Cardiac Surgery Chief Perfusionist

NHS; Nottingham; On-site; GBP 95,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Personal development opportunities

Job summary

Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) invites applications for a Chief Perfusionist. The post leads the Perfusion Service, providing senior clinical and operational leadership, governance, and workforce development within a high‑volume cardiac surgery program.

You will drive strategic planning, budgetary control, quality improvement, and staff development, while maintaining expert cardiopulmonary bypass practice and contributing to on‑call rotas in a dynamic NHS environment.

Qualifications

• Experience in leading perfusion services and clinical governance.
• Ability to manage budgets, workforce planning, and strategic transformation.
• Registered perfusion scientist with relevant professional bodies.

Responsibilities

• Provide senior clinical leadership for the Perfusion Service.
• Lead strategic planning, workforce development, budget management and service transformation.
• Ensure governance, quality, and risk management across the service.
• Oversee education, training and staff development; promote research and innovation.
• Maintain on‑call rota responsibility and high standards of patient care.

Skills

Clinical leadership

Strategic leadership

Budget management

Perfusion expertise

On-call rota

Staff development

Education

Postgraduate qualification in Perfusion science

Tools

Perfusion equipment

Job description

Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) is the biggest employer in Nottingham with over 19,000 staff

Cardiac Surgery at Nottingham University is one of the two tertiary centres in the East Midlands for the management of patients requiring cardiac surgery treatment including trauma. We have five substantive consultants, and we perform more than 600 procedures a year. Our services include minimally invasive procedures and complex mitral and aortic programs.

The Chief Perfusionist (CP) is responsible for providing professional leadership and the operational management of the Perfusion Department, ensuring the efficient and effective use of resources and the development and maintenance of the highest standards of patient care and service delivery. CP is responsible for the development and the well-being of all members of the perfusion team.

The CP must also be an experienced autonomous practitioner who will be responsible for cardiopulmonary bypass procedures in adults undergoing a range of cardiac procedures, and have commitment to the on‑call rota. All accountabilities here are in addition to what would be expected of a Senior Clinical Perfusionist.

The post holder will divide their time between clinical and managerial responsibilities as required; ensuring service delivery targets are met.

Main duties of the job

In addition to the below summary, you need to familiarise yourself with the full Job Description and Person Specification documents attached to this advert.

Provide senior clinical, professional, and operational leadership for the Perfusion Service, acting as the Trust’s lead expert. Lead strategic planning, workforce development, budget management, and service transformation to ensure safe, effective, and efficient delivery.

Maintain highly specialist clinical practice, offering expert advice on complex cases and leading the development of policies, protocols, and advanced practice. Oversee governance, quality, and risk, ensuring compliance with all regulatory and Trust requirements.

Ensure effective day‑to‑day service delivery, capacity planning, and optimisation of patient pathways and resources. Lead education, training, and staff development, promoting research, innovation, and a high‑quality learning environment.

Support organisational resilience, contribute to Trust‑wide initiatives, and uphold professional registration and standards while acting as a role model for clinical excellence and leadership.

Working for our organisation

With over 19,000 staff, we are one of the biggest employers in the city with a central role in supporting the health and wellbeing of our local population. We play a leading role in research, education and innovation.

Come and join our wonderful team at NUH. We are big believers in diversity and welcome new ideas to help develop our team in order to deliver world class healthcare to the vast patient populations we serve. With endless personal development opportunities available, at NUH we will endeavour to turn your job into a career!

We particularly welcome applications from people who identify as Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic, or Disabled, as we are striving to be better represented at NUH.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

In addition to the below summary, you need to familiarise yourself with the full Job Description and Person Specification documents attached to this advert.

Strategic Leadership & Management

Provide senior clinical and leadership for the Perfusion Service, acting as the Trust’s lead expert and key advisor on perfusion-related matters.

Set the strategic direction for the service, aligning with Directorate and Trust-wide objectives, and contributing to long-term planning and transformation programmes.

Hold overall accountability for the safe, effective, and efficient delivery of perfusion services across the organisation.

Lead workforce strategy, including establishment planning, recruitment, retention, and talent development to ensure a sustainable, high‑performing service.

Oversee and drive a high-performance culture through robust appraisal systems, performance management, and leadership development.

Manage the allocated budget, with full responsibility for financial planning, cost improvement programmes (CIPs), and delivery of financial targets.

Identify and lead service improvement, innovation, and transformation initiatives in response to changing clinical, operational, and financial demands.

Ensure the embedding of Trust values, equality, diversity, and inclusion principles across the service.

Clinical Leadership

Maintain expert-level clinical practice in perfusion, operating at a highly specialist level and participating in the on‑call rota as required.

Provide professional leadership and expert guidance on complex clinical cases, ensuring the highest standards of patient care and safety.

Lead the development and implementation of advanced clinical practice, policies, and protocols in line with national standards and emerging evidence.

Ensure continuous improvement in clinical outcomes through benchmarking, audit, and adoption of best practice.

Maintain advanced knowledge of cardiopulmonary bypass, associated physiology, and pharmacology, ensuring this expertise informs service delivery and staff development.

Governance, Quality & Risk

Take overall responsibility for clinical governance within the Perfusion Service, ensuring compliance with all regulatory, statutory, and Trust requirements.

Lead on risk management, including ownership of the departmental risk register, ensuring risks are identified, escalated, and mitigated appropriately.

Oversee audit programmes, quality assurance, and continuous improvement initiatives to enhance patient safety and clinical effectiveness.

Ensure robust systems are in place for infection prevention, health and safety, and regulatory compliance.

Prepare and present governance, quality, and performance reports at senior committees and boards as required.

Operational & Service Delivery

Ensure the effective day‑to‑day operational delivery of the perfusion service, including capacity planning and responsiveness to service demand.

Work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams and senior stakeholders to optimise patient pathways and theatre efficiency.

Lead service planning and redesign to meet evolving clinical and organisational priorities.

Ensure effective resource utilisation, including workforce, equipment, and consumables, delivering value for money.

Education, Training & Workforce Development

Create and sustain a high-quality learning environment for perfusion staff, wider theatre teams, and trainees.

Lead education and training strategy for the service, ensuring alignment with professional standards and future workforce needs.

Promote continuous professional development, research, and innovation within the team.

Identify and address current and future training needs, ensuring staff are equipped to deliver advanced and evolving practice.

Organisational Responsibilities

Ensure robust business continuity, resilience, and emergency planning arrangements for the service.

Contribute to Directorate and Trust-wide reporting, performance management, and strategic initiatives.

Ensure full compliance with mandatory training and organisational policies across the team.

Professional Responsibilities

Maintain professional registration with the College of Clinical Perfusion Scientists of Great Britain and Ireland.

Adhere to the standards and code of conduct set by the Society of Clinical Perfusion Scientists of Great Britain and Ireland.

Act as a professional role model, upholding the highest standards of clinical practice, leadership, and integrity.

Person specification

Training and Qualifications

• Post Graduate Diploma / BSC / MSC in Perfusion science or equivalent
• Accredited by Society Of Clinical Perfusion Scientists of Great Britain and Ireland
• Registered with College of clinical perfusion scientists of Great Britain and Ireland
• Proven leadership skills
• Recognised leadership and management qualification or relevant study and / or experience.
• Further education and post qualification development

Experience

• Extensive experience as a senior clinical Perfusionist or deputy chief Perfusionist
• Extensive post registration experience of working effectively in a relevant multi‑professional environment
• Extensive working knowledge of routine and specialised clinical techniques.
• Supervision of Trainees
• Evidence of taking responsibility for own and other’s actions
• Demonstrate experience in managing staff and services.
• Evidence of project management
• Evidence of developing training programmes
• Evidence of participating in research, seminars, presentations

Communication and Relationship Skills

• Evidence of relevant professional development
• Ability to demonstrate effective change management
• Ability to work as an effective team leader
• Ability to represent department effectively at both local and National level
• Good interpersonal skills
• Excellent motivational skills?
• Ability to facilitate the development of staff

Analytical and Judgement Skills

• Able to maintain intense levels of concentration
• Evidence of commitment to Evidence Based Practice
• Monitor and act upon a wealth of highly complex and routinely conflicting clinical information on a continual basis
• Ability to review and interpret performance data
• Ability to understand and interpret dynamics and behaviours with the team and act promoting teams collaboration

Planning and Organisation Skills

• Responsible for the planning and delivery of a work programme. This involves effective allocation and readjustment of staff, identifying where shortfalls in staffing may occur due to annual leave, sickness or other leave and coordinating appropriate cover, while taking into account skill mix and clinical complexity of cases
• Demonstrable time management skills to manage clinical and managerial responsibilities
• Accountable for own professional conduct and able to work within professional guidelines
• Able to interpret/implement national and local policies to improve patient care

Physical Skills

• Ability to work under pressure
• Ability to adapt to changing needs and environment

Other requirements

• Ability to participate fully in a 24/ 7 on call rota
• Able to work unsocial hours and ensure appropriate cover by all team members through additional hours to meet service demands

___________________________________________________________________________________

Come and join our wonderful team at NUH. We are big believers in diversity and welcome new ideas to help develop our team in order to deliver world class healthcare to the vast patient populations we serve. With endless personal development opportunities available, at the NUH we will endeavour to turn your job into a career!

We particularly welcome applications from people who identify as Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic, or Disabled, as we are striving to be better represented at NUH.

Applicants are kindly requested to refrain from using AI at any stage during the recruitment process.

Salary: The quoted salary will be on a pro rata basis for part time workers.

Disability Confidence: All applicants who have declared a disability and who meet the essential criteria for the post will be shortlisted.

At Risk of redundancy: NHS employees within the East Midlands who are ‘at risk’ of redundancy will be given a preferential interview where they meet the essential criteria of the person specification.

ID and Right to work checks : NUH authenticate ID and right to work documentation including passports and driving licenses through a system called Trust ID. NUH will scan your ID and right to work documentation in to the Trust ID system at your face to face ID appointment. The system will run a check against the key security features within your documentation. The system will provide us with an outcome of your check which will be stored securely on your personal file along with all other pre‑employment check documentation.

Consent:

• Transfer of information: If I have previous NHS service - I consent to the Occupational Health Departmentconfidentially accessing my occupational health records from my current or previous employer in order to check the status of my vaccinations, immunisations s and screening tests as relevant to the post. I understand this is an automated process and the information will only be used for these purposes prior to me taking up the position at NUH.
• Disclosure and Barring Service: Your post may be subject to a DBS check which incur a cost dependent on the level of check required (£41 for enhanced and £20 for standard). I agree to reimburse Nottingham Nursing Trust the cost of a Disclosure & Barring Service .....

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Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.