Critical Care Practice Development - Senior Sister/Charge Nurse

Job overview

An exceptional opportunity has arisen for a Critical Care Education band 7 Lead to shape, inspire and deliver excellence across two high-acuity critical care units. This is a pivotal leadership role for an experienced critical care educator who thrives in complex clinical environments and is passionate about developing the next generation of critical care professionals.

Working across a diverse portfolio of specialist services including Transplant, Oncology, Vascular, Neuro, Neurosurgical and Major Trauma, you will provide strategic and operational leadership for critical care education. You will lead and support a large, highly skilled team of Band 6 educators, driving high-quality pre- and post-registration education, workforce development and career progression.

You will be instrumental in ensuring education delivery aligns with the National Framework for Critical Care Education Standards, embedding evidence-based practice, innovation and continuous improvement. Beyond the organisation, you will act as a key ambassador for critical care education—building strong networks regionally and nationally, influencing practice, sharing expertise and contributing to the wider critical care education agenda.

If you are an inspiring leader with vision and a passion for critical care education we would like to hear from you.

Main duties of the job

To work across all critical care areas as a practice development nurse to facilitate education, training and professional development for all staff through formal and informal teaching.

Lead the delivery of education and training programmes to meet the learning needs critical care.

To promote the work-based and academic learning of nursing staff through education and research initiatives.

Promote the development and implementation of evidence-based nursing practice.

To work in the clinical environment across critical care, to facilitate at clinical, directorate and corporate level, a continuous process of critically evaluating and improving service provision, ensuring effective patient focused care.

Act as a link with staff from other areas to share knowledge, best practice and clinical expertise.

Facilitate induction, orientation and supervision of newly employed nursing staff in critical care.

Responsible for meeting Trust requirements with regard to the delivery and compliance recording of mandatory training to all staff.

Assist in the management of critical care practice development nurse post holders.

This post carries a requirement to teach within a clinical setting and contribute to clinical care as service needs require

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.

Due to Home Office immigration rules, a full time permanent vacancy cannot be filled by individuals on a Student visa. Therefore, please be advised that if you are a Student visa holder, we will not be able to offer you a full time permanent contract unless you have: -    applied for a Graduate visa -    or you will have successfully completed your course and have applied for a Graduate visa before the anticipated start date of your employment -    or the Trust has agreed that they will Sponsor you as a Skilled Worker and you will complete your studies within 3 months of the anticipated start

For NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough based roles, all applicants from NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough who have identified that they are at risk of redundancy will be prioritised over those not at risk. However, interviews cannot be guaranteed.

This vacancy will close at midnight on 15 February 2026

Interviews are due to be held on 25 February 2026

Benefits to you

At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.

On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only café, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.

CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times.

Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.

We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.