Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Divisional Head of Nursing - Division A

The closing date is 30 November 2025

Job summary

Reporting to the Divisional Director, you will be accountable for nursing within the Division; responsible for promoting nursing excellence and strong leadership to ensure the Division/Trust provides consistently safe and high-quality patient care. An integral part of this is the setting, reviewing and refining of the corporate strategy and objectives.

As a member of Divisional Boards, you will be accountable for overseeing the delivery of the operational performance of the Division, including taking a proactive role in corporate and quality governance, patient safety and experience, clinical quality and delivery of operational and financial targets that may extend beyond traditional nursing boundaries. They will lead on business and strategic planning, taking accountability for the delivery of transformation projects that are relevant to the role.

You will deputise for the Divisional Director on divisional matters and provide strong visible leadership for the entire division, and will have Trust-wide corporate responsibility, leading on specific projects and representing the Chief Nurse's office as required as well as representing the Trust externally, to facilitate greater working across the local healthcare community; instituting integrated working in the best interests of patient care.

Main duties of the job

Managerial/Leadership

o Act as the most senior nurse in the division, providing a single line of professional accountability and acting as line manager to the Division's senior nursing team.o Act as an expert in nursing procedures and practices within the Division.o Ensure the Executive Team and Divisional Board has oversight of key nursing performance indicators and take full responsibility for subsequent actions that have been put in place.o Take responsibility for ensuring that robust and comprehensive quality governance arrangements are in place within the Division, that these link appropriately to corporate arrangements and that the governance agenda is delivered within the Division.o Manage and develop the divisional nursing teams to deliver in line with relevant national standards, frameworks and the local clinical governance agenda.o Take an active role in setting the strategic direction of Divisional nursing, ensuring that nursing is considered when making strategic decisions at Divisional Board level.o Analyse complex and sometimes conflicting data and be able to form a fair and representative judgement in order to move a situation forward.o Proactively engage in external initiatives across the integrated care system, to facilitate greater working across the local healthcare community and represent the Trust at a very senior level to institute integrating working in the best interests of patient care.

About us

Come Nurse with us...

Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest teaching Trusts in the country. It comprises Addenbrooke's Hospital and the Rosie Hospital. We provide accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge and regional and national specialist services. It's a great place to nurse, work and live.

You will work on a vibrant hospital campus with a friendly community feel; we have excellent facilities to practise your skills and abilities to support your career pathway and development. Our values of Together - Safe, Kind, Excellent support the delivery of outstanding care. We have a fully electronic patient record system that is improving health-care quality; this is transforming services, improving patient safety and clinical outcomes.

Why choose Cambridge University Hospitals?

o Our values and reputation for outstanding careo Opportunities to experience a range of specialitieso Career and development opportunitieso Preceptorship and mentoring programmes delivered by a dedicated clinical education support teamo Research experience and opportunitieso Lovely location and quality of lifeo Excellent schools/colleges and transport links (road, rail and air)

Details

Date posted

07 November 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8d

Salary

£91,342 to £105,337 a year p.a. pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

180-A-257273

Job locations

Addenbrookes Hospital-Division A

Hills Road

Cambridge

CB2 0QQ


Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.

Due to Home Office immigration rules, a full time permanent vacancy cannot be filled by individuals on a Student visa. Therefore, please be advised that if you are a Student visa holder, we will not be able to offer you a full time permanent contract unless you have:- applied for a Graduate visa- or you will have successfully completed your course and have applied for a Graduate visa before the anticipated start date of your employment- or the Trust has agreed that they will Sponsor you as a Skilled Worker and you will complete your studies within 3 months of the anticipated start

For NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough based roles, all applicants from NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough who have identified that they are at risk of redundancy will be prioritised over those not at risk. However, interviews cannot be guaranteed.

This vacancy will close at midnight on 30 November 2025

Interviews are due to be held on 9 December 2025

Benefits to you

At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.

On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only caf, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.

CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times.

Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.

We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.

Due to Home Office immigration rules, a full time permanent vacancy cannot be filled by individuals on a Student visa. Therefore, please be advised that if you are a Student visa holder, we will not be able to offer you a full time permanent contract unless you have:- applied for a Graduate visa- or you will have successfully completed your course and have applied for a Graduate visa before the anticipated start date of your employment- or the Trust has agreed that they will Sponsor you as a Skilled Worker and you will complete your studies within 3 months of the anticipated start

For NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough based roles, all applicants from NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough who have identified that they are at risk of redundancy will be prioritised over those not at risk. However, interviews cannot be guaranteed.

This vacancy will close at midnight on 30 November 2025

Interviews are due to be held on 9 December 2025

Benefits to you

At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.

On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only caf, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.

CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times.

Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.

We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • First level registered Nurse
  • NMC registration
  • A degree in Nursing
  • Working towards or achievement of a Masters level qualification/post graduate management qualification

Experience

Essential

  • Broad senior clinical and managerial experience relevant to the post.
  • Successful implementation of a range of clinical governance initiatives to develop practice.
  • Management of clinical risk.
  • Leadership of multidisciplinary teams
  • Development and delivery of training and development interventions
  • Professional nursing issues
  • Nurse education and development
  • Detailed knowledge of NHS practices and procedures, and experience of implementing new policies across a service
  • Diversity and equal opportunity issues and how they translate in practice.
  • A good understanding of Risk and Clinical Governance to lead the Trust Clinical Governances agenda at divisional level.
  • Service Improvement techniques e.g. Lean, Process Mapping, Root Cause Analysis
  • Demonstrable previous success in leading and delivering change and performance with and through clinical teams, by engaging them in the strategic direction and delivery plans, establishing clear work priorities with them, delegating effectively, ensuring a capability to deliver, monitoring performance and giving feedback.
  • Research experience

Knowledge

Essential

  • Ability to analyse complex problems and to develop and successfully implement practical and workable solutions to address them.
  • To collaborate constructively with internal and external partners to create the conditions for successful partnership working.
  • To be able to set and monitor standards of care that ensure this is delivered to an exceptional standard
  • Be able to articulate the evolving vision for the future of nursing and be able to demonstrate opportunities this can bring to the Trust.
  • Sound political judgement and astuteness in understanding and working with complex policy, a diverse interest groups, and common sense in knowing when to "brief up the line".
  • To have a clear understanding of Workforce, Education, Standards and research issues within the NHS
  • Able to set and lead the Nursing and Midwifery agenda.
  • High level of work organisation, self- motivation, drive for performance and improvement and flexibility in approach and attitude.
  • Strong sense of commitment to openness, honesty and integrity in undertaking the role.

Skills

Essential

  • Excellent inter-personal skills and communication skills
  • Well-developed leadership and influencing skills with the ability to enthuse, motivate and involve individuals and teams across the Trust
  • Highly motivated committed to continuous service development and quality improvement
  • Ability to work under pressure to meet deadlines and targets
  • Reliable and supportive
  • Ability to synthesise information, consider and evaluate risks and options when making difficult decisions

Additional Requirements

Essential

  • The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of Safe, Kind, Excellent.
  • Able to participate in a senior nurse on- call rota
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • First level registered Nurse
  • NMC registration
  • A degree in Nursing
  • Working towards or achievement of a Masters level qualification/post graduate management qualification

Experience

Essential

  • Broad senior clinical and managerial experience relevant to the post.
  • Successful implementation of a range of clinical governance initiatives to develop practice.
  • Management of clinical risk.
  • Leadership of multidisciplinary teams
  • Development and delivery of training and development interventions
  • Professional nursing issues
  • Nurse education and development
  • Detailed knowledge of NHS practices and procedures, and experience of implementing new policies across a service
  • Diversity and equal opportunity issues and how they translate in practice.
  • A good understanding of Risk and Clinical Governance to lead the Trust Clinical Governances agenda at divisional level.
  • Service Improvement techniques e.g. Lean, Process Mapping, Root Cause Analysis
  • Demonstrable previous success in leading and delivering change and performance with and through clinical teams, by engaging them in the strategic direction and delivery plans, establishing clear work priorities with them, delegating effectively, ensuring a capability to deliver, monitoring performance and giving feedback.
  • Research experience

Knowledge

Essential

  • Ability to analyse complex problems and to develop and successfully implement practical and workable solutions to address them.
  • To collaborate constructively with internal and external partners to create the conditions for successful partnership working.
  • To be able to set and monitor standards of care that ensure this is delivered to an exceptional standard
  • Be able to articulate the evolving vision for the future of nursing and be able to demonstrate opportunities this can bring to the Trust.
  • Sound political judgement and astuteness in understanding and working with complex policy, a diverse interest groups, and common sense in knowing when to "brief up the line".
  • To have a clear understanding of Workforce, Education, Standards and research issues within the NHS
  • Able to set and lead the Nursing and Midwifery agenda.
  • High level of work organisation, self- motivation, drive for performance and improvement and flexibility in approach and attitude.
  • Strong sense of commitment to openness, honesty and integrity in undertaking the role.

Skills

Essential

  • Excellent inter-personal skills and communication skills
  • Well-developed leadership and influencing skills with the ability to enthuse, motivate and involve individuals and teams across the Trust
  • Highly motivated committed to continuous service development and quality improvement
  • Ability to work under pressure to meet deadlines and targets
  • Reliable and supportive
  • Ability to synthesise information, consider and evaluate risks and options when making difficult decisions

Additional Requirements

Essential

  • The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of Safe, Kind, Excellent.
  • Able to participate in a senior nurse on- call rota

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

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

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

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

Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Addenbrookes Hospital-Division A

Hills Road

Cambridge

CB2 0QQ


Employer's website

https://www.cuh.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Addenbrookes Hospital-Division A

Hills Road

Cambridge

CB2 0QQ


Employer's website

https://www.cuh.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Divisional Director

James Wheeler

james.wheeler9@nhs.net

Details

Date posted

07 November 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8d

Salary

£91,342 to £105,337 a year p.a. pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

180-A-257273

Job locations

Addenbrookes Hospital-Division A

Hills Road

Cambridge

CB2 0QQ


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

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