South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust
Head of Midwifery
The closing date is 15 April 2026
Are you an exceptional, inspirational, and values driven, senior midwifery leader, who leads with confidence, compassion and ambition, and who is ready to help shape the future of the maternity service here at South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust? If so, we are seeking an outstanding Head of Midwifery, and this is an opportunity to make a real difference at a pivotal moment for maternity services.
Working closely with a supportive Director of Midwifery and an engaged senior team, you will play a central role in shaping the future of care for women, babies, and families across South Tyneside and Sunderland.
This is a senior, influential post at a time of significant national focus and scrutiny for maternity services. You will provide professional, strategic, and operational leadership, steering the delivery of the operational agenda, ensuring alignment with national maternity and neonatal priorities, NHS England mandates, and regulatory standards.
You will lead, in conjunction with the Director of Midwifery, the continued implementation of key national, regional, and local initiatives. As a member of the Perinatal Leadership Team, and with an unwavering focus on safety, quality, and women-centred care, you will lead the senior midwifery team in operationalising our key priorities and work-streams.
Our team is friendly, passionate, and always seeking better ways to work through research and innovation.
Main duties of the job
The Head of Midwifery role is a key position within the Division of Family Care, responsible to the Director of Midwifery, with a prime focus on the day‑to‑day delivery of high standards of patient care across integrated care pathways and services.
The purpose of the role is to provide operational midwifery leadership across the maternity and neonatal services, to ensure and consistently develop high quality efficient service provision for all women accessing maternity care.
Working closely with the Perinatal Leadership Team, the post holder will develop, maintain, and provide assurance on clinical and operational governance systems and processes, specifically clinical risk management, CQC standards, clinical policy and procedure, clinical quality, health and safety, patient experience, complaint and incident resolution, and safeguarding.
The post holder will assist the Director of Midwifery to ensure that divisional and corporate objectives in relation to the workforce, service delivery, quality improvement, clinical quality, safety, and leadership elements of the service are carried out.
Deputising as required, the Head of Midwifery will take a lead role in supporting the Director of Midwifery to include effective resource management, and strategic planning for the future of the service. The responsibility includes covering for board assurance and sub‑committee reports and presenting them in the absence of the Director of Midwifery.
About us
Please add your telephone number to your application form so we can contact you quickly if required.
One Team One Trust - There are many reasons to work at our Trust. From our commitment to putting people first to our accessible services and award‑winning teams. We have a passion for research, innovation and tackling inequalities. We are committed to respect, fairness and civility and promote a compassionate, caring and positive culture / working environment.
We welcome all applications irrespective of peoples race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion/belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity and in particular those from under‑represented groups. Looking after our workforces health and wellbeing is a priority for us. We also provide access to high quality education, training, career progression and support. Flexible working is supported via our Flexible Working Policy.
The Trust employs around 8,746 people and provides a range of hospital services to a local community of around 430,000 residents. We also provide a range of more specialised services outside this area. We offer our staff outstanding benefits - Fitness Centre (SRH), libraries at both hospital sites, chaplaincy support and access to a Care Co‑ordinator to help staff with childcare arrangements.
If you use AI, and it poses a risk to the integrity of your individual recruitment process, we may withdraw your application at any stage of the process.
Job responsibilities
The Head of Midwifery holds an important professional role for the delivery of maternity services across South Tyneside and Sunderland providing strong and inspirational leadership to help influence and improve service delivery both from the hospital sites and in the community.
On behalf of the Director of Midwifery and the Executive Director of Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professionals the Head of Midwifery will provide a strategic and expert lead from maternity care within STSFT ensuring that staff are motivated and competent to provide high quality, patient‑centred care adhering and advocating the Trust Vision and Values.
PLEASE REFER TO THE ATTACHED JOB DESCRIPTION FOR FULL DETAILS OF THE ROLE.
Person Specification
Physical Skills
* Must be able to meet the travel requirements of the post
* Ability to be part of the midwifery manager on call rota
Attributes
* Commitment to team working
* Skilled communicator
* Creative/lateral thinker
* Flexible approach to work
* Enthusiastic/motivated
* Good health and attendance record
Experience
* Minimum of 3 years appropriate and relevant management experience in an NHS organisation
* A track record/portfolio of evidence of ongoing continuous managerial, educational and professional development
* Evidence of managing complex resource issues (human and financial)
* Demonstrable experience of effective change management resulting in improved outcomes
* Experience of managing conflict
* Evidence of working effectively with Clinicians and MDT
* Evidence of implementation of a range of quality and clinical governance initiatives to develop practice
* A track record of managing innovation and service improvement
* Experience of patient involvement and improving patient experience
* Experience of complaints management and resolution
* Matron or other relevant senior management experience in an NHS organisation
* Proven ability to manage complex and changing workload which includes ability to identify and resolve conflicting priorities within tight time frames
* A proven track record as a change agent
* Evidence of the ability to manage within financial balance
* Experience of clinical supervision
* Business management experience
* Has deputised for Director of Midwifery or equivalent
* Experience and training in Service Improvement
Skills and Knowledge
* Evidence of first class interpersonal skills and the ability to use them to work effectively within a MDT to motivate and develop staff
* Excellent verbal and written communications skills
* Skilled at working with groups of patients and users
* Proven ability to work across organisational boundaries
* Experience of gathering and analysing complex information
* Demonstrable ability to compile reports from complex information and deliver presentations
* Evidence of excellent leadership skills
* Demonstrable knowledge of issues within the current NHS agenda
* Comprehensive understanding of the national agenda guiding the development of professional practice for nursing and AHPs
* Demonstrable knowledge of risk management processes and clinical governance
* Understanding of research and audit based nursing practice.
* IT skills and knowledge
* Experience of audit and research
* Understanding of the policy drivers which influence delivery of care
Qualifications
* Registered Midwife
* Masters Degree or evidence of being on the Masters pathway
* Recognised management such as ILM or leadership qualification or working towards
* Holds relevant Teaching and Assessing qualification
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.
South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust
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