Head Of Service For Adult Audiology

We are looking for a motivated, innovative and compassionate Head of Service for our Adult Audiology service, providing leadership for our teams based both at sites across University Hospitals Bristol and Weston (UHBW) and North Bristol Trust (NBT). This exciting opportunity involves providing strategic management and leadership to our dedicated Adult Audiology team, as well as providing strategic leadership to contribute to the direction of Audiology Services both locally and nationally, in collaboration with other clinical divisions, Primary Care, Bristol North Somerset South Gloucestershire (BNSSG) Integrated Care System (ICS), Bristol Centre for Deaf People and Community Services.  

The Audiology service comprises of a diverse team of 64 members of staff, including Clinical Scientists, Healthcare Scientists and Hearing Therapists, supported by an Admin and Clerical team, providing the following services for the population of BNSSG: hearing aid services, tinnitus rehabilitation, diagnostic audio vestibular testing, vestibular rehabilitation, and hearing therapy. The reward for the successful applicant would be the chance to work within a supportive environment with opportunities grow and develop the service within both a local and national context. 

Main duties of the job

In addition to being part of the Adult Audiology, the post-holder will be a key member of the Diagnostics and Therapies Divisional Management Team, who will provide the support and development for the successful candidate to flourish. We are committed to flexible working and would welcome conversations around how we can support working arrangements that work for both the post-holder and the department. 

• To lead the Adult Audiology Services across BNSSG. Provide a strategic leadership role in the delivery of professional, operational and clinical objectives working across the Division.  The post holder will lead and take responsibility in the following areas: 
• To lead, co-ordinate and monitor the work of various Adult Audiology sections involved in Audiology service provision, managing workflows and staffing levels, focussed on maximising quality and efficiency of the service. 
• Operational leadership responsibilities ensuring a fit for purpose, competent, engaged and motivated workforce, monitoring service performance to ensure targets are met
• Ensuring the services are delivered within a balanced budget, demonstrating strong financial performance management including CIP delivery.
• Responsibility for developing and maintaining effective relationships across all Divisions, contributing to the smooth delivery patient care pathways within the Trust as well as contributing to patient pathways delivery and development across the Integrated Care System (ICS)

Working for our organisation

University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) is one of the largest acute Trusts in the country, bringing together a combined workforce of over 13,000 staff and over 100 different clinical services across 10 different sites, serving a core population of more than 500,000 people across South West England. UHBW has been rated by the CQC as ‘Good’ overall and our staff are proud to deliver excellent care to the people of Bristol, Weston and beyond. As a forward-thinking multi-award winning Trust and a digital exemplar committed to improving patient care, our world-leading research and innovations are having a positive local and global impact. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone’s throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer. UHBW is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For a more detailed job description and main responsibilities, please refer to the job description document attached to this vacancy.

Person specification Knowledge and Experience Essential criteria

• Substantial recent operational/management experience involving evidence of ability to meet targets, achieve service performance improvements and positive outcomes for users
• Understand of the NHS, its infrastructure and partner healthcare organisations
• Proven ability of managing change, service activity and service reconfiguration
• Detailed knowledge and experience of activity management
• Proven management skills, including effective people management skills
• Substantial demonstrable experience of leading and working effectively in a multi-professional environment
• Demonstrable track record of career achievement and delivery of performance targets
• Understanding of system working and collaborations for improved patient outcomes
• Experience managing budgets

Desirable criteria

• Experience in implementing large scale operational and cultural change and facilitating others to achieve change
• In depth knowledge and understanding of the issues currently facing Audiology services

Aptitudes Essential criteria

• Strategic vision
• Strong drive and motivation to make improvements
• Resilience in managing complex and competing priorities to demanding deadlines
• Emotional intelligence
• Personal credibility with the ability to quickly gain the confidence of others including clinicians, managers, staff, patients, relatives and other users of the service
• Commitment to openness, honesty, fairness and inclusivity in the role
• Treats all colleagues with dignity and respect
• Excellent interpersonal skills to develop and maintain robust working relationships with multi-professional groups in the division, Trust and in the local health and social care community

Skills and Abilities Essential criteria

• Able to use a standard keyboard and Microsoft Office applications
• Able to use information systems for analysis and planning
• Able to identify needs and formulate solutions in provision of a broad range of Services
• Effective organisational skills
• Able to present complex information in a concise format to a range of internal and external stakeholders
• Able to engage effectively in dialogue with individuals at all levels
• Able to promote a high-performance culture, whilst coaching and empowering others
• Good presentation skills
• Well-developed negotiating skills to bring about change, when there is considerable resistance and the need for tact, sensitivity and diplomacy
• Analytical skills and ability to consider wider picture including future scenario planning
• Able to ask incisive questions about issues and assimilate high volumes of information readily
• Able to use benchmarking information to stimulate ideas and discussions
• Able to work with clinicians and staff at all levels

Qualifications and Training Essential criteria

• BSc Audiology or equivalent recognised qualification
• MSc in Audiological Science/ Technical Audiology or Experienced Audiologist with MSc in Management
• Registered with either RCCP, HCPC or AHCS
• Evidence of advanced specialist training
• Post graduate management qualification or equivalent demonstrable management skills from a portfolio of evidence
• Evidence of continuing professional development within existing role and the ability and willingness to undertake further study in line with service needs

Desirable criteria

• Doctorate Level of Expertise in Audiology

We hope that you will decide to join us and become part of this exciting journey, helping us to shape our future together.

As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.

The Trust is committed to investing in and caring for all our staff. We will support you in maintaining and improving your health and wellbeing, as well as your career development through management and training support - developing exceptional people for exceptional careers.

UHBW is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults.

To comply with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 all applicants must be able to speak fluent English to an appropriate standard which will be assessed at Interview.

If you require sponsorship for a visa to work in the UK, to avoid disappointment, please check to ensure you are eligible under the UKVI points based system.

The Trust uses electronic new starter forms on Trac to collect personal details. Information collected is securely stored and used to set up the employee record on the ESR HR system.

By applying for this post, you are agreeing to University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.

Please be aware of scams – unless specified above, we will only communicate with you via @recruit.trac.jobs or nhs.net e-mails and we will never ask you for any payments.

IMPORTANT:

Please note that if you apply for a position with this Trust, you may be contacted via Trac or via email. This includes invites for job interviews. We therefore recommend that you regularly check your Trac account and email accounts. We may also contact you by texting the mobile number, if provided, on the application form.

Due to the high number of applications that are received for some posts we may close this vacancy before the advertised closing date. Therefore, please apply for this post as soon as you can, if you are interested and you meet the requirements of the Person Specification

Only those candidates who clearly demonstrate how they meet the person specification will be shortlisted for this job.

As a guide interviews should usually take place within 3 weeks of the closing date.

When providing employment reference details, please provide correct work-related email addresses so references can be sought promptly when we are looking to progress your application. Your referee must all be known to you in a line manager or professional lead capacity.