Deputy Manager

Job Title: Deputy Manager
Location: Fakenham
Hours: 40 Hours Per Week
Competitive salary. 

ACES is a pioneering independent provider of NHS ophthalmic care in the community and one of the first centres nationally to take innovative fast track cataract surgery out of a hospital setting. Delivering the highest standard of clinical eye care with expert consultant ophthalmologists putting patient care at the heart of everything we do.

With NHS waiting lists for cataracts surgery growing at an alarming rate, ACES offer patients an alternative option, providing them with life changing surgery cataract surgery in as little as four weeks. We are enormously proud to be able to provide our patients with immediate care and support the NHS.

We’ve been providing NHS eye care in the East of England since 2007 and will be expanding in 2024 and beyond across the UK. We provide a range of services including: cataract surgery, YAG laser treatment, glaucoma treatment, oculoplastics and general ophthalmology.

With patient care our priority, ACES are committed to providing exceptional and timely community emergency and routine ophthalmology outpatient services. With the latest in ophthalmic technology, we are able to consistently provide excellent clinical outcomes for all of our patients, giving them their best possible quality of life.

The main objectives of the services are to:

• Reduce waiting times for patients with eye conditions.
• Deliver exceptional care without the requirement for a hospital stay.
• Have a positive impact on patients’ lives.
• Provide care closer to home for the patient in line with DoH guidelines.
• Reduce overall waiting times in the health economy.
• Create additional capacity in secondary care.
• Aim to provide a fast and efficient patient focused pathway in collaboration with patient representatives and primary care professionals.
• Use new technologies and the latest equipment, maintain the highest levels of care at the cutting edge of ophthalmology.

Currently, tens of thousands of patients across the United Kingdom are on NHS waiting lists for essential eye care procedures, such as cataract surgery. The longer these patients go without surgery, the more likely it is that their eyesight will further deteriorate, or that they will experience an adverse event due to their poor vision.

At ACES, our mission is to ensure all patients are given a choice when it comes to their eye care. Obtaining access to ACES allows patients to have treatment quicker and allows them to live their lives to the fullest immediately.

Role

Responsible for the operational efficiency of the clinic; a key part of your role will be developing your team to deliver on challenging but attainable sales targets, not only with Laser Eye Surgery and IOL procedures, but also selling the benefits of purchasing glasses or contact lenses with Optical Express compared to their current provider.

You might come from a retail background where world class customer service comes naturally to you.

You will absolutely have strong management experience within a Store/Retail/Clinic setting and can deliver results through your passion for people and by working closely with others to develop them through performance management.

It goes without saying you will possess excellent communication and presentation skills, be articulate, motivated to achieve and have a willingness to learn and progress within Optical Express.

• To promote the benefits of laser eye surgery, IOL, Contact Lens and Glasses to all customers/ patients with passion, enthusiasm and the highest level of product knowledge
• To ensure the levels of professionalism, customer care, product knowledge and selling skills of all staff within the Clinic meet or exceed the Company standard in order to sell effectively and meet customer needs
• To minimize the occurrence of customer complaints through improved customer care and quality of service. To resolve any complaints quickly, efficiently and professionally and to retain customer loyalty
• To ensure that at all times the Clinic is presentable and maintains the highest standards of tidiness and cleanliness and promotes the professional image of Optical Express
• To recruit, induct, coach & support the team to ensure that all staff within the Clinic meet the acceptable levels of knowledge and competence
• To promote team work between the professional, clinical and retail teams
• To be responsible for all aspects of Health and Safety for the Clinic and its employees and to ensure that all guidelines and legal requirements are upheld
• To maximize conversion opportunities with the patients to our premier treatments in both refractive and optical products
• To ensure the Clinic team influences and advises potential patients on the most suitable and appropriate solution for their needs

Essential Skills

• Experience as a Store/Retail/Clinic Manager
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• Adaptable with a flexible approach to work
• Articulate and presentable with meticulous attention to detail
• Good experience of Microsoft office and outlook
• Ability to negotiate & influence outcomes
• Demonstrate confidentiality, integrity and discretion
• Self-motivated, enthusiastic and well presented

Desirable

• A proven track record of developing a team through performance management
• Optical Experience

What’s in it for you?

• Competitive salary
• Free or discounted optical products/procedures
• Career progression
• Modern working environment with superb technology support

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a global organization where you will have the opportunity to grow and develop within a professional working environment.