Chief Nursing Officer

NHS; Norwich; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent healthcare organization in Norwich seeks an experienced Group Chief Nursing Officer to lead nursing, midwifery, and AHP services. This role emphasizes high-quality, compassionate care and requires collaboration with the executive team to shape impactful clinical strategies. Ideal candidates will have significant leadership experience in the NHS and a commitment to continuous improvement. Strong interpersonal skills and a validated record of transforming clinical services are essential, making this a pivotal role in shaping healthcare services in the region.

Qualifications

• Registered nurse with appropriate qualifications.
• Evidence of continuous professional development.
• Substantial experience in senior nurse leadership.

Responsibilities

• Lead nursing and AHP workforce transformation.
• Ensure safe, high-quality patient care across hospitals.
• Collaborate with Group CEO on clinical strategy.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Clinical governance

Change management

Education

Postgraduate nursing qualifications

Master's degree in management or leadership

Job description

Job summary

Professionally, the Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group presents a unique and exciting opportunity for executive leaders to influence meaningful, system-wide change. As part of a progressive and ambitious group operating across three acute hospital sites, you'll help shape high-quality, sustainable services for a population of over one million people.

The Group plays a central role in Norfolk and Waveney's Integrated Care System and is committed to collaborative, inclusive leadership. For those seeking to make a lasting impact on healthcare while enjoying the benefits of a truly enviable lifestyle, Norfolk is an outstanding place to lead, live, and grow.

As the NWUHG, we'll work together under a Group Board with a single Interim Group Chair, Group CEO, Prof Lesley Dwyer, and joint Executive and non-Executive Directors.

To apply, please visit: https://alumniglobal.com/job/nwuhg-cno

Closing date: 14 August 2015

Final interviews: w/c 15 September - TBC

Main duties of the job

As the executive lead for our nursing, midwifery, and AHP workforce, the Group Chief Nurse will play a vital role in this transformation. Your leadership will ensure that every patient receives safe, compassionate care, every time, and that we leverage the scale of the Group to reduce variation, tackle inequalities, and adopt best practice at pace.

You will work closely with our Group CEO, our Group Chief Medical Officer, and our wider Executive Team to shape a clinically led strategy that reflects the values and aspirations of our workforce, while being grounded in the realities of operational delivery. You will provide visible professional leadership to more than 10,000 nurses, midwives and AHPs, and play a key role in embedding a learning culture that enables our people to develop, innovate, and lead.

This is a highly visible and human Board level role. While our success depends on systems and structures, it must be built on relationships, trust, and shared purpose. We are looking for a leader who brings authenticity alongside their experience, and curiosity and courage alongside their expertise.

To apply, please visit: https://alumniglobal.com/job/nwuhg-cno

About us

The Group was formed in May 2025 and brings together the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals Trust, the James Paget University Hospitals Trust and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Kings Lynn.

Each Trust remains a separate statutory organisation with its own Executive Managing Director, who will be a full member of the Group board, and leadership team. Each hospital also remains focused on its community and local services and staff relationships will continue to be central to how we work.

Living and working in Norfolk offers the rare opportunity to enjoy both professional fulfilment and an exceptional quality of life. From its expansive coastline and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty to the historic city of Norwich and its surrounding market towns, Norfolk blends tranquillity with a strong sense of community. Whether you're relocating with family or seeking a change of pace, the region boasts excellent schools, accessible housing, and a lifestyle rooted in wellbeing, space, and balance. Its a place where you can truly switch off at the end of the day, whether that's a walk on Holkham Beach or dinner in a vibrant local pub.

To apply, please visit: https://alumniglobal.com/job/nwuhg-cno

Details Date posted

22 July 2025

Pay scheme

Very senior manager (VSM)

Salary

Depending on experience

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

C9234-AHG-A040958-CNO

Job locations

Norfolk County Hall, Floor 8

Martineau Lane

Norwich

Norfolk

NR1 2DH

Job description Job responsibilities

Job Description

Job Title: Group Chief Nursing Officer

Accountable to: Group Chief Executive

Pay Band: Very Senior Manager

Job Purpose

The Group Chief Nurse provides professional leadership for nursing, midwifery, and allied health professionals. The post holder is Executive lead for Patient Engagement and Experience, Safeguarding, Maternity Services, Infection Prevention and Control functions. The Group Chief Nurse is also Executive lead for CQC and provides shared leadership across the portfolio of Clinical Quality and Patient Safety with the group Chief Medical Officer, ensuring we provide high quality, safe and compassionate care across our group of hospitals.

Working in partnership with the Group Chief Medical Officer and Hospital Chief Nurses, the postholder will ensure that we take a multidisciplinary approach to our clinical care and that we make quality and patient experience of paramount importance and have the right governance framework in place to manage quality issues.

The Group Chief Nurse and Group Chief Medical Officer will play a leading role in the Groups academic mission. Working closely with colleagues from the University of East Anglia and research organisations the post will help lay some strong foundations for the Group becoming an academic health science system.

The Group Chief Nurse will also ensure that we hear the patient voice, listening to what people say about care and learning and improving as a result. We will ensure that we leverage the benefits of the Group model so that patients get the same quality of care across their hospitals and that we maximise productivity wherever we can.

Our commitment to continuous quality improvement will require working across the Group to take advantage of clinical transformation opportunities and deploying them in our hospitals. As professional lead for our nursing, midwifery and AHP workforce, the Group Chief Nurse will create a culture of improvement and an aspiration to provide the best clinical services to our patients. The Group Chief Nurse fosters a culture which values our people and of continuing professional development; strives for excellence in all aspects of the delivery of high-quality patient care; ensures staff and patients are listened to and puts systems in place to enable learning to be put into practice.

The Group Chief Nurse will work with the Group Chief Medical Officer to jointly lead the development and implementation of new evidence-based models of care and help standardise protocols to reduce unwanted variation, improve care outcomes, and tackle health inequalities. They will ensure that clinical practice, underpinned by a digital and research focus, continuously improves patient safety, promotes efficient working practices and the transfer of care between settings. As Group executive lead from Maternity, the post holder will ensure we have an appropriate strategy for maternity services and will also strengthen our clinical governance across the Group.

The Group Chief Nurse works with system partners to provide system leadership with HEI's to ensure that the Group has a professional workforce that is fit for practise and fit for the future.

The Chief Group Nurse is a voting member of the Group Board.

Key Responsibilities

Executive Function

• To lead and support the Hospital Chief Nurses to provide local nursing and AHP leadership to each of our sites
• Working with clinical and academic colleagues, play a leading role in developing the academic mission to accelerate the integration of research, clinical services, education and training
• Advise the Group Board and Executive on patient care, nursing and AHP issues
• To play a key role in the development of our clinical strategy, engaging the nursing midwifery and AHP professions, to ensure that these strategies are owned across the Group
• Working with the Group CEO and executive team to optimise opportunities for the improvement of clinical shared services for the Group
• Ensure patients are cared for in the most appropriate settings and support colleagues in driving improvements in the Neighbourhood Health Model to improve equity of access, to appropriate and timely health services
• Ensuring the needs of our underserved communities are considered over the whole pathway of care
• To look outwards to the wider healthcare environment to anticipate national issues that may support or prevent delivery of our plans
• To harness best practise from across the NHS and beyond to ensure that we adopt best clinical practise across the Group, learning from others and incorporating best practises from elsewhere
• To identify clinical transformation opportunities that will help us improve services and level up across the Group, leveraging the advantages of digital innovation and support delivery locally
• To work with other Group director colleagues and provide leadership to Group wide initiatives, ensuring we are financially sustainable and have a clear plan to optimise our workforce
• In conjunction with the Group Chief Medical Officer and Group Chief Delivery Officer, lead the development of Specialty Clinical Networks, ensuring adoption of clinical best practice and standardisation and where appropriate, encouraging cross site working
• As Executive lead for Maternity Services, the post holder will work with Group colleagues to ensure we have an appropriate maternity and neonatal strategy that will deliver the best possible outcomes and comply with external regulatory requirements.

Clinical Leadership

• Working through the Hospital Chief Nurses, provide clinical leadership to the nursing midwifery and AHP professions in the Group, building high calibre, high performing, multidisciplinary clinical teams, attracting and retaining the best clinical talent to our hospitals
• To advise on all Nursing Midwifery and AHP matters, ensuring compliance with all regulatory requirements and managing our key clinical risks as a Group
• Working jointly with the Chief Medical Officer to ensure the Group provides safe and compassionate care, building a culture of continuous improvement and creating a governance framework to prioritise quality outcomes for patients
• Ensure there are effective clinical safety, professional standards, and workforce management policy framework in place for nurses and midwives, and AHPs, supported by procedures, training, and sound revalidation process as is necessary to meet and exceed the safety and quality objectives of the Group

Talent Management

• Working with our Hospital Chief Nurses, provide leadership in practice education, development and workforce issues for nurses, midwives and AHPs and provide leadership to support and embed talent management strategies and succession planning approaches across the professions
• To develop innovative workforce plans to retain post graduate staff
• Working with the Group Chief Medical Officer to shape our educational programmes helping to keep our staff at the forefront of their professions
• Working in liaison with the Group Chief People Officer, lead the development and review of workforce plans for nursing, midwifery and AHP staff, advising the Board on issues relating to safe staffing levels, skill mix and the deployment and utilisation of clinical roles; using innovative staffing models to tackle workforce gaps
• Working with the Group Chief Delivery Officer to develop systems of mutual aid that delivers a flexible workforce that can respond to changes in demand
• Work with education providers and commissioners, to ensure the effective delivery of the educational contract and the provision of high calibre post graduate clinical staff.

Clinical Quality and Governance

• Working closely with the Hospital Chief Nurses, Managing Directors and Clinical Directors, setting the clinical standards and ensuring that these are delivered across our hospitals, and providing challenge and support as required
• To support the Group to meet its statutory responsibilities in adherence to its constitution, national policy, and practise in all the post holders key areas of responsibility
• In conjunction with the Group Chief Medical Officer ensure that appropriate assurance is brought to the board in Quality, Patient Safety, and Safe Staffing levels, through regular audits, management, and investigation of incidents, and appropriate insight into available data
• Develop and systematically review nursing and midwifery policies and procedures, creating alignment across the Group and ensuring that there is a focus on quality of nursing practice and management at ward and departmental level
• Develop and systematically review AHP policies and procedures, creating alignment across the Group and ensuring that there is a focus on quality of practice and prevention
• Executive lead for Safeguarding, Infection Prevention and Control, Patient and community engagement and experience, and quality governance
• Lead Executive for the Group in our relationship with CQC and preparation for response and inspections.

Other

• Represent the Group at regional and national levels on professional medical issues, developing partnerships, sharing best practise, and integrating this knowledge within the Group
• To take part in the on-call rota, and provide practical leadership, advice, and guidance during specific periods.

The duties and responsibilities set out in this job description are subject to amendment from time to time.

Please see the attached job description and person specification for full details.

Job description Job responsibilities

Job Description

Job Title: Group Chief Nursing Officer

Accountable to: Group Chief Executive

Pay Band: Very Senior Manager

Job Purpose

The Group Chief Nurse provides professional leadership for nursing, midwifery, and allied health professionals. The post holder is Executive lead for Patient Engagement and Experience, Safeguarding, Maternity Services, Infection Prevention and Control functions. The Group Chief Nurse is also Executive lead for CQC and provides shared leadership across the portfolio of Clinical Quality and Patient Safety with the group Chief Medical Officer, ensuring we provide high quality, safe and compassionate care across our group of hospitals.

Working in partnership with the Group Chief Medical Officer and Hospital Chief Nurses, the postholder will ensure that we take a multidisciplinary approach to our clinical care and that we make quality and patient experience of paramount importance and have the right governance framework in place to manage quality issues.

The Group Chief Nurse and Group Chief Medical Officer will play a leading role in the Groups academic mission. Working closely with colleagues from the University of East Anglia and research organisations the post will help lay some strong foundations for the Group becoming an academic health science system.

The Group Chief Nurse will also ensure that we hear the patient voice, listening to what people say about care and learning and improving as a result. We will ensure that we leverage the benefits of the Group model so that patients get the same quality of care across their hospitals and that we maximise productivity wherever we can.

Our commitment to continuous quality improvement will require working across the Group to take advantage of clinical transformation opportunities and deploying them in our hospitals. As professional lead for our nursing, midwifery and AHP workforce, the Group Chief Nurse will create a culture of improvement and an aspiration to provide the best clinical services to our patients. The Group Chief Nurse fosters a culture which values our people and of continuing professional development; strives for excellence in all aspects of the delivery of high-quality patient care; ensures staff and patients are listened to and puts systems in place to enable learning to be put into practice.

The Group Chief Nurse will work with the Group Chief Medical Officer to jointly lead the development and implementation of new evidence-based models of care and help standardise protocols to reduce unwanted variation, improve care outcomes, and tackle health inequalities. They will ensure that clinical practice, underpinned by a digital and research focus, continuously improves patient safety, promotes efficient working practices and the transfer of care between settings. As Group executive lead from Maternity, the post holder will ensure we have an appropriate strategy for maternity services and will also strengthen our clinical governance across the Group.

The Group Chief Nurse works with system partners to provide system leadership with HEI's to ensure that the Group has a professional workforce that is fit for practise and fit for the future.

The Chief Group Nurse is a voting member of the Group Board.

Key Responsibilities

Executive Function

• To lead and support the Hospital Chief Nurses to provide local nursing and AHP leadership to each of our sites
• Working with clinical and academic colleagues, play a leading role in developing the academic mission to accelerate the integration of research, clinical services, education and training
• Advise the Group Board and Executive on patient care, nursing and AHP issues
• To play a key role in the development of our clinical strategy, engaging the nursing midwifery and AHP professions, to ensure that these strategies are owned across the Group
• Working with the Group CEO and executive team to optimise opportunities for the improvement of clinical shared services for the Group
• Ensure patients are cared for in the most appropriate settings and support colleagues in driving improvements in the Neighbourhood Health Model to improve equity of access, to appropriate and timely health services
• Ensuring the needs of our underserved communities are considered over the whole pathway of care
• To look outwards to the wider healthcare environment to anticipate national issues that may support or prevent delivery of our plans
• To harness best practise from across the NHS and beyond to ensure that we adopt best clinical practise across the Group, learning from others and incorporating best practises from elsewhere
• To identify clinical transformation opportunities that will help us improve services and level up across the Group, leveraging the advantages of digital innovation and support delivery locally
• To work with other Group director colleagues and provide leadership to Group wide initiatives, ensuring we are financially sustainable and have a clear plan to optimise our workforce
• In conjunction with the Group Chief Medical Officer and Group Chief Delivery Officer, lead the development of Specialty Clinical Networks, ensuring adoption of clinical best practice and standardisation and where appropriate, encouraging cross site working
• As Executive lead for Maternity Services, the post holder will work with Group colleagues to ensure we have an appropriate maternity and neonatal strategy that will deliver the best possible outcomes and comply with external regulatory requirements.

Clinical Leadership

• Working through the Hospital Chief Nurses, provide clinical leadership to the nursing midwifery and AHP professions in the Group, building high calibre, high performing, multidisciplinary clinical teams, attracting and retaining the best clinical talent to our hospitals
• To advise on all Nursing Midwifery and AHP matters, ensuring compliance with all regulatory requirements and managing our key clinical risks as a Group
• Working jointly with the Chief Medical Officer to ensure the Group provides safe and compassionate care, building a culture of continuous improvement and creating a governance framework to prioritise quality outcomes for patients
• Ensure there are effective clinical safety, professional standards, and workforce management policy framework in place for nurses and midwives, and AHPs, supported by procedures, training, and sound revalidation process as is necessary to meet and exceed the safety and quality objectives of the Group

Talent Management

• Working with our Hospital Chief Nurses, provide leadership in practice education, development and workforce issues for nurses, midwives and AHPs and provide leadership to support and embed talent management strategies and succession planning approaches across the professions
• To develop innovative workforce plans to retain post graduate staff
• Working with the Group Chief Medical Officer to shape our educational programmes helping to keep our staff at the forefront of their professions
• Working in liaison with the Group Chief People Officer, lead the development and review of workforce plans for nursing, midwifery and AHP staff, advising the Board on issues relating to safe staffing levels, skill mix and the deployment and utilisation of clinical roles; using innovative staffing models to tackle workforce gaps
• Working with the Group Chief Delivery Officer to develop systems of mutual aid that delivers a flexible workforce that can respond to changes in demand
• Work with education providers and commissioners, to ensure the effective delivery of the educational contract and the provision of high calibre post graduate clinical staff.

Clinical Quality and Governance

• Working closely with the Hospital Chief Nurses, Managing Directors and Clinical Directors, setting the clinical standards and ensuring that these are delivered across our hospitals, and providing challenge and support as required
• To support the Group to meet its statutory responsibilities in adherence to its constitution, national policy, and practise in all the post holders key areas of responsibility
• In conjunction with the Group Chief Medical Officer ensure that appropriate assurance is brought to the board in Quality, Patient Safety, and Safe Staffing levels, through regular audits, management, and investigation of incidents, and appropriate insight into available data
• Develop and systematically review nursing and midwifery policies and procedures, creating alignment across the Group and ensuring that there is a focus on quality of nursing practice and management at ward and departmental level
• Develop and systematically review AHP policies and procedures, creating alignment across the Group and ensuring that there is a focus on quality of practice and prevention
• Executive lead for Safeguarding, Infection Prevention and Control, Patient and community engagement and experience, and quality governance
• Lead Executive for the Group in our relationship with CQC and preparation for response and inspections.

Other

• Represent the Group at regional and national levels on professional medical issues, developing partnerships, sharing best practise, and integrating this knowledge within the Group
• To take part in the on-call rota, and provide practical leadership, advice, and guidance during specific periods.

The duties and responsibilities set out in this job description are subject to amendment from time to time.

Please see the attached job description and person specification for full details.

Person Specification Qualifications Essential

• A registered nurse with appropriate postgraduate qualifications
• Evidence of continuous professional and personal development

Desirable

• Masters degree in a relevant management or leadership subject

Skills Essential

• Ability to lead a multi-professional team, both when directly managed
• and in a matrix mode
• Excellent interpersonal, leadership and communication skills
• Ability to identity innovation and transformational opportunities and
• deliver these in a large, complex organisation
• Strong understanding of NHSE and associated regulatory environments

Experience Essential

• Substantial experience as a very senior nurse leader in a system role
• and/or as a Chief Nursing Officer in a large teaching NHS trust
• Proven track record of transformational clinical leadership within a
• complex health system
• Substantial experience as a very senior nurse leader in a system role
• and/or as a Chief Nursing Officer in a large teaching NHS trust
• Evidence of delivering effective service delivery targets whilst
• maintaining high quality services
• Understanding how a Group model operates and the ability to lead
• within a group

Person Specification Qualifications Essential

• A registered nurse with appropriate postgraduate qualifications
• Evidence of continuous professional and personal development

Desirable

• Masters degree in a relevant management or leadership subject

Skills Essential

• Ability to lead a multi-professional team, both when directly managed
• and in a matrix mode
• Excellent interpersonal, leadership and communication skills
• Ability to identity innovation and transformational opportunities and
• deliver these in a large, complex organisation
• Strong understanding of NHSE and associated regulatory environments

Experience Essential

• Substantial experience as a very senior nurse leader in a system role
• and/or as a Chief Nursing Officer in a large teaching NHS trust
• Proven track record of transformational clinical leadership within a
• complex health system
• Substantial experience as a very senior nurse leader in a system role
• and/or as a Chief Nursing Officer in a large teaching NHS trust
• Evidence of delivering effective service delivery targets whilst
• maintaining high quality services
• Understanding how a Group model operates and the ability to lead
• within a group

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information 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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details Employer name

Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital

Address

Norfolk County Hall, Floor 8

Martineau Lane

Norwich

Norfolk

NR1 2DH

Employer's website

https://teamnnuh.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details Employer name

Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital

Address

Norfolk County Hall, Floor 8

Martineau Lane

Norwich

Norfolk

NR1 2DH

Employer's website

https://teamnnuh.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)