The Business Manager is an integral member of the Directorate Management Team providing leadership to ensure the operational management and service delivery targets of the Directorate. The post holder will work on behalf of the Chief Operations Officer and Clinical Director.

The Business Manager will have responsibility for the following areas:

• Operational Management
• Continuous Improvement
• Service Planning
• Performance and Financial Management
• Strategic Planning
• HR Management and Organisational Development
• Quality Assurance and Risk Management

The Directorate concept focuses on:

• Performance targets
• Wasted activity eliminated
• Ensuring all staff accountable and responsible within their remit
• Innovative and creative thinking

Operational Management

• Responsible for the operational management of the Clinical Directorate ensuring the efficient and effective day to day running of Directorate, matching resources with flexibility to respond to workload.
• Develop and deliver effective operational plans linked to the hospital strategy and executive operational plans ensuring that organisational and national targets are met.
• To be responsible for the management of all non medical and non nursing staff within the Directorate.
• Manage the operational implementation of new service initiatives, including liaising with stakeholders, developing operational policies and guidelines as required.
• To provide frontline general management advice and support to the Directorate Management Team which includes human resource and workforce planning support, budgetary analysis, performance analysis and problem solving advice.
• To foster close co-operation and integration of services within the Directorate.
• To co-ordinate an annual review of equipment requirements, ensuring that relevant submissions are made under the capital programme, liaising with the Finance Department and seeking to influence funding providers as appropriate.

 Service Planning

• To be responsible for the co-ordination, review and planning of services to meet service agreement requirements stipulated by the Hospital Executive and to support the development of plans to achieve required changes in service provision, working closely with the Directorate Management Team and relevant Heads of Professions, Corporate and Facilities Managers and staff
• To be responsible for the development of business cases and/or other proposals for improvements or modernisation of services.
• To be responsible for the identification of cost improvements, service developments and income generation opportunities within the within the Directorate.
• To implement proven business management technologies within the Directorate to strengthen performance and enhance its reputation internally within the Hospital and externally with the public, General Practitioners and the HSE.
• To lead projects which improve the quality of services provided to patients evidenced by improved performance against national and international benchmarks.

Performance and Financial Management

• To monitor, control and report on Directorate activity and income and expenditure, working closely with the Financial Controller and COO.
• To act as a budget manager for the Directorate in respect of devolved resources.
• To manage any resource delegated to the Directorate, eg, service upgrades, minor capital works, etc.
• To develop a series of performance indicators for the Directorate which support the achievement of hospital and National Key Performance Indicators.
• To work with functional and professional heads to develop mechanisms to ensure that clinical activity is measured accurately and fully costed where appropriate.
• To monitor and track performance targets and develop internal and external comparative performance monitoring information to support and inform decision-making within the Directorate and hospital wide.
• To ensure that the quality of data regarding all activity within the sphere of responsibility of the Directorate is of the highest quality and that individual managers and staff understand their roles and responsibilities with respect to data accracy.
• To support and assist the Clinical Director in monitoring the activity of Consultants within the Directorate and ensuring compliance with the Consultant Contract requirements.
• Establish mechanisms which provide the Clinical Director with timely management information regarding performance against contracts, budgets and targets.
• To participate in pricing and costing models working towards aligning patient activity by diagnostic condition to expenditure.
• To support the development of a service level agreement.
• To contribute to the development and implementation of corporate strategies and decisions.
• To promote a corporate approach to the hospitals overall strategy objectives, mission and with the Clinical Director and Directorate Nurse Manager lead initiatives in strategic planning, development and redesign of services.

HR Management and Organisational Development

• Manage all non-nursing staff within the Directorate, complying with hospital HR policies and procedures.
• Maximise the contribution of these staff by developing systems for performance appraisal, personal development, individual and organisational development and continued skill mix review.
• Ensure that the responsibilities and objectives for direct reports are clearly defined and understood – job descriptions and person specifications up to date.
• In conjunction with the Directorate Management Team regularly review staff complements and skill mix across the Directorate to ensure that staffing is appropriate for current and projected demands.
• Develop local strategies for the recruitment and retention of staff. Participate in Directorate recruitment and ensure that effective local induction is completed.
• Be responsible for managing sickness and absence in accordance with hospital policy.
• Manage and implement all staff related issues in accordance with HR policies and procedures.
• Be responsible for facilitating all staff to continue their education and personal development.
• Ensure mandatory, corporate and personal development objectives are realised and capabilities and contribution of all staff is recognised.
• To work with the Directorate Management Team and colleagues to develop clinical governance systems within the Directorate which ensure that all relevant HIQA and standards are Ensure the involvement of all staff through open and direct communication to sustain a high level of commitment and flexibility.
• Promote equal opportunity and adherence to best practice employment and approaches to managing and implementing change.

Quality Assurance and Risk Management

• Contribute to the development and lead on the implementation of best practice service modernisation and improvement plans and strategies within the Directorate.
• Encourage a culture of continuous improvement and mutual co-operation in the achievement to the highest possible standards of clinical care and maximum efficency.
• To work with the Directorate Management Team and colleagues to develop clinical governance systems within the Directorate which ensure that all relevant HIQA and standards are met.
• To ensure that the Directorate has an effective process for risk assessment and risk management.
• To co-ordinate the Directorate’s participation in local risk management initiatives to monitor clinical and non clinical issues with the
• To co-ordinate the processing of adverse incidents within the Directorate ensuring that they are investigated promptly, respecting confidentiality and instigating preventative action.

Selection Criteria:

Selection criteria outline the qualifications, skills, knowledge and/or experience that the successful candidate would need to demonstrate for successful discharge of duties. Applications will be assessed on said criteria:

Further Information for Candidates: The successful candidate will be required to participate in the senior management on call roster for the hospital