Associate Chief Nurse

Practice Plus Group; Reading; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A national healthcare organization is seeking an experienced Associate Chief Nurse. The role involves leading clinical governance and quality improvement across multiple care settings. The ideal candidate will have significant leadership experience, a deep understanding of nursing strategy, and the ability to drive change within the organization. This position offers a competitive salary, professional development opportunities, and the chance to impact patient care and safety significantly.

Benefits

Competitive salary based on skills and experience

Wide range of wellbeing and lifestyle benefits

25 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Ongoing professional development and in-house training opportunities

Qualifications

• Significant senior leadership experience across clinical governance and quality improvement.
• Deep understanding of nursing strategy, patient safety, and regulatory frameworks.
• Proven ability to lead change and influence diverse stakeholder groups.

Responsibilities

• Acting as a senior professional leader for nursing and clinical colleagues.
• Providing strategic direction around clinical governance and quality improvement.
• Leading strategic workforce planning and professional development.

Skills

Leadership

Clinical governance

Communication

Nursing strategy

Teamwork

Education

Registered Nurse status with current NMC registration

Masters degree or equivalent advanced leadership training

Job description

If youre an experienced senior nursing leader ready to shape the future of clinical excellence across a national healthcare organisation, this is your opportunity. Our Associate Chief Nurse plays a pivotal role in driving professional standards, leading transformational change, and ensuring the delivery of safe, high-quality care across all Practice Plus Group Secondary Care services.

Working closely with the Chief Nursing Officer, youll provide strategic leadership to our nursing and clinical workforce, deputising across her full professional remit. This high-impact role spans hospitals, surgical centres, MSK services, urgent treatment centres and ophthalmology units across the country. With a blend of remote working and planned travel to sites, youll influence national priorities and help guide the organisations professional and regulatory agenda.

This is an exceptional position for a senior nurse who thrives on visibility, collaboration, and driving innovation that genuinely improves patient experience, safety and clinical outcomes.

Main duties of the job

As our Associate Chief Nurse, you will be:

Acting as a senior professional leader for nursing and clinical colleagues across the Secondary Care division, deputising for the Chief Nursing Officer. Providing strategic direction around clinical governance, quality improvement, safeguarding (as a level 5 trained safeguarding lead), regulation, patient experience and risk. Ensuring clinical standards are implemented consistently and effectively across all sites, supporting compliance with CQC and other regulatory requirements. Leading, supporting and developing Heads of Nursing, Heads of Clinical Services and the wider Central Governance team. Partnering with operational leaders to enhance patient care pathways, strengthen safety cultures and support transformation across hospitals and treatment centres. Representing Practice Plus Group at professional, regulatory and cross-system forums, acting as an ambassador for excellence in nursing and AHP practice. Supporting incident, risk and quality governance processes, ensuring learning is embedded and shared across services. Leading strategic workforce planning, professional development, role modelling leadership behaviours and celebrating best practice across all care settings. Acting as Freedom to Speak Up Guardian and contributing to organisation-wide culture, engagement and improvement programmes.

About us

Were looking for a respected and inspiring senior nurse who brings credibility, compassion and strategic insight.

With your Registered Nurse status with current NMC registration, you will also have: Significant senior leadership experience across clinical governance, quality improvement, professional regulation or system-wide nursing leadership Deep understanding of nursing strategy, patient safety, safeguarding, and regulatory frameworks Proven ability to lead change, influence diverse stakeholder groups and shape organisational priorities Strong political and organisational awareness, excellent communication and the confidence to represent the organisation externally Experience working across multiple care settings or integrated care systems The ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on leadership when needed A values-driven approach that champions teamwork, inclusion, transparency and continuous learning

In return we offer;

• A competitive salary based on skills and experience
• A wide range of wellbeing and lifestyle benefits
• 25 days annual leave (increasing with service) plus bank holidays
• Ongoing professional development and in-house training opportunities

To apply, click on the link below and include your CV and a covering letter outlining your suitability by 26th November 2025.

For an informal discussion, please contact Sarah Brown, Chief Nursing Officer Secondary Care [e-mail]

Job responsibilities

For more information, please request a copy of the full job description from [e-mail]

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Registered Nurse status with current NMC registration
• Significant senior leadership experience across clinical governance, quality improvement, professional regulation or system-wide nursing leadership.
• Deep understanding of nursing strategy, patient safety, safeguarding, and regulatory frameworks.
• Proven ability to lead change, influence diverse stakeholder groups and shape organisational priorities.
• Strong political and organisational awareness, excellent communication and the confidence to represent the organisation externally.
• Experience working across multiple care settings or integrated care systems.
• The ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on leadership when needed.
• A values-driven approach that champions teamwork, inclusion, transparency and continuous learning.
• A masters degree or equivalent advanced leadership training is desirable, though not essential.

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.

Depending on experienceA competitive salary based on skills and experience