SEHSCT Assistant Director Nursing (Band 8c)

Job details

• Branch: Trustwide (SEHSCT)
• Location: UH,Trust Headquarters
• Salary: Band 8c (£76,965 - £88,682)
• Contract Type: Permanent
• Opening Date: 28/08/26
• Closes: Wed, 09 September 2026 @ 5:30 PM
• Interview Dates: 25th & 28th September

Notes

Important Information : If you are submitting a manual application, please post it to: Recruitment Shared Services, Rosewood Villa, Longstone Hospital Site, 73 Loughgall Road, Armagh, BT61 7PR. Applications received after the advertised closing date/time cannot be considered, so please allow enough time for postage. A waiting list may be created for similar posts that may arise while the waiting list is live, this may include temporary or part-time posts. This will be managed in line with the updated HSC waiting list principles effective from 1 April 2026. Where a part-time waiting list is required, one part-time waiting list will be created- regardless of any specific hours advertised, this waiting list will cover all future vacancies where part-time posts arise. A part-time post is defined as any post that has less than 37.5 hours per week. Please remember to save or print a copy of the job description before submitting your application, as it will not be accessible afterwards. Flexible Working We welcome flexible working requests from day one. All HSC organisations offer a range of flexible working options. The options available for this post will depend on the requirements of the role. Find out more about flexible working options on our website.

JOB DESCRIPTION

JOB TITLE

Assistant Director of Nursing – Safe & Effective Care

BAND

8C

DIRECTORATE

Nursing, Midwifery & Support Services

INITIAL LOCATION

Ulster Hospital

REPORTS TO

Executive Director of Nursing & Midwifery & AHPs

ACCOUNTABLE TO

JOB SUMMARY

The post holder will provide strong professional leadership and be accountable to the Executive Director of Nursing for delivering expert strategic leadership and assurance in relation to nursing & midwifery governance, patient safety, service user experience and organisational learning across the Trust. The post holder will lead services within Safe & Effective Care, supporting the delivery of safe, effective and person-centred care and providing assurance to support strategic and operational decision-making.

The post holder will have responsibility for a range of Trust-wide functions including Nursing & Midwifery Safety, Quality & Assurance, Infection Prevention & Control, Vaccination Services, Bereavement Services, Clinical Audit, Resuscitation Training and Involvement & Experience.

The post holder will represent the Trust and contribute to regional, professional and strategic forums, influencing the development and implementation of frameworks, programmes and initiatives relating to patient safety, quality improvement, service user experience, organisational learning and assurance.

KEY DUTIES / RESPONSIBILITIES

Service Delivery

Provide leadership and management to the Safe & Effective Care teams, including Nursing & Midwifery Safety, Quality & Assurance, Infection Prevention & Control, Vaccination Services, Bereavement Services, Clinical Audit, Resuscitation Training and Involvement & Experience.

Provide corporate leadership and expertise in relation to nursing & midwifery governance, patient safety, assurance and organisational learning.

Ensure effective arrangements are in place to capture and utilise service user feedback to inform service improvement and organisational learning across the Trust.

Provide corporate oversight of Trust-wide standards, policies, procedures and guidelines, ensuring effective governance arrangements are in place for their development, review, approval, implementation and monitoring.

Promote multidisciplinary working to support the delivery of safe, effective and person-centred care, with particular emphasis on patient safety, infection prevention and control, service user experience and continuous improvement.

Chair the trust Nursing & Midwifery Governance Group, providing strategic oversight of nursing & midwifery quality, safety, governance and assurance, with responsibility for ensuring effective reporting and escalation arrangements, including through the Nursing & Midwifery Frontline Forum, to the Nursing & Midwifery Executive.

Work as part of the Central Nursing & Midwifery leadership team alongside the Assistant Director of Nursing & Midwifery for Regulation, Workforce Planning, Education & Development and the Chief Nursing & Midwifery Information Officer, providing collective leadership for nursing & midwifery quality, safety, governance and assurance.

Support the implementation of the Trust's Integrated Governance Framework through the coordination of assurance, governance and organisational learning processes.

Provide strategic leadership and governance support for the development of SQIIC (Safety, Quality, Improvement & Innovation Committee), maintaining oversight of associated sub-committees and strengthening assurance, escalation and organisational learning arrangements.

Collaborate with the Assistant Director for Governance and Risk Management and co-chair the Sharing the Learning Sub-Committee to identify learning, support improvement and strengthen organisational learning arising from incidents, complaints, audits, reviews and inquiries.

Chair the Trust Total Bed Management Oversight Group and ensure effective governance and oversight of associated contractual arrangements.

Chair and provide leadership to trust-wide and regional groups and work programmes within areas of responsibility, supporting nursing & midwifery quality, safety, governance, assurance and improvement.

Quality

Provide strategic oversight of nursing quality indicators, using performance and outcome information to identify trends, support organisational learning and drive continuous improvement in person-centred, safe and effective nursing care.

Ensure that the needs, experiences and involvement of patients, clients and service users inform the planning, delivery and improvement of Trust services.

Provide leadership in support of the Trust's Quality Strategy, ensuring that quality improvement activities in nursing & midwifery contribute to the delivery of safe, effective and person-centred care.

Promote the use of evidence, research and best practice to inform nursing & midwifery practice, service development and improvement activities across the Trust.

Contribute to the regional development of the Nursing & Midwifery Assurance Framework and lead its implementation within the Trust, ensuring a robust approach to evidencing the quality, safety and person-centredness of care.

Ensure effective arrangements are in place for the prevention and control of healthcare-associated infection.

Strategic Planning and Development

Develop and maintain effective working relationships with senior leaders, clinical and professional leads, governance colleagues and regional partners to support the delivery of nursing & midwifery governance, patient safety, quality improvement, service user experience and organisational learning priorities.

Provide strategic leadership for Trust-wide governance, assurance and organisational learning arrangements, supporting implementation of the Integrated Governance Framework and the development of policies, strategies, frameworks and programmes relating to patient safety, quality, service user experience and organisational learning.

Promote and influence regional collaboration through clinical, professional and governance networks across the Department of Health, Health and Social Care organisations, Public Health Agency and other partners, representing the Trust in areas aligned to the post holder's responsibilities.

Ensure robust governance, assurance, performance management and accountability arrangements are in place across areas of responsibility to support quality, safety and continuous improvement.

Lead and oversee strategic programmes, priorities and initiatives on behalf of the Executive Director of Nursing, ensuring delivery of agreed objectives and organisational priorities.

Financial and Resource Management

Contribute to the development of organisational directorates business cases/project plans for service commissioning and participate in contract and service level negotiations with Commissioners for capital projects and business cases as required.

Be responsible and accountable for the budget within his/her area of responsibility ensuring effective arrangements are in place to monitor expenditure against budgets, providing analysis and advice on the costs and benefits of planned developments and opportunities for efficiencies.

People Management and Development

To provide clear and strategic leadership to staff in their area of responsibility to ensure that the Trust has a highly skilled, flexible and motivated workforce equipped to provide high quality care.

To lead the development and implementation of performance development for staff and workforce modernisation initiatives for the Trust, demonstrating progress on the redesign of existing roles.

To ensure that management structures and practices support a culture of effective team working, continuous improvement and innovations.

To ensure full engagement of all staff working in multidisciplinary teams.

To take responsibility for his/her own performance and take action to address identified personal development areas

Engage with a range of external organisations securing positive collaborative working relationships with representatives of Trade Unions, Professional Bodies,

Department of Health (DoH) and the Public Health Agency as well as representing the Trust on regional forums

To establish relationships and networks with external stakeholders in the public, private and voluntary sectors to ensure the Trust effectively discharges its functions.

To lead by example in practising the highest standards of conduct in accordance with the NMC Code and Code of Conduct for HSC Managers.

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

The Trust supports and promotes a culture of collective leadership where those who have responsibility for managing other staff:

Establish and promote a supportive, fair and open culture that encourages and enables all parts of the team to have clearly aligned goals and objectives, to meet the required performance standards and to achieve continuous improvement in the services they deliver.

Ensure access to skills and personal development through appropriate training and support.

Promote a culture of openness and honesty to enable shared learning.

Encourage and empower others in their team to achieve their goals and reach their full potential through regular supportive conversation and shared decision making .

Adhere to and promote Trust policy and procedure in all staffing matters, participating as appropriate in a way which underpins Trust values.

GENERAL MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

The post holder will promote and support effective team working, fostering a culture of openness and transparency. The post holder will ensure that they take all concerns raised with them seriously and act in accordance with the South

Eastern Health & Social Care Trust’s Raising Concerns Policy and their professional code of conduct, where applicable.

The post holder will, in the event of a concern being raised with them, ensure it is managed correctly under the South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust’s Raising Concerns Policy and ensure that feedback/learning is communicated at individual, team and organisational level regarding the concerns raised, and how they were resolved.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

The post holder will be required to

Ensure the Trust’s policy on equality of opportunity is promoted through his/her own actions and those of any staff for whom he/she has responsibility.

Co-operate fully with the implementation of the Trust's Health and Safety arrangements, reporting any accidents/incidents/equipment defects to his/her manager, and maintaining a clean, uncluttered and safe environment for patients/clients, members of the public and staff.

Adhere at all times to all Trust policies/codes of conduct, including for example

Smoke Free policy

IT Security Policy and Code of Conduct

standards of attendance, appearance and behaviour

Contribute to ensuring the highest standards of environmental cleanliness within your designated area of work.

Co-operate fully with regard to Trust policies and procedures relating to infection prevention and control.

All employees of the South Eastern HSC Trust are legally responsible for all records held, created or used as part of their business within the South Eastern HSC Trust including patients/clients, corporate and administrative records whether paper-based or electronic and also including emails. All such records are public records and are accessible to the general public, with limited exceptions, under the Freedom of Information act 2000 the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. Employees are required to be conversant with the South Eastern HSC Trust’s policy and procedures on records management and to seek advice if in doubt.

Take responsibility for his/her own ongoing learning and development, in order to maximise his/her potential and continue to meet the demands of the post.

Represent the Trust’s commitment to providing the highest possible standard of service to patients/clients and members of the public, by treating all those with whom he/she comes into contact in the course of work, in a pleasant, courteous and respectful manner.

This Job Description will be subject to review in the light of changing circumstances and is not intended to be rigid and inflexible but should be regarded as providing guidelines within which the individual works. Other duties of a similar nature and appropriate to the grade may be assigned from time to time.

It is a standard condition that all Trust staff may be required to serve at any location within the Trust's area, as needs of the service demand.

eHealth

The South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust has invested in eHealth to deliver better, faster, safer care to our community and is committed to supporting staff to utilise associated information systems that directly and indirectly inform care. Trust staff are therefore required to commit sufficient time to ensure that they acquire and/or retain the core technology skills required to support their role.

Personal and Public Involvement (PPI)

Staff members are expected to involve patients, clients, carers and the wider community were relevant, in developing, planning and delivering our services in a meaningful and effective way, as part of the Trust’s ongoing commitment to Personal and Public Involvement (PPI).

Please use the link below to access the PPI standards leaflet for further information. PPI_leaflet.pdf (hscni.net)

August 2026

PERSONNEL SPECIFICATION

Job Title

Salary

Band 8C

Directorate

Type of Contract

Permanent

Hours

Ref No 55897817

37.5

Notes to applicants

You must clearly demonstrate on your application form under each question, how you meet the required criteria as failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted. You should clearly demonstrate this for both the essential and desirable criteria.

Shortlisting will be carried out on the basis of the essential criteria set out in Section 1 below, using the information provided by you on your application form. Please note the Trust reserves the right to use any desirable criteria outlined in Section 3 at shortlisting. You must clearly demonstrate on your application form how you meet the desirable criteria.

Proof of qualifications and/or professional registration will be required if an offer of employment is made – if you are unable to provide this, the offer may be withdrawn.

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

SECTION 1: The following are ESSENTIAL criteria which will initially be measured at shortlisting stage although may also be further explored during the interview/selection stage. You should therefore make it clear on your application form whether or not you meet these criteria. Failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted. The stage in the process when the criteria will be measured is stated below.

Factor

Criteria

Method of Assessment

Experience

Have worked for at least 3 years in a senior management* role in a major complex organisation**.

Delivered against challenging performance management programmes for a minimum of 3 years in the last 5 years meeting a full range of key targets and making significant improvements.

Worked with a diverse range of stakeholders, both internal and external to the organisation, to achieve successful outcomes.

Successfully demonstrated high level people management, governance, leadership and organisational skills for a minimum of 3 years in the last 5 years.

Shortlisting by

Application Form

Qualifications/ Registration

Be on the live NMC Register

Hold a degree (or equivalent qualification) in nursing or other HSC related subject.

Other

• Hold a current full driving licence which is valid for use in the UK and have access to a car on appointment. This criteria will be waived in the case of applicants whose disability prohibits driving but who have access to a form of transport approved by the Trust which will permit them to carry out the duties of the post.

SECTION 2: The following are ESSENTIAL criteria which will be measured during the interview/ selection stage:

Skills / • Excellent communication and Interview / Test Abilities interpersonal skills with a proven track record of having worked with a diverse range of stakeholders, internal and external to the organisation to achieve successful outcomes.

Organisation skills with the ability to oversee significant services and delegate work appropriately.

Strong leadership skills, including a focus on collective leadership and a

strong teamwork ethos

DESIRABLE CRITERIA

SECTION 3: these will ONLY be used where it is necessary to introduce additional job related criteria to ensure files are manageable. You should therefore make it clear on your application form how you meet these criteria. Failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted

• Have worked for at least 18 months at Band 8b level or above in a major complex organisation**.

*Senior management experience- is defined as experience gained at Band 8A or above

**Major Complex Organisation - is defined as one with at least 200 staff or an annual budget of at least £50 million and involving having to meet a wide range of objectives requiring a high degree of co-ordination with a range of stakeholders

INCLUDE FOR SENIOR POSTS (Band 8a or above) IF RELEVANT

Candidates who are shortlisted for interview will need to demonstrate at interview that they have the required competencies to be effective in this demanding leadership role. The competencies concerned are set out in the NHS Healthcare Leadership Model, details of which can be found at http://www.leadershipacademy.nhs.uk/resources/healthcare-leadership-model. Particular attention will be given to the following dimensions:

Inspiring shared purpose

Leading with care

Evaluating information

Connecting our service

Sharing the vision

Engaging the team

Holding to account

Developing capability

Influencing for results.

As part of the Recruitment & Selection process it may be necessary for the Trust to carry out an Enhanced Disclosure Check through Access NI before any appointment to this post can be confirmed.

To access a copy of the Access NI Code of Practice, please Click here

The South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust has guidance on the Recruitment of

People with Criminal Convictions. To access a copy of this guidance, please Click

Here

Protecting and using your information

To access a copy of the Trust’s Data Protection Policy Statement,

Click Here

THE TRUST IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYER

Successful applicants

may be required to attend for a Health Assessment.

can expect to be placed at the minimum point of the pay scale, although a higher starting salary, within the range of the pay band may be available if the person appointed has experience relevant & equivalent to the post. Request for recognition of previous service with non-direct NHS/HSC organisations towards starting salary and incremental credit must be made via the Retained Recruitment team within 3 months from commencement of employment. Requests made after 3 months will not be considered.

If the successful candidate is an existing HSC employee moving to a higher band, AfC Pay on Promotion will apply.

are able to request Flexible Working from the 1st day of their employment. A number of flexible working provisions are offered by all HSC Organisations including Full-time working, Fixed working patterns, Part-time working, Flexi-time, Compressed/elongated hours, Average hours working patterns, Term-time working, Job-share or Homeworking for some or all of the working pattern, depending on the role being undertaken. Successful applicants are encouraged to discuss with their manager what Flexible Working provisions may be available in the role they are taking up, prior to commencing employment, to help them achieve a positive Work/Life Balance.

All staff are expected to display the HSC Values at all times