Divisional Director of Nursing

Job overview

Reporting to the Director of Nursing the post holder will be an integral member of the Divisional Senior Management Team and will be responsible for the delivery of the Division’s nursing strategy in conjunction with the Trust’s overall strategy.

The Divisional Director of Nursing (DDN) will work with Divisional Medical Director and Divisional Director of Operations to drive operational performance and planning within the Division. The post holder will work closely with other Divisions, Executive / Corporate Directors, and external partners in order to achieve Trust objectives and make a positive contribution to the provision of health services across the local economy.

Working closely with the Divisional Medical Director and Divisional Director of Operations, the DDN is responsible and accountable for providing comprehensive and robust professional leadership, guidance, advice, support, and direction to the nursing and allied health professions across the Division in order to ensure that patients are managed and cared for efficiently and effectively.

The DDN is expected to work in accordance with the objectives agreed with the Director of Nursing for the leadership of the profession and the respective Divisional Medical Director and Director of Nursing to support operational performance. 

The DDN will provide a highly visible, accessible, and authoritative presence in order to support the delivery of the Trust’s overall objectives and service priorities.

Main duties of the job

Reporting to the Director of Nursing the post holder will be an integral member of the Divisional Senior Management Team and will be responsible for the delivery of the Division’s nursing strategy in conjunction with the Trust’s overall strategy.
The Divisional Director of Nursing (DDN) will work with Divisional Medical Director and Divisional Director of Operations to drive operational performance and planning within the Division. The post holder will work closely with other Divisions, Executive / Corporate Directors, and external partners in order to achieve Trust objectives and make a positive contribution to the provision of health services across the local economy.
Specifically, the DDN is accountable for:
The leadership and line management of the Division’s senior nursing staff, including their recruitment, selection, supervision, direction, performance management and appraisal/ continuing professional development.
The budgets for all nursing pay spend, to include bank and agency staff costs and controls and also clinical non-pay.
Providing comprehensive leadership to support the progression, development, & positive reputation of the nursing profession.
Active development and improvement of professional and corporate standards, policies, & procedures.
Active support & leadership as a senior officer of the Trust in relation to the overall business of the organisation
Responsible for the delivery of the Division’s nursing strategy in conjunction with the Trust’s overall strategy.

Working for our organisation

Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was created on 1 October 2019 following the merger of two adult acute Trusts, Aintree University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust.

The merger provides an opportunity to reconfigure services in a way that provides the best healthcare services to the city and improves the quality of care and health outcomes that patients experience.

The Trust runs Aintree University Hospital, Broadgreen Hospital, Liverpool University Dental Hospital and the Royal Liverpool University Hospital.

It serves a core population of around 630,000 people across Merseyside as well as providing a range of highly specialist services to a catchment area of more than two million people in the North West region and beyond.

To hear more about our achievements click here https://www.liverpoolft.nhs.uk/media/13089/1606-annual-report-booklet_final.pdf

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Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The DDN is expected to lead and manage the operational nursing function of  the Division to the highest professional standards.

The DDN will ensure that self and others work in the best interest of patients, carers, families and the wider organisation and practice in accordance with the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s “The Code –Professional standards of practice and behaviour for nurses, midwives and nursing associates 2018” (or any successor arrangements).

Work in accordance with the strategic direction, objectives and policies,
protocols, procedures, and guidelines of the Trust.

As an ambassador of the Trust, ensure that self and others represent and
practice to the highest professional standards at all times.

Take every reasonable step to maintain and develop own knowledge, skills and competence and make the Director of Nursing aware of any professional limitations or concerns.

As a DDN provide active and transformational leadership and deliver
personal, service, and corporate objectives.

Support the profession of nursing to ensure that staff work to the full
requirements and potential of their roles and grades and develop accordingly.

Work closely with other DDN’s and Divisional teams to ensure that nursing
resources are utilised efficiently and effectively in order to meet both clinical and non-clinical priorities.

Work to ensure the safety and well-being of patients, service users and
colleagues, taking any necessary corrective action as appropriate to prevent any deterioration in service standards, or to the safety and welfare of patients and staff.

Develop positive working relationships with other clinicians and managers to ensure that the organisation is at the forefront of best professional practice and service delivery.

Support the delivery of the Nursing and Quality Strategy for the Division and any other appropriate care standards audits or successor arrangements, including participation in Care Quality Commission assessments and reviews.

Work with the other Divisional nursing teams to improve the ways information is sourced and used to evidence and improve care delivery and outcomes.

Be a resource for all staff on professional and operational matters.

Be actively involved with service lines to ensure that the needs of patients and service users are met reasonably, and their views and opinions are sought and used appropriately, particularly to inform improvements in practice and care.

The post holder is required to provide, receive, and analyse highly complex,
sensitive and/or contentious information. This will be at both individual and
group levels and will be in verbal, written or presentation formats and on a
variety of subjects ranging from professional/clinical issues to human resource and operational issues. This will include producing high quality written reports, including contributing to Trust Board reports, on behalf of the Divisional Medical Director and Director of Nursing as required.

The DDN will be expected to provide professional advice, support, challenge, scrutiny, and decision making as required or where necessary to nurses, midwives and other directors, senior managers, and staff across the Division.

Attending meetings (including those at director and Board level), seminars,
hearings, briefings, investigations both within the external to the Trust as
required.

The post holder will utilise his/her extensive experience as a nurse to support staff to deliver high quality, efficient and effective patient care.

The post holder is expected to utilise his/her professional and expert
knowledge, experience, and training in the execution of this role to provide
sophisticated professional advice, support, scrutiny, and decision making as
required or where necessary.

Promotes the use of evidence to support the delivery of modern and
appropriate care.

Maintains own professional knowledge and competence in order to meet
professional registration standards and the requirements of the role.

Uses sophisticated leadership techniques to challenge practice standards and influence constructive and positive change.

Analyses complex issues, information and situations and takes any necessary corrective action.

Provides comprehensive advice and support to senior colleagues in dealing
with complex concerns, complaints, clinical and critical incidents, including
chairing hearing panels and leading on investigations.

Where appropriate provides professional support and advice to the Heads of Therapies (Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Orthotics, Speech & Language Therapy and Dietetics).

Utilises high level literacy, numeracy, and analytical skills in the compilation of reports and the management of information/data.

Provides leadership, advice and support within the Divisions and Service
Lines/Speciality teams on business and workforce planning matters relevant to nursing.

Takes responsibility for leading the senior nursing workforce within the
Division including Lead Nurses, Nurse Specialists and Advanced Care
Practitioners, ensuring completion of quality appraisals and utilisation of Trust HR policies where appropriate. Lead in planning and implementing any necessary changes to clinical practice and ways of working to
enhance/improve patient care.

Plans and facilitates discussions and debates with professional colleagues at all levels to address professional and service challenges and problems.

Organises the annual programmes and timetables for the corporate senior
nurse forum.

Interprets relevant national and professional policy and translates these into actions for implementation locally, where appropriate.

Responsible for a range of policy implementation and policy or service
development within the Division.

Responsible, on behalf of the Director of Nursing for leadership and delivery of the Trusts Nursing Strategy within the Division.

Works with the Divisional Triumvirate, colleagues within the Trust and with
partners across health and social care to ensure that patient care services are developed and managed seamlessly, particularly when transferring care from one provider to another or when receiving patients from other organisations.

Supports the development of the annual business plan for their respective
division.

Works with the Director of Nursing, Director of Nursing & Quality and other DDN’s to develop modern and innovative workforce strategies that realise the best use of the nursing workforce, new roles and that realises its full potential in line with the Trust’s workforce plan.

Makes a major contribution to the evolution of the newly merged Trust and its subsequent operation with particular regard to the provision of high quality and reputable nursing care into the future.

Supports the Division to ensure the development of enhanced working
relationships and great joint working with the higher education institutes.

Responsible for ensuring that all information used and accessed is managed, utilised, and stored/archived effectively.

Accountable for ensuring that patient confidentiality is maintained throughout all information systems/sources and in accordance with corporate/national policy and professional standards.

Manages complex and large amounts of data and is able to summarise this
into easy-to-understand summaries/reports.

Uses and manipulates electronic information e.g., spreadsheets into
performance summaries/tables/chart.

Utilises sophisticated facilitation and presentation skills and be able to make presentations in a confident and competent manner.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• First level registration NMC
• Degree level qualification or equivalent in relevant discipline
• Evidence of education to Master’s level or equivalent experience
• Significant evidence of post registration continued professional development
• Evidence of Leadership development

Desirable criteria

• Post-graduate/registration Management or Training qualification /equivalent

Experience

Essential criteria

• Significant management and leadership experience to including experience of working at a senior level
• Demonstrable experience of leading clinical innovation or leading change within clinical practice
• Demonstrable experience in , workforce planning, managing resources budgetary and financial management
• Demonstrable experience in development of Nursing/ therapies as professional in their practice
• Evidence of relevant involvement in meeting the Trust Quality and Patient Safety objectives
• Evidence of making operational judgements involving highly complex facts/ situations
• Demonstrate the ability to maintain high standards of care and team management over a sustained period.
• Evidence of networking ,working effectively across organisational and professional boundaries

Desirable criteria

• Research experience

Knowledge

Essential criteria

• Recent and extensive clinical, managerial and leadership credibility and experience
• Recent experience of managing complex professional matters/issues
• Financially astute/business-aware
• Understanding and appreciation of diversity
• Key issues and pace of change facing the NHS nationally and locally, assess and describe impact on the nursing professions and services
• Principles and impact of the NHS Constitution

Desirable criteria

• Knowledge and understanding of computerised financial, management, budgetary management, and workforce information systems
• Knowledge and understanding of governance arrangements and standards in the NHS and the wider health and social care economy

Skills

Essential criteria

• Ability to function effectively at Trust Board and equivalent level
• Demonstrate leadership and management skills
• Ability to lead and manage complexity and unpredictability, to make difficult decisions and to solve problems
• Ability to self-start and prioritise own workload and that of others
• Ability to manage resources effectively (esp. financial and human)
• Ability to work collaboratively and strategically
• Systematic and analytical
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Excellent presentation skills in both verbal and written forms
• Evidence of effective working relationships
• Highly developed problem-solving skills
• Competent with basic IT skills (word processing, spreadsheets etc)
• Good verbal and report writing skills
• Skilled negotiator

Other

Essential criteria

• Patient focused
• Committed to the positive leadership and development of nursing, midwifery, and allied health professionals
• Professional maturity

Please ensure you check the email account (including junk/spam boxes) from which you apply regularly as we will use this to contact you regarding your application. 

Only those applicants who demonstrate clearly how they meet our person specification will be shortlisted for interview. 

We reserve the right to close any vacancies from further applications when we have received a minimum number of applications from which to make a shortlist. Please ensure you apply without delay if you wish to be considered for this role. 

Candidates applying for the role of Healthcare Assistant on the staff bank  should note that due to the nature of the role,  workers must be aged 18 or above when commencing in post. Applicants are therefore welcome from those aged over 18 or within 3 months’ of their 18th birthday.

The Trust is committed to promoting a healthy work-life balance and achieve fair, equitable and consistent practice. We welcome flexible working requests and will consider a variety of flexible working arrangements from day one of your employment. Not all roles are suitable for every flexible working opportunity all of the time. Flexible working options may include reduced hours, compressed hours, fixed shifts, time back in lieu and home working.

The Trust is committed to promoting equality and diversity; we value the contribution of individual talent, skills, knowledge and experience and aim for a workforce demography representative of the local community. We encourage applicants from the following groups that are currently under-represented in our workforce black, Asian and minority ethnic, lesbian, gay, bisexual and Transgender (LGBTQ+), disabled, male and age 16-24.

Trust policy requires that the cost of submitting & processing the successful applicant/s DBS application be recovered via salary deduction following start in post. The amount of £18+£5 (standard disclosure) or £38+£5 (enhanced disclosure) will be deducted from salary, in manageable monthly instalments for up to 3 months following commencement of employment. Bank posts require upfront payment. 

From April 2017, Skilled visa applicants and their adult dependant(s) will be required to provide a criminal record certificate from each country they have lived in consecutively for 12 months or more in the past ten years.

Applicants requiring sponsorship may wish to determine the likelihood of obtaining sponsorship for this position by assessing themselves against the criteria on the gov.uk website - https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa.

This organisation has a zero-tolerance approach to the abuse of children, young people and vulnerable adults. All staff must ensure they adhere to the organisations safeguarding children and adults’ policy and comply with the Local Safeguarding Children and Adult Board procedures.

Staff should be mindful of their responsibility to safeguard children and adults in any activity performed on behalf of the organisation in line with the requirements of statutory guidance and legislation.

All employees (and volunteers)are expected maintain their safeguarding knowledge and skills by completing mandatory safeguarding training which includes understanding and recognising the signs of abuse and neglect and taking appropriate action.

As an organisation, we have adopted the Merseyside Domestic abuse workplace scheme which supports our staff who are experiencing Domestic Abuse /any forms of sexual violence.

If you have any personal requirements that will enable you to participate in our recruitment process please contact a member of the Recruitment Services by phone on at the earliest opportunity to ensure that measures can be put in place to enable your application for this post. 

Please note: new entrants to the NHS will commence on the first paypoint of the relevant band.