Operations Director - Healthcare & Life Sciences - Private Healthcare (Dental)

Our client, a highly respected, independently owned cosmetic dental practice, is seeking to appoint an experienced Operations / General Manager to take full responsibility for the commercial and operational management of the practice.

This is a pivotal leadership role, responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the business while ensuring the practice remains fully compliant with all relevant regulatory requirements. The successful candidate will lead, support, and develop a high-performing team, fostering a positive culture that enables the delivery of exceptional patient care and an outstanding patient experience.

As a key member of the Senior Management Team (SMT), the Operations / General Manager will work closely with and report directly to the Practice Owner, playing an integral role in driving the continued growth, efficiency, and long-term success of the business.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic & Financial Leadership

• P&L Ownership: Full accountability for the practice profit and loss. You will manage budgets, control overheads (lab/materials), and optimise the EBITDA margin.
• Capacity Optimisation: Maximise surgery yield and diary utilisation across 4 chairs, targeting high-performance benchmarks.
• Growth Strategy: Develop and execute a 3-year business plan, focusing on high-value private treatments (Implantology, Orthodontics, and Restorative).
• Marketing ROI: Oversee the marketing budget and Treatment Coordinator (TCO) funnel to ensure a high return on patient acquisition spend.

2. Regulatory & Compliance

• CQC Accountability: Assume the role of CQC Registered Manager. You will hold legal responsibility for the "Safe" and "Well-Led" domains.
• Governance: Lead the clinical governance framework, ensuring 100% compliance with GDC, IR(ME)R, and Health & Safety legislation.
• Risk Management: Act as the primary point of contact for regulatory bodies and manage the practice's professional indemnity and insurance requirements.

3. People & Culture

• Associate Management: Act as the primary liaison for Associate Dentists and Specialists, managing contracts, performance reviews, and clinical-commercial alignment.
• Team Leadership: Lead, mentor, and inspire a multi-disciplinary team. You will be responsible for recruitment, retention, and fostering a "high-performance" culture.
• Conflict Resolution: Resolve complex staff or patient escalations with principal-level authority.

The successful candidate will act as the business lead, responsible for protecting the practice’s clinical reputation while driving aggressive EBITDA growth and strategic expansion. This role is designed for a heavyweight operator who thrives on autonomy and is capable of "shielding" the Principal from day-to-day operational friction.
 

Experience & Qualifications

• Required: A proven track record of managing a high-turnover (£1.5M+) business unit or multi-site operation in a regulated sector (Healthcare, Veterinary, Aesthetics, or similar).
• Qualifications: Ideally ILM/CMI Level 7 or an MBA. We will consider Level 6 candidates who demonstrate exceptional "battle scars" in commercial operations.
• Regulatory: Experience navigating CQC (or equivalent) frameworks is essential.

Mindset

• The Integrator: You are the person who turns high-level vision into operational reality.
• Commercial Acumen: You "speak in numbers" and understand the levers that drive business valuation.
• Autonomy: You are comfortable making high-stakes decisions and only escalate to the Principal for "Board-level" strategic sign-off.

Executive Onboarding & Benefits

• We recognise that the best talent often comes from outside the dental sector. To ensure your success, we provide:
• Executive Onboarding: A structured induction covering dental-specific P&L levers and fast-tracked CQC orientation.
• Incentives: EBITDA-linked bonus structure designed to reward owner-level performance.
• Lifestyle: The opportunity to lead a premier business in one of the UK’s most desirable coastal locations.