Associate Chief Nurse - Workforce and Education

Lewisham & Greenwich NHS Trust; City of Westminster; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare organization in the United Kingdom seeks an exceptional Associate Chief Nurse – Workforce and Education to lead nursing and educational initiatives across the Trust. The role focuses on workforce transformation and developing future nursing leaders while ensuring quality standards and compliance. This pivotal leadership position offers the chance to create a lasting legacy through compassionate leadership and strategic vision, shaping a workforce reflective of the local community.

Benefits

Engaged employee culture

Diversity and inclusion initiatives

Qualifications

• Proven experience in nursing or healthcare leadership.
• Strong understanding of workforce management and educational strategies.
• Experience in implementing workforce transformation initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Lead safe staffing and workforce strategies.
• Design and implement education strategies for nursing and AHPs.
• Provide leadership on professional standards and regulatory matters.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic vision

Compassionate leadership

Job description

Associate Chief Nurse – Workforce and Education

Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust is seeking an exceptional senior nursing leader to join our Executive Nursing Team as Associate Chief Nurse – Workforce and Education.

This is a pivotal, Trust‑wide leadership role with joint responsibility for shaping a sustainable, skilled and compassionate nursing, midwifery and allied health professional (NMAHP) workforce.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading Trust‑wide safe staffing, workforce transformation, recruitment and retention strategies across nursing, midwifery and AHPs.
• Setting and delivering a modern, inclusive and future‑focused education strategy, ensuring high‑quality learning, placements and professional development at every career stage.
• Acting as a senior professional leader and advisor on workforce, education, professional regulation and standards, including NMC referrals and professional conduct processes.
• Providing visible leadership that keeps patient safety, staff experience and equality, diversity and inclusion at the heart of decision‑making.
• Representing the Trust externally at system, regional and national forums, shaping best practice and innovation across the NHS.

Working for our organisation

Our people are our greatest asset.

When we feel supported and happy at work, this positivity reaches those very people we are here for – the patients. Engaged employees perform at their best and our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) initiatives cultivate a culture of engagement. We have four staff networks, a corporate EDI Team and a suite of programmes and events which aim to insert the five aspirations:

• Improving representation at senior levels of staff with disabilities, from black, Asian, and ethnic minorities background, identify as LGBTQ+ and women, through improved recruitment and leadership development.
• Widening access (anchor institution) and employability.
• Improving the experience of staff with disability.
• Improving the EDI literacy and confidence of trust staff through training and development.
• Making equalities mainstream.

In this senior leadership role you will balance strategic vision with operational grip, driving delivery across both workforce and education portfolios. You will lead the design and implementation of safe, innovative workforce models, ensuring compliance with national workforce safeguards and providing assurance to the Trust Board on staffing, workforce KPIs and quality outcomes.

Through strong partnership working with clinical divisions, HR, education providers and system partners, you will ensure our workforce is skilled, flexible and equipped to meet current and future service demands.

You will direct the Trust's NMAHP education strategy and Clinical Academy, ensuring high‑quality education, training and leadership development that supports recruitment, retention and career progression. This includes oversight of student placements, preceptorship, CPD investment, apprenticeships and post‑registration development, aligned to service needs and population health priorities.

As a senior professional leader you will deputise for the Chief Nurse as required, provide expert advice on professional standards and regulation, and lead on matters relating to NMC referrals, HPANs and associated professional conduct processes.

You will champion a positive, inclusive culture, modelling compassionate leadership, supporting performance, and ensuring staff voices are heard and acted upon.

This role offers the opportunity to leave a lasting legacy – developing people, strengthening professional practice, and shaping a workforce that reflects and serves our communities with excellence and compassion.

We reserve the right to close the post before the stated closing date, please apply early. We do not contact applicants with the outcome of the shortlisting. If you have been shortlisted, you will receive an invite to an assessment day or interview.

As a local employer and anchor institution we work closely with our community to recruit locally and we welcome applications from the widest variety of people to ensure our workforce are reflective of the local communities which we serve. We encourage all suitable candidates to apply including if you are Black, Asian or other ethnic minorities, live with a disability (visible or not) or are LGBT+. We have a number of active staff networks including Disability, LGBT+, Multicultural Inclusion and Women's staff networks to bring staff together and celebrate diversity across our whole workforce.

Please note that sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route is subject to Trust allocation and UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) approval.