Devon Partnership NHS Trust

Associate Director of Nursing and Allied Professions

The closing date is 26 August 2025

Job summary

About the Role

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a 9-month secondment to the role of Associate Director of Nursing and Allied Professions at Devon Partnership NHS Trust, based at Wonford House in Exeter. This is a pivotal leadership position, offering a unique opportunity to shape professional practice and deliver meaningful improvements in patient experience, safety, and service quality.

The successful applicant will join the senior leadership team during a dynamic period, providing strategic and operational leadership across nursing and allied health professions. This role is integral in ensuring our professional workforce is well-equipped, confident, and empowered to meet the challenges of a complex and evolving health and social care environment.

Who We Are Looking For

We are seeking an inspiring, inclusive, and values-driven leader with:

Significant senior-level leadership experience in health or social care.
A proven ability to lead professional practice improvement and workforce development.
Excellent strategic thinking and influencing skills.
A strong commitment to person-centred care and co-production.
Professional registration in nursing, psychology, AHP, or social work.

This secondment offers an excellent opportunity to develop strategic leadership experience and make a lasting impact on the future of care in Devon.

Main duties of the job

Key Responsibilities

The Associate Director of Nursing will:

Provide exceptional professional leadership across nursing and allied health professions, with a relentless focus on patient safety, quality, and experience.
Play a key role in the development of Trust strategy and business planning, representing the voices and ideas of the professional workforce.
Lead the development of a skilled, adaptable, and values-led professional workforce aligned with the Trusts strategic priorities.
Ensure services are reliable, responsive, and deliver a positive experience to all who use them.
Drive continuous improvement in quality and safety, including oversight of systems to monitor standards of care, address shortfalls, and embed learning.
Lead the development and implementation of the Trust's professional strategy, covering nursing, social work, occupational therapy, psychology, allied health professions, and non-affiliated therapy practitioners.
Oversee governance systems for the professions in line with best practice and regulatory requirements
Hold direct leadership responsibility for one professional discipline, incorporating the Head of Profession role for their field.

About us

About Devon Partnership Trust

We provide mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity services, as well as a range of specialist & secure services for the wider south west region & nationally. We are passionate about promoting good mental health & wellbeing. We strive to use the expertise & resources within our organisation, and through our partnerships, to deliver high quality services that are safe & focused on people's recovery.

We are committed to developing a culture of coproduction, involving patients, families & carers in everything we do

Our values

We not only recruit based on qualifications & experience - we recruit individuals who possess & demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. These include such attributes as showing a commitment to quality of care, improving lives of others, giving respect, dignity & compassion. We can bring those values to life in our everyday tasks by giving a smile; making time for people; challenging ourselves & others, & being open to new ideas.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer & applications are encouraged & welcomed from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics as governed by the Equality Act 2010. Part time & flexible working applications will be considered & supported, where possible. We particularly encourage applicants with lived experience of mental health conditions, neurodiversity or learning disabilities. We are a Disability Confident Leader.

Date posted

18 August 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8d

Salary

£91,342 to £105,337 a year

Contract

Secondment

Duration

9 months

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

C9369-25-0625

Job locations

Wonford House

Dryden Road

Exeter

Devon

EX2 5AF

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please refer to the full Job Description and Person specification attached to this advert which will provide further information on this role.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please refer to the full Job Description and Person specification attached to this advert which will provide further information on this role.

Person Specification

Knowledge

Essential

Specialist in depth professional knowledge across a number of disciplines e.g. financial management, performance management, staff management etc. acquired through training and experience over an extended period
Detailed working knowledge of the NHS and Local Government policies relating to Mental Health together with the good knowledge of principal policy and financial determinants.
Knowledge of the professional/revalidation requirements of Nursing, Psychology, Social Work and Occupational Therapy.
Detailed working knowledge of CQUIN, CQRM and contracting targets and requirements

Other

Essential

Mobility throughout the area covered by the Trust and within the SHA region/nationally.

Qualifications

Essential

Professional qualification and registration
Registered Nurse with either an RMN, RNMH or RGN
Specialist training to doctorate or equivalent experience/competence
Management Qualification or equivalent significant management experience
Evidence of Continued Professional Development.
Advances skills in IT packages

Experience

Essential

Substantial Head of Profession/Management Experience in the delivery of Mental Health and /or related healthcare services demonstrating effective track record of managing complex services and large budgets.
Demonstrable Experience of identifying and delivering professional development and improving standards of professional care.
Direct experience of managing / leading change management

Person Specification

Knowledge

Essential

Specialist in depth professional knowledge across a number of disciplines e.g. financial management, performance management, staff management etc. acquired through training and experience over an extended period
Detailed working knowledge of the NHS and Local Government policies relating to Mental Health together with the good knowledge of principal policy and financial determinants.
Knowledge of the professional/revalidation requirements of Nursing, Psychology, Social Work and Occupational Therapy.
Detailed working knowledge of CQUIN, CQRM and contracting targets and requirements

Other

Essential

Mobility throughout the area covered by the Trust and within the SHA region/nationally.

Qualifications

Essential

Professional qualification and registration
Registered Nurse with either an RMN, RNMH or RGN
Specialist training to doctorate or equivalent experience/competence
Management Qualification or equivalent significant management experience
Evidence of Continued Professional Development.
Advances skills in IT packages

Experience

Essential

Substantial Head of Profession/Management Experience in the delivery of Mental Health and /or related healthcare services demonstrating effective track record of managing complex services and large budgets.
Demonstrable Experience of identifying and delivering professional development and improving standards of professional care.
Direct experience of managing / leading change management

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.