We are seeking to appoint a Level 4 Diploma qualified Anatomical Pathology Technician with significant experience of working in busy and complex mortuary environments to become our Mortuary Services Manager to lead the Trust Mortuary, Medical Examiner and Bereavement Services.
MFT has one of the largest Mortuary Services in the country with both Adult and Paediatric postmortem departments on the Oxford Road Campus together with body stores across our Wythenshawe, Trafford and North Manchester sites.
Medical Examiner and Adult Bereavement services are based on the Oxford Road Campus, Wythenshawe Hospital, Trafford General Hospital and North Manchester General Hospital sites.
Whilst based on the Oxford Road Campus, duties will be undertaken across all of our sites.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will be responsible for the day to day operational running of the mortuaries, medical examiner and adult bereavement services across all sites at the Manchester University Foundation NHS Trust.As the lead for theses services the post holder will work autonomously, liaising with all members of the multi-disciplinary team involved in care of the deceased including the Senior Executive Team. The post holder is responsible for all aspects of after death care and will ensure that services promote dignified care of the deceased at all times. The post holder will maintain standards according to relevant legislation, HTA and ISO guidance.The post holder will provide specialized training for relevant staff in after death care and post-mortem assistance. as well as be the professional lead for the service acting as a role model and mentor to junior staff, ensuring that professional standards are maintained. The post holder will encourage close team working and foster cross site working links to ensure consistency in procedures and practice and develop a robust contingency and business continuity plan. In conjunction with the Cellular Pathology Quadrumivirate, Lead Medical Examiner and the Adult and Paediatric Mortuary Clinical Leads; the post holder will represent the MFT Mortuary, Medical Examiner and Adult Bereavement services across Greater Manchester including mass fatality planning.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- RSPH Diploma in Anatomical Pathology Technology (Level 4 equivalent)
Desirable
- Leadership/ management qualification
- Health & safety qualification
- Certificate in ocular enucleation from a recognised eye bank
Personal attributes
Essential
- Able to work across all sites of the Manchester University Foundation Trust as required including MRI, RMCH, Trafford, Wythenshawe and North Manchester General Hospital.
- Able to communicate effectively with a wide range of professionals including the Coroner, medical and nursing staff, police officers, funeral directors etc
- Able to communicate effectively with members of the public via telephone and face to face
- Able to prioritise workload and to adapt effectively to changing priorities
- Ability to work alone and as part of a team
- Demonstrates a sensitive approach to role and an ability to be caring and compassionate, dealing with the recently bereaved and the care after death
- Good organisational skills
- Act as a role model of professionalism leading by example, displaying high levels of leadership and professionalism and inspire others to learn and develop
- Reliable, self-motivated and conscientious approach to work
- Able to remain calm and objective and work well under pressure
Knowledge
Essential
- In-depth knowledge of both theoretical and practical aspects of post mortem examination, evisceration, tissue retrieval, and tissue and body reconstruction
- Demonstrable specialist technical knowledge of high risk and forensic post mortem examination
- Knowledge of retrieval of heart valves/ skin/ bone and tendons/blood vessels/ corneas for tissue banking.
- A working knowledge of last offices protocols at ward level
- A working knowledge of the full structure of end of life care pathways including the work of bereavement services
- Extensive knowledge and understanding of current legislation relating to forensic post mortems, Coroner’s post mortems, death registration and statutory duties.
- A working knowledge and ability to fill in all relevant paperwork with regards to the deceased person, including out of England forms
- A thorough understanding of HTA legislation
- A thorough understanding of infection control within the mortuary environment
- A thorough understanding of Health & Safety legislation
- A thorough understanding of funeral customs and practices associated with different religious, non religious and cultural traditions
- Knowledge of the Modernising Scientific Careers pathway for Anatomical Pathology Technicians
Desirable
- Knowledge of reconstruction of the body of a deceased person that has undergone significant trauma or decomposition
- Demonstrable specialist technical knowledge of paediatric post-mortem examination, including the particular skills of preparation of the body, evisceration, tissue removal, reconstruction and storage
Experience
Essential
- Extensive post APT Diploma experience in a mortuary environment equivalent to a Senior APT or Mortuary Manager level of responsibility
- Extensive experience of specialised evisceration techniques and high risk and bariatric post mortem examinations
- Able to remove the following structures from the deceased during post mortem examination: middle ear, femoral head/femur, spinal cord, eyes
- Extensive leadership and management experience with an ability to lead a team and manage staff through a range of HR processes
- Able to effectively deliver teaching to a wide range of professionals
- Experience of leading a mortuary service through an ISO/ HTA accreditation visit
- Proven experience of contribution to quality management and clinical governance processes including audit
- Experience of delivering a service within financial constraints
Desirable
- Experience of paediatric and peri-natal post-mortem examination
- Experience of major incident planning and/or mass fatalities
- Experience of duty of candour
- Experience in leading a high-level incident investigation and managing complaints
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Closing Date: 09 July 2026
