Director of Nursing & Midwifery

Director of Nursing & Midwifery

Closing date: 21 June 2026.

Lead one of the largest and most high‑profile maternity and neonatal services in England within a nationally significant specialist hospital group.

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) is one of the largest and most complex NHS organisations in the country, with over 30,000 staff and a turnover exceeding £3 bn. This role is within the Specialist Hospitals Clinical Group as Director of Nursing & Midwifery, providing professional leadership across Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, Saint Mary’s Hospital and Manchester Royal Eye Hospital. The core site is Saint Mary’s Hospital, one of the UK’s largest maternity providers with around 16,000 births each year and a large neonatal intensive care unit.

Responsibilities include:

• Act as a core member of the Clinical Group Senior Leadership Team.
• Hold professional accountability for nursing and midwifery practice across maternity, neonatal, gynaecology and specialist services, ensuring clinical quality, safety and patient experience.
• Provide visible, credible and values‑led leadership for a large workforce.
• Ensure robust governance, regulatory compliance and focus on improvement and equity of outcomes.
• Shape strategy and influence across Greater Manchester and nationally in partnership with NHS England, the Integrated Care Board and the Local Maternity and Neonatal System.

Person Specification

Skills & Abilities

• Outstanding personal impact. Highly developed interpersonal, networking, advocacy, written and presentation skills that are persuasive and influential and develop relationships that inspire respect, trust and confidence.
• Ability to lead and work in a multi-disciplinary team, motivating others to secure continuous service improvement and successful outcomes.
• Highly developed analytical skills with the ability to think and act strategically, tactically and creatively, while maintaining a clear view of the issues affecting the Clinical Group and MFT.
• Ability to translate a strategic vision into operational action, to communicate those objectives and ensure they are adhered to.
• Ability to deal positively and promptly with colleagues’ concerns and personal problems, challenge colleagues on any inappropriate behaviours or poor performance and investigate and deal with complaints as required.
• Ability to encourage multi-disciplinary professional working and problem solving.
• A high level of political awareness.

Qualifications – Academic / Professional

• First‑level Registered Nurse and Midwife.
• Educated to degree level or equivalent.
• Masters‑level degree in health‑related subject or equivalent.
• Evidence of recent and relevant continuous professional development.
• Doctorate‑level degree in health‑related subject.
• Formal management or leadership qualification.

Knowledge & Experience

• Extensive senior level nursing and midwifery leadership and managerial experience within an acute NHS Trust (or comparatively large and complex multi‑disciplinary organisation).
• Extensive senior level midwifery experience as a clinical practitioner.
• A clear appreciation of the context of acute healthcare provision within the modern NHS and understanding of the NHS Operating Framework.
• A strong understanding of national NHS policy and strategy as it relates to nursing staff, AHPs, midwifery and broader clinical workforce, as well as current professional challenges.
• Extensive knowledge of both acute Trust and maternity specific clinical governance systems and risk management.
• Extensive knowledge and understanding of the Maternity Incentive Scheme.
• Understanding and evidence of implantation and monitoring against the Ockenden IEAS.
• Understanding of integrated health and social care models.
• Extensive experience of leading and directing change and quality improvement in clinical practice, with evidence of successful outcomes and improvements in patient experience.
• Experience of developing and implementing transformation programmes, including the management of service change, operational process improvement and cost reduction.
• A successful track record of delivering a long‑term vision whilst responding to short‑term challenges and opportunities, and defining clinical strategies in a senior level nursing and midwifery role.
• A successful track record of developing an organisational culture committed to high quality, people, financial and performance standards.
• Demonstrable success in building, developing and inspiring high performing multi‑disciplinary teams, increasing staff engagement and innovation, and motivation to improve performance.
• Evidence of communicating successfully and working effectively in cooperation with a wide range of internal and external bodies, including statutory and non‑statutory organisations, senior managers, colleagues and their representatives.
• Evidence of undertaking clinical audit and contributing to research programmes / studies and quality improvement.
• Understanding of regulation and preparedness.
• A strong understanding of how MFT fits into the wider health and social care system.
• Evidence of influence and presence at the Greater Manchester LMNS.
• Experience working on national programmes or contributing to national policy development.
• Evidence of developing or implementing high‑profile initiatives underpinned by the national research and innovation agenda.

Personal Attributes

• Highly motivated, hard‑working and self‑confident individual with a drive to deliver and commitment to excellence across all areas. Inspires others and leads by example.
• Aligned to MFT’s values of ‘Everyone Matters’, ‘Working Together’, ‘Dignity and Care’ and ‘Open and Honest’.
• Able to communicate openly, effectively listen and is consistently approachable to colleagues.
• Works in a highly collaborative manner with colleagues across MFT and other system partners to ensure effective partnership work.
• Able to actively engage with front‑line staff in order to innovate clinical practice, and improve both workforce and patient care experience.
• Able to manage different projects simultaneously with a high degree of autonomy in terms of decision‑making and management of deadlines.
• Able to adapt to changing priorities, problem‑solve and re‑focus the work of self and others on new priority areas that may require urgent action.
• Can constructively challenge and effectively manage conflict to reach a positive conclusion.
• High level of personal resilience and ability to work and remain calm in a high‑pressure and/or challenging environment.
• A commitment to personal development and the development of colleagues, with the ability to develop a culture in which all individuals can thrive and feel a sense of belonging.
• A commitment to the ethical standards expected of public sector leaders in the UK.
• Passionate commitment to embedding equality, diversity and inclusivity, internally and externally.
• Willingness and ability to travel between MFT’s sites as required.

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.

Attractive Remuneration Package.

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