Job summary Nursing is at the heart of everything we do, and our senior nursing leaders play a vital role in shaping the future of healthcare. We are looking for a compassionate, dynamic, and forward-thinking Head of Nursing - Medicine & Urgent Care to lead and inspire teams across our organisation. This is an exciting opportunity to join UHN at a pivotal time as we transform our services to deliver the very best care to our communities. You will be a visible, strategic, and professional leader, working closely with multi-disciplinary teams, system partners, and colleagues to drive quality improvement, patient safety, and outstanding clinical outcomes across Medicine & Urgent Care. The role requires expert nursing leadership across Medicine & Urgent Care, ensuring safe, high-quality, and compassionate care for all patients. You will lead and develop nursing teams, fostering a culture of continuous learning, shared decision-making, and professional excellence. Working collaboratively across the integrated care system (ICS), you will influence and shape service transformation to improve patient pathways and outcomes. As a senior leader, you will champion staff wellbeing, professional development, and innovative workforce models to create an inclusive and empowering environment for colleagues. You will also be responsible for driving improvements in clinical governance, patient safety, and quality assurance, ensuring alignment with national standards and best practices. Main duties of the job We are seeking an experienced nursing leader with a track record of delivering change, improving clinical services, and leading high-performing teams. You will be a strategic thinker, an advocate for patients and staff, and a role model for professional nursing practice. To be successful in this role, you will need NMC registration as a nurse, extensive leadership experience in acute medicine, urgent care, or a related specialty, a proven ability to lead large teams and drive quality and safety improvements, and excellent communication and influencing skills to work effectively across organisational and system-wide boundaries. A strong commitment to our UHN values and our commitments to patients and colleagues is essential. At UHN, we expect all patients to receive the same standard of care we would want our friends and family to have. We expect all colleagues to be treated with the same values we believe are important - compassion, respect and integrity. This is an incredible opportunity to shape the future of Medicine & Urgent Care at UHN. If you are a passionate nursing leader looking to take the next step in your career and make a real impact, we want to hear from you About us 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 Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust is one of the largest employers in the area and we are on an exciting journey. All our divisions are committed to doing things better, with more efficiency as we update, modernise, and advance. We have also entered 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. The Hospital Group encourages applications from people who identify from all protected groups. We understand that we need to work with colleagues from diverse backgrounds and make sure the environment they work in is inclusive and collaborative. We recognise the valuable contribution that the Armed Forces community make to our organisation. We have signed the Armed Forces Covenant and achieved Silver Award under the Armed Forces Employer Recognition Scheme. We have active Networks that promote and support colleagues from all backgrounds. This ensures everyone feels supported and has a sense of belonging working for Kettering and Northampton General Hospitals. Date posted 18 February 2025 Pay scheme Agenda for change Band Band 8d Salary £88,168 to £101,677 a year per annum Contract Permanent Working pattern Full-time Reference number 265-7019945 Job locations Northampton General Hospital/Kettering General Hospital Northampton/Kettering NN1 5BD Job description Job responsibilities For further information on the role it can be found on the attached jd/ps and candidate pack for the role. Job description Job responsibilities For further information on the role it can be found on the attached jd/ps and candidate pack for the role. Person Specification Qualifications Essential Registered Nurse - with current NMC Registration and no restrictions on practise Master's degree in Nursing, leadership or management or relevant subject or evidence of practical application of expertise at this level Post-graduate qualification within a leadership programme/study or evidence of practical application of expertise at this level. Evidence of further study/education or courses demonstrating significant additional education, training or experience Evidence of continuing personal and professional development relevant to post. Knowledge and Experience Essential Experience of senior nursing management or professional leadership in a large and/or complex healthcare setting Extensive experience of senior professional leadership and operational management across a range of clinical specialities and care settings Demonstrable experience managing clinical services and of leading improvements in clinical settings, patient care and experience across multiple specialities Knowledge and experience of human resources management, communicating highly complex and contentious information to individuals and large groups Experience of managing budgets and financial resources, including the associated processes such as budget setting and financial planning Experience of actively leading service improvements across multiple areas Experience of workforce planning and recruitment and retention strategies - budget and resources Demonstrable evidence of highly specialist knowledge of the professional leadership and management of nurses In depth knowledge of the clinical governance agenda including clinical risk and safety. Up to date with current clinical nursing practice including own area of expertise, to enable deliver of direct patient care if/when required Demonstrates a clear understanding of and continuing acceptance of the need for financial governance and probity Familiarity with IT applications including e-Rostering Skills Essential Highly developed communication skills with the ability to communicate on highly complex matters and difficult situations Ability to establish credibility and develop maintain effective working relationships at Executive and senior management levels Up to date with current clinical nursing practice including own area of expertise, to enable deliver of direct patient care if/when required Shares leadership with and is respected by clinical and non-clinical staff Can engage with and lead a team, and work as part of a team High level analytical skills and the ability to draw qualitative and quantitative data from a wide range of sources and present in clear concise manner Demonstrates sound judgement in the absence of clear guidelines or precedent seeking advice as necessary Ability to make decisions autonomously, when required, on difficult issues High level professional, people management skills and leadership qualities Ability to work on own initiative and organise workload, allocating work as necessary, working to tight and often changing deadlines Person Specification Qualifications Essential Registered Nurse - with current NMC Registration and no restrictions on practise Master's degree in Nursing, leadership or management or relevant subject or evidence of practical application of expertise at this level Post-graduate qualification within a leadership programme/study or evidence of practical application of expertise at this level. Evidence of further study/education or courses demonstrating significant additional education, training or experience Evidence of continuing personal and professional development relevant to post. Knowledge and Experience Essential Experience of senior nursing management or professional leadership in a large and/or complex healthcare setting Extensive experience of senior professional leadership and operational management across a range of clinical specialities and care settings Demonstrable experience managing clinical services and of leading improvements in clinical settings, patient care and experience across multiple specialities Knowledge and experience of human resources management, communicating highly complex and contentious information to individuals and large groups Experience of managing budgets and financial resources, including the associated processes such as budget setting and financial planning Experience of actively leading service improvements across multiple areas Experience of workforce planning and recruitment and retention strategies - budget and resources Demonstrable evidence of highly specialist knowledge of the professional leadership and management of nurses In depth knowledge of the clinical governance agenda including clinical risk and safety. Up to date with current clinical nursing practice including own area of expertise, to enable deliver of direct patient care if/when required Demonstrates a clear understanding of and continuing acceptance of the need for financial governance and probity Familiarity with IT applications including e-Rostering Skills Essential Highly developed communication skills with the ability to communicate on highly complex matters and difficult situations Ability to establish credibility and develop maintain effective working relationships at Executive and senior management levels Up to date with current clinical nursing practice including own area of expertise, to enable deliver of direct patient care if/when required Shares leadership with and is respected by clinical and non-clinical staff Can engage with and lead a team, and work as part of a team High level analytical skills and the ability to draw qualitative and quantitative data from a wide range of sources and present in clear concise manner Demonstrates sound judgement in the absence of clear guidelines or precedent seeking advice as necessary Ability to make decisions autonomously, when required, on difficult issues High level professional, people management skills and leadership qualities Ability to work on own initiative and organise workload, allocating work as necessary, working to tight and often changing deadlines 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. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab). From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab). UK Registration Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window). Additional information 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. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab). From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab). UK Registration Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window). Employer details Employer name Northampton General Hospital Address Northampton General Hospital/Kettering General Hospital Northampton/Kettering NN1 5BD Employer's website https://www.northamptongeneral.nhs.uk/Home.aspx (Opens in a new tab)