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Job summary

Main area
Nursing Leadership
Grade
Band 8d
Contract
12 months (Fixed Term/ Secondment (Expected to contribute to Director on Call commitments))
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
249 - 7394441
Employer
Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
The Great Western Hospital
Town
Swindon
Salary
£91,342 - £105,337 Per annum, Pro Rata
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
24/08/2025 23:59

Employer heading

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust logo

Divisional Director of Nursing

Band 8d

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is a unique organisation, serving as the sole integrated provider in the Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon, and Wiltshire system. Our scope extends beyond boundaries as we oversee adult community services in Swindon and provide acute care from the Great Western Hospital. 

Our 5,500 staff have 1.2m patient contacts a year, with 13,000 operations carried out in our Theatres, around 4,000 babies born, and our emergency attendances are now well over 100,000 per year. Those numbers only tell part of our story about what an exciting time it is to join Great Western Hospitals.

We are cultivating a culture that fosters our ambitions, prioritising equality, diversion, inclusion, wellbeing, and leadership. We aim to create an environment where every member of our team can truly thrive.

The Trust is a Disability Confident Employer; all applicants who have a disability can opt to be considered under the guaranteed interview scheme, which means that, providing they meet the minimum essential criteria for the post, they will be offered an interview. We are also proudly accredited as a Veteran Aware organisation and have signed The Armed Forces Covenant.

If we receive a high volume of applications, we may close adverts prior to the published closing date. Therefore, we advise you to complete and submit your application as soon as possible.

Job overview

Divisional Director of Nursing (Fixed Term - 12 Months)

An Exceptional Leadership Opportunity in Nursing

We’re seeking a visionary and compassionate nursing leader to take on the role of Divisional Director of Nursing, leading an exceptional and diverse portfolio of services. This division is at the forefront of surgery and planned care across Swindon, delivering excellence in patient outcomes and safety. 

This is a unique opportunity to shape high-quality patient-centered care across a range of specialties—working hand-in-hand with system partners to innovate, collaborate, and make a meaningful difference in the lives of our patients

The Divisional Director of Nursing (DDoN) for Surgery and Planned Care is a key member of the divisional triumvirate, working in close partnership with the Divisional Director and Associate Medical Director to set 
strategic direction and ensure delivery of safe, effective and high-quality surgical and planned care. The DDON provides visible clinical leadership, professional oversight of the nursing workforce, and drives service transformation, innovation, and continuous improvement across the Division.

 

Main duties of the job

In this pivotal role, you’ll work at the heart of strategic decision-making, forming part of a powerful triumvirate alongside the Associate Medical Director and Divisional Director. Together, you’ll set the strategic direction and empower teams to deliver outstanding operational performance.

Your Impact:

  • Elevate patient outcomes, safety, and experience
  • Drive innovation and effectiveness in care delivery
  • Lead change with confidence and compassion
  • Influence practice across the Division and delegated areas on behalf of the Chief Nurse

This is more than a leadership role — it’s a chance to shape the future of nursing, inspire excellence, and leave a legacy of compassionate, high-quality care.

Working for our organisation

At Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, we’re proud to deliver outstanding healthcare services to the vibrant community of Swindon and its surrounding areas. From cutting-edge treatments to compassionate everyday care, our dedicated teams are here to support you and your loved ones at every stage of life.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The Divisional Director of Nursing is responsible for the effectiveness of professional leadership and development of nursing within the Division and other allocated areas in order to facilitate the delivery of excellent clinical practice. The post holder may hold delegated responsibility for areas of practice from the Chief Nurse. 

Please see attached Job Description 

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Registered Midwife or Registered Nurse with the Nursing & Midwifery Council
  • Professional knowledge acquired through degree/diploma supplemented by specialist training, experience and short courses to masters level or equivalent
  • Demonstrates evidence of on-going continuous professional development.
Desirable criteria
  • Management qualification – NEBs, CMS, DMS etc. Some form of management qualification is highly desirable

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Evidence of senior nursing and/or midwifery leadership and management experience.
  • Evidence of clinical management experience.
  • Experience of managing a range of departments which includes managing workforce, operational delivery, finance management.
  • Experience in delivering quality improvement projects with defined outcomes
  • Demonstrable experience of achieving changed clinical practice and improving services to increase quality and efficiency.
  • Experience of working at and influencing at a senior level.
  • Experience of developing collaborative working within teams.
  • Thorough understanding of equality & diversity and its application to managing self, staff and patients across the Trust.
  • Understanding of NMC Code of practice and requirements of it for the practice & behaviour and its application to the management of staff and self.
  • Proven experience of budgetary/financial management.
  • Proven track record in co-design and production
Desirable criteria
  • Experience of developing business cases / business planning
  • Track record of serving on a range of committees both internal and external to the organisation
  • Project management experience.
  • Evidence of community experience in leadership or clinical role

Employer certification / accreditation badges

NHS Pastoral Care Quality AwardVeteran AwareApprenticeships logoNo smoking policyPositive about disabled peopleAge positiveDisability confident leaderInvestors in People: Goldhttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/kickstart-scheme-employer-resources/kickstart-scheme-brand-guidelinesStonewall equality policy. Equality and justice for lesbians, gay men, bisexual and trans people.Step into healthArmed Forces Covenant

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

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Ana Gardete
Job title
Deputy Chief Nurse
Email address
[email protected]
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