service Leaver, Veteran, Military Reserve, Cadet Force Adult Volunteer, or partner/spouse of those serving please tick "Member of the Armed Forces Community" on the application form.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

We need a bold, dynamic leader who thrives in complexity, brings a strong track record of delivering change, and can forge impactful partnerships across a large organisation and to make a visible, lasting impact.

Our progress has already been recognised on the national stage. We were proud to be named Trust of the Year at the HSJ Awards, reflecting the remarkable improvements we have made in performance, quality, and operational delivery. This momentum creates a powerful platform for the next phase of growth.

Please see attached for a copy of the full job description and person specification.

Person specification

Education and qualifications

• Education to degree level or equivalent qualification
• Operational management and Service delivery experience in a Private Healthcare Care Unit or an Acute NHS organisation
• Evidence of continuing professional development including regular attendance on internal and external study programmes
• Higher professional or management degree (Masters Level) or equivalent knowledge acquired by experience
• Studying for/plans to study management qualification

Knowledge

• Key issues and pace of change facing the NHS nationally and locally, assess and describe impact on services
• Knowledge and understanding of governance arrangements and standards in the NHS and the wider health and social care economy
• Knowledge of current issues in the NHS
• Understanding the principles of risk
• management, health and safety legislation

Experience

• Demonstrable experience at a senior management level, with clear evidence of responsibility for supporting operational service delivery including clinical quality, people management, budget responsibility and successful delivery of performance targets within strict financial controls.
• Evidence of managing a busy, complex and dynamic environment
• Understanding of principles of budgetary management
• Experience of using numerical analysis in problem solving
• Experience of budgetary management
• Experience of and familiarity with business planning and preparation of business cases
• Experience of private healthcare within an NHS hospital or independent sector

West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust provides acute healthcare services to a core catchment population of approximately half a million people living in west Hertfordshire and the surrounding area. The Trust also provides a range of more specialist services to a wider population, serving residents of North London, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and East Hertfordshire.

As an employer of nearly 6,000 people the Trust is one of the biggest employers in the area and sees nearly a million patients each year.

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Application numbers

This vacancy may close early if it receives a high number of applications.

Name Jo Keating Job title Deputy Director of Operations Email address joanna.keating1@nhs.net Telephone number 01923217619

If you have problems applying, contact

Address Watford General Hospital
Vicarage Road
Watford
Hertfordshire
WD18 0HB
Telephone 01442 365234