Job Overview
University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust is delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity to work with us.
Please see below for detailed job description of the role.
Main duties of the job
Are you a passionate and experienced nurse ready to take the next step in your leadership journey?
Do you thrive in a fast-paced environment and have a keen interest in thoracic care? If so, we'd love to hear from you
The Role
As a Band 6 Sister/Charge Nurse, you'll play a pivotal role in supporting the Ward Manager with the day-to-day running of E4. You'll lead by example, mentor junior staff, and ensure the delivery of safe, effective, and compassionate care. You'll be encouraged to use your initiative, identify opportunities for improvement, and lead on service development projects.
This Is An Excellent Opportunity For
A Band 5 nurse ready to step into leadership
A current Band 6 seeking to broaden their skills in a highly specialised surgical setting.
About Us
E4 is a dynamic 20-bed thoracic surgical ward, specialising in major procedures including lung resections, chest wall and rib surgery. We're proud of our reputation for delivering high-quality, patient-centred care and work closely with our surgical and multidisciplinary teams to ensure the best outcomes for our patients.
Working for our organisation
University Hospital Southampton is one of England's largest acute teaching Trusts, offering a wide range of learning and development opportunities to support your career aspirations.
Located on the south coast with an international airport and direct rail links to London, Southampton offers an ideal setting to live and work, with the New Forest, South Downs and Jurassic Coast.
We believe that using technology wisely shows strong time management and commitment to innovation. However, personalizing your recruitment application to highlight your unique skills and experiences is crucial. Relying too heavily on generic, AI-generated content instead of drawing from your own strengths and accomplishments may lead to your application being rejected if multiple candidates present identical or similar information.
At UHS we're committed to providing a flexible working environment where possible. Whether you are balancing family, study, or your wellbeing with your career, we want to support you so you can help our patients.
At UHS, we proudly champion individuality, recognizing that outstanding care is only possible with a diverse, inclusive team. We're committed to creating an anti-racist, anti-discriminatory environment where everyone feels valued, safe, and empowered to make a meaningful impact in our communities. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences to join us in building a healthcare community where everyone can belong, thrive, and contribute.
Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities
We are recruiting a committed and experienced Junior Sister / Charge Nurse (Band 6) to join our 20‑bed thoracic surgical ward, E4. In this senior clinical leadership role you will support the Ward Manager in coordinating day‑to‑day operations across a 24‑hour service, ensuring high standards of safe, timely and effective care for patients undergoing complex thoracic procedures.
You will lead and develop junior staff through coaching, supervision and education, take charge of the ward as required, and contribute to workforce planning, rostering and skill‑mix decisions. The role requires strong clinical judgement, a proactive approach to service improvement and clinical governance, and the ability to manage competing priorities under pressure while maintaining compassionate, patient‑centred care.
You will participate in audits, quality and change projects, support learning and appraisal processes, and work closely with multidisciplinary teams to deliver excellent outcomes. This is an ideal post for an ambitious Band 5 ready to step into leadership or a current Band 6 seeking broader surgical experience.
Person specification
Trust Values
Essential criteria
* Patient First
* Always Improving
* Working Together
Qualifications, Knowledge And Experience
Essential criteria
* Qualified Nurse (Degree/Diploma)
* Registered nurse on appropriate part of the register
* Significant post registration experience / qualification / training, including experience and knowledge within relevant speciality
* Ward management experience
* Knowledge of current issues within acute Health Service
* Experience in an acute hospital setting
* Provide evidence of supporting / managing a range of learners in practice
* Provide evidence of supporting colleagues to promote effective learning in practice
* Ability to demonstrate clinical decision making and judgement
* Commitment to the post and Care Group responsibilities
* Commitment to continuing professional development
Desirable criteria
* Experience in handling adverse events and complaints
* Appraisal skills
* Act in the role of Practice Assessor or supporting the progression of learners / supporting challenges as needed
* Some insight into budget management