Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and motivated Midwife to undertake the role of Delivery Suite Ward Manager, providing strong clinical, operational, and professional leadership within a busy intrapartum service.
The Ward Manager will provide visible and effective leadership to midwives, maternity support workers, students, and the wider multidisciplinary team, fostering an environment of psychological safety, learning, and continuous improvement. The post holder will work closely with the Inpatient Matron, Deputy Head of Midwifery, Head of Midwifery, and Lead Obstetrician to ensure care pathways reflect best practice, remain women-centred, and meet local and national safety standards.
The post holder will hold overall responsibility for the operational management of the clinical area at ward level, ensuring safe staffing, effective patient flow, and high standards of clinical care. They will act as a professional role model, providing compassionate and supportive leadership, and ensuring the team is enabled to deliver evidence-based, high-quality care.
In addition, the Ward Manager will provide clinical and managerial leadership to staff up to and including Band 6, supporting supervision, performance, and development. The post holder will work in partnership with the Inpatient Matron to develop the service, strengthen safety culture, and support ongoing improvement across the maternity unit.
Main duties of the job
- Take responsibility for ward-level management, including oversight of safe staffing, patient flow, risk management, and coordination of activity across Delivery Suite.
- Act as a visible and supportive leader to midwives, maternity support workers, students, and the multidisciplinary team, promoting psychological safety, compassionate leadership, and a positive team culture.
- Undertake bleep holder duties as required, providing senior operational oversight, supporting escalation of concerns, and ensuring safe coordination of the maternity service.
- Work in partnership with the Inpatient Matron, Head of Midwifery, and Lead Obstetrician to ensure care is evidence-based, women-centred, and aligned with national guidance, CNST, and CQC standards.
- Provide clinical and managerial leadership to staff up to Band 6, including supervision, appraisal, performance management, and supporting staff wellbeing and development.
- Support governance, incident review, complaints management, audit, and quality improvement, including the use of systems such as InPhase, ensuring learning is embedded into practice.
- Contribute to workforce planning and rostering, ensuring safe staffing levels and appropriate skill mix in line with service demands.
- Participate in flexible working arrangements as required, including cross-site working, operational cover, and supporting the wider maternity leadership team.
About us
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.
Our valuesWe not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity, and creating a culture that values differences.Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Job Description and Person Specification are attached to this job, please review for the full details and responsibilities
- Provide clinical, operational, and professional leadership within Delivery Suite, ensuring safe and effective day-to-day management of the intrapartum service.
- Maintain oversight of staffing, patient flow, risk management, and coordination of activity across Delivery Suite, Triage, and associated areas.
- Act as a visible leader, promoting psychological safety, compassionate leadership, and a positive team culture.
- Undertake bleep holder duties, supporting escalation and safe service coordination.
- Provide leadership, supervision, and performance support to staff up to Band 6.
- Support governance, incidents, audit, and quality improvement, including use of InPhase.
- Work collaboratively with the multidisciplinary team and contribute to workforce planning and service development.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Job Description and Person Specification are attached to this job, please review for the full details and responsibilities
- Provide clinical, operational, and professional leadership within Delivery Suite, ensuring safe and effective day-to-day management of the intrapartum service.
- Maintain oversight of staffing, patient flow, risk management, and coordination of activity across Delivery Suite, Triage, and associated areas.
- Act as a visible leader, promoting psychological safety, compassionate leadership, and a positive team culture.
- Undertake bleep holder duties, supporting escalation and safe service coordination.
- Provide leadership, supervision, and performance support to staff up to Band 6.
- Support governance, incidents, audit, and quality improvement, including use of InPhase.
- Work collaboratively with the multidisciplinary team and contribute to workforce planning and service development.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Registered Midwife
- Evidence of Degree or Masters qualification
- Evidence of ongoing professional development
Desirable
- Management qualification/leadership course
- Newborn Life Support (NLS) Course
Experience
Essential
- Relevant post-registration experience in the specialty at band 6 level or higher
- Substantial clinical experience
- Evidence of the application of management/leadership skills and autonomous practice
Desirable
- Previous management experience
- Involvement in audit
- Budget and resource management
Knowledge
Essential
- Organisational and negotiation skills
- Leadership & motivation skills
- Evidence of audit and change management ability
- Ability to take managerial and professional responsibility for team and staff.
- Ability to motivate self and others Lead and facilitate change
- Excellent IT skills including Excel
Desirable
Personal Skills
Essential
- Effective communicator both written and verbal
- Demonstrate good leadership and organisation skills.
- Ability to think logically, prioritise and use initiative
- Personal and professional maturity
- Team focussed, Reliable, Adaptable and Dependable
Desirable
- Participation in guideline development
- Counselling skills.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Registered Midwife
- Evidence of Degree or Masters qualification
- Evidence of ongoing professional development
Desirable
- Management qualification/leadership course
- Newborn Life Support (NLS) Course
Experience
Essential
- Relevant post-registration experience in the specialty at band 6 level or higher
- Substantial clinical experience
- Evidence of the application of management/leadership skills and autonomous practice
Desirable
- Previous management experience
- Involvement in audit
- Budget and resource management
Knowledge
Essential
- Organisational and negotiation skills
- Leadership & motivation skills
- Evidence of audit and change management ability
- Ability to take managerial and professional responsibility for team and staff.
- Ability to motivate self and others Lead and facilitate change
- Excellent IT skills including Excel
Desirable
Personal Skills
Essential
- Effective communicator both written and verbal
- Demonstrate good leadership and organisation skills.
- Ability to think logically, prioritise and use initiative
- Personal and professional maturity
- Team focussed, Reliable, Adaptable and Dependable
Desirable
- Participation in guideline development
- Counselling skills.
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).
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