Job summary
We are seeking an experienced and inspirational Midwifery Matron to join our maternity leadership team. As the most senior midwifery leader within the inpatient clinical areas, you will act as the custodian of highquality, safe, and personalised maternity care.
In this pivotal role, you will provide visible, inclusive leadership, uphold professional standards across our maternity services, and drive continuous improvement. You will lead on governance, quality, patient safety, workforce, and service transformation, holding a defined portfolio of responsibility with the opportunity to rotate as service needs evolve.
This is an exciting opportunity for a dynamic senior midwife to influence strategic direction, champion excellent patient and family experience, and embed a culture of learning, equity, and compassionate care.
Main duties of the job
- Provide visible and effective leadership, spending at least 50% of time supporting clinical areas.
- Act as the professional lead for midwifery practice, ensuring high standards of personalised, safe care.
- Drive continuous improvement through robust governance, risk management, and learning systems.
- Lead workforce planning, staff development, recruitment, retention and performance management.
- Model and promote a culture of kindness, respect, professionalism, and equity.
- Oversee service performance, KPIs, maternity safety tools, and digital innovation.
- Build strong working relationships with multidisciplinary colleagues, Maternity Voices Partnership, commissioners, and external partners.
- Lead service transformation initiatives aligned with Trust, LMNS, and national maternity priorities.
- Champion patient experience, ensuring dignity, compassion, and cultural sensitivity in all aspects of care.
- Manage resources and budgets within your portfolio, supporting efficiency and sustainability.
- Ensure compliance with NMC standards, Trust policies, and regulatory maternity requirements (CQC, MIS).
- Contribute to strategic planning for the Families Directorate and wider maternity service.
About us
At Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, we're committed to supporting our employees with a range of benefits designed to enhance your professional and personal life. We offer:
- Flexible working options to help you balance work and life
- NHS pension scheme for long-term financial security
- Generous annual leave allowance to recharge and relax
- A strong focus on career development to help you grow and achieve your potential
Additionally, you'll gain access to our Blue Light Card, unlocking exclusive discounts on shopping, dining, and leisure activities, as well as NHS-specific perks to support you both inside and outside of work.
We are proud to foster a diverse, skilled, and inclusive workforce, and we encourage applications from all backgrounds.
Why Somerset? Somerset offers the perfect blend of idyllic countryside, outstanding areas of natural beauty, and breathtaking coastlines, with vibrant cities like Bristol, Bath, and Exeter just a short drive away - and only two hours to London.
The region is home to excellent educational facilities, and with affordable housing compared to other parts of the country, it's a great place to build both your career and your future.
Somerset truly has it all - the peaceful countryside and cosmopolitan city life, with something for everyone to enjoy.
Job description
Job responsibilities
As Midwifery Matron, you will be accountable for professional midwifery standards within the inpatient maternity setting, acting as a role model for compassionate, evidence based practice. Your leadership will ensure that care environments remain safe, clean, and responsive to the needs of women, birthing people, newborns, and their families.
Leadership & Professional Standards
- Provide forward-thinking leadership that inspires confidence and fosters a culture of learning and improvement.
- Support senior midwives through coaching, structured development, and clear objective setting.
- Promote a just and fair culture, addressing concerns and supporting conflict resolution where required.
Governance, Safety & Quality Improvement
- Embed effective governance structures, ensuring timely response to incidents, complaints, and clinical concerns.
- Lead and contribute to investigations, ensuring shared learning and measurable improvements.
- Analyse data from safety systems, KPIs, staffing tools, and patient feedback to inform decision-making.
- Produce regular assurance reports for governance meetings, demonstrating safe and effective service delivery.
Patient Care & Experience
- Champion family centred, equitable care that meets individual needs and reduces health inequalities.
- Communicate complex or sensitive information with empathy and professionalism.
- Ensure robust recordkeeping and adherence to evidence based guidelines.
Service Development & Transformation
- Lead the implementation of maternity safety initiatives, national priorities, and LMNS objectives.
- Support digital transformation, innovation, and the development of new models of care.
- Engage with service users and families to codesign improvements and evaluate change.
- Oversee business continuity planning and support operational resilience across maternity pathways.
Workforce, Resources & Finance
- Lead recruitment, retention, induction, and deployment of staff, ensuring safe and effective skill mix.
- Monitor training compliance, appraisals, and staff wellbeing across inpatient areas.
- Manage budgets, equipment, staffing resources, and service environments efficiently.
Communication & Partnership Working
- Represent maternity services in local, regional, and national forums.
- Build collaborative relationships with obstetric teams, governance units, primary care, commissioners, education providers, and patient experience teams.
- Facilitate seamless communication across organisational boundaries to support safe, coordinated care.
Job description
Job responsibilities
As Midwifery Matron, you will be accountable for professional midwifery standards within the inpatient maternity setting, acting as a role model for compassionate, evidence based practice. Your leadership will ensure that care environments remain safe, clean, and responsive to the needs of women, birthing people, newborns, and their families.
Leadership & Professional Standards
- Provide forward-thinking leadership that inspires confidence and fosters a culture of learning and improvement.
- Support senior midwives through coaching, structured development, and clear objective setting.
- Promote a just and fair culture, addressing concerns and supporting conflict resolution where required.
Governance, Safety & Quality Improvement
- Embed effective governance structures, ensuring timely response to incidents, complaints, and clinical concerns.
- Lead and contribute to investigations, ensuring shared learning and measurable improvements.
- Analyse data from safety systems, KPIs, staffing tools, and patient feedback to inform decision-making.
- Produce regular assurance reports for governance meetings, demonstrating safe and effective service delivery.
Patient Care & Experience
- Champion family centred, equitable care that meets individual needs and reduces health inequalities.
- Communicate complex or sensitive information with empathy and professionalism.
- Ensure robust recordkeeping and adherence to evidence based guidelines.
Service Development & Transformation
- Lead the implementation of maternity safety initiatives, national priorities, and LMNS objectives.
- Support digital transformation, innovation, and the development of new models of care.
- Engage with service users and families to codesign improvements and evaluate change.
- Oversee business continuity planning and support operational resilience across maternity pathways.
Workforce, Resources & Finance
- Lead recruitment, retention, induction, and deployment of staff, ensuring safe and effective skill mix.
- Monitor training compliance, appraisals, and staff wellbeing across inpatient areas.
- Manage budgets, equipment, staffing resources, and service environments efficiently.
Communication & Partnership Working
- Represent maternity services in local, regional, and national forums.
- Build collaborative relationships with obstetric teams, governance units, primary care, commissioners, education providers, and patient experience teams.
- Facilitate seamless communication across organisational boundaries to support safe, coordinated care.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Master's Degree or working towards or equivalent exponential experience at senior levelEvidence of Continuing Professional Development.Neonatal Life Support
Desirable
- Evidence of Leadership course/management trainingPost-graduate management qualification and/or equivalent level of knowledge gained through extensive experience.
Experience
Essential
- Acute Health sector experience including multi-disciplinary professional workforce.
Desirable
- Track record of delivering clinical quality improvements and successful service change.Experience of audit and continuous quality improvement.Change management skills.
Additional Criteria
Essential
- A sound understanding of National Midwifery / nursing and Patient Agendas.Understanding and experience of regulatory (MIS, CQC) maternity standards
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Master's Degree or working towards or equivalent exponential experience at senior levelEvidence of Continuing Professional Development.Neonatal Life Support
Desirable
- Evidence of Leadership course/management trainingPost-graduate management qualification and/or equivalent level of knowledge gained through extensive experience.
Experience
Essential
- Acute Health sector experience including multi-disciplinary professional workforce.
Desirable
- Track record of delivering clinical quality improvements and successful service change.Experience of audit and continuous quality improvement.Change management skills.
Additional Criteria
Essential
- A sound understanding of National Midwifery / nursing and Patient Agendas.Understanding and experience of regulatory (MIS, CQC) maternity standards
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.
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.
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).
