OPERATIONAL MANAGER SPECIALTY (PSYCHIATRY) (X2 POSTS)

This position is for an Operational Manager Specialty in Psychiatry, with two posts available at Fort England Psychiatric Hospital, which falls under the Sarah Baartman District within the Eastern Cape Department of Health. The role is an OSD-graded nursing management post, offering an opportunity for an experienced psychiatric nurse to lead specialised units within a dedicated mental health facility. As an Operational Manager, the successful candidate will be responsible for providing effective management and professional leadership in psychiatric units, ensuring that patient care is delivered according to the highest clinical and ethical standards. This is a senior nursing role that requires balancing administrative oversight with hands-on clinical governance, while supporting the broader objectives of the public health sector.

Applicants must hold a basic R425 qualification in nursing, namely a diploma or degree, or an equivalent qualification that allows registration with the South African Nursing Council as a Professional Nurse. In addition, a post-basic nursing qualification in Psychiatric Nursing Science, accredited by the SANC and lasting at least one year, is mandatory. Candidates need to be registered with the SANC as a Professional Nurse and possess a minimum of nine years of appropriate nursing experience after registration in General Nursing. Of those nine years, at least five must be specific to psychiatric nursing, gained after completing the post-basic specialty qualification. A valid driver’s licence is also required, along with solid knowledge of nursing care processes, relevant legislation such as the Nursing Act, Health Act and Occupational Health and Safety Act, as well as the Patient’s Rights Charter and Batho Pele principles. The role demands sound leadership, organisational, decision-making and problem-solving skills, together with the ability to manage discipline, grievances and labour issues within the public sector framework. Interpersonal skills, including public relations, negotiation, conflict handling and counselling, are essential, as is familiarity with financial and budgetary prescripts and insight into public health sector strategies, nursing standards and basic computer programs.

The core duties include managing and supervising all resources effectively, promoting and advocating proper treatment and care for patients, and ensuring that the unit adheres to Batho Pele principles. The Operational Manager must maintain clinical competence by implementing scientific nursing principles and clinical governance, as well as ensuring an in-depth understanding of nursing legislation and ethical practice. The role includes exercising control over discipline, grievance and labour-related matters, providing supportive supervision, and complying with the Performance Management and Development System for staff evaluations. The incumbent will formulate training programmes and participate in the development of staff and nursing students. Other responsibilities include monitoring the implementation of disaster management plans, the Nursing Care Standards and the Ideal Hospital Realization Framework, and interpreting their impact on service delivery. The position also involves coordinating health promotion activities, monitoring and evaluating data, and demonstrating basic computer literacy to enhance service delivery. The post requires working weekend and night duty when needed to support Nursing Services Management.

The department encourages females and people with disabilities to apply. Shortlisted candidates will be required to submit certified documents before the interview, undergo pre-entry assessments including a practical exercise and an integrity assessment, and will be subject to personnel suitability checks such as security vetting, qualification verification and criminal record checks. Reference checks will be conducted on nominated candidates. The department reserves the right to amend, review or withdraw posts. This is a challenging but rewarding opportunity for a seasoned psychiatric nursing professional seeking to make a meaningful impact in mental health service delivery within a public hospital setting.