Director of Care

Job responsibilities

Director of Care – Hope House Children’s Hospices

Location: Hope House, Oswestry, Shropshire (with regular travel to T Gobaith, Conwy and across the UK)

Hours: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week (flexible working with some evenings/weekends) Salary: £79,950 – £90,456 per annum + £7,380 car allowance + relocation package Closing Date: 25th February 2026  

Make a Life-Changing Difference Every Day

Hope House Children’s Hospices are seeking an exceptional and compassionate Director of Care to lead and shape the delivery of outstanding palliative care for children and families across Shropshire, Cheshire, North and Mid Wales.

 This is more than a job, it’s a calling. You’ll join one of the UK’s most respected children’s hospices, where 98% of staff say they enjoy their work and 94% are proud to be part of our mission.

 About the Role

 As a key member of the Executive Leadership Team, you will:

 Lead the strategic development and delivery of care across our hospices and community services

• Champion a culture of excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement
• Inspire and empower a multidisciplinary team to deliver compassionate, professional care
• Represent the charity as the Nominated and Registered Individual under relevant care regulations
• Ensure the voices of children and families shape our services and strategy

 What We’re Looking For

 NMC Registered Nurse with at least 5 years’ experience in care services, ideally with multi-site or children’s hospice experience

• Proven senior leadership experience with a track record of motivating high-performing teams
• Strategic thinker with strong communication, stakeholder engagement, and governance skills
• Passionate about making a difference in children’s palliative care

 Why Join Us?

• Purpose-Driven Work: Help every child with a life-threatening condition live their best life
• Supportive Culture: Work with a dedicated team of nearly 300 staff and 450 volunteers
• Excellent Benefits: NHS pension continuation, generous leave, wellbeing support, learning & development, and more
• Flexible Working: Hybrid and flexible hours with hospice-based presence 3+ days/week

Ready to Lead with Heart?

To explore this unique opportunity, please contact our retained executive search partner:

Chris Mayers - Chris.Mayers@collingwoodsearch.co.uk 

Mobile - 07841 022557

Essential Qualification

Essential

• NMC Registered Nurse
• Meet the CQC and HIW fit and proper person criteria

Desirable

• n/a

Essential Skills

Essential

• Strong leadership qualities and skills appropriate to a senior leadership position and the ability to inspire and secure high performance.
• Articulate and confident networker.
• Formulating strategy and translating it into delivery through plans, programmes, people and culture.
• Designing, developing and leading organisational development programmes and activities.
• Self-motivation, credibility, energy, resilience and commitment.
• Handling difficult situations with resilience, diplomacy and tact.
• High level communication skills and the ability to credibly represent Hope House Childrens Hospices both internally and externally.
• High level negotiation, influencing and enabling skills.
• High level ICT proficiency including Microsoft software.
• Ability to work positively with stakeholders to achieve outcomes and deliver change through people.

Desirable

• n/a

Essential Knowledge

Essential

• Extensive leadership experience with success in developing motivated, engaged, and high performing individuals and teams.
• At least 5 years experience in the field of care services, preferably with multi-site management in childrens services
• Experience of working with a diverse range of both internal and external stakeholders, demonstrating effectiveness in developing and maintaining relationships which contribute to service improvement.
• Management of a variety of projects, influencing and building capacity at all levels to achieve agreed outcomes and timelines.
• Ability to turn strategy into deliverable action.
• Knowledge and interest in the legislative, regulatory and policy environment.

Desirable

• n/a

Essential Competencies

Essential

• Leading Teams, Maintaining and supporting strong high
• functioning teams through the application of well developed
• emotional intelligence, positive relationships and coaching and
• empowering colleagues to reach their full potential.
• Delivering Results & Meeting Expectations, Focuses on
• beneficiary needs and satisfaction; sets high standards for quality
• and quantity; monitors and maintains quality and productivity;
• works in a systematic, methodical and orderly way; consistently
• achieves project goals.
• Deciding & Initiating Action, Makes prompt, clear decisions
• which may involve tough choices or considered risks; takes
• responsibility for actions, projects and people; takes initiative,
• acts with confidence and works under own direction; initiates
• and generates activity.
• Planning & Organising, Sets clearly defined objectives; plans
• activities and projects well in advance and takes account of
• possible changing circumstances; manages time effectively;
• identifies and organises resources needed to accomplish tasks;
• monitors performance against deadlines and milestones.
• Professional membership
• Applicants

Desirable

• n/a

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).