As Production Service Manager, you will provide senior operational leadership across the full sterile services production cycle, ensuring full compliance with regulatory and quality standards including HTM 01‑01 and ISO 13485. You will be accountable for maintaining complete device and set traceability at all stages of production, delivering against agreed Service Level Agreements and Key Performance Indicators, and ensuring staff competencies are established, maintained, and regularly reviewed.
The role includes responsibility for maintaining robust assurance and governance arrangements, supporting board‑level assurance in line with NHS Estates Technical Bulletin (NETB/2024/1), and leading continuous improvement across production services. You will directly manage Supervisors, Technicians, and Apprentice Decontamination Technicians, fostering high performance, engagement, and compliance.
You will build and sustain effective working relationships with theatres, clinical services, and kitting and carting teams, contributing to incident management, audit readiness, and overall service governance.
With a strong focus on production efficiency, quality, and people management, you will ensure items are processed safely and on time, in line with the Quality Management System. As a senior management team member, you will also provide cross‑cover and operational support as required to maintain service continuity and deliver departmental objectives.
Operational leadership & service delivery
- Direct daily production activities across washroom, IAP, sterilisation, cooling, release, storage, and dispatch to ensure alignment with demand and SLA/turnaround objectives; proactively manage capacity, staffing, and machine availability.
- Maintain comprehensive traceability of devices and sets at all stages using departmental information systems; rigorously uphold traceability protocols and recall procedures.
- Execute contingency and business continuity strategies during downtime and coordinate effective communication with kitting & carting, theatres and clinical stakeholders.
- Oversee daily and weekly production planning, coordinating staffing, equipment, and workflows across washroom, inspection/assembly/packing (IAP), sterilisation, and dispatch to consistently achieve turnaround targets and right‑first‑time quality standards.
- Monitor and control production KPIs—including sets processed, rework, failed loads, equipment utilisation, and backlog—and implement corrective actions as necessary to address performance variances.
- Schedule downtime, maintenance, and validation periods in collaboration with AP(D)/CP(D) and engineering teams to minimise service disruptions; initiate business continuity procedures when required.
- Ensure proper segregation and traceability from receipt through dispatch utilising the department’s information and track‑and‑trace systems.
Quality management, compliance & audit
- Support the operation of the Quality Management System (ISO 13485), including SOPs, records, and all controlled documents.
- Ensure compliance with HTM 01‑01, MHRA requirements, and internal governance.
- Coordinate external audits and inspections, escalating issues as needed, and ensure management oversight.
- Contribute to internal audit schedules and quality assurance testing, addressing non‑conformances and overseeing production practices in line with relevant standards and manufacturer Instruction for Use (IFUs).
- Manage daily/weekly equipment checks, environmental monitoring, and take corrective action when necessary.
- Prepare for audits and certification visits, coordinate CAPA responses, and keep accurate, compliant records.
People leadership, training & competency
- Manage Supervisors, Team Leaders, Technicians, and production staff, including recruitment, induction, rostering, appraisals, performance, and conduct.
- Support the local competency framework; ensure training logs, re‑assessment, and CPD comply with IDSc and AHCS standards.
- Promote a culture of learning, psychological safety, and continuous improvement.
Performance, data & information
- Set and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs), such as instrument/set turnaround times, defects, failed loads, complaints, audit actions, capacity utilisation, and downtime.
- Produce monthly reports to track and evaluate department performance.
- Ensure the integrity of the department information system, managing non‑conformance, tracking locations, monitoring machine status, and maintaining product recall readiness.
- Utilise the decontamination IT system to manage workflow, generate performance reports, handle non‑conformance issues, and track sets/assets.
Governance, risk & incident management
- Lead investigations of incidents and non‑conformance reports, determine root causes, implement corrective or preventive actions, escalates clinical incidents as needed, and update risk register entries.
- Participate in and contribute to the Decontamination Safety Group (DSG), ensuring board‑level awareness and Trust‑wide assurance of safety issues.
- Foster a positive safety culture by keeping risk assessments up‑to‑date—including those for COSHH and manual handling—and ensuring relevant controls are implemented, such as strict enforcement of PPE and hygiene protocols.
- Direct or support incident reporting and investigation processes, conduct trend analyses, disseminate learning outcomes, and coordinate product holds, recalls, and clinical incident responses with theatres and infection prevention/control teams.
- Maintain effective document management practices and ensure compliance with standard operating procedures and permits‑to‑work requirements.
Resources & finance
- Manage delegated budget areas (consumables, test devices, PPE); contribute to budget setting, procurement, and cost improvement plans; ensure safe use/maintenance oversight of complex equipment.
- Maintain inventory levels for detergents, wraps, indicators and spare parts; evaluate new products and support procurement processes.
Stakeholder management & service development
- Serve as the principal production contact for Oxford Kitting and Carting, theatres and other stakeholders; facilitate service reviews, customer feedback processes, and drive continuous improvement initiatives (Lean methodology, flow optimisation, capacity planning).
- Develop policies with the Quality Manager and implement service modifications extending beyond individual areas, ensuring alignment with NETB/2024/1 and Trust strategy.
- Act as the primary liaison for Oxford Kitting and Carting, theatres and clinics regarding production status, constraints, and recovery plans; chair or participate in stakeholder meetings and service reviews.
- Collaborate with scheduling teams, Oxford Kitting and Carting, and theatre staff to coordinate instrument set availability with planned activities; oversee management of loan/set repairs, maintain vendor communication, and ensure compliance with decontamination certification and traceability protocols.
- Lead and contribute to Continuous Improvement projects (Lean, Six Sigma, 5S) aimed at optimising workflow, reducing variation and rework, and enhancing staff experience.
- Support business case development, capacity modelling and future service design—including integration of new technologies (such as robotics and minimally invasive instruments) and infrastructure upgrades.
This advert closes on Monday 4 May 2026
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