Lead Midwife - Midwife Led Birthing Unit | Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Southend University Hospital NHS Trust; Basildon; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional healthcare provider seeks an experienced Midwife for a leadership role. The position involves managing clinical leadership in the Labour Ward, ensuring high standards of care, and leading a dedicated team. Applicants should have strong clinical skills, compassion, and the ability to promote evidence-based practices. This role offers a chance to innovate and improve maternity services while providing essential leadership support.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Midwife with strong leadership skills.
• Ability to provide compassionate, woman-centred care.
• Excellent clinical skills and the ability to support and lead teams.

Responsibilities

• Manage clinical leadership of midwifery services on Labour Ward.
• Ensure high standards of maternity care and compliance with best practices.
• Lead day-to-day operations and staff in the midwife-led birthing unit.

Skills

Team leadership

Clinical skills

Effective communication

Compassionate care

Job description

Here at MSE our Maternity Services have undergone some exciting and innovative changes in recent years. If you are an experienced Midwife looking for your next step into a leadership role, we would love you to join us and help us deliver our ongoing programme for improvement.

We want to hear from you if you’re an effective team player, leader and builder who leads by example to bring out the best in the team and ensure our core values – Excellent, Compassionate and Respectful – are a driving force in the care delivered.

Key Responsibilities

If successful, you will take responsibility for the shift management and clinical leadership of the midwifery services on Labour Ward, ensuring high standards of maternity care through effective management of staff by leading the team, organising others in their actions and setting priorities.

Responsibilities:

• Focus on the day-to-day running, operational management and leadership of staff and services provided in the Midwife-led birthing unit.
• Act as a role model, leading with a high example of professionalism and compassion.
• Promote safe, evidence‑based care.
• Develop and publish auditable standards to demonstrate service compliance with current best practice.
• Provide clinical and professional leadership by demonstrating excellence in clinical practice and by participating in direct midwifery care.
• Undertake the role of Duty Manager / SMOC (senior manager on call) and work day, night and weekend shifts as required to meet the needs of the service.
• Develop systems and processes to improve and develop support, communication and a positive culture within the service.
• Explore ways to further develop the integration of services to meet the continuity of carer agenda.
• Promote inter‑professional and multidisciplinary working to ensure care pathways and service developments are established to provide women‑centred care and optimise outcomes.
• Undertake the role of Lead Midwife for the Maternity unit out of hours (Senior Midwife on Call).

That the post holder will provide strong leadership support to the Maternity Matron / Head of Midwifery, and will demonstrate expert clinical skills, providing advice to staff and colleagues.

What We Offer

Our ambition is to deliver excellent local and specialist services, to improve the health and well‑being of our patients, and provide a vibrant place for staff to develop, innovate and build careers. We aim to make the most of our skills and experiences to become the best we can be. As one organisation we will recruit the finest and retain more specialist staff due to more employment opportunities across our Trust.

How to Apply

So, if this sounds like the right role for you, please apply today. Through strong leadership and continuing development of own skills and knowledge you will:

• Lead the team by setting priorities and organising their actions.
• Collaborate with other areas of the department to ensure a seamless service that provides woman/​pregnant person‑centred care.
• Provide strong leadership support to the Maternity Matron / Head of Midwifery.
• Demonstrate expert clinical skills and provide advice to staff and colleagues.
• Participate in direct midwifery care.
• Work shifts as required to meet the needs of the service.

For full details of this rewarding role, where you will have the opportunity to help innovate and drive positive change in our maternity services, please see attached job description.

Application Deadline

This advert closes on Tuesday, 9 Dec 2025.