Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Job Summary

Reporting to the Director of Nursing the post holder will be an integral member of the Divisional Senior Management Team and will be responsible for the delivery of the Division’s nursing strategy in conjunction with the Trust’s overall strategy.

The Divisional Director will work with Divisional Medical Director and Divisional Director of Operations to drive operational performance and planning within the Division. The post holder will work closely with other Divisions, Executive / Corporate Directors, and external partners in order to achieve Trust objectives and make a positive contribution to the provision of health services across the local economy. 

Specifically, the Divisional Director is accountable for:

• The leadership and line management of the Division’s senior nursing staff, including their recruitment, selection, supervision, direction, performance management and appraisal/ continuing professional development.
• The budgets for all clinical pay spend, to include bank and agency staff costs and controls and also clinical non-pay.
• Providing comprehensive leadership to support the progression, development, and positive reputation of the clinical professionals within the diagnostic treatment centre.
• Active development and improvement of professional and corporate standards, policies, and procedures.
• Active support and leadership as a senior officer of the Trust in relation to the overall business of the organisation
• Responsible for the delivery of the Divisions strategy in conjunction with the Trust’s overall strategy.

Working closely with the Divisional Medical Director and Divisional Director of Operations, the post holder is responsible and accountable for providing comprehensive and robust professional leadership, guidance, advice, support, and direction to the clinical professional across the Division in order to ensure that patients are managed and cared for efficiently and effectively.

 The Post holder is expected to work in accordance with the objectives agreed with the Director of Nursing for the leadership of the profession and the respective Divisional Medical Director and Director of Operations to support operational performance.  Within this, the Post holder is expected to practice in a way that enables him/her to use initiative, exercise autonomy and make decisions whilst ensuring that the Divisional Medical Director and Director of Operations are informed and updated as appropriate. 

The Post holder will provide a highly visible, accessible, and authoritative presence in order to support the delivery of the Trust’s overall objectives and service priorities.

Key Responsibilities

The Post holder is expected to lead and manage the operational Allied health professional and nursing function of the Division to the highest professional standards.

The Post holder will ensure that self and others work in the best interest of patients, carers, families and the wider organisation and practice within the professional standards and codes of conduct.

Work in accordance with the strategic direction, objectives and policies, protocols, procedures, and guidelines of the Trust.

As an ambassador of the Trust, ensure that self and others represent and practice to the highest professional standards at all times.

Take every reasonable step to maintain and develop own knowledge, skills and competence and make the Director of Nursing aware of any professional limitations or concerns.

The post holder will provide active and transformational leadership and deliver personal, service, and corporate objectives.

Support the professional groups of AHP and Nursing to ensure that staff work to the full requirements and potential of their roles and grades and develop accordingly.

Work closely with peers and Divisional teams to ensure that nursing resources are utilised efficiently and effectively in order to meet both clinical and non-clinical priorities.

Work to ensure the safety and well-being of patients, service users and colleagues, taking any necessary corrective action as appropriate to prevent any deterioration in service standards, or to the safety and welfare of patients and staff.

Develop positive working relationships with other clinicians and managers to ensure that the organisation is at the forefront of best professional practice and service delivery.

Support the delivery of the Quality Strategy for the Division and any other appropriate care standards audits or successor arrangements, including participation in all regulatory assessments and reviews.

Work with the other Divisional teams to improve the ways information is sourced and used to evidence and improve care delivery and outcomes.

Be a resource for all staff on professional and operational matters.

Be actively involved with service lines to ensure that the needs of patients and service users are met reasonably, and their views and opinions are sought and used appropriately, particularly to inform improvements in practice and care.

The post holder is required to provide, receive, and analyse highly complex, sensitive and/or contentious information.  This will be at both individual and group levels and will be in verbal, written or presentation formats and on a variety of subjects ranging from professional/clinical issues to human resource and operational issues.  This will include producing high quality written reports, including contributing to Trust Board reports, on behalf of the Divisional team and Director of Nursing as required.

The Post holder will be expected to provide professional advice, support, challenge, scrutiny, and decision making as required or where necessary to clinical professional and other directors, senior managers, and staff across the Division.

Attending meetings (including those at director and Board level), seminars, hearings, briefings, investigations both within the external to the Trust as required.

The post holder will utilise his/her extensive experience as a nurse to support staff to deliver high quality, efficient and effective patient care.

The post holder is expected to utilise their professional and expert knowledge, experience, and training in the execution of this role to provide sophisticated professional advice, support, scrutiny, and decision making as required or where necessary.

Promotes the use of evidence to support the delivery of modern and appropriate care.

Maintains own professional knowledge and competence in order to meet professional registration standards and the requirements of the role.

Uses sophisticated leadership techniques to challenge practice standards and influence constructive and positive change.

Analyses complex issues, information and situations and takes any necessary corrective action.

Provides comprehensive advice and support to senior colleagues in dealing with complex concerns, complaints, clinical and critical incidents, including chairing hearing panels and leading on investigations.

Where appropriate provides professional support and advice to the Heads of Therapies (Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Orthotics, Speech & Language Therapy and Dietetics).

Utilises high level literacy, numeracy, and analytical skills in the compilation of reports and the management of information/data.

Provides leadership, advice and support within the Divisions and Service Lines/Speciality teams on business and workforce planning matters relevant to nursing.

Takes responsibility for leading the senior Clinical workforce within the Division, ensuring completion of quality appraisals and utilisation of Trust HR policies where appropriate. Lead in planning and implementing any necessary changes to clinical practice and ways of working to enhance/improve patient care.

Plans and facilitates discussions and debates with professional colleagues at all levels to address professional and service challenges and problems.

Organises the annual programmes and timetables for the corporate senior nurse forum.

Interprets relevant national and professional policy and translates these into actions for implementation locally, where appropriate.

Responsible for a range of policy implementation and policy or service development within the Division

Responsible, on behalf of the Director of Nursing for leadership and delivery of the Trusts Nursing Strategy within the Division.

Works with the Divisional Triumvirate, colleagues within the Trust and with partners across health and social care to ensure that patient care services are developed and managed seamlessly, particularly when 

transferring care from one provider to another or when receiving patients from other organisations.

Supports the development of the annual business plan for their respective division.

Works with the Director of Nursing, and other Directors to develop modern and innovative workforce strategies that realise the best use of the nursing workforce, new roles and that realises its full potential in line with the Trust’s workforce plan.

Makes a major contribution to the evolution of the newly merged Trust and its subsequent operation with particular regard to the provision of high quality and reputable nursing care into the future.

Supports the Division to ensure the development of enhanced working relationships and great joint working with the higher education institutes.

Responsible for ensuring that all information used and accessed is managed, utilised, and stored/archived effectively.

Accountable for ensuring that patient confidentiality is maintained throughout all information systems/sources and in accordance with corporate/national policy and professional standards.

Manages complex and large amounts of data and is able to summarise this into easy-to-understand summaries/reports.

Please see attached JD for further details.