Lead Nurse Organ Donation

NHS; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 63,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare organization in Birmingham seeks a Lead Nurse in Organ Donation to provide expert clinical leadership and support to donation teams. This role impacts all stages of organ donation and requires significant experience in critical care or transplantation. The ideal candidate will demonstrate strong leadership, communication skills, and a commitment to high-quality care. This fixed-term position offers a salary of £55,690 to £62,686 annually and opportunities for professional development.

Benefits

Flexible working opportunities

NHS pension scheme

27 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays

Qualifications

• Proven leadership and management experience in an acute hospital setting.
• Recent experience working within the Organ Donation Service.
• Awareness of current professional issues in nursing and the NHS.

Responsibilities

• Monitor and manage delivery of Key Performance Indicators.
• Operationally manage all aspects of the service.
• Direct management of a team and manage the Area budget.

Skills

Leadership skills

Communication skills

Clinical practice evaluation

Education

Registered Nurse with current NMC registration

Relevant degree or equivalent qualification

Post-graduate level specialist experience in leadership

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft PowerPoint

Job description

Overview

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) plays a vital role in saving and improving lives through the delivery of organ and tissue donation and transplantation services across the UK. We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Lead Nurse in Organ Donation to provide expert clinical leadership and operational support to our regional donation teams. In this pivotal role, you will lead and support Specialist Nurses in Organ Donation (SNODs), ensuring high standards of clinical practice, governance, and professional development.

You will work collaboratively with hospital teams, stakeholders, and donor families to maximise donation opportunities and uphold the highest standards of care and compassion. The successful candidate will demonstrate significant experience in critical care or transplantation, strong leadership and communication skills, and a commitment to delivering excellence in end-of-life care and organ donation. This role provides opportunities to develop within a regional team and as an autonomous practitioner. This essential role will impact all stages of the donation process and ultimately the number of life-saving transplants.

Responsibilities

• Monitoring and managing the delivery of Key Performance Indicators to maximise the number of actual organs and tissues within the geographical donation area.
• Shared responsibility for operationally managing all aspects of the service provided by the Organ Donation Services team within the geographical area.
• Direct management of a team of staff with duties allocated on a rotational basis within the service management team; including management of the full Area budget and responsibility for overall on-call cover (24 hours, 365 days).
• Providing input and challenge to hospital development planning and leading corrective action where necessary; ensuring national strategy is implemented and evaluated within the geographical area.
• Operational management of team members within delegated area of responsibility; participate in a 24/7 on-call rota and maintain clinical credibility by staying up to date in all aspects of organ donation.

About us

It takes all types of people to deliver the kind of service that saves and improves lives. At NHS Blood and Transplant, you'll join a team of more than 6,000 people who are making a genuine difference across the UK. We play a unique role in the NHS by helping people donate blood, blood products, organs, tissues, or stem cells to save someone in need.

Our three core values are Caring, Expert, and Quality. Together we will save and improve more lives and aim to reflect the diverse communities we work with. Applications from all sectors of the community are positively encouraged.

Details

Date posted: 22 October 2025

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 8a

Salary: £55,690 to £62,686 a year

Contract: Fixed term

Duration: 2 years

Working pattern: Full-time

Reference number: 007689

Job locations: NHSBT - Birmingham Centre, Vincent Drive, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2SG

What we offer

• NHSBT promotes flexible working opportunities where the role will allow.
• 27 days annual leave (pro rata for part-time) plus Bank Holidays, increasing to 29 days after 5 years’ service and to 33 days after 10 years.
• NHS pension scheme. The NHS Pension Scheme is a defined benefit scheme.
• We support continuous learning through our Thrive program, offering activities to support personal and professional growth. It is open to everyone at NHSBT.

To learn more, please see our recruitment profile, which provides a summary of the job description and person specification.

Person Specification

Qualifications – Essential

• Registered Nurse with current Nursing and Midwifery Council registration (Adult or Paediatric).
• Relevant degree or equivalent qualification in allied health or related field, or job-related experience equivalent to degree level knowledge.
• Post-graduate equivalent level specialist experience in leadership and management.
• Commitment to ongoing professional development (CPD).
• Full and valid UK driving licence with no more than 6 points.

Experience – Essential

• Proven leadership and management experience in an acute hospital setting relevant to donation (ICU, theatres, or emergency medicine).
• Recent experience of working within the Organ Donation Service as a SN-OD.
• Awareness of current professional issues in coordination, nursing, and the NHS.
• Ability to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of own clinical practice.
• Experience of implementing effective change within teams or across an organisation.
• Experience of using information technology (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) or equivalent systems.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check: This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and a DBS check may be required.

UK Registration: Applicants must have current UK professional registration.