Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Chief Nursing Officer

The closing date is 16 January 2026

Job summary

We have a pivotal opportunity for an experienced, values-based, senior nursing leader to join Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust as our Chief Nursing Officer.

This is an Executive Director role and a voting member of the Trust Board, responsible for providing visible, strategic and compassionate leadership. The postholder will be the professional lead for nurses, healthcare assistants, psychological therapies, allied health professionals and social workers and, as such, be pivotal in recruiting, retaining and developing our current workforce and the workforce of the future. In addition, they will be lead for quality with specific responsibility for quality planning and governance, safety including safeguarding and health and safety, and physical healthcare, including being the Director for Infection Prevention and Control. The role plays a significant system-wide influence across the Sussex Health and Care Integrated Care System, Provider Collaboratives, academic partners and national networks.

As part of the recruitment process, there will be an opportunity for initial engagement and enquiry conversations. The interview process will involve multi-stage assessments including stakeholder sessions and a final interview panel. All associated dates and further information about the Trust is set out in the Candidate Information Pack.

This is a high-impact, values-led leadership role at a key moment in our strategic journey.

Main duties of the job

oHold statutory Executive Director responsibilities, including Director of Infection Prevention and Control, Trust Lead for Safeguarding, Health and Safety, and SRO for safety, quality planning and assurance

oProvide strategic leadership and professional oversight for nursing, healthcare assistants, psychology, allied health professions, social care and support staff, ensuring strong professional identity, regulation, education, staffing, standards and career development

oLead for 'quality' implementing of the Quality Star, through partnership working with the executive team, taking the senior responsible officer role for quality planning, assurance and safety

oLead implementation of Patient Safety Incident Response Framework, never events, inquests, learning from incidents, safeguarding and restrictive practice, embedding relational, psychologically safe and restorative approaches ensuring learning is shared and embedded across the organisation resulting in continuous quality improvement

oPromote a compassionate culture rooted in learning, professional voice, speaking up and inclusion, representing the Trust internally and externally at senior system and national levels

oWork in triumvirate with the CMO and COO to align operational delivery, clinical leadership, workforce, governance and transformation priorities

oProvide visible and authentic leadership across inpatient and community settings, demonstrating the Trust values and role-modelling high professional standards

About us

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist provider of mental health, learning disability and neurodevelopmental services, serving a population of approximately 1.7 million across East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton & Hove. We also provide regional and national specialist services and lead three NHS Provider Collaboratives.

We employ around 6,000 staff and are a university teaching Trust with strong academic links to Brighton and Sussex Medical School, the University of Sussex, the University of Brighton and national research partners.

We are a values-led organisation, proud to be a Disability Confident Employer and Armed Forces Covenant Gold Member. We actively promote compassionate, restorative and inclusive leadership and support career development, wellbeing, flexible working and staff networks, including lived experience, ethnic minority, LGBTQIA+, disability, neurodivergent, spirituality, women's and armed forces networks.

Our vision is: Great care and improved outcomes together.

Date posted

10 December 2025

Pay scheme

Very senior manager (VSM)

Salary

Depending on experience Dependent on experience

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

354-CO-21806

Job locations

Portland House

Worthing

BN11 1HS

Job description

Job responsibilities

This is a Board-level executive role with professional registration. Fit and proper person test and enhanced disclosure required.

The Chief Nursing Officer is responsible for:

Quality leadership, quality planning, quality assurance, safety, and quality reporting

Professional regulation and leadership for nursing, psychology, allied health professionals and social care professions

Executive responsibility for DIPC, safeguarding, Health and Safety and Human Rights-based practice

Championing restorative and just culture, incident learning, continuous improvement and PSIRF

Leading professional workforce strategy, education, regulation, retention, career pathways and research

Providing expert advice to the Board on professional standards, quality, experience, safety and workforce

Promoting psychologically safe, evidence-led, values-based professional practice

Working collaboratively with executive colleagues, ICS partners, regulators and academic networks.

For full details, including the interview details and key dates, please refer to the Job Description and Person Specification within the Candidate Pack.