Job responsibilities
JOB PURPOSE
The Director of Nursing and Quality willprovideexpert insight,supportand clinical advice, with the experience and skills to direct measurable and sustained improvement for NHS Wales by effective and strategic clinical leadership. The post holder will be key to achieving NHS Performance & Improvement strategy and vision and will be at the forefront of developing and driving measurable improvement through a structured process to support quality and safety systems and culture, together with financial and structural sustainability.
The role focuses on enhancing patient quality and safety, productivity, continuous improvement, and sustainability, through the delivery of the CNO Strategic Vision for Nursing and Midwifery (2025 2030) by ensuringhigh standardsof effectiveness across NHS Wales. The post holder willleveragetheir extensive experience, gained in senior clinical leadership and NHS Board-level roles, to drive a strong quality and safety culture, as well as providing professional leadership for nurses and midwives within NHS Wales Performance & Improvement.
The Director of Nursing and Quality will act as a clinical ambassador for NHS Wales Performance & Improvement across the system, with medical and therapy colleagues, through direct and distributed leadership approaches. In effectively discharging this role the post holder has experience of managing a comprehensive and complex portfolio relating to quality and safety, that includes effective governance, an understanding of regulatory assurance, clinical outcomes and effectiveness, quality improvement and learning systems, together with nursing and midwifery leadership at scale.
Reporting directly to the Managing Director, the postholder willoperatewithhigh levelsof autonomy,authorityand credibility, and will play a pivotal role inmaintainingsystem confidence and assurance for Welsh Government and other stakeholders.
The postholder will be a member of the Senior Directors Group within NHS Wales Performance and Improvement, working as part of a cohesive executive team with shared accountability for the strategic leadership and operational direction of the organisation. Together, the Senior Directors Group will ensure the effective delivery of national priorities, aligned to the Welsh Government Mandate and the annual Remit Letter, and support consistent, high-quality performance and improvement across NHS Wales.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Strategic Leadership for Quality,Safetyand Improvement
Lead and shape the strategic direction for quality and safety of care across NHS Wales, ensuring alignment with the Health and Social Care (Quality and Engagement) (Wales) Act 2020, the National Clinical Framework for Wales, the Quality and Safety Framework, and relevant legislative and regulatory requirements.
Lead a coordinated, system-wide strategy for patient quality and safety that ensures care is safe, cohesive, coordinated, and delivers improved outcomes within available resources.
Support the implementation and embedding of effective Quality Management Systems across NHS Wales organisations, in line with the Duty of Quality Statutory Guidance and Quality Standards.
Drive a culture of continuous improvement, quality assurance, and learning to enable the highest standards of patient care and safety outcomes across NHS Wales.
2. System Leadership and Accountability
Fully contribute to NHS Wales Performance & Improvement strategic leadership, governancearrangementsand collective accountability for the delivery of Ministerial and Welsh Government priorities.
Provide expert clinical leadership to support NHS Wales and the wider care system to improve quality, safety, efficiency, effectiveness, sustainability, patientoutcomesand staff well-being.
Monitor key performance indicators relating to quality,safetyand service effectiveness, ensuring compliance with the NHS Wales Performance Framework and triggering escalation whererequired.
Oversee the production of high-level quality and safety reports for Senior Directors Group (SDG), Executive Delivery Team (EDT)and Quality Delivery Board (QDB).
3. Professional Nursing and Midwifery Leadership
Provide expert, high-calibre professional nursing leadership to support providers and systems to deliver and commission high-quality care in line withA Healthier Wales.
Provide strategic,operationaland professional leadership and management of Nurses and Midwives within NHS Wales Performance & Improvement, aligned with the priorities of the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) and Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Ministerial priorities, and organisational mandates and remit letters.
Act as professional lead within NHS Wales Performance & Improvement for:
4. Quality,Safetyand Improvement Programmes
Formally lead NHS Wales Performance & Improvement Quality and Safety programmes and functions.
Provide expert clinical input and facilitation for quality and safety improvement initiatives and programme delivery aligned to NHS Wales Performance & Improvement priorities.
Hold individual responsibility for high-priority national development programmes including collaborative programmes delivered with partner organisations to support service transformation.
Support NHS Wales organisations to redesign and continuously improve services, with a focus on reducing avoidable harm and improving safety within systems of care.
5. Improvement Capability, Partnerships and Learning
Sustainably build improvement capability across NHS Wales Performance & Improvement and NHS Wales, fostering a culture of quality,safetyand continuous improvement.
Establish andmaintainstrong relationships with quality improvement organisations nationally and internationally, promoting the sharing of good practice and participation in improvement networks.
Activelyseekand develop partnerships with academic institutions in Wales and beyond to advocate for the inclusion of quality improvement in professional education and curricula.
6. Management of Resources
The post holder will ensure effective planning,allocationand oversight of financial resources in line with organisational priorities and statutory requirements.
They will be accountable for managing the departmental budget, ensuring adherence to financial controls,appropriate documentationfor scrutiny, and delivery of value for money and efficiency,operatingwithin recurrent financial balance year on year.
They will also ensure the effective management of physical and technological resources,maintainingcompliance with organisational standards,policiesand governance requirements.
7. Workforce / Staff Management
The post holder will provide strategic leadership and direction for the workforce within the directorate, ensuring effective recruitment,developmentand retention of staff.
They will create a positive and inclusive working environment that supports staff engagement, wellbeing and professional development, enabling individuals and teams to perform at their best.
The role will include leading succession planning and talent management, promoting equality, diversity and inclusion, and ensuring fair treatment,opportunityand accountability for all staff.
Lead Nurses and Midwives within NHS Wales Performance & Improvement to deliver clinical and operational excellence.Providing mentorship,coachingand professional support to diverse multidisciplinary teams.
8. Leadership of Teams
The post holder will provide strong,visibleand compassionate leadership to multi-disciplinary teams, fostering a high-performing, collaborative and innovative culture. They will inspire and motivate others to work towards shared goals, valuing diversity, encouraging inclusiveworkingand promoting collective responsibility for outcomes.
They willdemonstratevalues-based leadership in high-pressure environments, modelling behaviours that balance support withappropriate challenge. This will enable continuous improvement whilemaintainingclear accountability for performance,qualityand standards of care.
The role requires setting clearobjectives,monitoringprogressand ensuring the effective delivery of strategic and operational priorities. The post holder will encourage cross-organisational and system-wide collaboration, breaking down silos and building strong relationships to achieve shared outcomes.
As a role model for NHS values, ethical leadership and professional behaviours, the post holder will actively support the development of leadership capability and capacity across teams and services. They will promote a culture of learning,opennessand continuous improvement across NHS Wales, enabling staff to develop, innovate and deliver high-quality services.
9. Clinical Engagement and Matrix Working
Operate effectively within a matrix management model, utilising specialistexpertiseand ensuring strong clinical engagement and coordination across NHS Wales Performance & Improvement.
Bring expert clinical knowledge to support organisational priorities and ensure patient safety and quality remain central to all areas of business.
10. Policy Advice and External Engagement
Support the Chief Nursing Officer for Wales by providing robust,professionaland clinically relevant advice to Welsh Government.
You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents or please click "Apply now" to view on Trac.
