Associate Director of Nursing/AHPs - Community & CSS

The Methodist Church in Britain; Bury St Edmunds; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust seeks a senior leader to head nursing and allied health professional services across the Community and CSS division. The post leads professional standards, quality, governance, and resource use, with accountability to the divisional leadership team.

The role requires current NMC or HCPC registration, and an ability to provide strategic, integrated community-focused care across the division and Trust.

Qualifications

• Master's degree or equivalent; evidence of continuing professional development.
• Senior nursing or AHP leadership experience; governance and quality focus.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic, professional and operational leadership for nursing and AHP services.
• Ensure safe, high-quality care that is financially sustainable.
• Contribute to strategic direction, performance and transformation across the division and Trust.
• Hold senior accountability for quality, patient safety, governance, workforce and resources.
• Provide assurance to the Executive Chief Nurse and wider organisation.
• Develop senior nursing and AHP leaders; visible professional leadership.
• Ensure services respond to workforce and patient needs; drive continuous improvement.
• Use data and intelligence to improve outcomes and deliver priorities.
• Collaborate across organisations and system boundaries.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Nursing/AHP leadership

Change management

Financial acumen

Data interpretation

Communication skills

Education

Master's degree

CPD commitment

Job description

This senior post leads nursing and allied health professional services across the Community and CSS division of West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, sitting on the divisional leadership team. The post holder is accountable for quality, patient safety, clinical governance, workforce and the use of resources, and gives professional leadership to senior nursing and AHP staff. It is open to candidates from either a nursing or an allied health professional background, with a focus on integrated, community-focused services. Applicants must hold current NMC or HCPC registration, matching their background.

What the job involves

• Provide strategic, professional and operational leadership for nursing and AHP services across the division
• Ensure safe, high-quality, effective and financially sustainable care
• Contribute to the strategic direction, performance and transformation of services across the division and Trust
• Hold senior accountability for quality, patient safety, clinical governance, workforce, professional standards and resources
• Provide assurance to the Executive Chief Nurse and the wider organisation
• Provide visible professional leadership and develop senior nursing and AHP leaders
• Ensure services respond to current and future workforce and patient needs
• Lead and influence strategic change, service transformation and continuous improvement
• Use quality, workforce, performance and patient experience intelligence to improve outcomes and deliver organisational priorities
• Work across organisational and system boundaries
• Contribute to corporate and cross-divisional programmes
• Promote a culture of accountability, innovation and continuous improvement

Qualifications

• Master's degree, or equivalent experience, in a relevant field
• Evidence of continued professional development

Registration & licences

• Current NMC registration, or current HCPC registration for AHPs

Experience

• Significant senior nursing or AHP leadership at Matron, Head of Nursing or Therapies level
• Leading large multidisciplinary teams
• Managing service delivery in an acute or complex healthcare setting
• Leading quality improvement, audit, change and patient safety initiativesWorkforce planning and staff management, including performance and capability
• Robust financial acumen

Skills & knowledge

• Up-to-date knowledge of national nursing and AHP policy, research and evidence-based practice
• Effective communication and influencing skills, including explaining complex information to varied stakeholders
• Analytical skills to interpret complex data and solve complex problems
• Knowledge of safeguarding, Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act

Other

• Effective working relationships inside and outside the organisation
• Strong decision-making, autonomous judgement and prioritisation of competing demands
• Ability to develop a clear vision and work effectively in teams and independently, committed to equality, diversity and integrity

Nice to have

• Postgraduate leadership or management qualification
• Participation in senior leadership programmes, such as NHS Leadership Academy
• Leadership facilitator
• Experience leading strategic or cross-Trust change, including across multiple settings
• Experience preparing business cases
• Ability to apply research to practice
• Experience contributing to strategic planning
• Commitment to ongoing professional development and willingness to take wider professional roles at local, regional or national level