Main area Children’s Nursing Grade 8b Contract Permanent: Full Time Hours. 37.5 hours per week (Some weekend and night working may be required.)
- Full time
- Flexible working
Employer Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust. Employer type: NHS. Site: Cross Site. Town: Huddersfield. Salary £66,582 - £77,368 per annum, pro rata. Salary period: Yearly. Closing 22/06/2026 23:59. Interview date: 10/07/2026.
Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust welcomes applications from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics.
We are committed to recruiting to our values. One Culture of Care underpins our values by creating an environment, tone and behaviours across all parts of the Trust that are fundamentally rooted in compassionate care.
We are open to considering a wide range of flexible working arrangements. There are opportunities to flex the days of the week, hours and times of work and place of work including: part‑time, job‑share, flexible working hours and the possibility to work from home when appropriate. Please talk to us during the interview process to discuss any flexibility that you may require.
The Head Nurse Children’s Services must be a highly visible "eyes and ears" leader who is clinically credible, approachable and able to talk to children, parents/guardians with kindness, care and confidence.
Job overview
This largely operational role works alongside the children’s directorate, matrons/service leads and other CYP services as required. The Head Nurse will champion, advocate and promote services to ensure that the CYP directorate continuously delivers safe and high quality patient care, all day every day.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will support the Associate Director of Nursing for FSS with the overall strategic and operational development of nursing within the children’s directorate, with a particular focus on quality, patient experience, workforce and risk management. The role will also support the Children’s Directorate operationally as directed by the ADN.
The Head Nurse will work collaboratively with the ADN to provide assurance to the Executive Team and Board of Directors that robust systems of governance and performance management are in place and that high quality led services are being developed and delivered across CHFT.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
- Foster a culture amongst frontline clinical staff of early intervention to reduce the number of formal complaints.
- "Go see" and support General Managers, Operations Managers and service leads in ensuring that the directorate meets the requirements of the Trust’s Risk Management Strategy within their area, including advice and overview of risk assessments/registers within the Division.
- Support the matrons and clinical managers in reviewing dependency and acuity across inpatient services using approved tools as required.
- Be adaptable and able to work days, weekends, nights as required (which can be dictated by fluctuating needs of the service).
- Embrace the trust vision and support the Associate Director of Nursing to lead the implementation of the nursing and midwifery strategy and the Trust’s quality assurance framework.
- Network professionally to ensure the contribution of professional nursing practice to the achievement of Trust objectives.
- Contribute and monitor standards of nursing utilising the performance framework and using nursing sensitive key performance indicators which demonstrate continuous improvement.
- Act as role model, mentor and coach ensuring that direct reports are supported to achieve their potential with clear goals and priorities aligned to those in the organisation.
- Comply with the professional standards and codes of the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
- Contribute and lead the development of in‑house education and training programmes.
- Monitor compliance with professional standards in the directorate set by the Trust including those for appraisal, mandatory training and behaviour.
- Support the Associate Director of Nursing to lead patient and public involvement in the division ensuring compliance with Equality Act obligations.
- Work closely with Risk Management and PALS to ensure complaints and incidents are dealt with appropriately with actions agreed and effective monitoring set in place.
- Support the Associate Director of Nursing in the development, implementation, response rate and evaluation of the Friends and Family Test, responding to patient feedback to make improvements. Co‑design improvements involving staff, children, young people and families.
- Lead and support the Associate Director of Nursing in monitoring matrons’ compliance with key environmental standards.
- Support the Associate Director of Nursing to ensure effective clinical governance and risk management systems are in place to support the clinical care in the division.
- Ensure that assurance arrangements are in place to meet Trust requirements.
Person specification
QUALIFICATIONS / TRAINING
- Registered NMC Children’s Nurse.
- Specialist nursing knowledge in a broad range of CYP services and experience equivalent to a masters level or a commitment to work towards education at or a similar level.
KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE & EXPERTISE
- Evidence of Continuing Professional Development.
- Significant proven managerial experience at a senior level within a directorate or division leading and managing a number of clinical areas/services (e.g., Senior Matron/Deputy Head/Head of Nursing level role).
- A proven track record of leadership, performance improvement and organisational change.
- Evidence of forging and nurturing partnerships and collaborative relationships.
- Experience of supporting a large, complex professional workforce and experience of organisational change.
- Experience of quality and risk management, including experience in analysing and resourcing complex complaints.
- Involvement in strategic development and implementation using QI methodology.
- Participation in audit and promotion of evidence‑based practice.
COMMUNICATION AND RELATIONSHIPS (INCLUDING MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES)
- Able to articulate a clear vision for nursing and specialist services which will enable the division to meet all its objectives.
- Highly developed interpersonal, communication (written and oral) and facilitation skills.
- Well‑developed political awareness, influencing, negotiating and conflict resolution skills.
- Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills.
- Ability to identify, develop, nurture and promote innovative approaches to service development.
- Well‑developed delegation, people and workload management skills.
- Possess a research appreciation with an ability for critical thinking and to influence others through research findings.
- Professional and patient focused.
- Ability to work with and through ambiguity.
- Self‑confident and emotionally resilient.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
