Come and join us
We’re looking for people who share our values of compassion, accountability and optimism to help us provide high quality care for the patients, carers, families and communities we serve. We specialise in NHS mental health and learning disability services and we’re proud to make a difference every day.
At SPFT we put people first. We’ll do everything possible to help you feel respected, valued and included. You’ll have opportunities to learn, grow and gain new experiences to support your career, with access to lifelong learning and professional development.
We actively promote flexible working and understand how important work life balance is, especially in healthcare. Whether it’s part time hours, hybrid working or flexible start and finish times, we’ll explore what works for you and the role.
We recognise that AI is becoming part of daily life and you may choose to use it to help prepare your application. We welcome innovation but ask that anything you submit reflects your own abilities, experience and voice. AI can support how you describe your skills and experience, but it should never replace your own words as we want to get to know you.
We’re shaping a workplace where ideas are encouraged, technology supports you and everyone has a voice in how we improve. If that sounds like the kind of organisation you want to be part of, we’d love to hear from you.
Job overview
We have a pivotal opportunity for an experienced, values-based, senior nursing leader to join Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust as our Chief Nursing Officer.
This is an Executive Director role and a voting member of the Trust Board, responsible for providing visible, strategic and compassionate leadership. The postholder will be the professional lead for nurses, healthcare assistants, psychological therapies, allied health professionals and social workers and, as such, be pivotal in recruiting, retaining and developing our current workforce and the workforce of the future. In addition, they will be lead for quality with specific responsibility for quality planning and governance, safety including safeguarding and health and safety, and physical healthcare, including being the Director for Infection Prevention and Control. The role plays a significant system-wide influence across the Sussex Health and Care Integrated Care System, Provider Collaboratives, academic partners and national networks.
As part of the recruitment process, there will be an opportunity for initial engagement and enquiry conversations. The interview process will involve multi-stage assessments including stakeholder sessions and a final interview panel. All associated dates and further information about the Trust is set out in the Candidate Information Pack.
This is a high-impact, values-led leadership role at a key moment in our strategic journey.
Main duties of the job
•Hold statutory Executive Director responsibilities, including Director of Infection Prevention and Control, Trust Lead for Safeguarding, Health and Safety, and SRO for safety, quality planning and assurance
•Provide strategic leadership and professional oversight for nursing, healthcare assistants, psychology, allied health professions, social care and support staff, ensuring strong professional identity, regulation, education, staffing, standards and career development
•Lead for 'quality' implementing of the Quality Star, through partnership working with the executive team, taking the senior responsible officer role for quality planning, assurance and safety
•Lead implementation of Patient Safety Incident Response Framework, never events, inquests, learning from incidents, safeguarding and restrictive practice, embedding relational, psychologically safe and restorative approaches ensuring learning is shared and embedded across the organisation resulting in continuous quality improvement
•Promote a compassionate culture rooted in learning, professional voice, speaking up and inclusion, representing the Trust internally and externally at senior system and national levels
•Work in triumvirate with the CMO and COO to align operational delivery, clinical leadership, workforce, governance and transformation priorities
•Provide visible and authentic leadership across inpatient and community settings, demonstrating the Trust values and role-modelling high professional standards
Working for our organisation
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist provider of mental health, learning disability and neurodevelopmental services, serving a population of approximately 1.7 million across East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton & Hove. We also provide regional and national specialist services and lead three NHS Provider Collaboratives.
We employ around 6,000 staff and are a university teaching Trust with strong academic links to Brighton and Sussex Medical School, the University of Sussex, the University of Brighton and national research partners.
We are a values-led organisation, proud to be a Disability Confident Employer and Armed Forces Covenant Gold Member. We actively promote compassionate, restorative and inclusive leadership and support career development, wellbeing, flexible working and staff networks, including lived experience, ethnic minority, LGBTQIA+, disability, neurodivergent, spirituality, women’s and armed forces networks.
Our vision is: Great care and improved outcomes together.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
This is a Board-level executive role with professional registration. Fit and proper person test and enhanced disclosure required.
The Chief Nursing Officer is responsible for:
· Quality leadership, quality planning, quality assurance, safety, and quality reporting
· Professional regulation and leadership for nursing, psychology, allied health professionals and social care professions
· Executive responsibility for DIPC, safeguarding, Health and Safety and Human Rights-based practice
· Championing restorative and just culture, incident learning, continuous improvement and PSIRF
· Leading professional workforce strategy, education, regulation, retention, career pathways and research
· Providing expert advice to the Board on professional standards, quality, experience, safety and workforce
· Promoting psychologically safe, evidence-led, values-based professional practice
· Working collaboratively with executive colleagues, ICS partners, regulators and academic networks.
For full details, including the interview details and key dates, please refer to the Job Description and Person Specification within the Candidate Pack.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Registered Nursing Qualification (RMN or RNLD)
- Educated at 1st degree level or advanced qualification in relevant health subject or equivalent
- Educated at Masters degree level or equivalent level qualification/s in a relevant field
Desirable criteria
- Dual nursing qualification (RGN/RMN)
SPFT is committed to building a workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We particularly welcome applications from people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds and from disabled candidates, as these groups are currently underrepresented.
Successful candidates are normally appointed to the bottom of the pay scale unless previous NHS experience in a similar role can be evidenced.
SPFT takes its responsibilities for safeguarding children, young people and adults at risk very seriously. We expect all staff and bank workers to share this commitment and complete the relevant safeguarding training for their role.
If you have not heard from us within three weeks of the closing date, please assume your application has been unsuccessful. However, we’ll always do our best to keep you informed as we know how much time and care goes into applying for a role.
In the event of a high number of applications, we may close this vacancy early.