Maternity Ward Manager

Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust; Kettering; On-site; GBP 49,000 - 57,000; Full time

Job summary

Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Maternity Ward Manager to provide professional leadership, clinical management, and education within the maternity service. The post emphasises high quality midwifery care and service improvement.

The role includes 24/7 operational responsibility, collaboration with the multidisciplinary team, and involvement in risk management, with a closing date of 17 November 2026 and a permanent contract.

Qualifications

• Registered Midwife with current NMC registration.
• Degree in higher education or equivalent.
• Management training or equivalent.
• Masters or equivalent experience.
• Evidence of ongoing professional development.

Responsibilities

• Lead the 24-hour midwifery service and manage the delivery suite with appropriate staff delegation.
• Set standards of clinical practice in partnership with the multidisciplinary team and monitor outcomes.
• Maintain operational effectiveness and report significant changes to senior colleagues.
• Oversee out-of-hours operations in liaison with lead midwives and on-call manager.
• Support the practice development team to provide an optimum learning environment for learners.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Flexibility

IT skills

Team building

Conflict resolution

Education

Registered Midwife

Degree in higher education or equivalent

Management Training or Equivalent

Masters or equivalent experience

Evidence of ongoing professional development

Job description

Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Maternity Ward Manager

The closing date is 17 November 2026

The expectations within this job description will be met through professional leadership, clinical management, hands on clinical practice, education and training, and research. The post holder will ensure that high quality midwifery care is delivered within their designated clinical area.

The post holder will set the standards of clinical practice, in conjunction with the multidisciplinary team, and will monitor patient outcomes. The post holder will have responsibility for the operational effectiveness of their designated clinical area, liaising with senior colleagues to ensure a safe, high quality service is provided across the maternity service.

The post holder will take on-site responsibility for the operational effectiveness of the maternity service `out of hours`, in liaison with the lead midwives and on-call manager. The post-holder will be required to have access to a car/transport and ability to travel between locations.

Main duties of the job

• Apply the labour ward coordinators roles and responsibilities to their practice
• Assists the senior midwifery management team to manage the 24 hour midwifery service: - Manages the delivery suite, ensuring appropriate delegation of staff to care for clients.
• Keeps the senior midwifery management team and matron on call informed of significant changes in the day-to-day situation within his/her sphere of control and reports on appropriate matters
• Ensures appropriate referral to other professional/agencies as need arisesEnsures that relevant guidelines and policies are effectively and efficiently implemented
• Works with the practice development team to ensure an optimum environment for all learners, including newly qualified midwives, student midwives, nurses, medical students, return to practice and adaptation midwives
• Identifies and minimises clinical risk in line with the Trust's RISK Management Strategy
• Demonstrates excellent communication skills and consults with others in the multidisciplinary team so that services run smoothly, in the best interest of clients
• Reports to the Intrapartum matron and clinical risk midwife of any complaints, accidents or untoward incidents in accordance with Trust policy, and assists with any investigation

About us

University Hospitals of Northamptonshire (UHN) brings together Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust. As a group, we are committed to improving services for our communities through collaboration, modernising care delivery and striving for excellence. Working together enables us to share expertise, strengthen services and create greater opportunities, and there may be a requirement to work across sites depending on service needs.

Our Excellence Values are Compassion, Accountability, Respect, Integrity and Courage. UHN welcomes applications from all backgrounds and is committed to an inclusive working environment. We are proud signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant and hold the Gold Award under the Employer Recognition Scheme. Candidates who identify as members of the Armed Forces community and meet the essential criteria will be guaranteed an interview.

Job responsibilities

For further information on the advertised role, please refer to the job description located under the Supporting Documents heading. The full person specification can be accessed under the Shortlisting Criteria section of the document.

Education, Training & Qualifications

• Registered Midwife
• Degree in higher education or equivalent
• Management Training or Equivalent
• Masters or equivalent experience
• Evidence of ongoing professional development

Knowledge and Skills

• Must be flexible and adaptable
• Leadership skills. Effective communication skills both verbal and written
• Able to work within a system that provides a 24 hour, 7 days a week service
• Able to prioritise workload and delegate
• Able to manage conflict
• Sympathetic/empathetic to needs of women. Team builder and team player
• Ability to work as a member of a team as well as the wider multidisciplinary team
• Basic IT skills
• Reliable/approachable

Education, Training & Qualifications

• Experience in facilitating live drills
• Understanding of the complexity of the NHS and national picture and how this impacts on midwifery
• Confident to work assertively with multi-disciplinary team
• Broad range of midwifery experience promoting normal birth
• Innovative approach to midwifery care
• Extensive knowledge of National and Local NHS and Midwifery agenda
• Extensive experience in the acute healthcare setting in clinical leadership/clinical management position
• Evidence of advanced leadership qualities

Key Competencies/Personal Qualities and Attributes

• Passionate and committed to bring our Dedicated to Excellence values to life, improving the way we work with each other, particularly focusing on empowerment, equality diversity and inclusion of our staff, patients and service users

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Address

University Hospitals of Northamptonshire

£49,387 to £56,515 a yearper annum / pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Reference number

264-8374235-FAM

Job locations

University Hospitals of Northamptonshire