Band 8c - Associate Director of Nursing, Medicine in London

Do you want to play a key role in shaping and developing nursing services, improving patient outcomes and influencing the future of care across a large and diverse Medical Division? We are seeking an ambitious, experienced and forward-thinking senior nursing leader to join our leadership team as Associate Director of Nursing for Medicine. This is an exciting opportunity to provide strategic and operational nursing leadership, influence organisational change and work collaboratively to deliver outstanding patient care across Planned and Unplanned Medicine.

This is a varied, demanding and often unpredictable role, requiring a visible and adaptable leader who can respond flexibly to changing operational pressures and emerging priorities. You will need to balance the day-to-day demands of the division with longer-term strategic objectives, providing leadership and direction during challenging circumstances while maintaining a clear focus on positive patient outcomes and the Trust's wider ambitions.

We are seeking a highly motivated, compassionate and dynamic senior nurse (or relevant healthcare professional) to join our team as Associate Director of Nursing for Medicine at Band 8c. Working closely with the Divisional leadership team and service line triumvirates, you will provide strategic and operational leadership across nursing services within Medicine, ensuring the delivery of safe, effective and high-quality patient care.

You will lead and support Heads of Nursing, Matrons and wider clinical leadership teams, providing clear professional direction, developing our workforce and creating a culture where staff feel valued, empowered and accountable. You will play a pivotal role in driving quality improvement, patient safety, patient experience and operational performance, whilst ensuring services remain responsive to the changing needs of our patients.

The role requires the ability to work flexibly and adapt to an ever-changing operational landscape, often navigating competing priorities and challenging circumstances. Alongside providing day-to-day divisional leadership, you will deputise for the Director of Nursing when required, including taking a senior leadership role during emergencies and supporting the Trust's wider operational response.

With a new hospital planned for Watford, work underway to update theatres at St Albans City Hospital and plans for a neighbourhood healthcare centre in Hemel Hempstead, this is an exciting time to join us. We are building on the success of our award-winning virtual hospital and re-imagining models of care, working closely with partners and making the most of advances in digital healthcare. Staff wellbeing and development are a priority, as is the role of innovation in improving clinical care, outcomes and patient experience. Our vision is Excellent patient care, together and our values are to be empowered, compassionate, professional and inclusive.

You will also lead on workforce development, financial management and service transformation, working across professional groups and organisational boundaries to shape sustainable models of care, deliver the Trust's strategic priorities and influence the future direction of nursing services. As Associate Director of Nursing for Medicine, you will be a highly visible and influential senior leader, providing strategic nursing leadership across Planned and Unplanned Care. Working as part of the divisional leadership team, you will ensure nursing services are aligned with the Trust's strategic priorities and deliver safe, effective and compassionate care.

• Provide professional leadership, direction and support to Heads of Nursing, Matrons and wider nursing teams, developing strong, accountable and motivated leadership structures.
• Work alongside the divisional triumvirate to drive operational performance, service development and delivery of divisional and Trust priorities.
• Provide visible senior leadership across the division, responding flexibly to changing operational pressures, emerging challenges and competing priorities.
• Deputise for the Director of Nursing as required, including providing senior leadership and taking the lead during emergencies and significant operational incidents.
• Balance immediate operational demands with longer-term strategic objectives, ensuring continuity of leadership and maintaining a focus on safe, effective patient care.
• Lead the quality, safety and governance agenda, using data, audit, patient feedback and learning from incidents and complaints to drive continuous improvement and reduce avoidable harm.
• Ensure safe staffing, workforce development and effective skill mix, supporting recruitment, retention and sustainable workforce models.
• Provide oversight of financial and resource management, ensuring services deliver high-quality care within agreed budgets and financial expectations.
• Champion patient experience, ensuring patients, relatives and carers are listened to and actively involved in shaping and improving services.
• Lead and influence service transformation, working collaboratively across professional groups, clinical divisions and external partners to improve pathways and patient outcomes.
• Promote a positive and inclusive culture aligned with our Trust values, where staff feel supported, empowered and able to deliver their best.
• Support the delivery of safe patient flow, effective discharge processes and the development of efficient models of care across Medicine.
• Actively contribute to the development and delivery of the Trust's wider strategic objectives, influencing organisational change and the future direction of nursing services.

This is an opportunity to make a significant contribution to the future direction of nursing within Medicine. You will need to be an adaptable, resilient and credible senior leader, able to navigate complexity, influence at all levels and maintain a visible presence during both routine operations and periods of significant challenge. Above all, you will have the opportunity to make a tangible difference to the experience of our patients, the development of our workforce and the wider success of the Trust.

This is a full-time position of 37.5 hours per week, working Monday to Friday. Given the nature and unpredictability of the portfolio, the post holder will be required to work flexibly to respond to operational demands and emerging priorities. They will also participate in the Trust's on-call manager rota, providing senior leadership and operational support outside of normal working hours.