Job summary
We are seeking an exceptional, inspiring and experienced nursing leader to join us as Associate Director of Nursing for Babies, Children and Young People at The Royal London Children's Hospital.
As a key member of the Divisional Leadership Team, working alongside the Divisional Director and Divisional Director of Operations, you will play a central role in shaping our journey from Good to Outstanding - not only as a place to receive care, but as a place where colleagues thrive and feel proud to work.
In this high-profile role, you will:
Lead nursing teams across all BCYP services, including acute and specialty wards, Neonatal and Paediatric Critical Care.
Ensure delivery of safe, evidence-based, compassionate, and family-centred care.
Strengthen patient pathways, drive service improvement, and elevate the experience of patients, families, and colleagues.
Shape strategic initiatives and professional standards, acting as a trusted advisor and advocate for children and young people across the Trust.
This is an opportunity to lead, influence, and shape children's services across multiple sites with in Barts Health
About YouWe are looking for a dynamic leader who can:
Envision and implement future models of nursing care
Drive improvement through engagement, collaboration and clinical credibility
Foster high-performing teams and positive working cultures
Main duties of the job
The Associate Director of Nursing (ADoN) for Children is the most senior professional nursing leader for Babies, Children and Young People's (BCYP) services across the Royal London Hospital, Mile End Hospital, and associated community services. As a key member of the BCYP Divisional Triumvirate, the ADoN is accountable for delivering high-quality, safe, effective, efficient, and compassionate care aligned with Barts Health's vision, values, and Safe & Compassionate programme.
This role provides strategic direction, professional leadership, and operational oversight for children's nursing services across acute, ambulatory, and community pathways. The postholder is part of the Trust's senior nursing leadership team for BCYP, championing the Young Barts Health vision and ensuring children's rights, voices, and experiences shape service design and delivery.
The ADoN will work collaboratively with colleagues across Barts Health (Royal London, Mile End, Whipps Cross, Newham, St Bartholomew's, and community services), Local Authorities, Primary Care Networks, Higher Education Institutions, the North Thames Paediatric Network, Integrated Care Systems, NHS England, and professional networks such as the Association of Chief Children's Nurses (ACCN). The postholder will drive integrated models of care, strengthen healthcare transition pathways, reduce inequalities, and build a sustainable, skilled, and empowered workforce for the future.
About us
Barts Health is one of the largest NHS trusts in the country, and one of Britain's leading healthcare providers.
The Barts Health group of NHS hospitals is entering an exciting new era on our improvement journey to becoming an outstanding organisation with a world-class clinical reputation. Having lifted ourselves out of special measures, we now have the impetus and breathing space to chart a fresh course in which we are continually striving to improve all our services for patients.
Our vision is to be a high-performing group of NHS hospitals, renowned for excellence and innovation, and providing safe and compassionate care to our patients in east London and beyond. That means being a provider of excellent patient safety, known for delivering consistently high standards of harm-free care and always caring for patients in the right place at the right time. It also means being an outstanding place to work, in which our WeCare values and behaviours are visible to all and guide us in how we work together.
We strive to live by our WeCare values and are committed to promoting inclusion, where every staff member has a sense of belonging. We value our differences and fully advocate, cultivate and support an inclusive working environment.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience, and knowledge required. For both documents, please view the attachment/s below.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience, and knowledge required. For both documents, please view the attachment/s below.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Registered Children's nurse
- Relevant teaching experience
- Master's degree or relevant experience
- Senior NHS management experience as a Children's Nurse
- Experience of quality and risk management
- Experience of managing multi professional groups
- Significant experience of budgetary management (with evidence of control).
- Experience of developing new services
- Patient and Public Involvement in Service Design
- Strategic working
- Commitment to personal staff and organisational development, to create a culture in which staff feel involved and empowered.
- Self-confident and emotionally resilient.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to provide and receive complex information
Desirable
- Management Qualification
- Experience of Neonatal care
Knowledge
Essential
- Involvement in Information Governance processes and dealing with Confidentiality issues
- Up to date knowledge and understanding of key issues and drivers within the National Children's/Neonatal agenda
- Proven evidence of audit and research based skills
- Involvement in clinical governance and risk management processes, safeguarding and infection control.
Qualifications
Essential
- First level Registered Children's Nurse
- First Degree or equivalent level of knowledge and experience gained in a relevant environment
- Teaching Qualification (997/SLIPS or equivalent)
- Recognised Leadership Qualification or equivalent experience
- Evidence of commitment to continuous learning and application in practice
- A Masters level qualification in relevant subject or evidence of equivalent knowledge and experience
- Advanced theoretical and practical knowledge of Children practice, policy and service delivery, acquired through specialist training or equivalent experiential learning
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Registered Children's nurse
- Relevant teaching experience
- Master's degree or relevant experience
- Senior NHS management experience as a Children's Nurse
- Experience of quality and risk management
- Experience of managing multi professional groups
- Significant experience of budgetary management (with evidence of control).
- Experience of developing new services
- Patient and Public Involvement in Service Design
- Strategic working
- Commitment to personal staff and organisational development, to create a culture in which staff feel involved and empowered.
- Self-confident and emotionally resilient.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to provide and receive complex information
Desirable
- Management Qualification
- Experience of Neonatal care
Knowledge
Essential
- Involvement in Information Governance processes and dealing with Confidentiality issues
- Up to date knowledge and understanding of key issues and drivers within the National Children's/Neonatal agenda
- Proven evidence of audit and research based skills
- Involvement in clinical governance and risk management processes, safeguarding and infection control.
Qualifications
Essential
- First level Registered Children's Nurse
- First Degree or equivalent level of knowledge and experience gained in a relevant environment
- Teaching Qualification (997/SLIPS or equivalent)
- Recognised Leadership Qualification or equivalent experience
- Evidence of commitment to continuous learning and application in practice
- A Masters level qualification in relevant subject or evidence of equivalent knowledge and experience
- Advanced theoretical and practical knowledge of Children practice, policy and service delivery, acquired through specialist training or equivalent experiential learning
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).
