Job summary
- Main area
- Cardiac Surgery
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 8c
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 164-7947267
- Employer
- Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Nottingham City Hospital
- Town
- Nottingham
- Salary
- £79,504 - £91,609 Per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 19/07/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Cardiac Surgery Chief Perfusionist
NHS AfC: Band 8c
Job overview
Cardiac Surgery at Nottingham University is one of the two tertiary centres in the East Midlands for the management of patients requiring cardiac surgery treatment including trauma. We have five substantive consultants, and we perform more than 600 procedures a year. Our services include minimally invasive procedures and complex mitral and aortic programs.
The Chief Perfusionist (CP) is responsible for providing professional leadership and the operational management of the Perfusion Department, ensuring the efficient and effective use of resources and the development and maintenance of the highest standards of patient care and service delivery. CP is responsible for the development and the well-being of all members of the perfusion team.
The CP must also be an experienced autonomous practitioner who will be responsible for cardiopulmonary bypass procedures in adults undergoing a range of cardiac procedures, and have commitment to the on-call rota. All accountabilities here are in addition to what would be expected of a Senior Clinical Perfusionist.
The post holder will divide their time between clinical and managerial responsibilities as required; ensuring service delivery targets are met.
Main duties of the job
In addition to the below summary, you need to familiarise yourself with the full Job Description and Person Specification documents attached to this advert.
Provide senior clinical, professional, and operational leadership for the Perfusion Service, acting as the Trust’s lead expert. Lead strategic planning, workforce development, budget management, and service transformation to ensure safe, effective, and efficient delivery.
Maintain highly specialist clinical practice, offering expert advice on complex cases and leading the development of policies, protocols, and advanced practice. Oversee governance, quality, and risk, ensuring compliance with all regulatory and Trust requirements.
Ensure effective day‑to‑day service delivery, capacity planning, and optimisation of patient pathways and resources. Lead education, training, and staff development, promoting research, innovation, and a high‑quality learning environment.
Support organisational resilience, contribute to Trust‑wide initiatives, and uphold professional registration and standards while acting as a role model for clinical excellence and leadership.
Working for our organisation
With over 19,000 staff, we are one of the biggest employers in the city with a central role in supporting the health and wellbeing of our local population. We play a leading role in research, education and innovation.
Come and join our wonderful team at NUH. We are big believers in diversity and welcome new ideas to help develop our team in order to deliver world class healthcare to the vast patient populations we serve. With endless personal development opportunities available, at NUH we will endeavour to turn your job into a career!
We particularly welcome applications from people who identify as Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic, or Disabled, as we are striving to be better represented at NUH.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
In addition to the below summary, you need to familiarise yourself with the full Job Description and Person Specification documents attached to this advert.
Strategic Leadership & Management
Provide senior clinical and leadership for the Perfusion Service, acting as the Trust’s lead expert and key advisor on perfusion-related matters.
Set the strategic direction for the service, aligning with Directorate and Trust-wide objectives, and contributing to long-term planning and transformation programmes.
Hold overall accountability for the safe, effective, and efficient delivery of perfusion services across the organisation.
Lead workforce strategy, including establishment planning, recruitment, retention, and talent development to ensure a sustainable, high-performing service.
Oversee and drive a high-performance culture through robust appraisal systems, performance management, and leadership development.
Manage the allocated budget, with full responsibility for financial planning, cost improvement programmes (CIPs), and delivery of financial targets.
Identify and lead service improvement, innovation, and transformation initiatives in response to changing clinical, operational, and financial demands.
Ensure the embedding of Trust values, equality, diversity, and inclusion principles across the service.
Clinical Leadership
Maintain expert-level clinical practice in perfusion, operating at a highly specialist level and participating in the on-call rota as required.
Provide professional leadership and expert guidance on complex clinical cases, ensuring the highest standards of patient care and safety.
Lead the development and implementation of advanced clinical practice, policies, and protocols in line with national standards and emerging evidence.
Ensure continuous improvement in clinical outcomes through benchmarking, audit, and adoption of best practice.
Maintain advanced knowledge of cardiopulmonary bypass, associated physiology, and pharmacology, ensuring this expertise informs service delivery and staff development.
Governance, Quality & Risk
Take overall responsibility for clinical governance within the Perfusion Service, ensuring compliance with all regulatory, statutory, and Trust requirements.
Lead on risk management, including ownership of the departmental risk register, ensuring risks are identified, escalated, and mitigated appropriately.
Oversee audit programmes, quality assurance, and continuous improvement initiatives to enhance patient safety and clinical effectiveness.
Ensure robust systems are in place for infection prevention, health and safety, and regulatory compliance.
Prepare and present governance, quality, and performance reports at senior committees and boards as required.
Operational & Service Delivery
Ensure the effective day-to-day operational delivery of the perfusion service, including capacity planning and responsiveness to service demand.
Work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams and senior stakeholders to optimise patient pathways and theatre efficiency.
Lead service planning and redesign to meet evolving clinical and organisational priorities.
Ensure effective resource utilisation, including workforce, equipment, and consumables, delivering value for money.
Education, Training & Workforce Development
Create and sustain a high-quality learning environment for perfusion staff, wider theatre teams, and trainees.
Lead education and training strategy for the service, ensuring alignment with professional standards and future workforce needs.
Promote continuous professional development, research, and innovation within the team.
Identify and address current and future training needs, ensuring staff are equipped to deliver advanced and evolving practice.
Organisational Responsibilities
Ensure robust business continuity, resilience, and emergency planning arrangements for the service.
Contribute to Directorate and Trust-wide reporting, performance management, and strategic initiatives.
Ensure full compliance with mandatory training and organisational policies across the team.
Professional Responsibilities
Maintain professional registration with the College of Clinical Perfusion Scientists of Great Britain and Ireland.
Adhere to the standards and code of conduct set by the Society of Clinical Perfusion Scientists of Great Britain and Ireland.
Act as a professional role model, upholding the highest standards of clinical practice, leadership, and integrity.
Person specification
Training and Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Post Graduate Diploma / BSC / MSC in Perfusion science or equivalent
- Accredited by Society Of Clinical Perfusion Scientists of Great Britain and Ireland
- Registered with College of clinical perfusion scientists of Great Britain and Ireland
- Proven leadership skills
- Recognised leadership and management qualification or relevant study and / or experience.
Desirable criteria
- Further education and post qualification development
Experience
Essential criteria
- Extensive experience as a senior clinical Perfusionist or deputy chief Perfusionist
- Extensive post registration experience of working effectively in a relevant multi-professional environment
- Extensive working knowledge of routine and specialised clinical techniques.
- Supervision of Trainees
- Evidence of taking responsibility for own and other’s actions
- Demonstrate experience in managing staff and services.
- Evidence of project management
- Evidence of developing training programmes
- Evidence of participating in research, seminars, presentations
Communication and Relationship Skills
Essential criteria
- Evidence of relevant professional development
- Ability to demonstrate effective change management
- Ability to work as an effective team leader
- Ability to represent department effectively at both local and National level
- Well-developed communication skills
- Good interpersonal skills
- Excellent motivational skills
- Ability to delegate effectively
- Ability to facilitate the development of staff
Analytical and Judgement Skills
Essential criteria
- Able to maintain intense levels of concentration
- Evidence of commitment to Evidence Based Practice
- Monitor and act upon a wealth of highly complex and routinely conflicting clinical information on a continual basis
- Ability to review and interpret performance data
- Ability to understand and interpret dynamics and behaviours with the team and act promoting teams collaboration
Planning and Organisation Skills
Essential criteria
- Responsible for the planning and delivery of a work programme. This involves effective allocation and readjustment of staff, identifying where shortfalls in staffing may occur due to annual leave, sickness or other leave and coordinating appropriate cover, while taking into account skill mix and clinical complexity of cases
- Demonstrable time management skills to manage clinical and managerial responsibilities
- Accountable for own professional conduct and able to work within professional guidelines
- Able to interpret/implement national and local policies to improve patient care
Physical Skills
Essential criteria
- Excellent IT skills
- Ability to work under pressure
- Ability to adapt to changing needs and environment
Other requirements
Essential criteria
- Ability to participate fully in a 24/ 7 on call rota
- Able to work unsocial hours and ensure appropriate cover by all team members through additional hours to meet service demands
Employer certification / accreditation badges
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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
- Niki Nicou
- Job title
- Cardiac Surgery Head of Service
- Email address
- [email protected]
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