UHN Director of Midwifery

Job Summary

We are excited to announce the opportunity for a Director of Midwifery at University Hospitals Northamptonshire (UHN)--a role that reflects our commitment to achieving excellence in maternity, neonatology, and gynaecology services across the Trust.

As a key member of the senior leadership team, the Director of Midwifery will be a highly experienced and credible senior midwife, leading strategic and innovative midwifery developments across UHN and playing a vital role in the Local Maternity and Neonatal System, shaping midwifery care across Northamptonshire.

We are looking for an exceptional Director of Midwifery--whether you are an established Director of Midwifery or an experienced Head of Midwifery ready for your next step. What matters most is that your values align with ours, and that you are passionate about delivering excellence for both patients and colleagues. There is no set way of working--we want the new Director of Midwifery to actively shape our senior leadership team agenda in collaboration with colleagues.

Our Commitments to People:

We expect all women, birthing people, and their families to receive the same standard of care we would want for our own loved ones.

We expect colleagues to be treated with support, kindness, and respect--the same values we uphold as an organisation.

This role extends beyond UHN--you will represent us in transforming pathways across health and social care within our integrated care system.

Main Duties of the Job:

The post holder will lead strategic and innovative midwifery developments across the Trust and be a key player in the Local Maternity and Neonatal system for transforming midwifery care across Northampton and Kettering.

The post holder is pivotal to ensuring safe, timely, personalised and compassionate care.

As Director of Midwifery, you are expected to demonstrate a highly visible, authoritative, compassionate and transformational leadership style which is underpinned by the values of the Trust.

The Director of Midwifery is the professional lead on all matters relating to midwifery care within the Trust and provides expert advice to the divisional leadership teams and Chief Nurse. The post holder will develop and maintain a network of mutually beneficial relationships with ICB's, maternity providers, Public Health England, Health Education England, Care Quality Commission, the Regional Chief Midwife, the Royal Colleges, and other key stakeholders.

About Us:

Northampton General Hospital is one of the largest employers in the area and we are on an exciting journey. All of our divisions are committed to doing things better, with more efficiency as we update, modernise, and advance. We have also entered into a Group Model with neighbouring Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and become University Hospitals of Northamptonshire.

Our Excellence Values:

• Compassion
• Accountability
• Respect
• Integrity
• Courage

We want to recruit the best people to deliver our services across the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire and help to unleash everyone's full potential. As an organisation, we value how we communicate and promote our vacancies to all communities.

We are a Defence positive trust, supporting our reservists, veterans, spouses and partners.

The Hospital Group encourages applications from people who identify from all protected groups, especially those from BAME, Disabled and LGBTQ+ backgrounds as these are underrepresented in our hospitals.

We understand that we need to work with colleagues from diverse backgrounds and make sure the environment they work in is inclusive and collaborative.

Please submit your application as soon as possible as we reserve the right to close any adverts before the closing date once we have received sufficient applications.

Date Posted: 23 April 2025

Pay Scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 9

Salary: £105,385 to £121,271 a year per annum

Contract: Permanent

Working Pattern: Full-time

Reference Number: 265-7031296-A

Job Locations: Northampton General Hospital, Cliftonville, Northampton, NN1 5BD

Job Responsibilities:

The post holder will lead a consistent and standardised approach in the delivery and achievement of NHS Resolution Safety Actions, supporting Maternity Incentive Scheme (MIS) recommendations and the implementation of the Saving Babies Lives Care Bundle (SBLCB).

The post holder will be cognisant with maternity and relevant nursing reviews and ensure that any associated learning and actions are robustly embedded.

The Director of Midwifery will act as the expert on midwifery and maternity issues both internally and externally and ensure that a culture of proactive professionalism is embedded and promoted. The Director of Midwifery will always act as a role model for all midwives and nurses.

Person Specification:

Education, Training and Qualifications - Essential:

• Educated to First Degree (Health related subject) level or equivalent level of education, training or experience.
• Registered Midwife
• Master's Degree level working or equivalent.
• Evidence of continuing professional development.
• Additional professional/management qualifications or equivalent experience.

Knowledge and Experience - Essential:

• Extensive managerial experience at a senior level in the NHS including at 8c/d or above.
• Broad range experience as Head of Midwifery/Senior Midwife.
• Extensive experience of senior professional leadership and operational management across a range of clinical specialities in an acute Trust.
• Experience of working with partner organisations across the health and social care community.
• Evidence of effective management of staff, financial accountability, organisational development, and service delivery.
• Extensive experience of translating national policy into practice.
• Experience of leading and delivering change and improvement within maternity services.
• Clear evidence of service planning and integration with performance management arrangements.
• Evidence of a senior leadership role in a complex environment and/or Trust wide.
• Evidence of excellence in innovation in practice and new ways of working.
• Evidence of autonomous decision making.
• Experience of leading a team and delivering excellence through others.
• Experience of working with patient groups.
• Experience of supervision for midwives or equivalent.
• Extensive knowledge of risk and governance.
• Evidence of working within ICS in a senior leadership role.
• In-depth knowledge of current issues in midwifery.
• Aware of developments in midwifery policy and practice at national level.
• Understanding of the complex dynamics of a multi-professional environment.
• Conversant with the mandatory requirements for adult and children's safeguarding and the Mental Health and Mental Capacity Acts.
• Expert knowledge of CQC and NMC requirements.
• Understanding of National policy in relation to midwifery and nursing including CQC commission activities.
• Evidence of change management in Maternity services which improved care.

Communication and Relationship Skills - Essential:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills, with highly developed skills of persuasion, motivational, negotiating and communication.
• Excellent standard of report writing and action planning.
• Ability to communicate at all levels, including highly complex information in a manner to ensure the message is understood.
• Highly developed interpersonal skills.
• Ability to contribute effectively as a member of a multi-disciplinary team which includes Executive and non-executive Directors.
• Ability to manage and promote change.
• High level analytical skills.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Good IT skills.
• Strategic thinker.
• Proficient midwifery skills to carry out any clinical aspects of the role.
• Ability to mobilise across hospital sites for ward/department visits.
• Able to demonstrate high levels of concentration on a daily basis and/or during on-call, which is likely to be interrupted and require moving from one task to another at speed.
• Ability to deal with potentially traumatic/distressing incidents/scenes or situations as part of safeguarding issues, patient deaths, incidents or complaints.
• Demonstrate compassion and tact when delivering difficult/distressing/bad news.
• Sound general management experience - budget management skills, business case preparation, staff management.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship:

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications.

Employer Details:

Employer Name: Northampton General Hospital

Address: Northampton General Hospital, Cliftonville, Northampton, NN1 5BD

Employer's Website: Northampton General Hospital