Director of Midwifery - Band 8D (subject to AfC banding)

Job overview

Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an outstanding Director of Midwifery (DoM) with a strong focus on safety, quality, and outcomes for women, birthing people, and their families. The DoM will be a visible and inspirational leader, joining a collaborative senior team within a maternity department rated ‘GOOD’ by the CQC in 2023.

As the most senior midwife in the Trust, the DoM will provide strategic, clinical, and professional leadership across maternity services, ensuring care is safe, personalised, and continuously improving. The postholder will be a key member of the Clinical Business Unit (CBU) Quadumvirate, offering expert midwifery leadership to the wider Care Group and acting in an advisory capacity to senior clinical leads and Trust executives.

Main duties of the job

The Director of Midwifery is responsible for leading the professional midwifery agenda across the Trust, ensuring the delivery of safe, high-quality, and compassionate maternity services. They will provide expert advice to the Chief Nurse, Trust Board, and executive colleagues, shaping policy and strategy aligned with national priorities and local needs. The postholder will foster a culture of learning, accountability, and continuous improvement, working in close collaboration with system partners, service users, and multidisciplinary teams. A key element of the role involves championing the Professional Midwifery Advocate model, supporting staff wellbeing, and enhancing clinical supervision across the workforce.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The postholder will be accountable for the strategic oversight and professional leadership of all midwifery staff across Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals. They will lead on implementing national maternity programmes, including the Ockenden recommendations, and ensure compliance with regulatory and quality standards. Working closely with executive colleagues and the wider Care Group leadership, the Director of Midwifery will help shape service transformation, contribute to long-term planning, and influence the development of maternity services across the Local Maternity and Neonatal System (LMNS). They will maintain robust systems of governance, drive forward initiatives to improve patient safety and experience, and ensure the Trust meets its statutory and professional obligations. Through strong financial and workforce leadership, the DoM will oversee staffing, training, and resource planning to support a high-performing, responsive maternity service that is centred on the needs of women, birthing people, and their families.