Job overview
An exciting secondment opportunity
We are seeking an experienced and motivated senior nurse to take up a six‑month secondment as Matron – Quality Assurance within the Chief Nurse Team. This is a high‑impact, Trust‑wide role, with cross site visibility expected. The role focus is the continued strengthening of quality assurance, ward accreditation and excellence review processes, providing robust ward‑to‑board assurance on patient quality care delivery and clear lines of improvement and focus.
This role is ideal for an aspirant or established matron with a strong interest in quality governance, accreditation and improvement, looking to further develop senior leadership skills in a non‑operational role.
The Role
The post holder will provide senior professional leadership for:
1. The on-going delivery and oversight of the Trust’s Ward Accreditation Programme
2. Supporting the Excellence Review meetings, using structured, data‑driven approaches aligned to regulatory standards
3. Strengthening the Quality Assurance Framework, ensuring consistent, credible and triangulated assurance across wards and care groups.
4. We are a cross site organisation and the expectation is that the post holder will ensure they are fairly and equitably visible across the Trust
Please ensure you have the permission of your current line manager before applying for a secondment opportunity.
Please note interviews will be conducted on the 18th of May 2026 from 13:00.
Main duties of the job
You will be a Registered Nurse with current NMC registration and significant senior nursing experience, with:
5. Strong skills in quality assurance, clinical governance or quality improvement
6. Experience of ward accreditation, peer review or assurance frameworks
7. Confidence in influencing and challenging professionally without direct managerial authority
8. Excellent analytical, communication and leadership skills
9. A clear commitment to patient safety, high standards and continuous improvement
This secondment offers exposure to senior assurance processes, regulatory alignment and Trust‑wide quality leadership and working within the Chief Nurse Team .
Why Apply?
10. Opportunity to lead and shape ward accreditation and excellence review processes
11. Develop senior‑level experience in quality governance and assurance
12. Build credibility for future matron, head of nursing or senior leadership roles
13. Make a tangible impact on quality, safety and patient experience
14. Become part a supportive corporate nursing leadership team, who will support your development in the role.
15. Interviews for this position will be held in person ONLY at the hospital site. Remote interviews will not be available.
16. The validity of Nursing and Midwifery Council PIN will be checked before shortlisting (Only applicable to registered roles) - inaccuracies in NMC PIN details will mean your application will not be progressed.
17. Interested candidates are encouraged to make contact with the Recruiting Manager to have an informal discussion about the role
Working for our organisation
For further information about working for our Trust please visit:
Our benefits
We offer a range of benefits to support our staff including:
18. Access to the NHS Pension Scheme, providing generous benefits upon retirement, as well as a lump sum and pension for dependants
19. 27 days holiday rising to 33 days (depending on NHS Trust service)
20. A generous relocation package of up to 30% of salary (capped at £18k) to support with relocation expenses for hard to fill positions where relocation would be an expectation to undertake the role fully. If you would like to discuss a potential relocation package, please speak to the recruiting department/manager at interview stage.
21. A variety of different types of paid and unpaid leave covering emergency and planned leave
22. Confidential advice and support on personal, work, family and relationship issues, 24/7, from our Employee Assistance Programme
23. NHS Car Lease scheme and Cycle to Work scheme
24. An extensive range of learning and development opportunities
25. Discounts on restaurants, getaways, shopping, motoring, cinema and finance through a of providers
For further information on the fantastic range of benefits we offer please visit the Trust's dedicated Staff Benefits pages.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
A full description of the role is available in the attachment: job description.
Please note that if a high number of applications are received this advert may close early. You are advised to submit your application at the earliest opportunity.
Working for the Trust
Across our organisation, people are guided by values that were co-developed with staff: we are kind; we are open; and we pursue excellence.
Our values play into our ambition to develop a more diverse workforce, truly representative of our communities. We welcome applications from everyone, while working with our Staff Networks - including our Race Equality, LGBTQ+, Disability and Carers Networks - to increase the number of applications we receive from different backgrounds. If there is anything we can do to make our application process more accessible to you, please contact: .
As part of seeking to become more inclusive, we will consider requests for flexible working from the start of your employment. It may not be suitable for every role, but we will try and be supportive where we can. We would encourage you to speak to the recruiting manager named within this advert to discuss any requirements you may have.
Armed Forces Friendly Employer
We are holders of the Gold Award from the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme, which is helping actively promote SaBRE - Supporting Britain’s Reservists and Employers. This means that we have made a statement of intent to support all Defence personnel, including with applications for employment.
Person specification
Experience and Knowledge
Essential criteria
26. Registered Nurse with current NMC registration
27. Senior nursing leadership experience
28. Demonstrable expertise in quality assurance, ward accreditation or clinical governance
Desirable criteria
29. Designing and leading ward accreditation process to fruition
Skills and Abilities
Essential criteria
30. Demonstrable senior level experience in quality assurance, clinical governance or quality improvement within an NHS setting.
Desirable criteria
31. Able to triangulate complex quality intelligence from audits, incidents, complaints, patient experience and assurance dashboards to identify risk, variation and improvement priorities.