Education Lead Nurse for Neonates

Job overview

Education Lead Nurse – Neonates (Band 8a)

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust Neonatal Services

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) is a large teaching trust providing tertiary neonatal care within the East Midlands Neonatal Operational Delivery Network (EMNODN).  We are seeking an experienced and highly motivated Education Lead Nurse for Neonates to provide strategic leadership for education, training, and professional development across neonatal services.

NUH’s newly expanded Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the Queen’s Medical Centre is now the largest in the East Midlands, providing 38 cots across intensive, high-dependency, and special care. In its first year, the unit cared for over 590 babies, reflecting the scale and complexity of care delivered to some of the region’s most vulnerable newborns. Care is delivered by a large, highly skilled neonatal nursing workforce working across City and QMC sites, ensuring safe staffing, continuity of care, and consistent implementation of evidence-based practice.

Increased capacity has reduced out-of-area transfers, enhanced family involvement, and improved outcomes and experience for babies and parents. This large tertiary environment offers exceptional opportunities for education, leadership, and professional development, supporting a highly competent and resilient neonatal workforce across NUH and EMNODN.

Main duties of the job

The Role

The Education Lead Nurse will have responsibility for the strategic planning, coordination, delivery, and evaluation of neonatal education and training across NUH Neonatal Services. The post holder will work collaboratively with senior nursing and medical leaders, practice development teams, and the EMNODN to ensure education provision is aligned with national standards, regional network priorities, and local service needs.

The role will support workforce development across all neonatal care settings, including NICU, LNU, and SCU, and will play a key role in supporting workforce transformation initiatives and service sustainability.

Key responsibilities include:

• Providing professional and strategic leadership for neonatal education and training across NUH
• Working in partnership with the EMNODN to support regional education priorities, standardisation of training, and network-wide workforce development
• Ensuring compliance with national and regional standards, including NMC requirements, QIS, GIRFT, and network education frameworks
• Leading the development, implementation, and evaluation of neonatal competency frameworks and educational pathways
• Supporting the education and development of the neonatal workforce, including registered nurses, Neonatal Nurse Associates, Advanced Neonatal Practitioners, and the wider multidisciplinary team
• Contributing to quality improvement, patient safety, and service development initiatives through education and training

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The successful candidate will be an experienced neonatal nurse with substantial leadership experience and a strong background in education and workforce development.

Essential criteria:

• Registered Nurse with current NMC registration (Child or Adult)
• Significant post-registration experience within neonatal services
• Postgraduate qualification in education or evidence of working towards
• Demonstrable experience of leading education and training at a senior level
• In-depth knowledge of neonatal education standards, competency frameworks, and workforce development
• Excellent leadership, communication, and organisational skills

Desirable criteria:

• Master’s level qualification or equivalent experience
• Experience of working across a neonatal network or with an Operational Delivery Network
• Experience within a tertiary neonatal unit and teaching trust environment

For full details please see Person Specification and Job description attached: