Job Description

Operations Manager (Advocacy) - 18 Month FTC

Location: The City, London

Job Type: Full time, 34.75 hours per week

Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract

Salary: £51,000 - £56,263

Role Purpose:

The General Optical Council (GOC) is the regulator for the optical professions in the UK.

Our purpose is to protect the public by promoting high standards of education, performance and conduct amongst opticians. We currently register around 33,000 optometrists, dispensing opticians, student opticians and optical businesses. This role is to lead and manage a small team within the Regulatory Operations directorate.

The role holder will lead and manage on all aspects of the proceedings involved with Interim Order (IO) cases for the GOC. Cases with IOs are some of the most serious ones that will be investigated by the teams. These cases involve issues where there is a potential risk to patients and the public or which carry significant public interest.

The role will include:

• Undertaking advocacy for IO application hearings.

• Overseeing and managing IO review hearings and some Substantive Order review hearings.

• Assessing risk and providing support, guidance and direction to enable the team to ensure that IO proceedings are dealt with promptly, proportionately and appropriately.

• Ensuring any conditions or suspensions are monitored and acted upon where necessary; and

• Working with the wider operational management team to meet internal Key Performance

Indicators (KPIs) and standards set by the Professional Standards Authority by ensuring oversight of progression of cases subject to IOs.

Key Accountabilities:

• Presentation of cases on behalf of the GOC in front of the Fitness to Practise Committee -in IO proceedings, as well as some Substantive Order review proceedings. On occasion provide clear and proportionate instructions to internal and external advocates in respect of regulatory proceedings including charges of alleged professional misconduct.

• Line management of the Interim Order Investigation Officer and leading the performance of the team, allocating work appropriately and providing support, guidance and direction to enable staff to achieve necessary goals. Ensuring individual and team engagement, as well as managing performance and development, to maximise value for employees and GOC.

• Overseeing and proactively managing all Interim Order cases for GOC with support from

Interim Order Investigation Officer and administrator. Including maintaining data and statistics and providing management reports as requested in relation to IOs and associated risk management.

• Communicating effectively with internal and external stakeholders, including registrant representatives and external third parties, as required.

• Supporting the Head of Case Progression and other heads of department, deputising when required and providing support to the Investigation Committee and Case Examiners, providing procedural expertise where necessary, and to in-house advocates and lawyers.

• Ensuring that a high quality of customer service is provided to a range of stakeholders, both internal and external.

• Contributing to the fitness to practise (FtP) continuous improvement programme, ensuring that our ambition to become a world class regulator is realised.

Essential skills/Experience/Qualifications:

• Expert knowledge of either regulatory, criminal, or civil litigation.

• Knowledge of interim order processes.

• Experience in management or supervisory roles in a relevant casework-based regulatory or legal environment.

• Experience of or a demonstrable interest in managing and/or directing investigations.

• Experience of presenting cases in a tribunal setting.

• Ability to apply knowledge to case work.

• Ability to manage a high-volume caseload and manage competing priorities effectively.

• Excellent literacy and written and oral communication skills.

• Good general IT skills with the ability to use case management systems and Microsoft Office products.

Closing date for this role is 4 November 2024, please note we reserve the right to close this role early dependent on number of applications.

Please note your application will not be accepted without a covering letter exampling how you meet the essential criteria of this role, no more than 2 A4 pages.

You may also have experience in the following: Operations Manager, Operations Management, Facilities Manager, Continuous Improvement, Advocacy Management, Project Manager, Area Manager, Project Management, Education Management, Civil Litigation Management etc.

REF-(Apply online only)