Executive Director of Nursing

Southern Health and Social Care Trust; Armagh; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare organization seeks an Executive Director of Nursing to ensure high-quality patient care and strategic direction. This senior role involves oversight of clinical services, driving improvements, and collaborating with stakeholders for effective health strategies. Candidates should have significant leadership experience and a degree in a relevant field.

Qualifications

• Registered on the NMC Live Register.
• Extensive senior leadership experience in health or care.
• Demonstrated leadership in clinical governance and patient safety.

Responsibilities

• Accountable for leadership and performance of Trust clinical services.
• Set strategy for nursing and allied health professions.
• Drive continuous improvement and uphold clinical standards.

Skills

Leadership

Clinical governance

Patient safety

Workforce planning

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Degree in healthcare leadership, nursing, or management

Job description

Southern Health and Social Care Trust is now recruiting for an Executive Director of Nursing to join the Trust Board and Senior Leadership Team.

Position Details

• Senior Executive Level 4 - with portfolio for Midwifery and Allied Health Professionals, Infection Prevention and Control & Functional Support Services
• Location: Trust Headquarters, Craigavon Area Hospital
• Reports to: Chief Executive
• Professionally reports to: Chief Nursing Officer, Department of Health

Job Purpose

As an Executive Member of the Trust Board and the Trust's Senior Leadership Team, you will be jointly accountable with other Executive Directors for the leadership, strategic direction, and performance of the Trust.

As the most senior nurse, and leader for midwives and AHPs, you will provide professional leadership, oversight, and assurance for the delivery of safe, high-quality, person-centred care across all clinical services, in line with relevant policy and statutory requirements, professional practice, and workforce requirements.

You will be responsible for setting a strategy for these professions, upholding clinical standards, driving continuous improvement, and ensuring the voice of patients, service users, and staff informs decision-making.

This role is pivotal in shaping a positive culture, developing clinical leadership, and influencing system-wide clinical care and workforce strategies, through active collaborative working and external engagement.

Essential Criteria

• On the NMC Live Register
• Educated to degree level in a relevant field (e.g., healthcare leadership, nursing, management)
• Evidence of ongoing professional development and leadership training
• Significant senior leadership experience within a complex health or care organisation, or system of comparable scale and complexity, including direct responsibility for quality, workforce, governance, or strategic commissioning across diverse professional groups
• Demonstrated leadership in clinical governance, patient safety, and risk management
• Experience in workforce planning, development, and staff engagement
• Proven track record of working across organisational boundaries, ideally in a regional or whole-system context
• Evidence of building, maintaining, and leveraging successful relationships with a range of stakeholders (e.g., staff, regulators, government bodies, partner organisations)
• Hold a current, full driving licence valid for use in the UK and have access to a car on appointment. This criterion will be waived for applicants whose disability prohibits driving but who have access to an approved alternative transport.

Application Process

For the full job description and to apply, please visit:

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact:

• Dawn Ferguson, current postholder
• Heather, Associate Director

Closing Date

The closing date for applications is Thursday, 5th June 2025 at 12:00 pm.

Be Proud. Be Part of It.

Create a job alert and receive personalised job recommendations straight to your inbox.