Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and motivated Midwife to undertake the role of Delivery Suite Ward Manager, providing strong clinical, operational, and professional leadership within a busy intrapartum service.
The Ward Manager will provide visible and effective leadership to midwives, maternity support workers, students, and the wider multidisciplinary team, fostering an environment of psychological safety, learning, and continuous improvement. The post holder will work closely with the Inpatient Matron, Deputy Head of Midwifery, Head of Midwifery, and Lead Obstetrician to ensure care pathways reflect best practice, remain women-centred, and meet local and national safety standards.
The post holder will hold overall responsibility for the operational management of the clinical area at ward level, ensuring safe staffing, effective patient flow, and high standards of clinical care. They will act as a professional role model, providing compassionate and supportive leadership, and ensuring the team is enabled to deliver evidence-based, high-quality care.
In addition, the Ward Manager will provide clinical and managerial leadership to staff up to and including Band 6, supporting supervision, performance, and development. The post holder will work in partnership with the Inpatient Matron to develop the service, strengthen safety culture, and support ongoing improvement across the maternity unit.
Main duties of the job
1. Take responsibility for ward-level management, including oversight of safe staffing, patient flow, risk management, and coordination of activity across Delivery Suite.
2. Act as a visible and supportive leader to midwives, maternity support workers, students, and the multidisciplinary team, promoting psychological safety, compassionate leadership, and a positive team culture.
3. Undertake bleep holder duties as required, providing senior operational oversight, supporting escalation of concerns, and ensuring safe coordination of the maternity service.
4. Work in partnership with the Inpatient Matron, Head of Midwifery, and Lead Obstetrician to ensure care is evidence-based, women-centred, and aligned with national guidance, CNST, and CQC standards.
5. Provide clinical and managerial leadership to staff up to Band 6, including supervision, appraisal, performance management, and supporting staff wellbeing and development.
6. Support governance, incident review, complaints management, audit, and quality improvement, including the use of systems such as InPhase, ensuring learning is embedded into practice.
7. Contribute to workforce planning and rostering, ensuring safe staffing levels and appropriate skill mix in line with service demands.
8. Participate in flexible working arrangements as required, including cross-site working, operational cover, and supporting the wider maternity leadership team.
Working for our organisation
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.
Our values
We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity, and creating a culture that values differences.
Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The Job Description and Person Specification are attached to this job, please review for the full details and responsibilities
9. Provide clinical, operational, and professional leadership within Delivery Suite, ensuring safe and effective day-to-day management of the intrapartum service.
10. Maintain oversight of staffing, patient flow, risk management, and coordination of activity across Delivery Suite, Triage, and associated areas.
11. Act as a visible leader, promoting psychological safety, compassionate leadership, and a positive team culture.
12. Undertake bleep holder duties, supporting escalation and safe service coordination.
13. Provide leadership, supervision, and performance support to staff up to Band 6.
14. Support governance, incidents, audit, and quality improvement, including use of InPhase.
15. Work collaboratively with the multidisciplinary team and contribute to workforce planning and service development.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
16. Registered Midwife
17. Evidence of Degree or Masters qualification
18. Evidence of ongoing professional development
Desirable criteria
19. Management qualification/leadership course
20. Newborn Life Support (NLS) Course
Experience
Essential criteria
21. Relevant post-registration experience in the specialty at band 6 level or higher
22. Substantial clinical experience
23. Evidence of the application of management/leadership skills and autonomous practice
Desirable criteria
24. Previous management experience
25. Involvement in audit
26. Budget and resource management
Knowledge
Essential criteria
27. Organisational and negotiation skills
28. Leadership & motivation skills
29. Evidence of audit and change management ability
30. Ability to take managerial and professional responsibility for team and staff.
31. Ability to motivate self and others Lead and facilitate change
32. Excellent IT skills including Excel
Desirable criteria
33. Experience with research
Personal Skills
Essential criteria
34. Effective communicator both written and verbal
35. Demonstrate good leadership and organisation skills.
36. Ability to think logically, prioritise and use initiative
37. Personal and professional maturity
38. Team focussed, Reliable, Adaptable and Dependable
Desirable criteria
39. Participation in guideline development
40. Counselling skills.
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.