Deputy Chief Nurse

NHS; Gorleston-on-Sea; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent healthcare trust in Gorleston-on-Sea is seeking a Deputy Chief Nurse to support the Chief Nurse in delivering a high-quality nursing strategy. The role involves strategic development, quality governance, and multi-disciplinary leadership. Ideal candidates should have a strong nursing background with leadership experience, excellent communication skills, and the ability to improve patient outcomes through innovative care approaches.

Benefits

Investment in personal development

Supportive working environment

Qualifications

• Extensive knowledge of Nursing & Midwifery acquired through significant experience.
• Demonstrable experience of working autonomously and managing workloads.
• Detailed understanding of priorities for Nursing, Midwifery and AHPs.

Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic development of practice to improve patient outcomes.
• Support the Chief Nurse in providing strong quality governance leadership.
• Provide professional senior multi-disciplinary leadership and advice.

Skills

Strong transformational leadership skills

Highly developed communication skills

Ability to work autonomously

Education

Registered Nurse or Midwife on the NMC register

Post graduate qualification to Masters level

Relevant management/leadership qualification

Job description

Deputy Chief Nurse

The closing date is 12 December 2025

The post holder is responsible for supporting the Chief Nurse to deliver the strategy for Nursing, Midwifery and AHPs including Quality Governance and the development of professional and leadership capacity to deliver high quality safe care. The post holder will ensure that Patient Experience is at the heart of the organisation so that all care is patient centred and compassionate and will promote excellence in clinical care and professional standards across the Trust as well in the Integrated Care System and in collaboration with partners in the Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group.

Main duties of the job

• The Deputy Chief Nurse role supports the Chief Nurse in their Director role in the delivery of the Trust's quality, performance and financial corporate, professional, operational and clinical service delivery objectives working with, and across the Trust's corporate and clinical divisions and where appropriate Place and Neighbourhood partners.
• The post holder will support and deputise for the Chief Nurse in both their corporate and strategic leadership role and assume leadership responsibility for delivery of specific service areas

About us

We want to attract the best and brightest people to work with us and that means we will look after you from the moment you apply for a role at the Trust and throughout your career with us. Our staff are central to everything we do, and we believe that investing in you is crucial if we want to enable you to reach your full potential.

Job responsibilities

• To lead the strategic development of practice to improve patient outcomes
• Responsibility for setting clear quality standards for practice
• To support the Chief Nurse in providing strong quality/clinical governance leadership, ensuring the Trust
• To provide high quality services and is fully compliant with all regulatory frameworks
• To provide professional senior multi-disciplinary leadership and advice across the Trust
• Lead the strategic development and implementation of workforce transformation and safe staffing levels
• To deputise for the Chief Nurse in internal and external forums as required
• To provide strategic leadership for Senior Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health professional to drive forward non-medical education and research
• Line management responsibility for the Corporate Lead Nurses, Head of Safeguarding, Head of Infection Prevention & Control, Head of Clinical Effectiveness and Compliance, Associate Director, Senior Nurse for NMAHP Research, Chief Nursing Information Officer and Assistant Director of Patient safety & Quality
• Professional leadership responsibility for the Chief Nursing Projects Officer, Patient Flow Lead, Lead Cancer Nurse and the Head of Midwifery

Person Specification

Education and Qualifications

• Registered Nurse or Midwife on the NMC register
• Post graduate qualification to Masters level or equivalent experience
• Relevant management and/or leadership qualification at degree level or equivalent experience
• Evidence of personal development

Knowledge and Experience

• Extensive knowledge of Nursing & Midwifery acquired through significant experience in a Senior clinical role
• Demonstrable experience of the ability to work autonomously, initiating and organising workloads, delegating appropriately, responding to changing priorities and meeting tight deadlines
• Detailed understanding of priorities for Nursing, Midwifery and AHPs to enhance patient outcomes and staff well-being
• Demonstrates experience of working effectively under pressure and demonstrate resilience

Skills and Knowledge

• Strong transformational leadership skills with the ability to adapt
• Strong strategic thinking and visioning skills
• Highly developed communication skills with the ability to communicate on highly complex matters, highly sensitive matters and very difficult situations at every level and external to the organisation
• Ability to work autonomously and make sound judgements in the absence of clear guidelines or precedent, seeking advice as necessary from senior colleagues and managing the consequences of decisions made
• Ability to establish credibility with external parties, clinical divisions, finance teams and board members.

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.

James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust