Service Manager

Working Full time: 37.5 hours per week

The Service Manager is responsible for the operational management of a portfolio of specialties within the Division, with accountability to the Directorate Manager. This involves the delivery of all operational performance targets, including access targets, Finance, HR and Quality standards within the designated portfolio of specialties.

The Service Manager, in partnership with specialty clinical and nursing leads and departmental leads, will ensure that activity and quality targets are achieved and will develop action plans to manage any variances, providing assurance to the Directorate Manager.

Working closely with the rest of the senior Directorate team, the Service Manager will assist the Directorate Manager in developing services and ensuring long term sustainability. The post holder will support the Directorate Manager in the production of the annual business plan for the Directorate, providing specific support in relation to the portfolio of services for which they are operationally responsible.

The post holder is responsible for staff and budgetary management within the portfolio of services and for ensuring that performance targets and strategic objectives are met, supporting the annual capacity and demand process in order to achieve national and local standards.

The Trust’s services are provided from three locations:

• The Countess of Chester Hospital: providing 473 general and acute beds.
• Ellesmere Port Hospital: providing 60 beds as a rehabilitation, intermediate and outpatient facility.
• Tarporley War Memorial Hospital: a base for community services which serve the local rural population.

The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust employs 5,964 staff (headcount) to provide care and treatment to a population of over 400,000 people living in Chester and West Cheshire which includes Ellesmere Port and Neston as well as the Deeside area of Flintshire.

The Trust works collaboratively within the wider Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care System. Due to its location on the border with North Wales, the Trust also works closely with the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.

The Trust treats patients from England and some parts of Wales. During 2024/2025, there were approximately 643,000 patient attendances (inpatient, A&E, outpatient and diagnostic) ranging from a simple outpatient appointment to major cancer surgery

For further details / informal visits contact: Name: Rachel O'Dwyer Job title: Directorate Manager Email address: [email protected] Telephone number: 01244 364047