Head of Clinical Services

Head of Clinical Services

Direct reports: Up to 5 Clinical Leads

Indirect reports: 40-50 clinical staff

Sector: Healthcare

Job Type: Permanent

Location: South East England, Hybrid working. 2-3 days on site and the rest remote, no fixed days, although they would like the successful person to be present on their busiest days, which tend to be Mondays and Fridays. The client does have a site in London but would need to successful candidate to travel and work in South East England.

Parking: Free parking onsite at the South East England office

Days and Hours: Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm (1-hour lunch), please note due to this role requiring a candidate being GMC qualified, the client would consider someone 4 days a week

Benefits Include:

• 25 days annual leave, rising to 30 with service, plus 8 bank holidays
• Enhanced parental leave
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Pension: 5% employer contribution

Overview

The Head of Clinical Services will lead all clinical operations and play a key role in the fast-evolving private healthcare service.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on clinical leader who can balance exceptional standards of patient care, team development with sound commercial awareness.

You will oversee high-performing clinical teams, ensure regulatory compliance, drive patient-centric initiatives, and collaborate cross-functionally to scale a health service.

This role requires the ability to navigate clinical management at scale while working in a startup-paced, rapidly growing environment.

Key Responsibilities

Clinical Leadership & Management

Lead and manage up to 5 Clinical Leads and 40-50 clinical staff, ensuring the highest standards of medical care.

Develop and implement clinical protocols and guidelines aligned with best practice and regulatory requirements.

Provide medical leadership across marketing, operations, and product development teams.

Step into clinic operations when needed to maintain continuity and service standards.

Team Development

Recruit, mentor, and retain talented clinical staff aligned with company values.

Create a culture of excellence, continuous learning, and proactive problem-solving across the clinical team.

Patient Experience

Champion a patient-first culture across all B2C activities, ensuring experience and outcomes drive retention.

Work closely with tech and product teams to create a best-in-class direct-to-consumer service.

Be willing to "roll up your sleeves", from seeing patients to assisting with operational tasks when needed.

Regulatory & Compliance

Maintain compliance with GMC guidelines, CQC requirements, and medical cannabis regulations.

Monitor industry and legislative trends to ensure the business remains compliant and forward-thinking.

Oversee patient safety, adverse event reporting, and governance processes.

Manage complaint resolution in collaboration with the governance team.

Commercial Acumen

Apply sound judgment in cost-benefit decision-making for projects and services (not P&L ownership, but data-led).

Use clinical and operational data to influence decisions, measure performance, and optimise services.

Understand how service changes impact both patient outcomes and commercial sustainability.

The following 2 areas would be led by the Medical Director and the Head of Clinical Service would have an input:

Innovation in Service Development

Collaborate with technology teams to enhance telemedicine, patient engagement, and digital health delivery.

Use insights from private healthcare and medical cannabis to design new patient services.

Evaluate and integrate new treatments, technologies, and care models.

Strategic Contribution

Work with the executive team to refine company vision, mission, and growth strategy.

Influence new market opportunities and product development.

Bring an openness to alternative medicine and an appetite for careful, calculated risk in service innovation.

Candidate Profile

Essential

Fully licensed, GMC-registered doctor in good standing.

Proven leadership experience managing multi-layered clinical teams (direct indirect reports).

Background in private healthcare, health tech, or high-growth services with strong patient care focus.

Skilled in using data to inform decision-making.

Confident working across clinical, operational, and commercial considerations.

Comfortable working hands-on as well as strategically.

Strong communication skills for patients, regulators, and stakeholders.

Proficiency in healthcare tech systems and digital platforms.

Desirable

Experience developing new healthcare services.

Start up or scale-up experience (private or public healthcare environment).

Knowledge of alternative treatments and a willingness to innovate.

Personal Attributes

Pragmatic, fast-moving, and solutions oriented.

Commercially aware without losing patient focus.

Comfortable in environments of change and growth.

Able to balance strategic oversight with operational detail.

Collaborative yet decisive.

Willing to get involved at all levels from high-level strategy to packing boxes if needed.