Job summary
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is seeking an exceptional
and visionary Director of Midwifery to help lead the transformation of
services and shape the future of our maternity care. This pivotal senior
leadership role is crucial to delivering safe, compassionate, and outstanding
care for women, babies, and families across our hospital sites.
As the most senior midwife in the Trust, you will provide
strategic, clinical, and professional leadership across a complex and diverse
service. You will work closely with the Chief Nurse, Medical Director, and
wider senior teams to drive continuous improvement, innovation, and excellence
in care. Your role will be key in championing the voice of midwifery and
ensuring alignment with national standards, quality indicators, safeguarding
priorities, and workforce development.
You will be a visible and inspirational leader, shaping
maternity services to meet the needs of our large and varied population.
Shortlisting date: 24/25th November 2025
Interview date: 3rd December 2025
Main duties of the job
This post will play a vital role in leading the improvement programme for maternity services. They will develop and implement the strategy and vision for maternity services within Leeds teaching hospitals Trust (LTHT). The Director of Midwifery (DOM) will be responsible for leading the midwifery profession and will oversee measures to safeguard and develop quality and safety in maternity care, through excellence in midwifery. Setting and meeting high standards of care through active, visible leadership are key components of this role to ensure safe and effective care to women and families.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead the improvement priorities for midwifery services
- Lead the strategic and operational delivery of high-quality maternity and care
- Foster a culture of safety, personalised care, and continuous improvement
- Collaborate across senior leadership and clinical teams to embed best practice and innovation
- Provide expert midwifery advice and leadership to the Trust and Care Groups
- Champion workforce development and staff wellbeing within midwifery teams
About us
Our values are part of what make us different from other
trusts, so we see this as a strength, as well as a responsibility. They have
been developed by our staff and set out what they see as important to how we
work. Our five values are:
- Patient-centered
- Collaborative
- Fair
- Accountable
- Empowered
All our actions and endeavours will be guided and evaluated
through these values.
What we offer
- The opportunity to lead transformative change in a nationally recognized
Trust
- A supportive and collaborative senior leadership environment
- The chance to make a real difference to the health and wellbeing of women and
families across Leeds.
If you are a passionate and experienced midwifery leader
with a clear vision for service excellence, we want to hear from you.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The DOM will provide professional, clinical and strategic
leadership to colleagues and to the local maternity and neonatal system (LMNS)
and regional maternity transformation programmes, ensuring all standards are
met or exceeded. This post is a pivotal member of the Womens Services
Directorate.
The Job Description is available in as an attachment to this advertisement, this
includes, but is not limited to:
Registered Midwife on the NMC register
Previous Head of Midwifery in a large Teaching Hospital role
Educated to Masters level.
Experience of patient/service user engagement and
involvement
Knowledge, understanding and application of contemporary
national policy relevant both to maternity services and professional practice
Extensive experience (minimum of five years) at senior
midwifery level working in either corporate or senior management / leadership
post within maternity services
Experience of leading or managing significant service change
including staff consultation and engagement in a complex environment.
Demonstrable experience of establishing effective governance
systems to manage and maintain safe effective care.
Excellent written and oral presentation skills, including
the ability to actively listen, analyse, interpret and report complex data and
promote discussion and problem solving.
Able to effectively articulate a coherent vision for
maternity services to motivate others.
Able to use influencing skills to develop standards and
services using appropriate networks to develop and maintain relationships, both
internal and external to the Trust.
Demonstrable commitment to improving diversity and
inclusion.
Collaborative and flexible leadership style to meet
organisational and service needs.
Resilient to overcome challenges and proactively respond to
organisational or service demands.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The DOM will provide professional, clinical and strategic
leadership to colleagues and to the local maternity and neonatal system (LMNS)
and regional maternity transformation programmes, ensuring all standards are
met or exceeded. This post is a pivotal member of the Womens Services
Directorate.
The Job Description is available in as an attachment to this advertisement, this
includes, but is not limited to:
Registered Midwife on the NMC register
Previous Head of Midwifery in a large Teaching Hospital role
Educated to Masters level.
Experience of patient/service user engagement and
involvement
Knowledge, understanding and application of contemporary
national policy relevant both to maternity services and professional practice
Extensive experience (minimum of five years) at senior
midwifery level working in either corporate or senior management / leadership
post within maternity services
Experience of leading or managing significant service change
including staff consultation and engagement in a complex environment.
Demonstrable experience of establishing effective governance
systems to manage and maintain safe effective care.
Excellent written and oral presentation skills, including
the ability to actively listen, analyse, interpret and report complex data and
promote discussion and problem solving.
Able to effectively articulate a coherent vision for
maternity services to motivate others.
Able to use influencing skills to develop standards and
services using appropriate networks to develop and maintain relationships, both
internal and external to the Trust.
Demonstrable commitment to improving diversity and
inclusion.
Collaborative and flexible leadership style to meet
organisational and service needs.
Resilient to overcome challenges and proactively respond to
organisational or service demands.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Experience of HoM role in large organisation
Role Criteria
Desirable
- To provide outstanding personal and professional leadership to community and hospital midwifery and neonatal services acting as a role model and champion of professional excellence and innovation both within LTHT, across the LMNS, the wider region and nationally.
- To act as a senior member of the Womens Services Directorate, Chief Nurse CSU the Executive Chief Nurse Team, contributing to the development and delivery of the full range of Trust plans.
- To be accountable for the safe, effective delivery of all midwifery and neonatal care, integrated across hospital and community.
- To hold delegated responsibility on behalf of the Executive Chief Nurse to ensure the Trust fulfils its statutory duties in relation to midwifery and provide assurance directly to the CN and the Trust Board as required.
- To advocate for and ensure that LTHT has highly effective mechanisms for working with and involving women and families and ensuring that engagement effectively addresses health inequalities in the populations served.
- Develops and shapes the midwifery contribution to the Trust strategy and provides assurance against measured outcomes for the delivery of a quality people centred care.
- To develop and implement workforce and education strategies and plans for maternity and neonatal services that support the achievement of LTHT strategic priorities and that influence and successfully implement national midwifery workforce strategies.
- To drive and develop innovation across maternity and neonatal services and research, ensuring that, LTHT plays a leading role in introduction and adoption of best practice and translation of research. Ensure that the midwifery profession is actively engaged with the emergent Nursing, Midwifery Allied Health Professionals Research Institute.
- Represent the Trust on partnership and professional bodies, including the Local Maternity Neonatal System, acting as the key point of contact across the Integrated Care System, working closely with Maternity Voices Partnership representatives.
- To contribute to the clinical leadership and management of the wider Trust, ensuring that the voice of midwifery is strong and effective, representing LTHT nationally.
- Lead transformation and change in care using contemporary Improvement Methodology aligned with Leeds Improvement Method.
Qualifications
Essential
- Registered Midwife on the NMC register
- Evidence of masters level education
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Experience of HoM role in large organisation
Role Criteria
Desirable
- To provide outstanding personal and professional leadership to community and hospital midwifery and neonatal services acting as a role model and champion of professional excellence and innovation both within LTHT, across the LMNS, the wider region and nationally.
- To act as a senior member of the Womens Services Directorate, Chief Nurse CSU the Executive Chief Nurse Team, contributing to the development and delivery of the full range of Trust plans.
- To be accountable for the safe, effective delivery of all midwifery and neonatal care, integrated across hospital and community.
- To hold delegated responsibility on behalf of the Executive Chief Nurse to ensure the Trust fulfils its statutory duties in relation to midwifery and provide assurance directly to the CN and the Trust Board as required.
- To advocate for and ensure that LTHT has highly effective mechanisms for working with and involving women and families and ensuring that engagement effectively addresses health inequalities in the populations served.
- Develops and shapes the midwifery contribution to the Trust strategy and provides assurance against measured outcomes for the delivery of a quality people centred care.
- To develop and implement workforce and education strategies and plans for maternity and neonatal services that support the achievement of LTHT strategic priorities and that influence and successfully implement national midwifery workforce strategies.
- To drive and develop innovation across maternity and neonatal services and research, ensuring that, LTHT plays a leading role in introduction and adoption of best practice and translation of research. Ensure that the midwifery profession is actively engaged with the emergent Nursing, Midwifery Allied Health Professionals Research Institute.
- Represent the Trust on partnership and professional bodies, including the Local Maternity Neonatal System, acting as the key point of contact across the Integrated Care System, working closely with Maternity Voices Partnership representatives.
- To contribute to the clinical leadership and management of the wider Trust, ensuring that the voice of midwifery is strong and effective, representing LTHT nationally.
- Lead transformation and change in care using contemporary Improvement Methodology aligned with Leeds Improvement Method.
Qualifications
Essential
- Registered Midwife on the NMC register
- Evidence of masters level education
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).
