Job Summary
Programme Director - The Independent Maternity Review
This Review was established by NHS England in May 2022, following significant concerns raised regarding the quality and safety of maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) and concerns of local families.
The Programme Director role provides strategic leadership, operational oversight, and governance for NUH’s response to the multi‑disciplinary review into maternity services. Reporting to the Chief Nurse and SRO for the IMR, the Programme Director will work closely with clinical experts, families, regulators, and NHS partners to ensure the review is robust, transparent, and aligned with national standards for maternity safety.
Main duties of the job
The Programme Director is responsible for:
* Translate the review’s terms of reference into clear workstreams, milestones, and deliverables.
* Provide expert advice to senior leaders, review chairs, and oversight bodies on emerging themes, risks, and opportunities.
* Ensure robust governance and oversight for the review and for the police investigation.
* Work with peers and colleagues across the organisation to support ongoing learning and improvement within the Trust.
* Act as a primary contact point for the Trust with both the external review team and NHS England.
* Coordinate individual and collective endeavours of corporate departments and clinical services to meet requirements of the independent review and the police investigation.
Job Responsibilities
* Provide overall leadership of the development of the independent review programme as well as Operation Perth.
* Procure external and professional support for the programme, including project management and professional services.
* Liaise with colleagues regularly to maintain ongoing dialogue for the programme.
* Provide assurance to commissioning and regulatory colleagues, internal and external, of progress and escalating issues and risks as required outside of programme board where necessary.
* Work in an effective corporate manner with key stakeholders including Trust Executive and Non‑Executive Directors to ensure programme development and generate highly effective outcomes.
* Resolve risks, assumptions, issues, and dependencies (RAID) while recommending and implementing appropriate corrective action.
* Take overall responsibility for programme delivery.
* Deputise for the Chief Nurse as required in relation to Operation Perth and the independent Review.
* Ensure effective quality assurance and risk management of the Programme, focusing inwardly on internal consistency of the Programme, outputs and outcomes, and outwardly on its coherence and alignment with Trust strategies.
* Coordinate and determine assessment of issues and planned outputs based on advice from work stream leads and specialists, making recommendations to be presented to review response oversight group.
* Provide assurance to the Trust Board via Trust Leadership Team and the Quality Assurance Committee on all aspects of the Programme.
Person Specification
Essential
* Degree level qualification.
* Higher level management qualification at masters or equivalent level plus significant additional role‑related and personal development training commensurate with a senior manager post.
* Significant experience at senior manager/director level in the NHS.
* Significant experience and understanding of proven implementation of programme management methodologies, notably Prince 2 or managing successful projects practitioner.
* Leadership, vision, strategic thinking and planning with highly developed strategic skills.
* Demonstrated experience of delivering across organisational boundaries.
* In‑depth expert knowledge acquired over a significant period in the delivery of organisational change, performance objectives and improvements and large‑scale projects and programmes.
* Experience of managing programme and corporate risks appropriately.
* Experience of managing complexity such as numerous concurrent workstreams.
* Experience of leading change management processes from concept to delivery.
* Proven leadership experience and/or formal management qualification at Masters level.
* Proven experience of leading and delivering complex change and strategy development programmes at a senior level in a politically sensitive and complex environment.
* Experience of performance managing others to ensure organisational delivery and success.
* Highly credible leader with experience of building relationships with a range of stakeholders.
* Extensive experience delivering presentations to large groups of stakeholders in often pressured and highly political environments.
* Working knowledge of Microsoft Office with intermediate keyboard and presentation skills.
Other requirements
* Working knowledge of Microsoft Office with intermediate keyboard skills and presentation skills.
Job Details
* Date posted: 09 February 2026
* Pay scheme: Agenda for change
* Band: Band 9
* Salary: £109,179 – £125,637 per annum
* Contract: Permanent
* Working pattern: Full-time, Flexible working
* Reference number: 164-7709886-VC
* Location: Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, City campus, Trust HQ, Hucknall Road, Nottingham, NG5 1PB
Employer details
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trusts
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, City campus, Trust HQ
Hucknall Road
Nottingham
NG5 1PB
Website: https://www.nuh.nhs.uk/
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and requires a Disclosure and Barring Service check to ensure no prior criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications for skilled worker sponsorship are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications.
For further information, visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.
#J-18808-Ljbffr