Director of Nursing and Allied Health Professionals (AHP): Sponsorship Available

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust

Job summary

The Director of Nursing and AHPs holds explicit professional accountability to the Chief Nurse. This includes responsibility for ensuring that nursing and AHP standards, governance, quality, and professional practice are maintained in line with organisational, regulatory, and national requirements. The Director acts under the professional direction and delegated authority of the Chief Nurse, and Deputy Chief Nurses, providing assurance that safe, high-quality, patient-centred care is delivered across all services within their remit. They are accountable for advising the Chief Nurse and Deputies on professional matters, escalating risks appropriately, and supporting the delivery of the Chief Nurse’s strategic priorities.

Main duties of the job

The role provides visible, compassionate leadership, modelling Trust values and behaviours while supporting the delivery of the Trusts strategic aims. Working collaboratively with service group leadership teams, the post holder will ensure the development of services that meet current and future needs, aligned with the devolved leadership model and the 10 year plan for health. The post holder will be skilled in the use of data and intelligence to drive improvements in quality and safety standards. They will lead on clinical governance, patient safety, workforce planning, and quality improvement, ensuring the delivery of safe, effective and high quality care. The role includes developing a sustainable workforce plan for nursing and AHPs, driving innovation and service redesign, and upholding the full range of professional standards across the group.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Registered Nurse or Midwife with current registration with NMC or Registered AHP with current registration with HCPC
  • Evidence of ongoing professional and managerial development, which meets NMC/HCPC requirements
  • Master’s Degree in a relevant health-related subject and evidence of further advanced study, doctoral level learning, or equivalent level of professional development
  • Management or leadership qualification, for example NHS Leadership Academy or MBA, or equivalent postgraduate study in a relevant subject

Desirable

  • Coaching qualification or willingness to work towards one

Experience

Essential

  • Extensive experience at a senior level in a relevant acute, community or mental health environment
  • Significant senior experience of managing teams, including professional development and conduct issues
  • Experience of leading a range of nursing and/or AHP colleagues
  • Experience of leading professionals outside own professional group
  • Experience of effective financial management, including budget management and cost improvement of service-wide budgets
  • Experience of managing robust governance and performance management systems
  • Experience in working with patients and their families/carers to improve patient experience
  • Experience of managing service changes, including role redesign and workforce planning
  • Experience of leading evidence-based transformation programmes informed by research, data and advanced analysis, including the management of service change, operational process improvement and cost reduction
  • Evidence of developing a culture committed to high quality, people, finance and performance
  • Demonstrable success in improving colleague experience and engagement
  • Experience of contributing to, leading, or applying research, service evaluation, or innovation that advances professional practice
  • Experience of leading change that improves equitable and inclusive outcomes for workforce and/or patient groups

Desirable

  • No desirable experience criteria specified

Additional Criteria

Essential

  • Willingness to use technology to improve standards of care and support to our patients
  • Ability to demonstrate and uphold the Trust values of kindness, respect and teamwork
  • Ability to travel across Trust sites as required for the role
  • Willingness to participate in relevant on-call arrangements

Desirable

  • No desirable additional criteria specified

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Closing Date: 13 September 2026

To apply for this job please visit somersetft.tal.net.