Deputy Sister/Charge Nurse - Neonatal Unit

Esneft; Ipswich; Hybrid; GBP 39,000 - 47,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working opportunities

Staff benefits

Job summary

ESNEFT's Ipswich Hospital Neonatal Unit is seeking a part-time Deputy Sister/Charge Nurse (Band 6) to lead the team caring for premature and sick babies. The fixed-term/secondment post runs 28.45 hours per week through 20 September 2027, with night rotation and occasional cross-cover for Children's Ward.

You will join a committed team and have access to development opportunities with local university links, delivering high quality, family-centred care.

Qualifications

• Registered Nurse (RN/RM/RN Child) with NLS certification.
• Neonatal specialization qualification required.
• Willingness to undertake ongoing academic study.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the neonatal nursing team to deliver safe, high-quality care.
• Provide professional and clinical leadership in neonatology.
• Collaborate with families to achieve best outcomes.

Skills

Leadership

Change management

Patient experience improvement

Education

RN / RM/ RN Child

NLS certificate

Neonatal Qualified in speciality

Undertaking current academic study

Job description

Deputy Sister/Charge Nurse - Neonatal Unit

Band 6

Main area Neonatal Grade Band 6 Contract 10 months (Fixed term/Secondment until 20th September 2027) Hours Part time - 28.45 hours per week Job ref 432-HR933-26

Site Ipswich Hospital Town Ipswich Salary £38,682 - £46,580 per annum pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 18/10/2026 23:59 Interview date 05/11/2026

We are one of the largest NHS organisation in England. Our scale provides exciting opportunities for development, innovation, research, education and training.

Talk to us about our range of flexible working opportunities, apprenticeships and staff benefits

Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is at the heart of all we do; and it forms part of ESNEFT’s core activities. The Trust operates and relies on everyone treating each other with dignity and respect, to receive equitable and fair treatment in the implementation of Policies, Procedures and in its Practices, to foster positive work relationships, and finally to act with integrity as a professional within ESNEFT as well as a representative of the NHS as a whole. The EDI Agenda reflects the Trust values such as Optimistic, Appreciative and Kind. In line with the NHS Long Term Plan, People Plan, People Promise and a Model Employer intrinsic in the Equality Diversity and Inclusion Agenda, we consistently strive to improve, to take the learning into Action for a better ESNEFT.

Job overview

Are you an experienced Neonatal Nurse looking for a new challenge and/or career progression?

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join our dedicated team caring for premature and sick babies for Band 6 Junior Sister.

You will have the opportunity to work and learn in diverse child focused environments. We will offer you the support of a committed team to advance your skills and to support your learning with access to development opportunities both internally and with our excellent links to local universities.

This post is fixed term/secondment contract until 20th September 2027 28.45 hours per week.

Proposed interview date: 5th November 2026

Main duties of the job

As a Junior Sister/Charge Nurse in our Neonatal Unit, you will effectively manage and develop our existing nursing team, providing professional and clinical leadership in the delivery of high quality, safe and cost effective care of babies and their families.

This demanding role requires passionate, highly motivated and experienced neonatal trained nurses with excellent communication skills who wish to continue to develop their clinical and leadership skills, delivering high quality care to neonates and their families.

As a team, we are committed to recruiting staff who uphold our values and can deliver care putting babies at the heart of everything we do, with an emphasis on working in partnership with the families to provide the best possible experience and outcomes.

As a unit, we are dedicated to recruiting staff who uphold our values and can deliver excellent care putting babies at the heart of everything we do, with an emphasis on working in partnership with the families to provide the best possible experience and outcomes.

This post includes shift work with internal rotation to night duty and may occasionally involve some cross cover for Children's Ward.

Working for our organisation

We are ESNEFT and we provide hospital and community health services to almost one million people across east Suffolk and north Essex. Our dedicated staff deliver care from acute hospitals in Colchester and Ipswich, community hospitals, surgeries, community clinics and in patients’ own homes.

We are one of the largest NHS organisations in England , employing more than 12,000 staff.

We pride ourselves on supporting our staff. We offer a wide range of training and development opportunities, as well as flexible working options.

Along with supporting you to achieve your career goals we offer a generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (where applicable), 27 days annual leave on commencement (pro rata) and access to a range of NHS discounts. Our Staff Health and Wellbeing programme offer a variety of services.

Our philosophy is that Time Matters to everyone. Across the Trust, we concentrate on improving the things we do and removing those which cause time delays for our staff and patients .

We are investing in our commitment to Time Matters with a partnership with leading electronic patient record (EPR) supplier Epic. This digital transformation will bring what’s widely regarded as the world’s best EPR system to ESNEFT, transforming life in hospital for staff and patients.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For full details of the responsibilities and duties of this role please see attached job description and person specification

Person specification

Qualifications

• RN / RM/ RN Child
• NLS certificate
• Neonatal Qualified in speciality
• Undertaking current academic study

Experience

• Previous experience at Band 5
• Experience as shift leader at Band 5/6
• Clinical expertise within specialty
• Managing change
• Evidence of managing and improving the patient experience

Successful candidates may be charged for their DBS check. Please ensure you read the information found in the attached DBS Information document

The Trust is committed to its staff and their development and to equal opportunities and diversity. Applications are welcomed from all sections of the community.

Whilst we welcome applications from all and your application will be considered on individual merit, if you are offered a position and require a Skilled Worker Certificate of Sponsorship we may not be able to process your application to the final stage due to Home Office eligibility. Please note Band 2 roles are not eligible for sponsorship.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust; we look forward to receiving your application for employment.

We do not charge any fees at any stage of our recruitment process, including job applications, interviews, sponsorship arrangements or employment offers

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.