Fulfil your potential in hospitals that make history:
Charing Cross, Hammersmith, St Mary’s, Queen Charlotte’s & Chelsea and Western Eye.
With five world‑renowned hospitals, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust offers a range of opportunities for professionals looking to develop their healthcare career.
Job overview
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust is seeking an experienced and compassionate leader to join the Chief Nurse Office as Bereavement Services Lead. This senior role provides strategic, operational and governance leadership across mortuary services, patient affairs and chaplaincy, ensuring safe, high‑quality support for patients, families, staff and partners.
Based at St Mary’s Hospital with Trust‑wide responsibilities, the post holder reports to the Deputy Director of Nursing and works closely with senior leaders. Key responsibilities include strengthening governance, driving service improvement and ensuring compliance with CQC, Human Tissue Authority and national standards.
As the Designated Individual for mortuaries, the role carries responsibility for regulatory compliance under the Human Tissue Act, alongside oversight of performance, risk, audit, finance and business planning.
You will bring strong financial management, analytical and communication skills, alongside a successful track record of leading change, managing complex issues and working collaboratively with senior stakeholders.
The successful candidate will have a relevant first degree, a recognised management qualification or equivalent experience, and registration with a relevant professional body. Experience of budget management, project delivery, cost reduction programmes, workforce management and handling complex employment matters will be essential.
Main duties of the job
- Provide senior clinical, operational, governance and business management leadership within the Chief Nurse Office, with primary responsibility for the effective running, development and assurance of Mortuary, Patient Affairs and Chaplaincy services.
- Lead the development of Bereavement Services to ensure families receive a professional, proactive and compassionate service that is responsive to bereavement needs within a multi‑faith, multi‑cultural and spiritually inclusive environment.
- Support the Deputy Director of Nursing and the Chief Nurse Office leadership team to deliver agreed objectives, achieve key performance targets and ensure services operate within Trust governance, regulatory and statutory requirements.
- Ensure standard operating procedures are implemented and consistently followed, risks are identified and mitigated, and clear escalation routes are in place where performance, quality or compliance concerns arise.
- Provide high‑quality data analysis, reporting and corporate papers to support operational, financial and business decision‑making, with a focus on Mortuary, Patient Affairs and Chaplaincy services.
- Lead service improvement, business planning, cost reduction programme reporting and contract oversight, working collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders.
Benefits
- Career development opportunities.
- Flexible working, wellbeing initiatives and staff recognition scheme.
- Optional benefits including Cycle to Work, car lease schemes, season ticket loan and memberships for onsite leisure facilities.
Values and commitments
We are committed to equal opportunities and improving the working lives of our staff. The organisation will consider applications to work flexibly, part time or job share.
Environmental sustainability
Climate change and poor air quality is a health emergency that harms people’s health and wellbeing and widens health inequalities. The Trust is also committed to reducing its impact on the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions to Net Zero by 2045. All employees play a role, and we have an active green network that supports staff to act in ways that ensure our services are efficient, sustainable and reduce our environmental impact.
Person specification
- Recognised management qualification at postgraduate level and/or experience.
- Registration with relevant professional body (NMC, HCPC or Association of Anatomical Pathology Technology) or experience leading or managing mortuary, bereavement, pathology, patient affairs, chaplaincy or end‑of‑life related services.
- Experience of working with bereaved families.
- Knowledge of HTA standards, Human Tissue Act requirements and mortuary governance.
Experience
- Operational and staff management in the NHS.
- Track record of success in delivering change and project management.
- Managing and deciding on complex employment issues including handling grievances and disciplinary issues.
- Writing project plans with evidence of delivery.
- Audit, quality management systems, SOP development and regulatory inspection preparation.
- Writing business plans with evidence of delivery.
Skills / knowledge / abilities
- Well‑developed business planning and marketing skills.
- Ability to analyse and effectively present performance data and identify areas for improvement.
- Ability to problem‑solve and develop solutions to issues.
- Excellent organisational and time management skills.
- Ability to co‑ordinate and investigate complaints, including experience of dealing with distressed patients/families/staff.
- Knowledge of NHS contracting process.
- Knowledge of national NHS policy.
Values and behaviours
- Ability to lead sensitively in emotionally complex, high risk and highly regulated environments.
- Ability to influence and negotiate at a senior level within the division and wider Trust.
- Ability to enthuse, motivate and involve staff to meet challenging targets by providing direction, reviewing performance, and motivating others.
Right to work
If you need sponsorship to work in the UK, please visit the Home Office website for information on sponsorship and visa status before applying. Due to recent changes in the UK immigration rules which affect Skilled Worker Visas, Global Business Mobility, Higher Skill Level and Increased Salary Thresholds, please ensure that you are able to meet the requirements to live and work in the UK before applying.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
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