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Job overview
Join MFT as we seek a Director of Nursing for our Manchester Royal Infirmary Clinical Group. Reporting to the Chief Executive & as a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, you’ll provide visible, inspirational & professional leadership to Nurses & AHPs. Working alongside the Trust Chief Nurse, you’ll champion & embed a culture of quality improvement, research & innovation (R&I), ensuring that all services are of high quality now & in the future, with the best care possible provided first time, every time. In partnership with the Clinical Group Medical Director, you’ll be responsible for providing strong & effective clinical leadership, improving, and sustaining clinical practices & standards across all services, including patient safety, patient experience, and clinical effectiveness, forming part of the overarching responsibility for the delivery of clinical governance & any regulatory and/or statutory requirements pertinent to the service. It goes without saying at MFT, we foster a culture of inclusion & belonging, providing equal & transparent opportunities for career development & value wellbeing. As the Director of Nursing for Manchester Royal Infirmary Clinical Group, you’ll help drive this culture, so all individuals thrive and feel a sense of belonging. So, if this sounds like you & you have the skills, expertise & motivation to succeed in this career changing role, we would be delighted to hear from you.
Main duties of the job
- With extensive senior nursing & managerial experience across acute (or comparatively large and complex multi-disciplinary organisation), you’ll be a self-motivated, innovative, compassionate & inclusive leader using a positive, strong influencing & coaching style & with an emphasis on high standards of patient care, safety & efficient and effective use of resources.
- With effective influencing and negotiation skills, you’ll work collaboratively with the Trust Chief Nurse & other nursing & AHP colleagues across the Trust, anticipate & interpret national & regional policy for the Clinical Group & lead the implementation of any changes to practice that may be required.
- As a highly motivated, inspirational leader with the drive to deliver a commitment to excellence across all areas. You’ll horizon scan, identify & act upon current & future strategic opportunities for the Clinical Group, ensuring they are aligned with the objectives of MFT as a whole.
- On behalf of the Trust Chief Nurse - MFT, you’ll take the lead on specific programmes or projects across the Trust, working closely with colleagues from other Clinical Groups to ensure effective delivery of the programme’s objectives.
- You’ll ensure that the voices of patients, families & colleagues are always heard & listened to in the development of services & delivery of care, exercising skills of professional curiosity & appropriate challenge.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
To find out more about the key responsibilities and the specific skills and experience you’ll need, take a look at the Job Description & Person Specification attachments under the ‘Supporting Documents’ heading.
Candidate Information Pack
To support these opportunities, we have developed a bespoke 'Candidate Information Pack' which provides specific information about the role and the Assessment and Selection Process. To view this pack, please visit: https://mft.nhs.uk/careers/1-2/
Diversity Matters
MFT is committed to promoting equality of opportunity, celebrating and valuing diversity and eliminating any form of unlawful discrimination across our workforce, ensuring our people are truly representative of the communities we serve. All individuals regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation are encouraged to apply for this post. As an inclusive employer, we are here to support you. If you have any special requirements to help you with your application, email our team at [email protected].
We’re looking forward to hearing from you!
Person specification
Personal Attributes
Essential
- Highly motivated, hard-working and self-confident individual with a drive to deliver and commitment to excellence across all areas. Inspires others and leads by example.
- Aligned to MFT’s values.
- Able to communicate openly, effectively listen and is consistently approachable to colleagues.
- Works in a highly collaborative manner with colleagues across MFT and other system partners to ensure effective partnership work.
- Able to actively engage with front-line staff in order to innovate clinical practice and improve both workforce and patient care experience.
- Able to manage different projects simultaneously with a high degree of autonomy in terms of decision-making and management of deadlines.
- Able to adapt to changing priorities, problem solve and re-focus the work of self and others on new priority areas that may require urgent action.
- Can constructively challenge and effectively manage conflict to reach a positive conclusion.
- High level of personal resilience and ability to work and remain calm in a high-pressure and/or challenging environment.
- A commitment to personal development and the development of colleagues, with the ability to develop a culture in which all individuals can thrive and feel a sense of belonging.
- A commitment to the ethical standards expected of public sector leaders in the UK.
- Passionate commitment to embedding equality, diversity and inclusivity, internally and externally.
- Willingness and ability to travel between MFT’s sites as required.
Qualifications - Academic & Professional
Essential
- First-level Registered Nurse
- Educated to degree level or equivalent.
- Masters-level degree in health-related subject or equivalent.
- Evidence of recent and relevant continuous professional development.
Desirable
- Doctorate-level degree in health-related subject.
- Formal management or leadership qualification.
Skills, Knowledge & Experience - Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Extensive senior level nursing leadership and managerial experience within an acute NHS Trust (or comparatively large and complex multi- disciplinary organisation).
- Extensive senior level nursing experience as a clinical practitioner.
- A clear appreciation of the context of acute healthcare provision within the modern NHS and understanding of the NHS Operating Framework.
- A strong understanding of national NHS policy and strategy as it relates to nursing staff, AHPs and broader clinical workforce, as well as current professional challenges.
- Extensive knowledge of clinical governance systems and risk management.
- A strong understanding of how MFT fits into the wider health and social care system.
- Experience of developing and implementing transformation programmes, including the management of service change, operational process improvement and cost reduction.
- Experience working on national programmes or contributing to national policy development.
- A successful track record of developing an organisational culture committed to high quality, people, financial and performance standards.
- Demonstrable success in building, developing and inspiring high performing multi-disciplinary teams, increasing staff engagement and innovation, and motivation to improve performance.
- Evidence of communicating successfully and working effectively in co- operation with a wide range of internal and external bodies, including statutory and non-statutory organisations, senior managers, colleagues and their representatives.
- Evidence of undertaking clinical audit and contributing to research programmes / studies and quality improvement.
- Understanding of regulation and preparedness.
Desirable
- Extensive experience of leading and directing change and quality improvement in clinical practice, with evidence of successful outcomes and improvements in patient experience.
- Evidence of developing or implementing high profile initiatives underpinned by the national research and innovation agenda.
- A successful track record of delivering a long-term vision whilst responding to short-term challenges and opportunities, and defining clinical strategies in a senior level nursing role.
Skills, Knowledge & Experience Requirements - Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Outstanding personal impact. Highly developed interpersonal, networking, advocacy, written and presentation skills that are persuasive and influential and develop relationships that inspire respect, trust and confidence
- Ability to lead and work in a multi-disciplinary team, motivating others to secure continuous service improvement and successful outcomes.
- Highly developed analytical skills with the ability to think and act strategically, tactically and creatively, while maintaining a clear view of the issues affecting the Clinical Group and MFT.
- Ability to translate a strategic vision into operation action, to communicate those objectives and ensure they are adhered to.
- Ability to deal positively and promptly with colleagues’ concerns and personal problems, challenge colleagues on any inappropriate behaviours or poor performance and investigate and deal with complaints as required.
- Ability to encourage multi-disciplinary professional working and problem solving.
- A high level of political awareness.
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Director of Nursing - Manchester Royal Infirmary Clinical Group with Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester, North West, England. It is listed as a Manager and corporate role. The advertised salary is Attractive Remuneration Package. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 02 Aug 2026.
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