Job summary
Ward Manger - Senior Sister/Charge Nurse
Department: Neonatal Unit
Band: 7, £47,810 - £54,710 per annum
Hours: 37.5 per week, all MKUH roles will be considered for flexible working
Are you an experienced, expert leader in neonatal care with a specialty qualification? We have an exciting opportunity to join our friendly, senior neonatal leadership team. You'll play a crucial role in maintaining high standards of care, developing services, and compassionately leading the team.The ideal candidate will demonstrate proven leadership qualities, showcase clinical excellence and promote innovative practice while working closely with the multidisciplinary team. You'll manage day-to-day activities across ITU, HDU, and Special Care. Ensuring effective and safe decision-making.
In addition to your leadership responsibilities, you'll actively participate in staff management and leadership, leveraging your outstanding communication skills to foster a collaborative work environment and encompass the FI care aspect of our unit.
Familiarity with risk, governance, and safeguarding processes is essential to excel in this role.
If you're passionate about neonatal care and ready to make a difference, we want to hear from you. Join us in providing the best care to our patients and become an integral part of our dedicated team
Interview 11 November 2025
Main duties of the job
'We care We communicate We collaborate We contribute'
To work in consultation with the Matron for Neonatal Services to provide the highest standard of clinical nursing care to premature infants through multidisciplinary working and evidence-based practice. Working most closely with the medical, nursing and managerial staff within the directorate, the post holder will also ensure resources are efficiently used through evidence-based pathways of care.
The post holder will also provide professional and managerial leadership through direct line management of the nursing team and be expected to work clinical shifts to maintain skills and knowledge.
Will be responsible for maintaining an environment which is conducive to the delivery and maintenance of a high standard of patient centred care, and the ongoing good communication and relationships between staff, patients, relatives and visitors.
Managing the unit resources well, ensuring there is an effective nursing team which is developed and supported; delivering evidence-based care that meets current guidelines and research recommendations.
The post holder must be accountable for your own professional actions and to be directly responsible for the team within their unit.Leading the team in accordance with the NMC code of professional conduct and Trust policies and procedures.
About us
Milton Keynes University Hospital, in proud partnership with the University of Buckingham, is a University Teaching Hospital committed to advancing patient care through cutting-edge research and education. With a "Good" rating from the CQC and significant investment underway, this is an exciting time to join our team and grow your career.
As a medium sized general hospital, we provide a full range of general medical and surgical services, including a busy Emergency Department, Maternity, and Paediatrics. As the population of our city and surrounding areas continues to grow rapidly, we are expanding and enhancing our facilities to meet rising demand and improve access to care for all our communities.
We are also proud to offer a growing portfolio of specialist services. In January 2025 we opened our state-of-the-art Radiotherapy Centre, bringing advanced cancer treatment closer to home. Our services also include neonatology, specialist surgical care, and a wide range of diagnostics, supported by the new Community Diagnostic Centre at Whitehouse Health Centre.
Further investment is underway, including the construction of Oak Wards - a new ward block featuring two 24-bed wards - and the recently approved Women and Children's Centre, set to open by 2030.
Visit our website to explore the latest news and opportunities at MKUH - News - Milton Keynes University Hospital -
For further information about Milton Keynes please visit - Visit Milton Keynes
Job description
Job responsibilities
Main duties and responsibilities
(Please note that Childrens Services encompass both Paediatric and Neonatal Services within the organisation).
Professional
To act as an effective leader both professionally and managerially for all members of staff across the Neonatal Unit.
To be responsible for ensuring the provision of high quality and evidence-based care within the Neonatal Unit and to ensure a positive patient and family experience.
Management
Be responsible for the day-to-day management of the unit and to be a point of contact for all unit staff as required.
To demonstrate a professional approach to the leadership and management of staff within the Neonatal department and Division, by creating an environment in which excellence in clinical practice will flourish.
Clinical Practice
Provide a visible, accessible, and authoritative presence within the department in whom staff, patients and families can have confidence and turn to for assistance, advice, support and, where appropriate, intervention.
To maintain the highest standards of patient care at all times, ensuring that quality and compassion are your top priorities.
Education
Ensure all team members maintain their mandatory and essential training in line with the minimum target set by the Trust and the Division.
To participate in teaching and supporting others in the education of students, junior staff and wider team and to ensure their environment is conducive to learning.
Please refer to the Job Description for further details
Job description
Job responsibilities
Main duties and responsibilities
(Please note that Childrens Services encompass both Paediatric and Neonatal Services within the organisation).
Professional
To act as an effective leader both professionally and managerially for all members of staff across the Neonatal Unit.
To be responsible for ensuring the provision of high quality and evidence-based care within the Neonatal Unit and to ensure a positive patient and family experience.
Management
Be responsible for the day-to-day management of the unit and to be a point of contact for all unit staff as required.
To demonstrate a professional approach to the leadership and management of staff within the Neonatal department and Division, by creating an environment in which excellence in clinical practice will flourish.
Clinical Practice
Provide a visible, accessible, and authoritative presence within the department in whom staff, patients and families can have confidence and turn to for assistance, advice, support and, where appropriate, intervention.
To maintain the highest standards of patient care at all times, ensuring that quality and compassion are your top priorities.
Education
Ensure all team members maintain their mandatory and essential training in line with the minimum target set by the Trust and the Division.
To participate in teaching and supporting others in the education of students, junior staff and wider team and to ensure their environment is conducive to learning.
Please refer to the Job Description for further details
Person Specification
Qualifications & Knowledge
Essential
- Registered Nurse (Child or Adult) or Registered Midwife
- Diploma or degree level education in relevant field
- Evidence of career progression and professional development
- Qualified in Specialty (Neonatal Course
- NLS Qualified
- Mentorship Qualification (or equivalent)
- Member of relevant professional body
Desirable
- Management/Leadership course
Experience
Essential
- Significant clinical experience in Neonatal Services post registration
- Relevant experience at a Band 6 level.
- Evidence of provision of high standards of care within Neonatal services.
- Evidence of multi-agency team working and developing relationships across organisational boundaries.
- Knowledge of NHS structures and the relationship between NHS England, local commissioning organisations and service providers
- Knowledge of national policy and evidence based practice to support the development of Neonatal Services
- Evidence of teaching/facilitating learning in practice.
- Evidence of effective leadership and management.
- Safeguarding experience.
- Audit/research experience.
- Effective service improvement and change management experience.
Desirable
- Knowledge of governance processes.
- Finance/budgetary management experience.
- Risk management experience
- Line management experience
- Evidence of policy/guideline development
Skills
Essential
- Evidence of expanded roles within clinical skills competency e.g. IV drug administration, central line access, intensive/high dependency care of a neonate, neonatal resuscitation and stabilisation (inc. term and preterm babies) etc
- Aware of current issues related to nursing, NHS and Neonatal Care.
- Evidence of application of evidence based practice to care provision.
- Evidence of leadership and staff development.
- Organisational ability
- Problem solving skills and ability to respond to sudden unexpected demands.
- Analytical skills.
- Demonstrates ability to prioritise.
- Excellent computer skills inc. working knowledge of Microsoft Office with intermediate keyboard skills.
- Appraisal skills.
- Ability to produce written reports with high level of detail
Personal & People Development
Essential
- Role model
- Experience of working in a busy environment.
- Adaptability, flexibility and ability to cope with uncertainty and change
- Professional calm and efficient manner; Effective organiser, influencer and networker
- Willing to engage with and learn from peers, other professionals and colleagues in the desire to provide or support the most appropriate interventions
- Ability to work as part of a team and independently.
- Enthusiasm / motivation.
- Good interpersonal skills.
- Professional image and persona.
Communication
Essential
- Advanced communication skills.
- Excellent verbal and non verbal communication and negotiation skills.
- Able to provide and receive complex, sensitive or contentious information and present to a range of stakeholders and large, influential groups.
- Ability to prepare and produce concise yet insightful communications for dissemination to senior stakeholders and a broad range of stakeholders as required
Desirable
- Experience of facilitating meetings, workshops and events.
Person Specification
Qualifications & Knowledge
Essential
- Registered Nurse (Child or Adult) or Registered Midwife
- Diploma or degree level education in relevant field
- Evidence of career progression and professional development
- Qualified in Specialty (Neonatal Course
- NLS Qualified
- Mentorship Qualification (or equivalent)
- Member of relevant professional body
Desirable
- Management/Leadership course
Experience
Essential
- Significant clinical experience in Neonatal Services post registration
- Relevant experience at a Band 6 level.
- Evidence of provision of high standards of care within Neonatal services.
- Evidence of multi-agency team working and developing relationships across organisational boundaries.
- Knowledge of NHS structures and the relationship between NHS England, local commissioning organisations and service providers
- Knowledge of national policy and evidence based practice to support the development of Neonatal Services
- Evidence of teaching/facilitating learning in practice.
- Evidence of effective leadership and management.
- Safeguarding experience.
- Audit/research experience.
- Effective service improvement and change management experience.
Desirable
- Knowledge of governance processes.
- Finance/budgetary management experience.
- Risk management experience
- Line management experience
- Evidence of policy/guideline development
Skills
Essential
- Evidence of expanded roles within clinical skills competency e.g. IV drug administration, central line access, intensive/high dependency care of a neonate, neonatal resuscitation and stabilisation (inc. term and preterm babies) etc
- Aware of current issues related to nursing, NHS and Neonatal Care.
- Evidence of application of evidence based practice to care provision.
- Evidence of leadership and staff development.
- Organisational ability
- Problem solving skills and ability to respond to sudden unexpected demands.
- Analytical skills.
- Demonstrates ability to prioritise.
- Excellent computer skills inc. working knowledge of Microsoft Office with intermediate keyboard skills.
- Appraisal skills.
- Ability to produce written reports with high level of detail
Personal & People Development
Essential
- Role model
- Experience of working in a busy environment.
- Adaptability, flexibility and ability to cope with uncertainty and change
- Professional calm and efficient manner; Effective organiser, influencer and networker
- Willing to engage with and learn from peers, other professionals and colleagues in the desire to provide or support the most appropriate interventions
- Ability to work as part of a team and independently.
- Enthusiasm / motivation.
- Good interpersonal skills.
- Professional image and persona.
Communication
Essential
- Advanced communication skills.
- Excellent verbal and non verbal communication and negotiation skills.
- Able to provide and receive complex, sensitive or contentious information and present to a range of stakeholders and large, influential groups.
- Ability to prepare and produce concise yet insightful communications for dissemination to senior stakeholders and a broad range of stakeholders as required
Desirable
- Experience of facilitating meetings, workshops and events.
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.
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
