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Main area: Neonatal; Grade: Band 7; Contract: Permanent; Hours: Full time – 37.5 hours per week (could be worked over 4 days). Job ref: 279-7697778-APR26
Employer: University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust. Site: Worthing Hospital Town Worthing. Salary: £49,387 – £56,515 per annum (Yearly). Closing date: 05/05/2026 23:59.
Job overview
Join our team as the Band 7 Ward Manager for the Special Care Baby Unit at Worthing. The unit is a Level 1 neonatal unit with 2 HDU and 10 special care cots, caring for babies from 31+6 weeks gestation. You will lead the unit, shape the daily experience of families and staff, and collaborate with a multidisciplinary team.
Main duties of the job
* Provide effective nursing leadership and proactive resource management for the clinical area.
* Maintain a clean, safe, infection‑controlled environment.
* Improve clinical care standards and treat patients with dignity and respect.
* Supervise and support nurses, mentor band 6s, and foster professional behaviour.
* Communicate with patients and relatives about condition, experience, and discharge plans.
* Review Family & Friends survey results and drive improvement.
* Respond to patient complaints and use them for team learning.
* Maintain a consistent, empowering leadership style aligned with the harm‑free care agenda.
* Prepare nursing reports for Directorate meetings and present risks at Quality and Safety meetings.
Detailed responsibilities
* Lead and articulate clear standards of care for the clinical area, including nurse‑to‑patient ratio, acuity and dependency factors.
* Demonstrate clinical competence in neonatal specialist area.
* Maintain visibility in the clinical area, supervising and supporting nurses.
* Proactively discuss patient condition and discharge plans with patients and relatives.
* Assess and act on Family & Friends survey reviews.
* Handle patient complaints empathetically and develop learning.
* Show a consistent leadership style with empowerment.
* Ensure harm‑free care and support the agenda at UHSussex.
* Report nursing activity at directorate meetings and present risks at site meetings.
Qualifications
* Registered Nurse / Registered Specialist Children’s Nurse.
* Qualified in Neonatal speciality.
* Teaching and assessing (mentorship) qualification.
* Previous Band 6 experience in an acute neonatal area.
* Graduate or Diploma level study.
* Experience in a senior role within a Neonatal unit.
* Significant post‑registration experience.
* Previous experience in ward management.
* NLS certification.
* Postgraduate certificate in training and education to Masters level or equivalent.
* Leadership/Management course.
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
* Evidence of championing diversity in previous roles.
* Evidence of undertaking personal development to improve understanding of equalities issues.
Language and visa
Visa sponsorship under the UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker route is available for applicable candidates with UK National Medicines Council registration. Overseas qualifiers requiring sponsorship are not currently being directly hired.
Important information for applicants
We value authenticity in applications. AI‑generated content that misrepresents your abilities may be grounds for rejection. Please present your genuine voice.
Application Notes
We may close the advert early if a high volume of applications is received.
Contact for application assistance: nursing team – uhsussex.nursingteam@nhs.net; non‑nursing – uhsussex.nonnursingteam@nhs.net
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