Head of Midwifery

Job overview

We are looking for 2 whole time equivalent permanent heads of midwifery to lead our four acute maternity units, community midwifery and specialist midwifery service. We welcome people to apply if they require less than full time employment. We are looking for applicants from a range of protected characteristics and underrepresented groups. We are a disability friendly organisation and have the available support where required during all stages of the application process once you tell us your needs.

We require inclusive, inspirational, compassionate and experienced midwifery leaders who will drive forward our Maternity Improvement Programme and lead our dedicated and passionate multidisciplinary teams. 

We are one of the largest maternity services in England; around 9,000 babies are born with us each year across 4 sites and a large, complex and diverse geographical area. Sussex is a beautiful county with a great mix of rolling countryside and vibrant seaside cities and towns, it is a fabulous place to live and work.

Our maternity service is on a journey of improvement working with the Maternity Safety Support Programme. We are approaching exit from the programme with demonstrable progress having been made since entry in 2022. The Heads of Midwifery posts are pivotal to the success of the continued development of the service.

Main duties of the job

The Head of Midwifery role is a key position within the Maternity Senior Leadership Team, reporting to the Director of Midwifery. The role will support the day-to-day delivery of high standards of care across all care pathways and services within the maternity service.

The post holder will be pivotal in the delivery of development programmes, midwifery recruitment and retention, measuring and improving standards of care and the service user experience, in accordance with agreed objectives, targets, quality standards, controls and resource constraints.

The post holder will be highly visible in all clinical areas and will demonstrate a leadership approach which is underpinned by the values of the Trust.

They will contribute to the design, implementation, and evaluation of the improvement plan for Maternity services for the Trust in line with local and national policies. They will support the team objectives by developing services and leading maternity projects to influence service redesign.

They will support the Service User Experience Agenda to include the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy in collaboration with the Consultant Midwife / Director of Midwifery.

Working for our organisation

At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always put the Patient First. Your uniqueness and experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of Staff Networks to help break down barriers, and can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2) and a Veteran Aware Trust.

We treat our patients and staff with the same compassion and empathy we expect for ourselves. We’re here for them when they need us, and we go above and beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in our Wellbeing Programme for staff which is extensive and designed to support you when you need it, including where possible, flexible working to support work life balance - because we know that to look after others we must first look after ourselves. 

As a university trust and a leader in healthcare research, we value learning, teaching and training so that we can be the best that we can be. From the moment you start with us and throughout your career we will help you to grow and develop. We hope that in choosing UHSussex you are choosing a long and happy career where you will be able to see the difference you make and feel valued for all that you do.

We look forward to receiving your application and the start of your journey with UHSussex. 

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see job description for full details of the role and structure of the midwifery leadership team.

Person specification

Essential

Essential criteria

Registered midwife Masters qualification or evidence of masters level study Formal leadership qualification Evidence of at least 3 years experience of leadership at 8a or above Evidence of successful use of Quality Improvement methodology Evidence of recent (last 2 years) operational management experience

Desirable criteria

Previous experience as head of midwifery Evidence of system working and/or engagement with external stakeholders Evidence of Board level or senior level presentation

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Essential criteria

Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role).

Important information for applicants

Flexible Working: If you would like to explore potential options regarding flexible working please speak with the appropriate recruiting/line manager. 

DBS Checks: As part of our commitment to a safe working environment, we undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service check on all new employees where the role is eligible for a criminal record check . We make offers in line with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1975.

Skilled Worker Visa: Applications for Skilled Worker sponsorship are welcome for those that meet the Visa and Immigrations eligibility criteria. For further information please visit the gov.uk website searching for Skilled Worker.

Closing adverts early: Please apply as early as you're able for this role. In the event of exceptional interest we may close adverts earlier than specified.

UHSussex reserves the right to close the role early if we receive a high volume of applications

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