Ward Manager - Acute Stroke Unit

King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust; Orpington; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading NHS trust in the UK seeks an Acute Stroke Ward Manager to provide clinical and operational leadership. This role emphasizes delivering high-quality, patient-centered stroke care, overseeing staffing and financial management, and promoting continuous improvement. The ideal candidate will possess strong clinical expertise, leadership capabilities, and a commitment to innovation. Join this dynamic team dedicated to making a substantial impact on patient care in a stimulating environment.

Benefits

Flexible working options

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical and operational leadership to ensure high-quality patient care.
• Maintain oversight of staffing levels and ensure effective service delivery.
• Champion innovation and promote evidence-based practice.
• Manage the ward's budget, ensuring optimal resource use.
• Drive quality improvement initiatives based on feedback and audits.

Skills

Multidisciplinary teamwork

Leadership

Change management

Mentorship

Clinical expertise

Education

Registered Nurse (RN1) with active NMC registration

Mentorship qualification

Job description

Overview

This job is brought to you by Jobs/Redefined, the UK's leading over-50s age inclusive jobs board.

King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK's largest and busiest teaching Trusts with a turnover of c£1.8 billion, 1.5 million patient contacts a year and more than 15,000 staff based across 5 main sites in South East London. The Trust provides a full range of local hospital services across its different sites, and specialist services from King's College Hospital (KCH) sites at Denmark Hill in Camberwell and at the Princess Royal University Hospital (PRUH) site in the London Borough of Bromley. We encourage all our staff to have a healthy work/life balance. In doing so, you can apply for flexible working from the beginning of your employment. We offer a range of options which are designed to suit different circumstances and priorities in line with service requirements.

flexible-working

Job overview

We are seeking an experienced and dynamic Acute Stroke Ward Manager to provide clinical and operational leadership for the ward. This role offers an exciting opportunity to lead a multidisciplinary team in delivering high-quality, evidence-based, patient-centred stroke care while ensuring strategic development and operational excellence of the service. The successful candidate will be responsible for the operational management, clinical leadership, financial oversight, and strategic development of the ward, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement within a safe and effective care environment. The Acute Stroke Ward Manager works closely with the HASU stroke ward manager, providing cross-cover as required and in conjunction with the teams within Integrated Medicine Care Group and across the Division and Trust.

Main duties of the job

• Provide daily visible clinical and operational leadership to the multidisciplinary team, ensuring delivery of high-quality, evidence-based, person-centred safe care. You will be clinically expert in the care of stroke patients, with a developed acumen for management of change and quality improvement.
• Demonstrate excellent verbal and written communication skills to support delivery of professional advice or care guidance which is well understood by patients' relatives/carers, members of the multidisciplinary team and nursing team.

Working for our organisation

The Trust provides a full range of local and specialist services across its five sites. The trust-wide strategy of Strong Roots, Global Reach is our Vision to be BOLD, Brilliant people, Outstanding care, Leaders in Research, Innovation and Education, Diversity, Equality and Inclusion at the heart of everything we do. By being person-centred, digitally-enabled, and focused on sustainability, we aim to take Team King's to another level. We are at a pivotal point in our history and we require individuals who are ready to join a highly professional team and make a real, lasting difference to our patients and our people.

King's is committed to delivering Sustainable Healthcare for All via our Green Plan. In line with national Greener NHS ambitions, we have set net zero carbon targets of 2040 for our NHS Carbon Footprint and 2045 for our NHS Carbon Footprint Plus. Everyone's contribution is required in order to meet the goals set out in our Green Plan and we encourage all staff to work responsibly, minimising their contributions to the Trust's carbon emissions, waste and pollution wherever possible.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Leadership and Operations

• Provide clinical and operational leadership to the multidisciplinary team, ensuring delivery of high-quality, evidence-based, person-centred care
• Maintain robust oversight of staffing levels, skill mix, and resource allocation to ensure safe and effective service delivery
• Lead by example in promoting evidence-based practice and maintaining professional standards across the ward
• Oversee ward performance metrics and implement strategic changes to improve efficiency and patient outcomes
• Ensure good patient flow planning so that individual patients needs are met with an appropriate plan of action and involving the multiprofessional team as required
• Develop strong links with the clinical site management team, the patient flow co-ordinator and receiving trusts for stroke patients
• Holistic patient assessment skills (history taking and physical examination) to support prompt clinical decision making
• Ensure adherence to NMC Code of Professional Conduct and support all staff in maintaining professional standards
• Champion innovation and best practice, leading service development initiatives

People Management and Development

• Demonstrate excellent verbal and written communication skills to support delivery of professional advice or care guidance
• Lead on staff recruitment, selection, and retention strategies, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement
• Collaborate with the Practice Development Nurse and Stroke Clinical Nurse Specialist for appropriate specialty development
• Manage staff performance through appraisals, objective setting, and addressing concerns promptly
• Provide clinical supervision, mentorship, and support to nursing staff and junior team members
• Oversee roster management and staff schedules to meet service needs while supporting work-life balance
• Monitor and manage staff unavailability (annual leave, study leave, sickness absence) ensuring fair allocation and coverage
• Implement robust processes for long-term sickness absence management and return to work
• Lead talent development, succession planning, and building a resilient, skilled workforce
• Maintain own professional development and NMC registration through continuous learning
• Support staff in maintaining professional registration and revalidation requirements
• Collaborate with teaching staff to ensure effective development programs for all staff levels

Financial Management and Resource Allocation

• Manage the ward's budget and resources effectively, ensuring optimal staffing levels and efficient use of resources
• Monitor financial performance against budgetary targets and implement corrective actions as required
• Justify and present business cases for additional resources or service developments

Quality and Governance

• Participate in Care Group quality initiatives and governance meetings, contributing to trust-wide improvement projects
• Implement and embed quality assurance frameworks and regulatory compliance standards
• Drive quality improvement initiatives based on patient feedback, clinical audits, and national performance metrics
• Ensure robust governance processes to maintain patient and staff safety
• Lead incident investigation and learning processes, implementing improvements to prevent recurrence
• Maintain comprehensive, contemporaneous record keeping and ensure staff adhere to documentation standards
• Champion patient confidentiality, dignity, and privacy standards

Service Development and Strategy

• Develop and implement strategic plans to enhance service delivery and patient outcomes
• Support delivery of Care Group's strategic objectives through local action plans
• Lead service development initiatives and contribute to divisional and trust-wide change management
• Stay current with research developments and implement implications for practice
• Act as a clinical expert and professional role model, promoting excellence in nursing practice

Stakeholder Engagement and Patient Experience

• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to ensure seamless patient pathways
• Establish partnerships with community providers, discharge services, and external agencies
• Lead on collection, analysis, and implementation of patient and family feedback
• Liaise with discharge coordinators and bed managers to ensure effective patient flow and discharge planning
• Promote patient and family involvement in care planning and health education initiatives
• Ensure clear, accurate communication to patients, families, and stakeholders

Clinical Excellence and Professional Development

• Maintain clinical competency and provide clinical expertise for complex patient care decisions
• Stay up to date with evidence-based practice and implement across the ward
• Support and contribute to research activities and practice development
• Participate in Trust and Divisional initiatives to develop nursing practice
• Act as practice supervisor, preceptor, and mentor for nursing staff

General

• The post holder has a general duty of care for health, safety and wellbeing of self and others
• Observe trust policies and statutory obligations
• Undertake other duties as required
• We are an organisation where everyone shares a commitment to delivering the very best care

Kind, Respectful, Team

The organisation values kindness, respect, and teamwork.

Safeguarding

The Trust takes safeguarding seriously. All employees must attend safeguarding training and report concerns appropriately.

Infection Control

The post holder must comply with infection control standards and lead infection control across the ward.

Person specification

Knowledge and Experience

Essential criteria

• Evidence of effective multidisciplinary working
• Demonstrated leadership in a supervisory context
• Evidence of innovative practice and change management
• Mentorship Qualification / Stroke Qualification

Desirable criteria

• Experience of audit
• Involvement in quality initiatives

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Registered Nurse (RN1) with active NMC registration
• Mentorship qualification

Desirable criteria

• Management qualification or willingness to undertake

Important

• Check your email regularly for communication
• Inform us of any changes in circumstances
• Provide email addresses for referees where possible
• Review the recruitment documentation on our microsite
• All staff have responsibility for safeguarding
• Closing date is indicative; apply early

Documents to download

• JD (PDF, 400.4KB)
• Site maps (PDFs)
• Visa and Sponsorship Information (PDF)