Director of Nursing - (Deputy Chief Nurse) - QEH

This is a rare opportunity to shape the future of nursing, midwifery and allied health professional services at Queen Elizabeth Hospital as Director of Nursing and Deputy Chief Nurse. Reporting to the Chief Nurse, you will provide strategic and operational leadership across the hospital, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, safe and compassionate care. You will work as part of the hospital triumvirate with the Deputy Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Chief Medical Officer, driving performance, quality improvement and workforce development at site level and influencing practice across the Trust.

This role combines visible clinical leadership with executive-level influence, inspiring and developing senior leaders, strengthening quality governance, and leading workforce and education strategy to support sustainable, patient-centred services aligned to national standards and Trust priorities.

Main duties:

• Lead and advance clinical leadership across nursing, midwifery, and allied health professions by inspiring and developing teams, setting clear priorities, solving complex problems, and driving delivery against agreed action plans.
• Ensure excellence and consistency in care delivery across the hospital and positively influence professional practice across the wider Trust.
• Collaborate as part of the hospital triumvirate with the Deputy Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Chief Medical Officer to lead operational and quality improvement, achieve national performance standards, and deliver the site and clinical strategy.
• Role model shared leadership, collective decision-making, and mutual accountability with alignment to site-based objectives and priorities.
• Act as Deputy to the Chief Nurse, provide line management and professional leadership to the Associate Chief Nurse for Workforce and Education, ensuring development and delivery of a comprehensive workforce and education strategy.
• Ensure national policy, guidance, and regulatory requirements are implemented across sites and reported to the Trust Board.
• Direct the Associate Chief Nurse for Workforce and Education to deliver the Trust Safe Staffing Policy, including ongoing review and development of workforce models.

About Us:

Our people are our greatest asset. When we feel supported and happy at work, this positivity reaches those we care for. Our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) initiatives cultivate a culture of engagement.

Details:

• Date posted: 26 January 2026
• Pay scheme: Agenda for change
• Band: Band 9
• Salary: Depending on experience per annum plus HCA
• Contract: Permanent
• Working pattern: Full-time
• Reference number: 197-R-HF7837
• Job locations: Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Stadium Road, London, SE18 4QH

Job responsibilities:

• Strategic and Clinical Leadership: You will be a visible and credible clinical leader, setting clear direction and professional standards across all hospital services, delivering improvements in performance, quality and patient outcomes, and aligning nursing and midwifery strategies with Trust objectives and national policy.
• Quality Governance and Patient Safety: You will establish and maintain governance frameworks to monitor safety, quality and experience. You will lead PSIRF implementation, oversee incident learning, audits and assurance, and ensure transparent reporting to Trust committees and the Board.
• Operational Performance and Flow: You will provide strategic oversight of end-to-end patient pathways, support service redesign, improve flow and reduce length of stay, using data-driven decision-making to meet national standards while maintaining quality during operational pressure.
• Workforce and Education Leadership: You will lead nursing, midwifery and AHP workforce and education strategy across the Trust, ensuring safe staffing, sustainable workforce models and high-quality education, and line-manage the Associate Chief Nurse for Workforce and Education with external education partners for recruitment, retention and development.
• Partnership Working and System Leadership: You will foster relationships with community providers, adult social care, education institutions and system partners to promote integration and improved transitions of care.
• Culture, Compassion and Inclusion: You will role-model inclusive, compassionate leadership, supporting staff wellbeing, leadership development and a positive culture where people feel valued and accountable for delivering excellent care.

Person Specification:

Essential Qualifications:

• Registered Nurse (with current NMC registration)
• Evidence of Continuous Professional Development
• Master's Degree in a relevant field

Desirable:

• CIPD qualification or equivalent Education qualification

Experience and Knowledge:

• At least 5 years' experience in band 8 leadership roles
• Experience in leading safe staffing workforce programmes or NMAHP education delivery at a senior leadership level
• Wide experience in acute hospital roles in an NHS setting

Desirable:

• Experience in a similar role
• Experience of working within a triumvirate leadership model

Skills and Abilities:

• Able to demonstrate successful leadership of change and improvement
• Awareness of key issues impacting the workforce/education field
• Meticulous attention to detail
• IT skills using Microsoft Office
• Policy/guideline development and analysis
• Ability to prioritise workload to meet competing demands

Desirable:

• Proven ability to lead change, manage budgets, and influence across organisational boundaries

Personal Qualities:

• Able to deploy communication skills across multiple disciplines with complex messages
• Able to constructively introduce challenge
• Values diversity and equality
• Flexible and adaptable to change
• Manages own time and maintains a healthy work/home balance
• Positive attitude to personal growth and development

Disclosure and Barring Service Check: This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and a Disclosure to the DBS may be required to check for any previous convictions. UK Registration Applicants must have current UK professional registration.

Employer details:

Employer name: Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust

Address: Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Stadium Road, London, SE18 4QH

Employer's website: https://www.lewishamandgreenwich.nhs.uk/