Job summary
- Main area
- Children and Young People's and Adult Nursing
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 9
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 349-SHCG-7834082-RL4
- Employer
- Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Oxford Road Campus
- Town
- Manchester
- Salary
- £109,179 - £125,637 per annum, pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 06/04/2026 23:59
- Interview date
- 20/04/2026
Employer heading
Deputy Director of Nursing - Specialist Hospitals Clinical Group
NHS AfC: Band 9
Job overview
Are you ready to take the next step in your leadership journey? This role offers a unique opportunity to operate at Band 9 as a Deputy Director of Nursing within the Specialist Hospitals Clinical Group (SHCG) at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT). Working across both Children & Young People (CYP) and Adult services, you will play a central role in shaping strategic nursing and AHP leadership, strengthening clinical quality, and driving continuous improvement across a diverse specialist portfolio.
We welcome applications from experienced senior leaders currently working at Band 8d who are ready to progress to Band 9. This pivotal role requires a dynamic, compassionate and forward thinking leader who can influence across complex systems, support the ‘One MFT’ approach, and contribute to the delivery of high quality, safe and effective care. As a key member of the senior leadership team, you will work closely with medical, operational and corporate colleagues to deliver excellence, champion innovation and support the long term development of the workforce.
If you are ready to take the next step in your leadership journey and make a significant impact across Specialist Hospitals, we would love to hear from you.
Main duties of the job
- Demonstrating inclusive, compassionate leadership with the ability to inspire and develop high performing teams, you will provide visible, professional and strategic leadership across a multi professional workforce, ensuring high standards of care and clinical practice.
- With a proven track record of delivering high standards of governance, safety, quality and service improvement, you will lead on quality, compliance, safety and patient experience, embedding robust governance and assurance processes across all services.
- Working collaboratively with senior medical, operational and corporate colleagues, you will support the ‘One MFT’ leadership approach to deliver shared priorities and strengthen integrated clinical leadership.
- Acting as a trusted deputy and key decision maker for the Clinical Group Director of Nursing, you will provide leadership, oversight and professional advice in their absence.
- You will drive continuous improvement and support the delivery of high quality, patient centred care and champion research, innovation, digital transformation and evidence based practice,
- Alongside contributing to system level priorities and helping shape the future of nursing and AHP leadership across the Clinical Group, you will be leading and support workforce development, nurturing strong professional standards, enable effective education and a positive staff experience across all services.
Working for our organisation
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) is the largest provider of specialist services, and our Oxford Road Campus in Manchester, the largest health academic campus in Europe. We are an ambitious organisation, serving over 1 million patients and users annually through our 10 hospitals and extensive community services. With a workforce of 30,000 plus, we are a driving force for innovation, clinical excellence, and system leadership across Greater Manchester.
As a senior leader at MFT, you will shape strategy and transformation at scale, working alongside a diverse, high-performing executive team. Our £3bn plus turnover and leading-edge digital infrastructure, including the Hive EPR, enable us to deliver integrated, patient-centred care and drive continuous improvement.
We are committed to fostering an inclusive, values-led culture where your expertise, vision, and leadership will directly influence organisational direction and population health outcomes. You will have the opportunity to lead complex change, champion research and innovation, and develop future talent in a supportive, collaborative environment.
Join us to make a lasting impact—on our Trust, our communities, and the future of healthcare.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
To find out more about the key responsibilities and the specific skills and experience you’ll need, take a look at the Job Description & Person Specification attachments under the ‘Supporting Documents’ heading.
Candidate Information Pack
To support this vacancy, we have developed a bespoke ‘Candidate Information Pack’ which provides specific information about the role and the Selection Process. To view this pack, please visit: https://mft.nhs.uk/careers/1-2/
Diversity Matters
MFT is committed to promoting equality of opportunity, celebrating and valuing diversity and eliminating any form of unlawful discrimination across our workforce, ensuring our people are truly representative of the communities we serve. All individuals regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation are encouraged to apply for this post. As an inclusive employer, we are here to support you. If you have any special requirements to help you with your application, email our team at [email protected].
We’re looking forward to hearing from you!
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- First Level RN or AHP degree
- Current NMC or HCPC registration
- Educated to degree / masters level or equivalent training and experience
- Evidence of recent and relevant continuous professional development
Desirable criteria
- Doctorate level degree in health related subject
- Formal management or leadership qualification
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- A clear appreciation of the context of acute healthcare provision within the modern NHS and understanding of the NHS Operating Framework.
- A strong understanding of national NHS policy and strategy as it relates to nursing staff, AHPs and broader clinical workforce, as well as current professional challenges.
- Extensive knowledge of clinical governance systems and risk management.
- Understanding of regulation and preparedness.
Desirable criteria
- A strong understanding of how MFT fits into the wider health and social care system.
Training and Experience
Essential criteria
- Extensive senior level nursing/AHP leadership and managerial experience within an acute NHS Trust (or comparatively large and complex multi-disciplinary organisation).
- Extensive senior level nursing/AHP experience as a clinical practitioner.
- Extensive experience of leading and directing change and quality improvement in clinical practice, with evidence of successful outcomes and improvements in patient experience.
- Experience of developing and implementing transformation programmes, including the management of service change, operational process improvement and cost reduction
- A successful track record of developing an organisational culture committed to high quality, people, financial and performance standards
- Demonstrable success in building, developing and inspiring high performing multi-disciplinary teams, increasing staff engagement and innovation, and motivation to improve performance.
- Evidence of communicating successfully and working effectively in co-operation with a wide range of internal and external bodies, including statutory and nonstatutory organisations, senior managers, colleagues and their representatives
- Evidence of undertaking clinical audit and contributing to research programmes / studies and quality improvement.
Desirable criteria
- A successful track record of delivering a long-term vision whilst responding to shortterm challenges and opportunities and defining clinical strategies in a senior level nursing role
Skills and Abilities
Essential criteria
- Outstanding personal impact. Highly developed interpersonal, networking, advocacy, written and presentation skills that are persuasive and influential and develop relationships that inspire respect, trust and confidence.
- Ability to lead and work in a multi -disciplinary team, motivating others to secure continuous service improvement and successful outcomes.
- Highly developed analytical skills with the ability to think and act strategically, tactically and creatively, while maintaining a clear view of the issues affecting the Clinical Group and MFT
- Ability to translate a strategic vision into operation action, to communicate those objectives and ensure they are adhered to.
- Ability to deal positively and promptly with colleagues’ concerns and personal problems, challenge colleagues on any inappropriate behaviours or poor performance and investigate and deal with complaints as required.
- Ability to encourage multi - disciplinary professional working and problem solving
- A high level of political awareness.
Attributes
Essential criteria
- Able to actively engage with front -line staff in order to innovate clinical practice and improve both workforce and patient care experience.
- Able to manage different projects simultaneously with a high degree of autonomy in terms of decision -making 10 and management of deadlines.
- Able to adapt to changing priorities, problem solve and re-focus the work of self and others on new priority areas that may require urgent action.
- Can constructively challenge and effectively manage conflict to reach a positive conclusion.
- High level of personal resilience and ability to work and remain calm in a highpressure and/or challenging environment.
- A commitment to personal development and the development of colleagues, with the ability to develop a culture in which all individuals can thrive and feel a sense of belonging.
- Passionate commitment to embedding equality, diversity and inclusivity, internally and externally.
- Willingness and ability to travel between MFT’s sites as required.
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
- Karen Vaughan
- Job title
- Interim Director of Nursing
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 0161 701 5534
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