Chief Nurse NNUH

Job summary

This is an exceptional opportunity for an outstanding nursing leader to shape the quality, safety and experience of care at the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospitals as part of the Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group.

As Site Chief Nurse, you will provide visible, empowering professional leadership for our nursing, midwifery and allied health professional workforce. Working as a key member of the Hospital Leadership Team, you will share responsibility for delivering safe, high-quality and compassionate services, while helping to shape the Group's wider strategic direction.

You will lead organisation-wide improvements in patient care and experience, fostering a culture of innovation, learning, inclusion and continuous improvement. The role offers the scope to influence beyond the hospital site: deputising for the Group Chief Nurse and leading Group-wide portfolios, programmes and priorities.

We are advertising for positions at both QEH and NNUH. If you wish to be considered for QEH as well as NNUH please make sure you express that in your supporting statement, there is no need to apply to both adverts.

Contact details to find out more about each site and the Group can be found below.

Main duties of the job

Working closely with the Site Medical Director, Executive Managing Director and Group Chief Nurse, you will:o Hold senior professional responsibility for the quality and safety of care delivered at the hospital site.o Provide visible leadership to nursing, midwifery and allied health professional teams.o Lead improvements in patient safety, patient experience, clinical governance and professional practice at site and Group level.o Ensure the workforce is skilled, productive, engaged and clinically and financially sustainable.o Shape workforce, education and development plans that meet current and future service needs.o Lead the site's response to regulatory requirements and maintain constructive relationships with the Care Quality Commission and professional regulators.o Champion an open, fair and learning culture in which colleagues feel safe to speak up.o Support service transformation, innovation and the development of integrated pathways across Norfolk and Waveney.o Build strong partnerships with patients, carers, staff representatives, education and research partners, commissioners, and the wider health and care system.o Represent the Executive Managing Director and Group Chief Nurse as required.

About us

The newly formed Norfolk & Waveney University Hospitals Group (NWUHG) is placing people and culture at the heart of its transformation.

By working as one system, the Group is strengthening workforce development, improving staff experience, and creating consistent, supportive leadership across all three hospitals. This unified approach enables better training, enhanced well-being support, and a stronger culture rooted in compassion, flexibility, and continuous learning.

Focusing on people also supports national priorities--ensuring the workforce is skilled, adaptable, and ready for future models of care--and strengthens NWUHG's overall performance by improving quality, resilience, and sustainability.

Together, this creates a Groupwide commitment to making NWUHG a great place to work, with clear benefits for staff including:

• Flexible working hours
• Fast Track Staff Physiotherapy Service
• Multi Faith prayer room at NNUH Colney Lane site
• Discounted gym memberships
• Generous pension scheme and annual leave entitlement
• Wagestream - access up to 40% of your pay as you earn it
• Free Park & Ride service direct to NNUH Colney Lane site
• Free 24-hours confidential counselling support
• On-site Nursery at NNUH Colney Lane
• On-site cafes offering staff discounts at NNUH Colney Lane
• Support in career development
• Flexible staff bank
• Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars, Cycle to Work scheme and home electronics

Job responsibilities

You will bring extensive senior nursing leadership experience within a complex organisation, including experience operating at director level and influencing strategic decisions. You will have a strong track record in quality governance, quality improvement, patient safety and risk management, alongside experience of leading service innovation, transformation and collaboration across health and social care. You will be able to manage complexity, make sound decisions and communicate clearly with staff, boards, regulators and partners, supported by strong financial, workforce and strategic planning capability. Your collaborative, inclusive and compassionate leadership style will give you the credibility to inspire others, challenge constructively and role-model the highest professional standards.

Why join us?

This is a rare opportunity to influence care at both hospital and Group level during a period of significant development for health services across Norfolk and Waveney. You will work with talented clinical and corporate leaders, contribute to major transformation programmes and help create an environment in which our people can deliver their best for patients.

We are looking for a leader who combines professional authority with humility, openness and a deep commitment to inclusion. If you share our ambition for excellent, safe and compassionate care, we would welcome your application.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered nurse with a current registration with the NMC.
• Master's degree in relevant subject area or equivalent knowledge

Experience

Essential

• Experience at Director level
• Experience of leading collaboration across a health and social care system

Knowledge & Skills

Essential

• Strong strategic planning skills with the ability to take decisions, make recommendations and plan using data, analytical skills and expert opinions
• Strong persuasive and influencing skills with the ability to present ideas and proposals effectively through to Board level
• Clear analytical skills to allow explanation, evaluation and interpretation of information and opinions
• Demonstrates understanding and commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion