Director of Midwifery

The Methodist Church in Britain; Lewes; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Employee benefits

Job summary

Medway NHS Foundation Trust seeks a senior midwifery leader to set the strategy for integrated maternity and neonatal improvement across hospital, community and system settings.

The postholder advises the Board and Executive team on safety, quality, workforce and standards, and leads the governance framework with a focus on inclusive, compassionate care and staff engagement.

Qualifications

• Substantial continuing professional development and advanced leadership development.
• Evidence-based knowledge applicable to senior midwifery leadership and governance.

Responsibilities

• Provide Trust-wide professional leadership for midwifery and advise the CNO and Executive team.
• Lead an integrated maternity and neonatal strategy across safety, outcomes, equity and workforce.
• Establish a single maternity and neonatal quality governance and surveillance system with early-warning thresholds.
• Ensure PSIRF-aligned responses to incidents, with Duty of Candour and family engagement.
• Lead safe midwifery staffing, establishment, skill mix, education and leadership succession.
• Provide leadership, challenge and assurance on clinical standards and pathways.
• Lead delivery for national maternity actions and external assurance processes.
• Address inequalities and discrimination through data and co-production.
• Promote an open, inclusive culture where staff and families can speak up.
• Manage delegated people, budgets and programmes and contribute to executive leadership.

Skills

Midwifery leadership

Maternity governance

PSIRF knowledge

Incident learning

Workforce planning

Strategic thinking

Financial management

Equality & inclusion

External assurance

Clinical governance

Education

Advanced leadership development

Substantial CPD

Job description

This is the Trust's most senior midwifery post, based in the Corporate Nursing and Maternity division at Medway NHS Foundation Trust and reporting to the Chief Nursing Officer. The postholder advises the Board and Executive team on safety, quality, workforce and standards, and sets the strategy for integrated maternity and neonatal improvement across hospital, community and system settings. The postholder works as an equal member of the perinatal quadrumvirate, with shared accountability for outcomes. Fit turns on NMC registration and senior midwifery leadership in complex acute and community services.

What the job involves

• Provide Trust-wide professional leadership for midwifery and advise the CNO, Executive team, Maternity Board Non-Executive Director and Board
• Lead delivery of an integrated maternity and neonatal strategy covering safety, outcomes, experience, equity, workforce, finance, performance, research and improvement
• Establish a single maternity and neonatal quality governance and surveillance system with early-warning thresholds and oversight of unwarranted variation
• Ensure independent, compassionate, PSIRF-aligned responses to incidents, deaths, complaints and concerns, with Duty of Candour and family engagement
• Lead safe midwifery staffing, establishment, skill mix, education, retention, professional standards, supervision and leadership succession
• Through the quadrumvirate, provide leadership, challenge and assurance on clinical standards, pathways, escalation, teamwork and improvement, with shared accountability for outcomes
• Lead delivery and assurance for MIS/CNST, PMRT, MBRRACE-UK, Saving Babies Lives, CQC and national maternity actions
• Address inequalities, racism, discrimination and differential outcomes through data, listening, co-production and measurable action
• Promote an open, inclusive and psychologically safe culture in which staff and families can speak up and receive a timely response
• Manage delegated people, budgets and programmes, and contribute to Trust-wide executive leadership and on-call arrangements

What’s required

Qualifications

• Substantial continuing professional development and advanced leadership development

Registration & licences

• Current NMC registration as a midwife, with no restriction incompatible with the role

Experience

• Substantial experience as a Director, Deputy Director, Head of Midwifery or equivalent senior midwifery leader in a complex acute and community maternity service
• Proven track record of improving maternity safety, outcomes, experience, governance and culture at significant scale
• Experience giving direct professional advice and candid assurance to Executives, Board committees, regulators and commissioners
• Experience leading safe staffing, establishment review, recruitment, retention, education and workforce transformation
• Experience leading CQC, NHS England, MIS/CNST or equivalent external assurance processes

Skills & knowledge

• Expert knowledge of midwifery practice, integrated maternity and neonatal pathways, and evidence-based care
• Expert knowledge of maternity quality governance, perinatal surveillance, PSIRF, Duty of Candour, PMRT and incident learning
• Detailed understanding of Ockenden, Kirkup, the Amos investigation and national maternity policy
• Expert knowledge of safe staffing, establishment review and workforce planning
• Knowledge of equality, racial and socioeconomic disparities, cultural safety and co-production
• Strategic, analytical and systems-thinking skills, with strong financial, workforce and performance management

Other

• Credible, independent advice and truthful speech about risk under scrutiny
• Advanced influencing, negotiation and conflict-resolution skills, with outstanding written communication
• Compassion, integrity and fairness, with challenge to racism, discrimination and bullying

What’s offered

• Choice of coverage and supplemental benefits for the employee and their family
• Promotion of flexible working opportunities across the Trust