Sterile Services Supervisor

Transformationunitgm; Stevenage; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 31,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in Stevenage is hiring a Sterile Services Supervisor to oversee daily operations, ensure compliance with standards, and lead a team. The role requires excellent leadership and attention to detail to guarantee timely delivery of sterile instruments and equipment. Candidates should have relevant training and experience within a Sterile Services Department. This position offers the opportunity to contribute to high-quality, compassionate patient care with a commitment to continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Experience in a busy Sterile Services Department environment.
• Experience in mentoring decontamination staff.
• Understanding of Quality Assurance Systems and Medical Devices Regulations.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily operations of the Sterile Services Department.
• Conduct quality checks and audits.
• Collaborate with clinical teams to guarantee timely delivery of sterile equipment.

Skills

Good leadership skills

Good written & verbal communication skills

Good organisational skills

Ability to work under pressure

Attention to detail

Education

Basic operator training for washer disinfectors, sterilizers

In-house training within a sterile services department

1st line supervisory or management training

Job description

Employer East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust Employer type NHS Site Lister Hospital Town Stevenage Salary £27,485 - £30,162 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 29/01/2026 23:59 Interview date 17/02/2026

NHS AfC: Band 4

Here at East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust

Our mission is: Providing high-quality, compassionate care for our communities

Our vision to 2030 is: To be trusted to provide consistently outstanding care and exemplary service

Our values - We want our staff to believe in, demonstrate and live our values in everything we do. Our values are:

Include We value the diversity and experience of our community colleagues and partners, creating relationships and climates that provide an opportunity to share, collaborate and grow together.

Respect We create a safe environment where we are curious of the lived experience of others, seek out best practice and are open to listening and hearing new ideas.

Improve We are committed to consistently delivering excellent services and continuously looking to improve through a creative workforce that feels empowered to act in service of our shared purpose.

Job overview

We are recruiting for a Sterile Services Supervisor who share s our vision to be trusted to provide consistently outstanding care and exemplary service to our patients.

In this role, the post holder will oversee the day-to-day operations of the Sterile Services and Endoscopy Decontamination Department, ensuring the highest standards of decontamination, sterilization, and distribution of surgical instruments, flexible endoscopes and medical devices.

The Sterile Services Supervisor will lead and support a team of technicians, maintain compliance with national standards and Trust policies, and work closely with clinical teams to guarantee timely and safe delivery of sterile equipment. This position requires excellent leadership, attention to detail, and a commitment to patient safety.

At the heart of everything we do are our core values:Include,Respect, andImprove. We encourage you to embrace these values throughout the recruitment process and in your role with us.

Main duties of the job

Supervise daily operations of the Sterile Services Department, ensuring all decontamination and sterilization processes meet HTM 01-01 and HTM 01-06 and Trust guidelines.

Lead and support the team, providing training, guidance, and performance management to maintain high standards of service.

Monitor workflow and resource allocation, ensuring timely turnaround of surgical instruments and equipment for clinical areas.

Conduct quality checks and audits, maintaining accurate records and reporting any non-conformances or incidents promptly.

Ensure compliance with infection prevention and control policies, health and safety regulations, and relevant legislation.

Collaborate with clinical teams, responding to urgent requests and resolving issues to support patient care.

Manage stock levels and equipment maintenance, liaising with suppliers and engineering teams as required.

Working for our organisation

At East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust, we are proud of the range of general and specialist services we provide and our 6,000 or so dedicated staff ensure our patients get the best care. Our ability to be flexible and innovative in the way in which we work and deliver our services to our catchment has never been more important than it is now.

We run the following hospitals:

• The Lister Hospital, Stevenage
• New Queen Elizabeth II (New QEII), Welwyn Garden City
• Hertford County, Hertford

We have ambitious plans to become an outstanding, patient-led Trust where dedicated staff provide high-quality, compassionate care to our patients. We continue to undergo significant transformation and our staff and patients are at the heart of delivering this ambitious agenda.

We are committed to a positive work life balance for our employees. This means that any employee is entitled to seek to work flexible working patterns and we are committed to listen and consider all requests. Such requests, of course, have to be made and considered formally, and will need to be balanced against service needs, but our starting point will always be to find ways to support making them happen.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification applicant pack for further detailed information regarding this role.

Person specification

Qualifications/Training

• Basic operator training for washer disinfectors, sterilizers and endoscopy reprocessors
• Evidence of certified in-house training within a sterile services department
• Evidence of continued professional development for SSD/EDD or equivalent experience to vocational level 3
• 1st line supervisory or management training

Previous Experience

• Experience working within a busy SSD/EDD environment
• Experience in mentoring decontamination staff
• Experience in assessment methods
• Experience in maintaining attendance records and training logs
• Experience with communicating with users of the service
• Experience at a supervisory level

Skills

• Good leadership skills
• Good written & verbal communication and excellent interpersonal skills including computer skills
• Good organisational skills and time management
• Able to communicate and exchange technical information, both within and outside the trust
• Able to understand and implement manufactures guidelines for the reprocessing of re-usable medical devices
• Ability to meet deadlines, be adaptive, follow procedures, and work & respond well under pressure
• Ability to work alongside and influence change through staff development

Knowledge

• Knowledge of the standards expected in the Quality Assurance Systems and Medical Devices Regulations
• Knowledge of HTM01-01 and HTM01-06 guidance
• Knowledge of QMS and participation in audits
• Knowledge of testing & validation requirements for decontamination machinery
• Knowledge of performance management
• Knowledge of appraisal systems

Other Requirements

• Understanding of, and commitment to, equality, diversity and inclusion
• Role model our Trust values every day
• Treat all colleagues, including porters, nurses, surgeons and fellow technicians with professionalism and courtesy
• Ability to work alongside others and influence change through staff development
• Uphold the importance of own contribution to patient safety by ensuring all instruments are accurately prepared and processed
• Maintain confidentiality and handle equipment and data with discretion and integrity
• Take pride in delivering a behind- the-scenes service that directly impacts the quality of care and patient outcomes

When you apply...

Please note we do not offer visa sponsorship for roles unless clearly stated in our adverts. This means even if you have the right to work currently but will require a new sponsorship to work for our Trust your application will not be considered.

Vacancies may close earlier than the advertised closing date where a high volume of applications are received. We therefore encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible to avoid missing out on the opportunity to join the Trust or develop your career with us.

While we recognise that AI can support in drafting an application, you are encouraged to clearly demonstrate your personal skills, experience and behaviours that align with the role, and this is usually best done in your own words. We reserve the right to review all applications for the use of AI tools and where this is inconsistent with our values and standards of behaviour your application may be rejected

All correspondence relating to vacancies will be via the e‑mail address you have provided on your application form. Some servers automatically send e-mails to your junk mail so please check as well as your inbox.

Secondments/Fixed term

Where a vacancy is advertised as a temporary position, the duration will be specified in the advert. If the vacancy becomes permanent towards the end of the specified duration, the successful applicant may not be required to re‑apply and can be slotted into the role on a permanent basis if appropriate.

If you are an internal applicant applying for a temporary working arrangement, please see the attached notes on secondments.

Committed to our Community

East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion for all job applicants, staff, patients and the wider community. We want to create a workforce which represents the communities we serve. We are on a journey to become a more inclusive organisation and we welcome applications from everyone regardless of their background. In particular we encourage applications from candidates with disabilities, and candidates from Black, Asian and Minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds who are currently under‑represented in various parts of our workforce .

We understand the importance of balancing work and home life. We are committed to support flexible working for our staff wherever possible and all our employees are given the opportunity to discuss potential for flexible working.

We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and achieved our status in 2019.

We will remove barriers that prospective candidates might face at any stage of our recruitment process. If you have a disability and would like the advert in an alternative format, or would like to talk about how we can adjust the interview process to best support you, please contact us by emailing [e-mail]

We are also proud to support our UK armed forces by supporting Reservists, Cadet Instructors, Veterans and military spouses/partners into employment and offering supportive policies that value their contribution to the community and to our Trust.

We are committed to being a carer‑friendly environment, addressing the complex needs of families with caring responsibilities. In partnership with Carers in Hertfordshire, all our working carers have access to support from recruitment. We are also a member of Carers UK, providing resources to make balancing work and caring easier. Our approach is inclusive, recognizing diverse challenges and creating a supportive environment where carers feel valued.

King's Trust Support

If you’re aged between 16 and 30 years‑old, you can get FREE employability support from The King’s Trust. The King’s Trust will help build your CV and cover letter, offer advice and top tips for future interviews and support you with research about working in the NHS. Please contact Enquiries.H&[e-mail] for support.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.