Job summary

Please Note:

Applicants must already hold the right to work in the UK independently, with a visa or immigration status that allows them to fulfil the full duration and type of contract offered. The Trust is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position.

We are seeking an experienced and motivated General Manager to lead our Urgent and Emergency Care services at Darent Valley Hospital.

Working alongside the Head of Nursing and Clinical Directors, you will support the delivery of safe, effective care across the Emergency Department, Urgent Treatment Centre, Acute Medicine Unit, Frailty Unit and Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC).

You will bring significant NHS service management experience, strong leadership skills and the ability to build effective relationships across multidisciplinary teams. This role offers the opportunity to improve patient pathways, deliver national performance standards and lead service transformation, including digital developments across the emergency care pathway.

Main duties of the job

The General Manager will provide operational leadership across Urgent and Emergency Care, ensuring services deliver high-quality patient care within agreed budgets and meet national and local performance standards.

Working with clinical, nursing and corporate colleagues, you will lead service improvement, business and capacity planning, workforce development and effective resource management. You will use performance information to identify priorities, resolve operational challenges and deliver sustainable improvements.

A key focus will be championing digitalisation and the modernisation of IT systems within the emergency care pathway. You will also contribute to governance, risk management and patient experience, and participate in the operational on-call rota.

Details

• Date posted: 02 November 2026
• Closing date: 11 November 2026
• Pay scheme: Agenda for change
• Band: Band 8b
• Salary: £68,852 to £79,638 a year Per annum, inclusive of fringe allowance
• Contract: Permanent
• Working pattern: Full-time
• Reference number: 252-8400556
• Job locations: Darent Valley Hospital, Darenth Wood Road, Dartford, DA28DA, United Kingdom

Job description

Job responsibilities

Lead the delivery of divisional objectives across delegated services, monitoring performance and taking corrective action where required.

Work with clinical and nursing leaders to develop patient pathways, improve services and consistently deliver safe, high-quality care.

Contribute to strategic, business, capacity and efficiency planning, ensuring resources are used effectively to meet patient needs.

Champion digital developments and the modernisation of IT systems within the emergency care pathway.

Manage delegated budgets in accordance with the Trusts financial instructions and schemes of delegation.

Analyse complex performance information and contribute to Board-level reports covering workforce, activity, finance and quality.

Provide leadership to staff, supporting recruitment, retention, development and workforce planning.

Build effective relationships with multidisciplinary teams, corporate services and partner organisations.

Involve patients, carers and staff in service development and respond appropriately to complaints and concerns.

Support governance and assurance processes, including risk management, incident investigations and the implementation of improvement actions.

Ensure compliance with relevant legislation, Trust policies and health and safety requirements.

Participate in the operational on-call rota.

Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of the role and its requirements.

Person Specification

Education and Training

Essential

• Management qualification at Diploma or 1st Degree level.
• Evidence of continued professional and/or personal development.

Desirable

• Masters Level Education

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• Able to achieve solutions through negotiation and influencing within multidisciplinary teams, including clinicians.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Delivery of goals.
• Management change in a multidisciplinary environment.
• Working under pressure to achieve challenging deadlines.
• Ability to manage self.
• Ability to effectively manage significant budgets as a delegated budget holder.
• Ability to work on own initiative.
• Numerate and financially aware

Desirable

• Strategic service planning.
• Complex project management.

Experience

Essential

• Significant service management experience in the NHS
• Experience of managing staff.
• Experience of writing clinical papers on workforce, activity and quality to Board level

Desirable

• Experience of business and service planning.

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Flexible, objective and assertive
• Confident and effective
• Motivation of self and others
• Leadership and team building qualities
• Demonstrate a commitment to continuous self-development.

Desirable

• Strategic thinker

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.

About us

We are committed to being an inclusive and diverse employer. We strive to employ people who reflect the communities we serve, and aim to create an inclusive culture where everyone can reach their full potential. Whatever your race, ethnicity, belief, generation, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity, disability or experience, you'll appreciate the opportunities we give you to work in an inclusive atmosphere. We welcome applications from people of diverse backgrounds, perspectives and experiences to build on the progress we've achieved to make our Trust diverse and the best place to work. We celebrate the diversity of thought, viewpoints and ideas that help us overcome challenges and embrace new possibilities. We have signed the Armed Forces Covenant Pledge and have a commitment to the Armed Forces Community.

We are dedicated to using our Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) approach as our shared organisation model of change to enhance our services and ensure excellence in patient care.

If you are considering applying for a role, please be aware that as an NHS Employee you may have contact with vulnerable service users. We strongly encourage that all our staff are vaccinated against COVID-19 and are vaccinated annually against Flu, in order to protect the health and safety of our staff and patients. Your commitment will help us to put the safety and care of our patients first, as well as helping us to protect you and your colleagues.

Employer details

• Employer name: Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust
• Address: Darent Valley Hospital, Darenth Wood Road, Dartford, DA28DA, United Kingdom
• Employer's website: https://www.dgt.nhs.uk/working-for-us