Senior Sister / Senior Charge Nurse

Job summary

We are seeking a passionate, visible and forward-thinking Ward Manager to lead our Orthopaedic and Plastic Surgery ward, delivering specialist care across both elective and non-elective pathways.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead a high-performing team within a dynamic surgical environment, shaping the future of patient care while driving quality, safety and operational excellence. Caring for patients undergoing complex orthopaedic and plastic surgery procedures, the ward plays a vital role in supporting both planned and emergency care pathways, providing a unique and rewarding leadership opportunity.

As Ward Manager, you will provide professional, compassionate and inclusive leadership to a skilled multidisciplinary team, ensuring the delivery of safe, effective and patient-centred care. You will be responsible for the operational, professional and clinical leadership of the ward, overseeing patient flow, workforce management, service performance and quality outcomes while fostering a culture of accountability, continuous improvement and learning.

Main duties of the job

The Ward Manager is responsible for providing visible, compassionate and professional leadership to the ward team, ensuring the delivery of safe, effective and high-quality patient care. As the clinical and operational leader of the ward, the post holder will be accountable for maintaining excellent standards of nursing practice, patient experience, workforce wellbeing and service performance, whilst fostering a culture of continuous learning, improvement and innovation.

Working closely with multidisciplinary colleagues, the Ward Manager will lead the development of a positive, inclusive and patient-centred environment where patients receive evidence-based care that is responsive to their individual needs. The post holder will ensure compliance with national standards, professional requirements, Trust policies and quality indicators, driving improvements in patient safety, clinical outcomes and operational efficiency.

The Ward Manager will hold continuing responsibility for the operational and clinical management of the ward, ensuring safe, effective and responsive care is delivered 24 hours a day through effective leadership, delegation and oversight of the multidisciplinary team. The post holder will have overall responsibility for the effective management of ward resources, including workforce planning, budgetary oversight, patient flow and capacity management. They will provide expert clinical leadership, support staff development and wellbeing.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered Nurse (Adult) with current NMC registration.
• Degree in Nursing or equivalent professional qualification.
• Evidence of continuing professional development relevant to the role.

Desirable

• Leadership, management or coaching qualification.
• Master’s Degree or working towards Master’s level study
• Teaching and Assessing qualification.
• Quality Improvement, Human Factors or Patient Safety training.

Experience

Essential

• Significant post-registration experience within an acute hospital setting.
• Experience within Trauma, Orthopaedics, Plastics, Surgery or a related specialty.
• Experience of leading or coordinating teams within a clinical environment.
• Experience of workforce supervision, staff development and performance management processes.
• Experience of managing patient flow, discharge planning and operational pressures.
• Experience of clinical governance, audit, quality improvement or patient safety initiatives.
• Experience of managing incidents, complaints or challenging situations.

Desirable

• Previous experience as a Ward Manager, Deputy Ward Manager, Senior Sister/Charge Nurse or equivalent leadership role.
• Experience within a Major Trauma Centre.
• Experience managing elective and non-elective surgical pathways.
• Experience of recruitment, roster management and sickness absence management.
• Experience of budget management and resource utilisation.
• Experience of research or implementation of evidence-based practice.

Knowledge

Essential

• Knowledge of the NMC Code and professional accountability requirements.
• Knowledge of safeguarding, clinical governance, patient safety and risk management principles
• Knowledge of infection prevention and control standards.
• Understanding of patient flow, discharge processes and operational management within an acute hospital setting.
• Understanding of the care needs of trauma, orthopaedic and/or plastic surgery patients.
• Understanding of quality improvement methodologies and evidence-based practice.

Desirable

• Knowledge of GIRFT recommendations, BOA standards and enhanced recovery principles.
• Knowledge of PSIRF and systems-based approaches to patient safety learning.
• Knowledge of rehabilitation, orthogeriatric and complex discharge pathways.
• Knowledge of Major Trauma pathways and networks.
• Knowledge of CQC standards and regulatory requirements.

Closing Date: 12 July 2026