OPERATIONAL MANAGER NURSING GRADE 1 (SPECIALTY: TRAUMA AND EMERGENCY)

This position offers an experienced professional nurse the opportunity to step into a senior operational leadership role within the trauma and emergency unit at Groote Schuur Hospital, a major tertiary facility in Observatory. As an Operational Manager Nursing Grade 1, the incumbent will be responsible for driving the strategic goals of the Nursing Division within this high-pressure specialty, ensuring that the delivery of patient care is coordinated, safe, and of the highest quality. The role requires a blend of clinical expertise and managerial acumen, as the successful candidate will oversee the day-to-day functioning of the department while also contributing to broader policy and protocol development. This is an OSD-graded post, reflecting its senior status within the public health nursing career pathway.

To be considered, applicants must hold a basic nursing qualification, either a diploma or degree, that permits registration with the South African Nursing Council as a Professional Nurse. In addition, a post-basic qualification of at least one year in Critical Care Nursing, specifically in General or Trauma and Emergency, is required, or alternatively a four-year Bachelor Degree in Nursing or an equivalent qualification that enables SANC registration. A postgraduate diploma in Emergency Nursing or Critical Care Nursing (Adult) is also accepted. Candidates must have a minimum of nine years of appropriate nursing experience after initial registration, and at least five of those years must have been gained after completing the relevant specialty qualification. The role demands strong leadership, problem-solving, conflict resolution, and communication skills, alongside extensive knowledge of general and specialty nursing, public sector health policies, nursing legislation, and ethical practice. Familiarity with human resources, labour relations, and financial management is essential, as is computer literacy in standard office software.

The duties are broad and include providing innovative leadership, coordinating quality nursing care, and participating in the formulation and implementation of nursing policies, standards, and procedures. The manager will also be responsible for the effective management of human, material, and financial resources, as well as staff performance, training, and personal development. This includes addressing underperformance and handling grievances. The role further involves collecting and using data to improve service delivery and encouraging nursing research within the department. Inherent to the job is the requirement to perform after-hour and weekend duties for the hospital. Notably, no payment of any kind is required when applying for this post, and interested candidates are encouraged to direct enquiries to the named contact person for further details.