Join our Specialist Care team
We are looking for an experienced Operations Manager to lead EMED Group’s day-to-day transport service for the South Thames Retrieval Service at Evelina London Children’s Hospital. The service supports specialist teams to retrieve and safely transfer critically ill children 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
You will be EMED’s visible onsite management lead, working closely with STRS clinical and operational colleagues while retaining responsibility for our people, vehicles, performance, quality and contractual delivery.
This is a full time role working 40 hours per week across five 8-hour shifts, Monday to Friday, with variable starts between 07:00 and 19:00. On call requirements - Monday to Sunday management rota, normally every 2-3 weeks; weekend overtime may also be required
What you will do
- Lead the safe, reliable day-to-day delivery of the service and act as the principal EMED management contact for STRS.
- Maintain 24/7 readiness of the roster, two operational ambulances, the identical backup vehicle and additional resilience arrangements.
- Ensure technicians and vehicles are ready to join the STRS team within 10 minutes of activation and support the ambition to launch within 20 minutes.
- Lead and support the Team Leader and Ambulance Technicians, including performance, attendance, wellbeing, development and employee matters.
- Coordinate absence cover, fatigue management, safe deployment and two-driver arrangements for longer-distance activity where required.
- Assure technician induction, competence and training, including FREC 4, Level 3 CERAD or recognised equivalent, at least two years’ blue-light emergency-driving experience, annual STRS training and six multidisciplinary education and governance days.
- Maintain fleet, equipment, cleanliness, connectivity and base readiness, working with Fleet and STRS to resolve defects without disrupting service.
- Monitor KPIs, reports, incidents, complaints, audits and improvement actions, ensuring accurate information and timely escalation.
- Attend the required STRS audit, forum and contract meetings and ensure effective communication across STRS and EMED teams.
What we are looking for
- Proven operational leadership or management experience in ambulance, healthcare, transport or another regulated, safety-critical environment.
- Strong people-management skills, with experience of coaching, performance, attendance and colleague welfare.
- Experience of contract delivery, KPI management, reporting and continuous improvement.
- A sound understanding of workforce deployment, fleet readiness, operational risk and business continuity.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder-management skills, including confidence working with NHS clinical and operational leaders.
- The ability to remain calm, make proportionate decisions and manage competing priorities under pressure.
- Working knowledge of health and safety, safeguarding, infection prevention, information governance and incident management.
- Flexibility to work variable weekday hours, support weekend requirements and participate in the management on-call rota.
- Experience of critical-care transport or specialist retrieval services would be advantageous
Operational cover
As operational cover is required, the postholder must be appropriately trained, competent and authorised, including holding a current Level 3 CERAD or recognised IHCD emergency-response driving qualification and at least two years’ blue-light emergency-driving experience.
What you can expect
- Life assurance and company sick pay after two years’ service.
- 24/7 GP consultation, prescription support and access to a second medical opinion.
- Health cash-plan benefits, mental-health support and physiotherapy consultations.
- Employee Assistance Programme, legal advice and financial guidance.
- Pension scheme, Blue Light Card, uniform and seasonal flu vaccination.
- Long-service, colleague-recognition and Refer-a-Friend reward schemes.
About EMED Group
EMED Group enables access to vital health and social care services across the UK. This role sits within our Specialist Care division, supporting the delivery and continued development of critical-care and specialist retrieval services in partnership with the NHS.
We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where colleagues are treated fairly, supported to develop and empowered to provide excellent care.
