Head of Nursing and Clinical Practice - Hybrid in Burgess Hill

Location: CSS - Hybrid

Salary: Up to £75,000 per annum

Hours: 35 hours per week

Job Summary

Brainkind is recruiting a dynamic and experienced senior nurse leader to take on the role of Head of Nursing and Clinical Practice. This is a key national leadership position with responsibility for strengthening nursing practice, clinical governance and patient safety across our services.

Working closely with the Director of Clinical Services, you will lead the development and consistent delivery of high standards of care, ensuring that services are safe, effective and aligned with regulatory and professional requirements. You will play a central role in supporting and developing the nursing workforce, embedding clinical standards, and driving continuous improvement across the organisation.

This is an opportunity to influence practice at scale and make a meaningful difference to the quality of care and outcomes for people with acquired brain injury.

Brainkind is a leading national charity supporting and improving the lives of people with acquired brain injuries and other neurological conditions. Our services span hospitals, neurological care centres, specialist rehabilitation services and supported living, providing care and support at different stages of recovery and long-term need. We work with people whose needs are often complex, requiring structured rehabilitation, consistent clinical standards, and coordinated multidisciplinary input over time.

We are proud of the quality of our services, including strong regulatory ratings, and of the professionalism, judgement and commitment shown by our teams. We have a strong culture of teamwork, shared learning and mutual support across services. This is an opportunity to work in an organisation that takes standards seriously, values expertise, and is focused on delivering consistent, high-quality care and meaningful outcomes for the people we support.

Main Purpose

You will support the Director of Clinical Services to lead and deliver improvements in clinical quality, safety and governance across services, strengthening practice at scale and ensuring the consistent delivery of safe, effective and high-quality care.

You will:

• Provide professional leadership to the nursing workforce, supporting the delivery of safe, effective and high-quality care across Brainkind
• Support the development and embedding of clinical governance, patient safety and quality systems, ensuring they are consistently applied in practice
• Be a visible and credible clinical leader, working alongside services to support teams, build capability and promote high professional standards
• Lead the implementation of clinical standards and governance frameworks, ensuring policies, professional standards and safety systems are understood and embedded across services
• Support the translation of clinical strategy into operational delivery, working with services to strengthen practice and maintain consistent standards of care
• Work in partnership with operational leaders, professional leads and the Quality Assurance and Governance team to promote evidence-based practice, continuous improvement and a culture of learning and patient safety
• Use data, audit and insight to inform improvement activity, supporting services to respond to feedback, incidents and performance trends

You will help us create a culture where:

• The people we support receive safe, consistent and high-quality care
• Staff feel supported, skilled and clear about standards, with access to strong leadership and development
• Brainkind’s values are visible in everyday practice, shaping how care is delivered and how teams work together
• Teams work collaboratively and learn from experience, feedback and review
• Improvement is continuous, and innovation is encouraged and applied in practice

About you

You will bring:

• Registered Nurse with current NMC registration
• Significant senior nursing leadership experience within health or social care
• Strong experience of clinical governance, patient safety and regulatory compliance
• Proven ability to lead, develop and support a skilled nursing workforce
• Experience in quality improvement, clinical audit and incident investigation
• Sound knowledge of key legislation and professional standards (e.g. MCA, MHA, safeguarding, NMC Code)
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to influence at all levels
• Ability to work collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams and services
• Experience of using data, metrics and digital systems to drive improvements in care
• A clear commitment to continuous professional development
• Willingness to travel nationally
• Dual registration (e.g. RMN/RN)
• Experience working across multiple or complex services
• Experience in service improvement, transformation or organisational change
• Experience in workforce development, supervision frameworks or leadership programmes
• Experience supporting inspections, safeguarding processes or regulatory readiness
• Knowledge of PSIRF, MCA/DoLS implementation or advanced governance frameworks
• Experience contributing to digital innovation or service modernisation
• Postgraduate qualification or additional leadership training

We offer a competitive and comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Salary up to £75,000 (dependent on experience)
• Enhanced pension and life assurance
• Private medical insurance
• 38 days annual leave (inclusive of bank holidays), with the option to buy or sell additional leave
• Enhanced leave and sick pay
• Health Cash Plan and Employee Assistance Programme
• Access to a wide range of staff benefits and discount schemes
• Ongoing training, development and leadership support

In addition, we offer a range of wider benefits and wellbeing initiatives designed to support you both professionally and personally. We place a strong emphasis on staff wellbeing and development. You will be supported to grow in your role, with access to learning opportunities and the space to develop your leadership capability over time.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check: This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions Order 1975). As part of the recruitment process, a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be required to assess any relevant criminal convictions. All successful candidates will be subject to compliance checks, including a minimum of three years’ checkable references and DBS/PVG clearance.

Right to work in the UK: Applicants must have the right to work in the UK. Please note that sponsorship is not available for this role.

Diversity and Inclusion: Brainkind is a Disability Confident Employer. We are committed to ensuring an inclusive recruitment process and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation where people feel valued, respected and supported. We promote equality of opportunity and offer a range of inclusive employment policies and staff engagement forums to support colleagues from all backgrounds.

How to apply

To apply, click Apply Now to send us:

• Your CV
• A supporting statement (maximum two pages) outlining your experience and suitability

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and we encourage early applications.