Job summary
- Main area
- Midwifery
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 8c
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 252-7337107
- Employer
- Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Darent Valley Hospital
- Town
- Dartford
- Salary
- £76,412 - £87,723 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 23/07/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Head of Midwifery
NHS AfC: Band 8c
Job overview
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS ROLE WILL NOT BE SPONSORED. Candidates must have the right to work in the UK independently, as visa sponsorship is not available for this position.
Are you an inspirational midwifery leader ready to shape the future of maternity services? Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust is seeking a dynamic and visionary Head of Midwifery to lead our dedicated teams in delivering safe, high-quality and compassionate care for women & birthing people, babies and families. This is an exciting opportunity to join a progressive Trust at an exciting time, as we continue to transform and innovate our maternity services in line with recent national recommendations and plans.
As the Head of Midwifery, you will provide operational and professional leadership across our maternity services, ensuring a culture of continuous improvement, collaboration and excellence. Working closely with our multidisciplinary teams, you will champion personalised care, staff wellbeing, and service development, driving forward initiatives that meet the needs of our diverse local communities. With your proven track record of senior leadership and passion for midwifery, you will play a pivotal role in shaping services that deliver the very best outcomes for mothers and babies.
Main duties of the job
As the operational lead for the service, you will lead a team of experienced and passionate senior midwives, and will work collaboratively with Obstetric and Neonatal colleagues to support us in development and transformation of services. This will also involve work with colleagues across Kent & Medway in the deployment of system wide services and initiatives.
Working for our organisation
We are committed to being an inclusive and diverse employer. We strive to employ people who reflect the communities we serve, and aim to create an inclusive culture where everyone can reach their full potential. Whatever your race, ethnicity, belief, generation, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity, disability or experience, you’ll appreciate the opportunities we give you to work in an inclusive atmosphere. We welcome applications from people of diverse backgrounds, perspectives and experiences to build on the progress we’ve achieved to make our Trust diverse and the best place to work. We celebrate the diversity of thought, viewpoints and ideas that help us overcome challenges and embrace new possibilities. We have signed the Armed Forces Covenant Pledge and have a commitment to the Armed Forces Community.
We are dedicated to using our Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) approach as our shared organisation model of change to enhance our services and ensure excellence in patient care.
If you are considering applying for a role, please be aware that as an NHS Employee you may have contact with vulnerable service users. We strongly encourage that all our staff are vaccinated against COVID-19 and are vaccinated annually against Flu, in order to protect the health and safety of our staff and patients. Your commitment will help us to put the safety and care of our patients first, as well as helping us to protect you and your colleagues.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
If you are a credible and compassionate leader with the ambition and expertise to make a real difference, we would love to hear from you. Join us at Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust and help us build a service we can all be proud of.
Person specification
Education and Training
Essential criteria
- Registration as Midwife with NMC
- Masters level degree in relevant subjectEducated to Master’s degree level, on relevant education pathway or willing to undertake relevant studies
- Management/leadership qualification or additional short courses
- Leadership Training Experience
Experience
Essential criteria
- Recent experience at senior leadership level in an acute Health Care setting
- Extensive knowledge of highly complex and acute (staff management/financial management and change management)
- Experience of preparing highly analytical performance reviews
- Extensive knowledge of and experience in the operational management of hospital services
- Advanced management/leadership experience of clinical teams
- Experience of Clinical Governance and Risk Management processes
- Experience of working strategically to translate strategy into operational planning and performance management
- Proven ability to manage a budget/multiple budgets
- Proven experience in developing/contributing to Trust wide strategy
- Knowledge of current political issues in Maternity and wider health care and Community settings for Maternity Services
Desirable criteria
- Service improvement and methodology training
- Proven ability to develop highly specialised programmes of care and care packages
- Project management skills/qualification
Knowledge and skills
Essential criteria
- Sound understanding of Health Service policy/National NHS Agenda
- Significant and demonstratable clinical experience
- Experience of effective complaints management
- Sound understanding of the National Midwifery Strategy and National Reviews on Maternity Services
- Commitment to promoting the EDI agenda in the workplace and in service delivery and development and uphold the Trust Values.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to delegate effectively
- Excellent people management skills
- Ability of conveying highly complex and contentious messages
- Highly developed leadership and influencing skills
- Able to develop and maintain effective working relationships with professional groups and senior managers within the organisation and other agencies.
- Maintains confidentiality, and is accountable for actions/decisions.
- Able to analyse and interpret findings of audit and develop action plans.
- Ability to work to tight timescales and reprioritise effectively.
- Ability to impart unwelcome news to staff e.g. where performance and behavioural targets have not been met.
- To be aware of the Data Protection Act and implement changes to working practice with regard to new legislation
- Able to identify opportunities to develop needs and to change existing practice.
- Knowledge of how to effectively manage and motivate people, particularly in relation to change
- Knowledge of Safeguarding legislation and good practices in Maternity settings
- Highly developed communication skills.
- Evidence of successful implementation of a range of Clinical Governance initiatives to develop practice
- Experience of patient and public involvement in enhancing patient experiences
Desirable criteria
- Service improvement and methodology training
- Proven ability to develop highly specialised programmes of care and care packages
- Project management skills/qualification
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
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.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Lynn Brooks
- Job title
- Divisional Director of Nursing
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07828 407858
List jobs with Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust in Nursing and Midwifery