Divisional Director of Nursing

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Swindon; On-site; GBP 94,000 - 109,000; Full time

Job summary

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Divisional Director of Nursing (Band 8d) to lead the Surgery and Planned Care division in Swindon. The post requires exceptional leadership to drive patient safety, outcomes and experience across multiple services.

The role involves strategic direction, professional nursing oversight, and delivery of high‑quality care. The post requires substantial senior leadership, financial stewardship, and collaboration across system partners within

Qualifications

• Proven senior nursing or midwifery leadership and management experience.
• Budgetary/financial management experience.
• Demonstrates continuous professional development.

Responsibilities

• Provide professional leadership and development of nursing within the division.
• Drive service transformation, innovation and continuous improvement.
• Shape strategic direction with senior colleagues and operational teams.
• Ensure safe, high‑quality surgical and planned care delivery.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

NHS governance

Education

Nursing degree with masters

Management qualification

Job description

Employer Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site The Great Western Hospital Town Swindon Salary £94,356 - £108,814 Per annum, Pro Rata Salary period Yearly Closing 11/10/2026 23:59

Divisional Director of Nursing

Band 8d

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is a unique organisation, serving as the sole integrated provider in the Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon, and Wiltshire system. Our scope extends beyond boundaries as we oversee adult community services in Swindon and provide acute care from the Great Western Hospital.

Our 5,500 staff have 1.2m patient contacts a year, with 13,000 operations carried out in our Theatres, around 4,000 babies born, and our emergency attendances are now well over 100,000 per year. Those numbers only tell part of our story about what an exciting time it is to join Great Western Hospitals.

We are cultivating a culture that fosters our ambitions, prioritising equality, diversion, inclusion, wellbeing, and leadership. We aim to create an environment where every member of our team can truly thrive.

Applications for this role should be written by the applicant. If artificial intelligence (AI) programmes are used, then the application may be rejected due to this document being an important part of the assessment process. This does not prevent applicants seeking appropriate support with applications should they need to for the purposes of any declared disability.

If we receive a high volume of applications, we may close adverts prior to the published closing date. Therefore, we advise you to complete and submit your application as soon as possible.

Job overview

Divisional Director of Nursing

An Exceptional Leadership Opportunity in Nursing

We’re seeking a visionary and compassionate nursing leader to take on the role of Divisional Director of Nursing, leading an exceptional and diverse portfolio of services. This division is at the forefront of surgery and planned care across Swindon, delivering excellence in patient outcomes and safety.

This is a unique opportunity to shape high-quality patient-centered care across a range of specialties—working hand-in-hand with system partners to innovate, collaborate, and make a meaningful difference in the lives of our patients

The Divisional Director of Nursing (DDoN) for Surgery and Planned Care is a key member of the divisional triumvirate, working in close partnership with the Divisional Director and Associate Medical Director to set
strategic direction and ensure delivery of safe, effective and high-quality surgical and planned care. The DDON provides visible clinical leadership, professional oversight of the nursing workforce, and drives service transformation, innovation, and continuous improvement across the Division.

Main duties of the job

In this pivotal role, you’ll work at the heart of strategic decision-making, forming part of a powerful triumvirate alongside the Associate Medical Director and Divisional Director. Together, you’ll set the strategic direction and empower teams to deliver outstanding operational performance.

Your Impact:

• Elevate patient outcomes, safety, and experience
• Drive innovation and effectiveness in care delivery
• Lead change with confidence and compassion
• Influence practice across the Division and delegated areas on behalf of the Chief Nurse

This is more than a leadership role — it’s a chance to shape the future of nursing, inspire excellence, and leave a legacy of compassionate, high‑quality care.

Working for our organisation

At Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, we’re proud to deliver outstanding healthcare services to the vibrant community of Swindon and its surrounding areas. From cutting‑edge treatments to compassionate everyday care, our dedicated teams are here to support you and your loved ones at every stage of life.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The Divisional Director of Nursing is responsible for the effectiveness of professional leadership and development of nursing within the Division and other allocated areas in order to facilitate the delivery of excellent clinical practice. The post holder may hold delegated responsibility for areas of practice in the Chief Nurse.

Please see attached Job Description

Person specification

Qualifications

• Registered Midwife or Registered Nurse with the Nursing & Midwifery Council
• Professional knowledge acquired through degree/diploma supplemented by specialist training, experience and short courses to masters level or equivalent
• Demonstrates evidence of on‑going continuous professional development.
• Management qualification – NEBs, CMS, DMS etc. Some form of management qualification is highly desirable

Experience

• Evidence of senior nursing and/or midwifery leadership and management experience.
• Evidence of clinical management experience.
• Experience of managing a range of departments which includes managing workforce, operational delivery, finance management.
• Experience in delivering quality improvement projects with defined outcomes
• Demonstrable experience of achieving changed clinical practice and improving services to increase quality and efficiency.
• Experience of working at and influencing at a sen level.
• Experience of developing collaborative working within teams.
• Thorough understanding of equality & diversity and its application to managing self, staff and patients across the Trust.
• Understanding of NMC Code of practice and requirements of it for the practice & behaviour and its application to the management of staff and self.
• Proven experience of budgetary/financial management.
• Proven track record in co‑design and production
• Experience of developing business cases / business planning
• Track record of serving on a range of committees both internal and external to the organisation
• Evidence of community experience in leadership or clinical role

Thank you for expressing interest in this role. For further employer guidance, please review the attached supplementary applicant information.

Certificate of Sponsorship - Sponsorship can only be offered where the role meets the relevant eligibility criteria, including minimum salary requirements. Please note that not all roles within the organisation are eligible for sponsorship. Eligibility for this role includes:

• Current right to work in the UK, subject to verification

Meeting the Skilled Worker visa criteria, where applicable

From 4 April 2024, UK immigration policy changes increased the minimum salary levels required for Skilled Worker visas. Further information is available on the UK Visas and Immigration website.

Current employees should be aware that this position is advertised as a Great Western Hospitals position and appointment ends any TUPE protection.

Candidates are responsible for covering the cost of their own DBS check if required: £21.50 for a Standard DBS check, recoverable from the first pay, or £49.50 for an Enhanced DBS check, divided and recoverable over the initial two pay periods. Payment for DBS checks for bank posts must be settled prior to commencement. Apprentices are exempt from DBS payment.

We are committed to supporting our staff in achieving a healthy work-life balance through flexible work arrangements. Upon joining the Trust, you have the right to request flexible working, with an unlimited number of requests allowed.

Upon acceptance of a job offer, your information will be transferred to the national NHS Electronic Staff Records System. All communication regarding your application will be conducted via email; please ensure to check your junk/spam folders as emails may occasionally be filtered there.

The Trust is a Disability Confident Employer; all applicants who have a disability can opt to be considered under the guaranteed interview scheme, which means that, providing they meet the minimum essential criteria for the post, they will be offered an interview. We are also proudly accredited as a Veteran Aware organisation and have signed The Armed Forces Covenant.

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.