Job summary
Full time 37.5 hours per week. Permanent post.

Ward Manager (Band 7)
Surgical Triage Unit

Are you an experienced, compassionate and dynamic leader ready to shape the future of urgent surgical care?

We are seeking an exceptional Band 7 Ward Manager to lead our innovative Surgical Triage Unit (STU). This is an exciting opportunity to join a highly motivated and established team that has successfully transformed its model of care over the past nine months.

Our Surgical Triage Unit has evolved from a traditional inpatient ward model to a trolley-based assessment and treatment area, designed to facilitate rapid assessment, treatment and early discharge for surgical patients. This transformation has already delivered outstanding results, including a 50% reduction in length of stay, improving patient flow and enhancing patient experience while maintaining high standards of care.

The successful candidate will lead a team that is passionate about delivering safe, effective and patient-centred care in a fast-paced environment. Patients presenting to the unit are often acutely unwell and require timely assessment, intervention and escalation. As Ward Manager, you will need to demonstrate strong clinical credibility, excellent decision-making skills and the ability to support your team in recognising and responding to deteriorating patients.

Main duties of the job
What we're looking for:

• An experienced registered nurse with significant post-registration experience within acute surgical or emergency care settings.
• A visible and inspiring leader who can motivate, develop and empower teams.
• Strong operational and organisational skills with experience managing patient flow and service delivery.
• Excellent clinical assessment skills and the ability to recognise, manage and escalate deteriorating patients.
• A commitment to quality improvement, patient safety and continuous service development.
• The ability to work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams across the surgical pathway.

About us
Bolton NHS Foundation Trust provide services across the North West side of the Greater Manchester area ranging from hospital services in Bolton to community services across Bolton, Salford, Ashton, Leigh and Wigan. We are a progressive, expanding organisation with great ambition around improving quality, integrating pathways and delivering high levels of productivity. We have recently been given a CQC rating of Good.

Over 5,700 people work for the Trust and many of them have been here a long time. People find they don't need to go elsewhere to find a fulfilling career in healthcare.

Job responsibilities
For further information regarding the key responsibilities of this role please see the attached job description. If you have any further questions regarding this role, please do not hesitate to contact us via the information below.

Person Specification
Registration/Qualifications
Essential

• NMC Registered Nurse
• Diploma in Nursing or equivalent
• Mentorship qualification

Desirable

• Degree or working towards

Experience
Essential

• Evidence of recent professional development
• Team management experience

Desirable

• Evidence of managing change

Skills
Essential

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

Desirable

• Coaching qualification

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details
Employer name: Bolton NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Bolton NHS Trust, Minerva Road, Bolton, BL4 0JR, United Kingdom
Employer's website: http://www.boltonft.nhs.uk/

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact:
Matron Elizabeth Patel
elizabeth.patel@boltonft.nhs.uk
01204390369

Details
Date posted: 24 August 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 7
Salary: £49,387 to £56,515 a year per annum
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 241-561-S-26
Job locations: Bolton NHS Trust, Minerva Road, Bolton, BL4 0JR, United Kingdom

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