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Operational Manager & Deputy Practice Manager

Whitley House Surgery

Chelmsford, CM1 3RW £21 – £25 a year Permanent Posted 28 August 2026 Apply by 20 September 2026

Home Office register entry: Whitley House Surgery, Chelmsford

Visa sponsorship

This role is listed by an employer that holds a live Home Office sponsor licence on the Skilled Worker route.

Closest occupation match: SOC 1231, Health care practice managers. Pay for this occupation is set by national pay scales (NHS bands), so no single Home Office going rate applies.

This occupation falls under the Health and Care Worker route. Public reference figures for that route: the general salary minimum is £25,000 a year, and salaries set by national pay scales (NHS bands) at or above the relevant band rate typically meet the occupation's requirement. Individual eligibility depends on personal circumstances. These figures are public reference information, not advice or a verdict on this job.

Role description

Job summary

We are seeking an experienced and motivated Operational Manager & Deputy Practice Manager to join our Senior Leadership Team.

This is a key leadership role responsible for the day-to-day operational management of a busy and progressive GP practice serving approximately 15,000 patients.

Working closely with the Practice Manager, the successful candidate will lead our reception team and oversee operational services including patient access, complaints management, premises and facilities, governance, health and safety, business continuity, quality assurance and CQC readiness.

The post holder will act as Deputy Practice Manager and play a pivotal role in supporting the delivery of safe, effective and patient-centred services.

We are looking for someone who:

  • Has experience of operational management.
  • Is a confident and supportive leader.
  • Has excellent organisational and communication skills.
  • Can manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
  • Is committed to delivering high-quality patient services.
  • Has experience of governance, compliance or quality improvement.
  • Ideally has experience within primary care or healthcare settings.

Why Join Us?

  • Opportunity to join an established Senior Leadership Team.
  • Influence the future direction of a growing practice.
  • Lead meaningful service improvements.
  • Develop and shape operational excellence across the organisation.
  • Play a key role in supporting the delivery of high-quality patient care.

Main duties of the job

Key Responsibilities

  • Leadership of the Reception Team
  • Complaints and Patient Experience
  • Patient Access and Operational Performance
  • Premises and Facilities Management
  • Health & Safety and Compliance
  • Governance and Policy Management
  • Business Continuity Planning
  • CQC Readiness and Regulatory Compliance
  • Workforce Induction and Training
  • Deputising for the Practice Manager

About us

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join our friendly team as part of the Senior Leadership Team at the surgery.

The SLT comprises the Practice Manager, Finance & HR Manager, Operational Manager & Deputy PM, Nurse Manager and IPC Lead.

The SLT team is supported by a fantastic team of GP Partners who are fully engaged in the Practice, staff and patients.

We are a large well-regarded training practice with nearly 15,000 registered patients based in a single site in the centre of Chelmsford and are part of Chelmsford City Health Primary Care Network comprising 43,000 patients.

Working closely with the Practice Manager, the successful candidate will be fundamental to the successful running of the surgery. The surgery recently underwent a full renovation providing a nice environment for our staff to work in and our patients to be treated in.

We are looking for someone to share our patient-centric approach to care at the surgery which underpins all decisions we make when running the surgery.

Details

Date posted

28 August 2026

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£21 to £25 an hour Depending on experience

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

A5934-26-0004

Job locations

Crompton Building

Writtle Road

Chelmsford

Essex

CM1 3RW

United Kingdom


Job description

Job responsibilities

Job Title

Operational Manager & Deputy Practice Manager

Responsible To

Practice Manager

Job Purpose

The Operational Manager & Deputy Practice Manager is responsible for the effective day-to-day operational management of the practice, ensuring the delivery of safe, effective, responsive and high-quality services to patients.

The post holder will provide leadership across reception and administration services, complaints management, patient experience, premises and estates, health and safety, governance, business continuity, quality assurance and regulatory compliance.

The post holder will act as Deputy Practice Manager and support the strategic objectives of the practice whilst ensuring operational excellence, regulatory compliance and continuous improvement.

The post holder will be a member of the Senior Leadership Team and contribute to the strategic development of the practice.

Key Areas of Responsibility

Operational Management

  • Day-to-day operational leadership.
  • Service improvement and operational performance.

Reception & Administration Services

  • Management of the Reception Team.
  • Rotas, performance management and workforce planning.

Patient Access & Capacity Management

  • Oversight of patient access and appointment systems.
  • Demand and capacity planning.
  • Appointment utilisation and access performance monitoring.
  • Coordination of additional clinical capacity where required.
  • Development and implementation of patient access procedures.

Complaints & Patient Experience

  • Management of complaints, concerns and compliments.
  • Patient Participation Group and patient feedback.

Premises & Estates

  • Day-to-day premises management.
  • Contractor management and maintenance programmes.

Health & Safety & Compliance

  • Risk assessments.
  • Statutory inspections.
  • Compliance monitoring.

Governance & Quality Assurance

  • Policies and procedures.
  • Audit and action plan management.
  • Governance oversight.

CQC Readiness

  • Inspection preparation.
  • Evidence gathering and compliance monitoring.

Business Continuity

  • Business Continuity Lead.
  • Emergency planning and service recovery.

Workforce Development

  • Non-clinical induction.
  • Training and mandatory training compliance.
  • Workforce development support.

Deputy Practice Manager Duties

  • Deputise for the Practice Manager.
  • Attend meetings and represent the Practice Manager when delegated.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Essential
  • Leadership and line management experience.
  • Strong organisational abilities.
  • Experience of complaints management.
  • Experience of operational management.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
  • Understanding of governance and compliance.
  • Experience of implementing service improvements.
  • Ability to manage competing priorities.

Desirable

  • Desirable
  • Primary care experience.
  • Understanding of CQC regulations.
  • Health & Safety qualification.
  • Management qualification.
  • Project management experience.
  • Estates or facilities management experience.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name

Whitley House Surgery

Address

Crompton Building

Writtle Road

Chelmsford

Essex

CM1 3RW

United Kingdom


Employer's website

https://www.whitleyhouse.co.uk/

Apply now

Last verified against our ingestion on 30 August 2026; sponsor register dataset 2026-08-25.