
Job requirements
Essential
27 listedRequirements the employer expects applicants to meet.
- Qualifications
Clinical qualification and extensive experience, current clinical nursing registration with appropriate professional body
- Qualifications
Mental Health Nursing qualification with current registration
- Qualifications
Educated to Masters level or equivalent level or equivalent experience of working at a senior level in specialist area
- Values and Behaviours
Commitment to and focused on quality, promotes high standards in all they do
- Values and Behaviours
Works well with others, is positive and helpful, listens, involves, respects and learns from the contribution of others
- Values and Behaviours
Demonstrable commitment to partnership working with a range of external organisations
- Values and Behaviours
Self-awareness in terms of emotional intelligence, biases and personal triggers with cultural sensitivity and awareness
- Values and Behaviours
Demonstrates honesty and integrity and promotes organisational values.
- Knowledge and experience
In depth additional expert knowledge acquired over a significant period of time of the regulatory frameworks
- Knowledge and experience
In depth knowledge and experience of managing complex professional regulatory issues
- Knowledge and experience
Knowledge and experience of working across complex Systems
- Knowledge and experience
Knowledge of quality assurance and improvement methods and their application
- Knowledge and experience
Subject matter expertise across a number of key areas relating to Nursing and Midwifery.
- Knowledge and experience
Proven and significant leadership experience and/or formal management qualification.
- Knowledge and experience
Significant evidence of continued professional development
- Knowledge and experience
Proven Board level experience of leading and delivering complex change and strategy development programmes in a politically sensitive and complex environment
- Knowledge and experience
Experience of successfully operating in and delivering priorities in a partnership environment.
- Knowledge and experience
Experience of leading major change initiatives with entrepreneurialism in a challenging organisational environment
- Knowledge and experience
Member of a relevant professional body.
- Skills Capabilities & Attributes
Ability to deal with challenging situations in a formal setting
- Skills Capabilities & Attributes
Strong external communications skills in a politically sensitive environment with knowledge of and experience in handling media relations
- Skills Capabilities & Attributes
Ability to prepare and produce concise yet insightful communications for dissemination to senior stakeholders and a broad range of stakeholders as required
- Skills Capabilities & Attributes
Demonstrable leadership, vision, strategic thinking and planning with highly developed political skills
- Skills Capabilities & Attributes
Demonstrable ability to plan over short, medium and long-term timeframes and adjust plans and resource requirements accordingly
- Skills Capabilities & Attributes
Ability to provide informative reporting on finances and impact to Board management
- Skills Capabilities & Attributes
Demonstrable ability to work effectively between strategic and operational activities
- Skills Capabilities & Attributes
Demonstrable ability to use autonomy to undertake actions as a result of own interpretation of policy and guidance providing a source of expert advice to the organisation
Desirable
1 listedAdditional qualities the employer would prefer.
- Qualifications
Experience of project and programme management techniques and tools such as Prince 2 or Managing Successful Projects
Job overview
This pivotal role will provide strategic and professional nursing leadership to influence and improve the quality and safety of healthcare across the Midlands.
This is a high-profile role with significant responsibility for supporting NHS England's statutory duties in relation to quality oversight, patient safety and clinical effectiveness across Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), NHS providers and commissioned services.
You will act as the principal nursing relationship manager for an agreed portfolio of providers and systems, offering expert advice, constructive challenge and support influencing system-wide transformation and supporting delivery of the NHS 10 Year Health Plan, NHS Quality Strategy.
This role will also play a critical leadership role in supporting the delivery of quality oversight of Mental Health, Learning Disability and Autism services across the Midlands. The postholder will provide professional leadership for Mental Health, Learning Disability and Autism (MH/LDA) quality oversight and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) agenda you will work with systems and providers to strengthen quality governance, improve patient safety, reduce unwarranted variation and support sustainable service transformation, while maintaining oversight of quality and safety across a wider portfolio.
Main duties of the job
The work will include but not limited to the following key aspects:
- Lead quality improvement and oversight for Professional leadership Lead p for Mental Health, Learning Disability and Autism services and SEND and strengthen leadership capacity and capability across systems and providers.
- Lead quality oversight, assurance and improvement across the agreed provider and ICB portfolio, applying national quality and oversight frameworks to ensure services are safe, effective and person-centred and that risks are identified, escalated and addressed.
- Act as the principal nursing relationship manager for an agreed portfolio of ICBs and providers, building trusted relationships and engaging directly with Board Directors, Chief Nursing Officers, Medical Directors and other stakeholders.
- Use data, evidence, intelligence and regulatory insight to identify emerging quality and safety concerns, reduce unwarranted variation, scrutinise improvement plans and ensure risks are managed, escalated and resolved.
- Support providers and systems to deliver sustained improvements in quality, safety, patient experience and outcomes, resulting in better care for patients and their families.
- Work collaboratively with regional and national colleagues, regulators, commissioners and wider partners to align priorities and enable system-wide improvement.
- Deputise for the Director of Nursing (Quality Oversight) as required.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
We are looking for experienced and credible senior nursing leader with a strong track record of leading large-scale change, quality oversight and improvement and system leadership within complex healthcare environments.
Working closely with provider boards, Integrated Care Boards and regional and national colleagues, you will identify and respond to quality and safety risks, support sustainable improvement and help translate national priorities into better outcomes and experiences for patients, families and communities. You will lead major programmes, manage resources and develop strong partnerships across organisational boundaries.
A Mental Health Nursing qualification and active registration are essential, alongside a strong record of delivering strategic change, quality improvement and effective system leadership.
You can find further details about the job, in the attached Job Description and other supporting documents.
For further details / informal visits contact: jacqueline.barnes10@nhs.net
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
WhatsApp job alerts
Get instant WhatsApp alerts for Band 9 Director of nursing roles
Create your Job Clerk account first. We'll collect your alert preferences during onboarding and help you turn on WhatsApp notifications for matching healthcare roles.
Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for MRP - Deputy Director of Nursing Clinical Quality (MH/LDA) with NHS England in Any office across the Midlands, B2 4HQ, West Yorkshire. It is listed as a Band 9 Director of nursing role. The advertised salary is £112,782 - £129,783 per annum. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 28 Oct 2026.
Before you apply, compare the job description with the person specification and mirror the employer's essential criteria in your supporting information. Use the vacancy title, employer, location, salary, contract type, closing date and posted date (14 Oct 2026) to decide whether this role fits your current NHSjob search. If the employer can close applications early, prepare the application before the stated deadline rather than waiting for the final day.
For more context, review related Job Clerk pages for the same profession, band or location where they exist, then use the application-support guides to tailor your statement and prepare for interview.
