Job Summary
The Clinical Director is a key member of the Executive Leadership Team, reporting directly to the Chief Executive, with accountability for strategic leadership, integration and optimal performance of the hospice’s clinical strategy, governance and service delivery. The Clinical Director will ensure the provision of outstanding palliative and end‑of‑life care, aligned with the hospice mission, values and regulatory frameworks. She/he will oversee a multidisciplinary team, ensure safe, effective and innovative services, and act as the CQC Registered Manager. The role also serves as an ambassador for Hospice in the Weald, building relationships with ICBs, NHS partners, regulators and external stakeholders to influence policy and improve care.
About Us
Hospice in the Weald was founded in 1980 as a small home‑care service in West Kent, born out of local community effort to support people with life‑limiting illnesses. Today, more than 40 years on, Hospice in the Weald continues to provide compassionate, personalised care to patients and their loved ones, celebrating life and offering dignity at the end of life for thousands in the local community.
Details
Date posted: 20 May 2026
Pay scheme: Depending on experience; Equivalent to NHS Band 8d
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full‑time, flexible working
Reference number: B0016‑26‑0002
Job locations: Maidstone Road, Pembury, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN2 4TA, United Kingdom
Job Description
As a member of the Executive Team, you will provide strategic and operational leadership across all clinical services, ensuring safe, compassionate, high‑quality care. You will hold executive responsibility for clinical governance, patient safety, safeguarding, infection control, medicines management, and regulatory compliance, including acting as CQC Registered Manager and overseeing Caldicott Guardian responsibilities. You will champion person‑centred, evidence‑based care, equality, diversity and inclusion, and continuous improvement through audit, research, innovation and feedback. You will lead service transformation and clinical strategy, ensuring services remain sustainable, responsive and integrated with NHS and community partners. You will foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, learning and wellbeing across multidisciplinary teams, supporting recruitment, retention, succession planning and volunteer integration. You will provide expert advice to the Board, strengthen partnerships with healthcare organisations and commissioners, and support robust communication, performance management, education, mentorship and data‑driven service improvement aligned with organisational values and priorities.
Deliverables and Outcomes
Be competent in recognising patients that would benefit from hospice services at an earlier stage, living well, psychological support and advance care planning support (ReSPECT). You will recognise incremental change in a patient’s illness trajectory, liaise and build relationships with relevant colleagues and clinical experts outside of Hospice in the Weald, and work as part of a team to meet joint strategic aims and objectives, always thinking about how to extend reach to those who need it. Competency in palliative care symptom control, attendance at frailty MDTs/board rounds, engagement in and promotion of assessment methods, effective communication with patients and their loved ones, holistic assessment, ensuring end‑of‑life care is planned, delivered, documented and reviewed to the highest standard, seamless referral processes to local palliative care services.
Management and Leadership
Liaise closely with your HitW line manager and MTW line manager, meet jointly for support. Be cognisant of the Hospice in the Weald Three‑Year Strategy and work towards the aims and objectives, particularly for frailty and palliative care in the trust. Be a resource for both the hospital palliative care team and the Outreach HitW. Assist in the development of policies, procedures and guidelines to continuously improve ways of working. Support, empower and model volunteers and more junior members of the workforce. Participate in education programmes to educate the workforce regarding hospice services.
Communications and Teamwork
Support the multidisciplinary team to enable high quality care, giving advice on pain and symptom control, advanced care planning, social and psychological care, communication and resource use. Provide a high standard of sensitive communication with patients and those important to them, maintaining privacy and dignity, while maintaining confidentiality at all times.
Audit and Research
In consultation with managers, ensure all work is evidence based. Develop, in conjunction with line management, mechanisms for auditing care within the service and implement changes to practice as a result. Participate in or support, where appropriate, nursing and/or collaborative clinical research in palliative care.
Training and Development
Plan and participate in the provision of supervision/reflective practice to colleagues, support engaging development opportunities. Undertake hospice and hospital mandatory training and broader training opportunities. Act as a role model and an expert professional to colleagues, and be an ambassador to neighbouring health and social care partners, providing informal education and support to staff in providing palliative care. Undertake external training to enhance the CNS/CPS role as appropriate. Keep up to date with revalidation and professional registration requirements.
General
Maintain professionalism through adherence to recognised codes (e.g. NMC, HPC, HCPC) and work within the boundaries of Hospice in the Weald policies. Strive for excellence always. Maintain professional development through the Hospice Annual Review process. Engage in the use of information and communication technology (ICT) to the required level of competence. Any other duties that may be reasonably expected will be assigned. THIS JOB DESCRIPTION IS NOT EXHAUSTIVE AND IS SUBJECT TO REVIEW IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE POST HOLDER AND ACCORDING TO FUTURE CHANGES/DEVELOPMENTS IN THE SERVICE.
Person Specification
Experience (Essential)
* Ability to motivate and inspire others to achieve in a fast paced and challenging environment.
* Takes the initiative and responds flexibly to change.
* Delegates tasks appropriately.
* Ability to develop rapport with a wide range of people and to act with credibility, tact and diplomacy.
* High level of computer literacy skills including the use of mobile technology.
* Proven track record of contemporaneous clinical practice.
* Experience in palliative and end of life care and bereavement support in a community setting.
* Prepared and delivered education programmes to other healthcare professionals.
* Ability to interpret situations from different angles and identify opportunities for improvement.
* Forward thinking and proactive in decision making and in assessing risks and its mitigation.
* Applies personal organisation strategies to prioritise and effectively manage workload within a team environment.
Qualifications (Essential)
* Registered Nurse (Level 1) or Registered Paramedic (HCPC)
* With 3 years post registration experience.
* Evidence of ongoing professional development.
* Relevant BSc.
* Principles of End of Life Care masters module.
Personal Attributes (Essential)
* Passionate about providing individualised care.
* Dedicated to making a difference and changing people’s lives.
* Compassionate.
* High levels of enterprise, innovation and dedication.
* Maintains a calm disposition and positive outlook.
* Proactive team player.
* Ability to work well within and adapt to a changing environment.
* Willingness to travel to varying work locations.
* Sense of humour.
* Forward thinking.
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.
Contact
Head of HR: Melanie Scoble
Email: hr@hospiceintheweald.org.uk
Employer Details
Hospice in the Weald
Maidstone Road, Pembury, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN2 4TA, United Kingdom
Website: https://www.hospiceintheweald.org.uk
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