Sirona care & health CIC

Lead ND Specialist Nurse (Band 8a)

The closing date is 03 April 2026

Job summary

Join our new Neurodiversity Support Team and play a key role in helping schools across BNSSG better understand and support neurodivergent children and young people.

The Neurodiversity Support Team is a multidisciplinary clinical service working in partnership with education settings to deliver high-quality Neurodivergent Needs Analyses. The team provides expert guidance, consultation and quality assurance to ensure needs profiles are consistent, meaningful and impactful.

As part of a system-wide programme, the service is introducing Neurodivergent Needs Analysis across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG). The team works closely with schools across the region, providing training, consultation and practical support to help them better understand and respond to the needs of neurodivergent children and young people.

The service champions early intervention and a needs-led approach, focusing on each child or young person's strengths and challenges rather than diagnostic labels.

We are looking for a Lead ND Specialist Nurse to join this developing team and help shape a new way of supporting neurodivergent children and young people across the region.

Main duties of the job

As the Lead Neurodiversity Specialist Nurse, you will oversee the delivery of a high-quality, neurodiversity-affirming service for children and young people across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. You will lead the roll-out of Neurodivergent Needs Analyses, ensuring a consistent, needs-led approach across education settings.

You will provide clinical oversight and guidance to the Neurodiversity Support Team, supporting schools to explore children and young people's strengths, needs and strategies. The role includes responsibility for clinical governance, risk management, and ensuring safe, high-quality service delivery.

Key responsibilities include:

Leading clinical oversight of Neurodivergent Needs Analysis pathways
Supporting consistent, safe and high-quality service delivery
Guiding the team on clinical governance and risk management
Supporting education settings to implement needs-led approaches
Collaborating with schools and professionals to promote strengths-based, inclusive practice

About us

Ever dreamt about a career that sparks excitement and fosters your professional growth? Picture yourself waking up eager to make a real difference in our community, surrounded by teams who value your unique ideas.

We are Sirona care & health - England's largest provider of Adult's and Children's Community Services and we'd love for you to join us in Bristol, North Somerset or South Gloucestershire.

Agenda for Change Salary, full NHS benefits, 27+ days' annual leave, and participation in the NHS Pension Scheme - just a glimpse of the benefits you'll receive.

We welcome and encourage all applicants. We are committed to having a workforce that reflects the communities we support and are proactively seeking to improve the diversity of our workforce. We know diversity fosters creativity and innovation.

We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where all belong. We aim to draw upon the widest possible range of views and experiences to meet the changing needs of our colleagues, partners and communities we serve.

Whether you're starting your journey in healthcare, looking for a fresh challenge within the NHS, or contemplating a career change, don't be daunted by the prospect of something different - we create development opportunities for all our colleagues and apprentices.

Interested? View our benefits leaflet which you can find attached to this vacancy.

Date posted

27 March 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£57,528 to £60,417 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

083-7868176-WW

Job locations

Unit 2, Osprey Court

Hawkfield Business Park, Whitchurch Lane

Bristol

BS14 0BB

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see the attached Job Description for a full list of duties and responsibilities before applying for this position.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see the attached Job Description for a full list of duties and responsibilities before applying for this position.

Person Specification

Qualifications and Training

Essential

Educated to degree level in relevant subject.
Recognised post-graduate Management / Leadership qualification or equivalent experience.
Registration - Nursing Midwifery Council (NMC)
Professional training relating to Neurodivergent needs and Neurodevelopmental conditions

Skills, Experience and Knowledge

Essential

Experience working with children and young people with Neurodiversity conditions
Extensive operational management experience including experience of managing and developing multidisciplinary teams in a variety of locations.
Able to demonstrate a good understanding of the transformation agenda and the legislative, regulatory and performance management framework for education, health and social care.
Able to demonstrate compassionate leadership skills, credibility and integrity and ability to manage through change.
Experience of managerial and leadership practices and procedures.
Experience of resolving complex issues within services and staff groups taking into consideration relevant business implications and local impact.
Experience of co-production with staff and service users to improve service delivery.
Experience of using a variety of strategies and approaches to develop staff.

Desirable

Contribution to developments in professional field at national level.
Experience of leading service transformation projects.
Contribution to service / organisational developments at a system-wide level

Person Specification

Qualifications and Training

Essential

Educated to degree level in relevant subject.
Recognised post-graduate Management / Leadership qualification or equivalent experience.
Registration - Nursing Midwifery Council (NMC)
Professional training relating to Neurodivergent needs and Neurodevelopmental conditions

Skills, Experience and Knowledge

Essential

Experience working with children and young people with Neurodiversity conditions
Extensive operational management experience including experience of managing and developing multidisciplinary teams in a variety of locations.
Able to demonstrate a good understanding of the transformation agenda and the legislative, regulatory and performance management framework for education, health and social care.
Able to demonstrate compassionate leadership skills, credibility and integrity and ability to manage through change.
Experience of managerial and leadership practices and procedures.
Experience of resolving complex issues within services and staff groups taking into consideration relevant business implications and local impact.
Experience of co-production with staff and service users to improve service delivery.
Experience of using a variety of strategies and approaches to develop staff.

Desirable

Contribution to developments in professional field at national level.
Experience of leading service transformation projects.
Contribution to service / organisational developments at a system-wide level

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).

Additional information

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

UK Registration

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

Employer details

Employer name

Sirona care & health CIC

Address

Unit 2, Osprey Court

Hawkfield Business Park, Whitchurch Lane

Bristol

BS14 0BB

Employer's website

https://www.sirona-cic.org.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Sirona care & health CIC

Address

Unit 2, Osprey Court

Hawkfield Business Park, Whitchurch Lane

Bristol

BS14 0BB

Employer's website

https://www.sirona-cic.org.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)