Associate Director of Safety & Learning in Sheffield

We are seeking an exceptional, values‑driven leader to join our senior leadership team as Associate Director of Safety and Learning. This is a pivotal role for an experienced quality, safety and improvement professional who is passionate about embedding a just, learning‑focused culture and delivering consistently excellent care with compassion.

The Associate Director of Safety and Learning will provide operational leadership, vision, inspiration, oversight and rigour to the organisation’s quality, safety and learning agenda. Working at both strategic and operational levels, you will provide expert advice and leadership relating to:

• Quality and patient safety
• Learning from patient safety events
• Quality improvement and organisational learning
• Clinical audit and clinical effectiveness
• Policy effectiveness and assurance
• Legal and regulatory requirements

You will play a central role in ensuring robust, progressive and proactive governance arrangements. You will be a senior registered professional with substantial experience in quality, patient safety, clinical governance and improvement within a complex healthcare environment.

You will bring:

• A strong track record of strategic leadership in quality and safety
• Credibility and confidence to influence at Board and system level
• Expertise in quality improvement methodologies and learning systems
• A collaborative, compassionate leadership style with a clear focus on patients and staff
• Professional registration (clinical or relevant professional background) and relevant postgraduate qualifications or equivalent experience

Most importantly, you will share our commitment to keep our patients and people at the centre of what we do.

Why Join Us?

• A rare opportunity to shape and lead the Trust’s quality, safety and learning agenda at the highest level
• A visible, influential role working directly with the Trust Management Board
• A supportive executive team committed to learning, improvement and compassionate leadership
• The chance to make a meaningful difference to patient outcomes and staff experience

What We’re Looking For:

• Master’s degree or equivalent, with specialized qualifications in governance or patient safety and learning management.
• Demonstrable success in delivering improvements in governance within healthcare/public sector organizations, and experience at a senior level in a complex, highly regulated environment.
• Advanced analytical and critical thinking skills, with a track record of managing complex work/change management programs.
• Board-level experience in governance systems, with deep knowledge of safety data programs and information management.
• Experience working with independent regulators and managing legal services.
• Research and development of systems to support compliance and regulation, driving continuous quality improvement.

If you are ready to make a meaningful impact and be a key change agent in our journey towards excellence, we want to hear from you. Apply now to become our next Associate Director of Safety and Learning and help us continue to provide exceptional care with compassion.

Qualifications & Education

• Educated to Masters Level or equivalent
• Governance or patient safety and learning management related qualification or equivalent experience in the NHS

Desirable criteria

• Professional registration
• Quality Improvement Training

Knowledge & Experience

• Sub Board level experience of governance systems
• Demonstrable experience of delivering improvements to governance arrangements within healthcare/public sector organisations
• Experience of working with independent regulators
• Advanced knowledge of governance / safety data programmes and information sets and ability to manipulate and accurately record / report
• A proven track record of strategic, clinical, or corporate service management and delivery at a senior level in a large, complex acute hospital environment, including staff management, change management and quality improvement
• Successful track record at a senior position at sub board level within a large and complex organisation operating in a highly regulated environment
• Successful track record of managing complex work/change management programmes
• Safety and learning management and assurance senior level experience
• Experience of managing legal services

Desirable criteria

• Evidence of improved CQC ratings in current role
• Experience of working at system level.