Job summary
- Main area
- Mental Health
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 7
- Contract
- Fixed term: 10 months (FTC/Secondment to 31.03.2026)
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Monday - Friday)
- Job ref
- 354-AN-20809
- Employer
- Sussex Partnership NHS FoundationTrust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Swandean
- Town
- Worthing
- Salary
- £46,148 - £52,809 pa
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 28/05/2025 08:00
Employer heading

Ward Manager
NHS AfC: Band 7
Come and join us
We're looking for people who share our values (compassion, accountability and optimism) to help us provide high quality care to the patients, carers, families and local communities we serve. We specialise in providing NHS mental health and learning disability services.
So what can we offer you in return?
We're an organisation which puts people first. We'll do everything possible to help you feel respected, valued and included. We'll help you learn, acquire new skills and gain further experience to support your career development. And we'll provide the opportunity for you to bring your fresh ideas to work about how we can do things differently and continue improving.
You will also be joining a health and care system committed to working together to do the best we can for the communities we serve. Above all, at Sussex Partnership you'll have the chance to make a difference to the lives of the patients, carers and families across our communities.
As a Trust we are committed in making a difference. Your development is important to us, so don't forget to ask us during interview what opportunities we can offer. We can offer fully funded lifelong learning opportunities such as an apprenticeship from GCSE to Masters level.
If you like the sound of that, then come and join our team.
Job overview
We are very excited to be advertising this Band 7 (RMN or RGN) ward manager post working with people with dementia at Thyme ward in Worthing. This is a particularly exciting time to be joining our team, as we have recently reorganised our West Sussex in-patient dementia services which are now all housed within our specialist in-patient unit; The Forget Me Not Unit.
We are looking for an experienced nurse to join the leadership team on Thyme ward as the Ward Manager. We encourage you to apply if you are an experienced Band 6 nurse or a current Band 7 nurse.
Ward Managers are central to achieving the highest of standards within the NHS. They are role models for their teams and for the wider hospital and organisation.
Our vision is to provide outstanding care and treatment; the people that we employ are at the heart of making this vision a reality. We are proud to be a service that encourages everyone to be the best that they can be and make the most of their careers whatever their background. If you've got the passion, the belief, the drive and the talent to help us achieve our vision then we want to hear from you!
Main duties of the job
We recognise that this is a uniquely demanding role, yet it is one that can be rewarding beyond measure.
We are looking for someone who leads a team with passion, clinical expertise and great communication. We need you to help us sustain our high standards and to help us to continue to develop further. You will be expected to have a good understanding of professional boundaries and ensure you uphold the NMC code of conduct. It is a role where you will be empowered to implement positive changes on the ward.
At The Forget me Not Unit, we feel that providing the highest standards of care and ensuring the implementation of least restrictive practice are of paramount importance.
The successful post holder will receive support and regular supervision from the ward Matron. They will be joining an experienced wider hospital leadership team that is friendly, supportive and committed to providing innovative high standards of care to all those that use our services.
Working for our organisation
You will be managing a team that is resilient, thoughtful in its approach and most of all, kind and supportive to the patients they care for and the colleagues they work alongside.
You would be provided with on-going support via regular supervision and weekly leadership meetings.
We welcome anyone interested in this role to get in touch for an informal conversation before making a application.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Job responsibilities
The purpose of your role as Ward Manager is to be responsible for and provide effective leadership for a clinical team ensuring a high-quality service.
We are looking for someone who leads a team with passion, clinical expertise and great communication. The successful candidate will need the managerial and leadership skills to run a busy and demanding ward, as well as the clinical expertise to inform the right supervisory decisions. It is hard to think of another clinical role that requires such a combination of skills and attributes, and where the impact of a person's leadership can be so keenly felt by ward staff and patients alike.
The key responsibilities are:
To be responsible for the management and leadership of a team of health professionals providing care over a 24-hour period including responsibility for assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of care for the patients within their sphere of responsibility
To provide effective leadership and management to staff which promotes high performance standards both individually and as a team
To deliver a service within the agreed budgets and resources ensuring maximum value in terms of clinical and cost effectiveness
Ensure that a culture of effective risk management is present within the team
To act as role model and knowledge resource to the nursing team
To represent the clinical area in all relevant forums and meetings
To drive continuous improvement and to ensure a psychologically safe environment for staff and patients.
To be a successful Ward Manager, you will be:
An experienced leader in a Band 6 or 7 role
A Registered Mental Health Nurse (RMN)
Passionate about patient care
Ability to prioritise competing demands and work under pressure to safely problem solve.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Educated to degree/ diploma level with a relevant qualification or equivalent experience
- Registered Nurse with current registration (mental health / LD/ Adult) appropriate to the job role
- Evidence of CPD
- Completion of Mentorship Course/ENB equivalent
Knowledge/Experience
Essential criteria
- Extensive experience of acute care in the care group and demonstrable achievement in clinical practice
- Experience of providing professional support/supervision and motivation of staff
- Experience of managing staff
Desirable criteria
- Previous experience in similar role
Skills
Essential criteria
- Ability to provide and receive complex and emotive information with staff, service users, carers and other stakeholders
- An open and facilitative style of leadership which can be adapted when necessary to ensure delivery of objectives
- Able to hold professionals and peers to account
Approach/Values
Essential criteria
- Demonstrate support for the values and beliefs of the Care Group and those of the Trust
- Can use constructive criticism and openly seeks to review and reflect on own style and presentation
- Resilient and motivated with drive and vision that is able to work on own initiative and manage a range of priorities across competing agendas
- Empathy towards the needs of people using mental health and related services, and a vision of how services can make step changes for improvement
- Commitment to the aims and values of the NHS combined with high personal integrity
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
- Suesan Summers
- Job title
- Matron
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07747638299
List jobs with Sussex Partnership NHS FoundationTrust in Nursing and Midwifery or all sectors