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 has been developed to provide 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.
Please see Job Description for full details.
Main duties of the job
The programme director will be responsible for ensuring that there is a robust overall strategy for the Independent Maternity Review, ensuring alignment with national maternity safety priorities. The programme director will:
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 there is robust governance and oversight for the review
Work with peers and colleagues across the organisation to support the ongoing learning and improvement within the Trust
Ensure there is robust governance and oversight for the police investigation and support the organisation to respond effectively to all enquiries from both regulators and the police.
The post-holder will be one of the main contact points for the Trust with both the external review team and NHS England, as commissioners of the review. Internally, the Programme Director is responsible for co-ordinating the individual and collective endeavours of corporate departments and clinical services in meeting the requirements of both the independent review, as well as the police investigation.
Please see Job Description
About us
With over 19,000 staff, we are one of the biggest employers in the city with a central role in supporting the health and wellbeing of our local population. We play a leading role in research, education and innovation.
Come and join our wonderful team at NUH. We are big believers in diversity and welcome new ideas to help develop our team in order to deliver world class healthcare to the vast patient populations we serve. With endless personal development opportunities available, at NUH we will endeavour to turn your job into a career
We particularly welcome applications from people who identify as Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic, or Disabled, as we are striving to be better represented at NUH.
Details
Date posted
09 February 2026
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 9
Salary
£109,179 to £125,637 a year per annum
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-time, Flexible working
Reference number
VC
Job locations
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, City campus, Trust HQ
Hucknall Road
Nottingham
NG5 1PB
Job description
Job responsibilities
1. Provide overall leadership of the development of the independent review programme as well as Operation Perth
2. Procure as necessary external and professional support for the programme, both regarding project management and professional services.
3. To liaise with colleagues regularly and as required to provide ongoing dialogue for the programme.
4. Provide assurance to commissioning and regulatory colleagues, both internal and external, of progress and escalate issues and risks as required outside of programme board where necessary.
5. Work in an effective corporate manner, working with key stakeholders including Trust Executive and Non-Executive Directors to ensure programme development and generate highly effective outcomes.
6. Resolve risks, assumptions, issues and dependencies (RAID) whilst recommending and implementing appropriate corrective action.
7. Take overall responsibility for the programme delivery.
8. To deputise for the Chief Nurse as required in relation to Operation Perth and the independent Review.
9. Ensuring effective quality assurance and risk management of the Programme - focusing inwardly on the internal consistency of the Programme, outputs and outcomes, and outwardly on its coherence and alignment with Trust strategies.
10. Take advice from work stream leads and specialists in support of those work streams to co-ordinate and determine assessment of issues and planned outputs and to make recommendations to be presented to review response oversight group.
11. Provide assurance to the Trust Board via Trust Leadership Team and the Quality Assurance Committee on all aspects of the Programme.
Please see Job Description.
Job description
Job responsibilities
1. Provide overall leadership of the development of the independent review programme as well as Operation Perth
2. Procure as necessary external and professional support for the programme, both regarding project management and professional services.
3. To liaise with colleagues regularly and as required to provide ongoing dialogue for the programme.
4. Provide assurance to commissioning and regulatory colleagues, both internal and external, of progress and escalate issues and risks as required outside of programme board where necessary.
5. Work in an effective corporate manner, working with key stakeholders including Trust Executive and Non-Executive Directors to ensure programme development and generate highly effective outcomes.
6. Resolve risks, assumptions, issues and dependencies (RAID) whilst recommending and implementing appropriate corrective action.
7. Take overall responsibility for the programme delivery.
8. To deputise for the Chief Nurse as required in relation to Operation Perth and the independent Review.
9. Ensuring effective quality assurance and risk management of the Programme - focusing inwardly on the internal consistency of the Programme, outputs and outcomes, and outwardly on its coherence and alignment with Trust strategies.
10. Take advice from work stream leads and specialists in support of those work streams to co-ordinate and determine assessment of issues and planned outputs and to make recommendations to be presented to review response oversight group.
11. Provide assurance to the Trust Board via Trust Leadership Team and the Quality Assurance Committee on all aspects of the Programme.
Please see Job Description.
Person Specification
Other requirements
Essential
* oWorking knowledge of Microsoft Office with intermediate keyboard skills and presentation skills
Training & Qualifications
Essential
* .Degree level qualification.
* .Higher level management qualification at masters or equivalent level. .Significant additional role related and personal development training commensurate with a senior manager post
Experience
Essential
* .Significant experience at senior manager/director level in the NHS
* .Significant experience and understanding of proven implementation of programme management methodologies or a Prince 2 or managing successful projects practitioner
* .Leadership, vision, strategic thinking and planning with highly developed strategic skills
* .Demonstrates experience of delivering across organisational boundaries
* .In depth additional expert knowledge acquired over a significant period of time in the following areas: odelivery of organisational change odelivery of performance objectives and improvements odelivery of projects and programme of work of significant size.
* .Experience of managing programme and corporate risks appropriately
Planning & Organisations skills
Essential
* oExperience of managing complexity such as managing numerous work
* oExperience of leading change management processes from concept to delivery
* oProven and significant leadership experience and/or formal management qualification at Masters level
* oProven experience of leading and delivering complex change and strategy development programmes at a senior level, in a politically sensitive and complex environment
Communications skills
Essential
* oExperience of performance managing others to ensure organisation delivery and success
* oMust be a highly credible leader with experience of building relationships with a range of stakeholders
* oExtensive experience of delivering presentations to large groups of stakeholders, in often pressured and highly political environments
Person Specification
Other requirements
Essential
* oWorking knowledge of Microsoft Office with intermediate keyboard skills and presentation skills
Training & Qualifications
Essential
* .Degree level qualification.
* .Higher level management qualification at masters or equivalent level. .Significant additional role related and personal development training commensurate with a senior manager post
Experience
Essential
* .Significant experience at senior manager/director level in the NHS
* .Significant experience and understanding of proven implementation of programme management methodologies or a Prince 2 or managing successful projects practitioner
* .Leadership, vision, strategic thinking and planning with highly developed strategic skills
* .Demonstrates experience of delivering across organisational boundaries
* .In depth additional expert knowledge acquired over a significant period of time in the following areas: odelivery of organisational change odelivery of performance objectives and improvements odelivery of projects and programme of work of significant size.
* .Experience of managing programme and corporate risks appropriately
Planning & Organisations skills
Essential
* oExperience of managing complexity such as managing numerous work
* oExperience of leading change management processes from concept to delivery
* oProven and significant leadership experience and/or formal management qualification at Masters level
* oProven experience of leading and delivering complex change and strategy development programmes at a senior level, in a politically sensitive and complex environment
Communications skills
Essential
* oExperience of performance managing others to ensure organisation delivery and success
* oMust be a highly credible leader with experience of building relationships with a range of stakeholders
* oExtensive experience of delivering presentations to large groups of stakeholders, in often pressured and highly political environments
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Employer details
Employer name
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trusts
Address
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, City campus, Trust HQ
Hucknall Road
Nottingham
NG5 1PB
Employer's website
(Opens in a new tab)
Employer details
Employer name
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trusts
Address
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, City campus, Trust HQ
Hucknall Road
Nottingham
NG5 1PB
Employer's website
(Opens in a new tab)