Management Roles
Managers in the health sector work in a variety of disciplines including clinical care, human resources, finance, project management, hotel services, procurement, communications and corporate affairs.
There are various routes into management. For example, you could work your way up from a junior role, through an apprenticeship, apply for a place on a graduate management training scheme or gain relevant experience in another sector before applying for a position.
Project or programme manager
The NHS is investing heavily in digitisation and health informatics projects are at the forefront of continuously improving patient care.
Health informatics project managers work on delivering digital systems for staff to record, analyse, extract and use data for the benefit of patients; improving the way information is shared across healthcare organisations, or developing a healthcare app.
Finance Team
Here are some of the tasks carried out by someone in finance:
- working in the payroll department, making sure colleagues get paid
- handling payments for goods and services in an accounts department
- purchasing goods and services in the procurement department
- tracking and checking budgets to make sure money has been spent correctly
- senior finance roles would include setting and managing budgets and making decisions on how money is spent
There are many different roles in finance which hold different levels of responsibility, such as:
- working in the payroll department, making sure colleagues get paid
- handling payments for goods and services in an accounts department
- purchasing goods and services in the procurement department
- tracking and checking budgets to make sure money has been spent correctly
- senior finance roles which include setting and managing budgets and making decisions on how money is spent.
Human Resources (HR)
The HR team makes sure colleagues, both on the frontline and behind the scenes, are fully supported and able to do their jobs.
As a member of the HR Team, you'll manage all issues relating to the employment of your NHS colleagues. This could involve:
- recruitment of staff
- introducing new employment policies
- being an expert in employment law (equality and diversity, right to work, working hours etc)
- working closely with health unions and professional bodies
- keeping up-to-date records about colleagues
The Care Sector
There are also lots of non-clinical and Management roles in the care sector. Some of these are:
Management
- Team leader or supervisor
- Manager
- Deputy manager of team manager
- Specialist coordinator, such as dementia or end of life care coordinator
Other social care support roles
- Housing support officer
- Volunteer coordinator
- Social care prescriber
- Welfare rights officer
- Employment advisor
- Administrator
- Finance officer
- HR
- Marketing officer
You can find out more about these roles at the Skills for Care page.