Job summary

Exceptional leadership opportunity to shape the future of nursing, quality and patient care at one of the UK's leading NHS Trusts

Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH) is seeking an outstanding and inspirational nursing leader to join our senior leadership team as Director of Children's Nursing and Quality.

This is a pivotal leadership role within one of our three Accountable Care Groups, offering the opportunity to influence care delivery across complex clinical services while making a lasting impact on patient outcomes, staff experience and organisational performance. The post holder will provide visible, credible and compassionate leadership, ensuring the highest standards of nursing practice, quality, safety and patient experience across the ACG.

Main duties of the job

As an experienced children's nurse, the Director of Children's Nursing and Quality will provide professional leadership across nursing, quality, patient safety, patient experience, safeguarding, infection prevention and control, regulatory assurance and clinical governance.You will work alongside the Managing Director and senior clinical, operational and corporate leaders to deliver outstanding care and achieve strategic objectives.

You will play a key role in:

• Leading the nursing, quality and patient safety agenda across the ACG.
• Driving continuous quality improvement and innovation.
• Leading safe staffing, workforce planning and professional development.
• Championing a culture where patients, families and staff are at the heart of everything we do.

About you

• We are looking for an accomplished senior children's nursing leader who can demonstrate:
• Extensive experience in senior nursing leadership within a large and complex NHS organisation.
• Significant experience leading quality, safety, patient experience and clinical governance.
• Proven ability to influence at executive level and work effectively within multidisciplinary leadership teams.
• Strong understanding of patient safety,quality governance,regulatory assurance and workforce planning.
• Experience of leading large-scale improvement, transformation and service development initiatives.
• A visible, compassionate and inclusive leadership style with the credibility to inspire confidence and drive excellence across services.

About us

Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust comprises Addenbrooke's Hospital and the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge. With over 13,000 staff and over 1100 beds the priorities of the Trust focus on a quality service which is all about people - patients, staff and partners. Recognised as providing 'outstanding' care to our patients and rated 'Good' overall by the Care Quality Commissioner, is testament to the skill and dedication of the people who work here. CUH's values - Together - Safe, Kind, Excellent - are at the heart of patient care, defining the way all staff work and behave. The Trust provides accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge, together with specialist services, dealing with rare or complex conditions for a regional, national and international population.

CUH is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where we can all be ourselves. We value our differences and fully advocate and support an inclusive working environment where every individual can fulfil their potential. We want to ensure our people are truly representative of all the communities that we serve. We welcome applications for all positions in the organisation irrespective of people's age, disability, ethnicity, race, nationality, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity status or social economic background.

Details

Date posted

23 October 2026

Pay scheme

Very senior manager (VSM)

Salary

£112,782 to £129,783 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

180-F-265039

Job locations

Addenbrookes Hospital-Division Corporate

Hills Road

Cambridge

CB2 0QQ

United Kingdom

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.

This vacancy will close at midnight on 05th November 2026.

Interviews are due to be held on 24th November 2026.

All appointments with a start date on or after 1 October 2026 will be subject to a 12-week probationary period. This provides a structured and supportive period to help you settle into your role, with regular reviews and feedback.

Due to Home Office immigration rules, a full-time permanent vacancy cannot be filled by individuals on a student visa. Therefore, please be advised that if you are a student visa holder, we will not be able to offer you a full-time permanent contract unless you have:

• applied for a Graduate visa
• or you will have successfully completed your course and have applied for a Graduate visa before the anticipated start date of your employment

Benefits to you

At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.

On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only caf, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.

CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times.

Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.

We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.

Job description Job responsibilities Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities. This vacancy will close at midnight on 05th November 2026. Interviews are due to be held on 24th November 2026. All appointments with a start date on or after 1 October 2026 will be subject to a 12-week probationary period. This provides a structured and supportive period to help you settle into your role, with regular reviews and feedback. Due to Home Office immigration rules, a full-time permanent vacancy cannot be filled by individuals on a student visa. Therefore, please be advised that if you are a student visa holder, we will not be able to offer you a full-time permanent contract unless you have: applied for a Graduate visa or you will have successfully completed your course and have applied for a Graduate visa before the anticipated start date of your employment Benefits to you At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff. On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only caf, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH. CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times. Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered. We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• First Level Registered Children's Nurse with current NMC registration.
• Educated to master's degree level in a relevant subject, or able to demonstrate equivalent senior professional knowledge and experience applied in nursing leadership, quality governance, patient safety, regulatory assurance and service improvement.
• Evidence of recent and relevant continuing professional development in nursing, quality, patient safety, leadership and management.

Desirable

• Formal leadership, management, quality improvement or patient safety qualification, or equivalent applied experience.
• Evidence of post-graduate study or advanced professional development relevant to nursing, quality, safety or organisational leadership.

Experience

Essential

• Significant senior leadership experience within children's healthcare services, including responsibility for quality, patient safety, workforce and service improvement.
• Significant experience of leading quality, safety, patient experience and clinical governance across complex clinical services.
• Experience of working as part of a senior leadership team with collective responsibility for quality, operational performance, workforce and finance.
• Experience of holding senior responsibility for delegated budgets, workforce expenditure, productivity or financial improvement, with clear consideration of quality and safety impact.
• Experience of leading nursing workforce planning, safe staffing reviews, skill mix assessment, recruitment, retention and professional development.
• Experience of leading improvement following incidents, complaints, audits, inspections, regulatory reviews or external assurance processes.
• Experience of analysing and interpreting complex quality, safety, workforce, operational, patient experience and financial information to identify risk, inform senior decisions and drive improvement.
• Experience of leading education, research, innovation or evidence-based practice priorities across complex clinical services.
• Experience of leading service planning, transformation, policy implementation or service redesign across complex clinical services.
• Experience of providing senior professional advice on conduct, capability, performance or professional practice concerns.
• Experience of providing assurance to senior governance forums on quality, safety, patient experience, professional standards and regulatory compliance.

Desirable

• Experience in a large acute teaching hospital or specialist tertiary provider.
• Experience of working in a clinical group, care group, divisional or similarly devolved operating model.
• Experience of research, innovation, academic partnerships or education leadership.

Knowledge

Essential

• Strong understanding of nursing professional standards, NMC requirements, revalidation and professional practice governance.
• Advanced understanding of NHS quality governance, patient safety, PSIRF, risk management, complaints, clinical effectiveness, regulatory assurance and the use of quality intelligence to drive improvement.
• Understanding of CQC regulatory requirements and inspection preparation.
• Understanding of safeguarding, infection prevention and control, patient experience and clinical effectiveness requirements in complex clinical services.
• Advanced understanding of the wider NHS context, including integrated care systems, provider collaboration, national policy, workforce challenges and financial constraints.
• Knowledge of how to apply equality, diversity and inclusion principles to improve patient outcomes, staff experience and service access.
• Understanding of digital, data and information governance requirements, including the use of digital systems and dashboards to support quality, safety, workforce, productivity and patient experience.

Desirable

• Knowledge of CUH services, specialist tertiary care or academic health science environments.
• Knowledge of digital, education, research, clinical academic or innovation opportunities relevant to nursing, quality improvement and patient outcomes.

Skills

Essential

• Able to build effective relationships with clinical, operational, corporate and system partners.
• Able to influence, negotiate and build consensus across professional, organisational and system boundaries.
• Able to analyse and triangulate complex quality, safety, workforce, operational, patient experience and financial information, identify risk and secure appropriate action.
• Able to interpret highly complex and sometimes conflicting information, exercise sound professional judgement and make clear recommendations where there are competing priorities, uncertainty, risk or no obvious solution.
• Able to translate Trust strategy, national policy, regulatory requirements and professional standards into practical ACG delivery plans and measurable improvement actions.
• Able to direct complex planning, transformation and improvement programmes, ensuring plans are evidence-based, affordable, measurable and deliverable.
• Able to lead and support teams through change, ambiguity and operational pressure.
• Able to chair senior meetings, present reports and provide assurance to governance forums.
• Able to write clear, evidence-based reports, briefings, policies and improvement plans.
• Able to use improvement methodology to deliver measurable and sustained change.

Desirable

• Able to apply recognised quality improvement, transformation or programme management methods.
• Able to contribute to research, innovation, education or academic partnership development.

Additional Requirements

Essential

• Committed to improving patient care, patient experience and staff experience.
• Demonstrates personal resilience and sound judgement, remaining effective, visible and compassionate under sustained operational pressure, scrutiny, ambiguity and competing priorities.
• Able to work flexibly to meet service and organisational needs.
• Able to travel between Trust sites and to external meetings as required.
• Able to participate in senior on-call arrangements where required.

Desirable

• oActive participation in relevant professional networks at regional or national level.

Person Specification Qualifications Essential First Level Registered Children's Nurse with current NMC registration. Educated to master's degree level in a relevant subject, or able to demonstrate equivalent senior professional knowledge and experience applied in nursing leadership, quality governance, patient safety, regulatory assurance and service improvement. Evidence of recent and relevant continuing professional development in nursing, quality, patient safety, leadership and management. Desirable Formal leadership, management, quality improvement or patient safety qualification, or equivalent applied experience. Evidence of post-graduate study or advanced professional development relevant to nursing, quality, safety or organisational leadership. Experience Essential Significant senior leadership experience within children's healthcare services, including responsibility for quality, patient safety, workforce and service improvement. Significant experience of leading quality, safety, patient experience and clinical governance across complex clinical services. Experience of working as part of a senior leadership team with collective responsibility for quality, operational performance, workforce and finance. Experience of holding senior responsibility for delegated budgets, workforce expenditure, productivity or financial improvement, with clear consideration of quality and safety impact. Experience of leading nursing workforce planning, safe staffing reviews, skill mix assessment, recruitment, retention and professional development. Experience of leading improvement following incidents, complaints, audits, inspections, regulatory reviews or external assurance processes. Experience of analysing and interpreting complex quality, safety, workforce, operational, patient experience and financial information to identify risk, inform senior decisions and drive improvement. Experience of leading education, research, innovation or evidence-based practice priorities across complex clinical services. Experience of leading service planning, transformation, policy implementation or service redesign across complex clinical services. Experience of providing senior professional advice on conduct, capability, performance or professional practice concerns. Experience of providing assurance to senior governance forums on quality, safety, patient experience, professional standards and regulatory compliance. Desirable Experience in a large acute teaching hospital or specialist tertiary provider. Experience of working in a clinical group, care group, divisional or similarly devolved operating model. Experience of research, innovation, academic partnerships or education leadership. Knowledge Essential Strong understanding of nursing professional standards, NMC requirements, revalidation and professional practice governance. Advanced understanding of NHS quality governance, patient safety, PSIRF, risk management, complaints, clinical effectiveness, regulatory assurance and the use of quality intelligence to drive improvement. Understanding of CQC regulatory requirements and inspection preparation. Understanding of safeguarding, infection prevention and control, patient experience and clinical effectiveness requirements in complex clinical services. Advanced understanding of the wider NHS context, including integrated care systems, provider collaboration, national policy, workforce challenges and financial constraints. Knowledge of how to apply equality, diversity and inclusion principles to improve patient outcomes, staff experience and service access. Understanding of digital, data and information governance requirements, including the use of digital systems and dashboards to support quality, safety, workforce, productivity and patient experience. Desirable Knowledge of CUH services, specialist tertiary care or academic health science environments. Knowledge of digital, education, research, clinical academic or innovation opportunities relevant to nursing, quality improvement and patient outcomes. Skills Essential Able to build effective relationships with clinical, operational, corporate and system partners. Able to influence, negotiate and build consensus across professional, organisational and system boundaries. Able to analyse and triangulate complex quality, safety, workforce, operational, patient experience and financial information, identify risk and secure appropriate action. Able to interpret highly complex and sometimes conflicting information, exercise sound professional judgement and make clear recommendations where there are competing priorities, uncertainty, risk or no obvious solution. Able to translate Trust strategy, national policy, regulatory requirements and professional standards into practical ACG delivery plans and measurable improvement actions. Able to direct complex planning, transformation and improvement programmes, ensuring plans are evidence-based, affordable, measurable and deliverable. Able to lead and support teams through change, ambiguity and operational pressure. Able to chair senior meetings, present reports and provide assurance to governance forums. Able to write clear, evidence-based reports, briefings, policies and improvement plans. Able to use improvement methodology to deliver measurable and sustained change. Desirable Able to apply recognised quality improvement, transformation or programme management methods. Able to contribute to research, innovation, education or academic partnership development. Additional Requirements Essential Committed to improving patient care, patient experience and staff experience. Demonstrates personal resilience and sound judgement, remaining effective, visible and compassionate under sustained operational pressure, scrutiny, ambiguity and competing priorities. Able to work flexibly to meet service and organisational needs. Able to travel between Trust sites and to external meetings as required. Able to participate in senior on-call arrangements where required. Desirable oActive participation in relevant professional networks at regional or national level.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information 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. Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab). From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab). UK Registration Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Addenbrookes Hospital-Division Corporate

Hills Road

Cambridge

CB2 0QQ

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.cuh.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Addenbrookes Hospital-Division Corporate

Hills Road

Cambridge

CB2 0QQ

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.cuh.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)