Job summary
Closing Date: 16.11.2026
Shortlisting to take place after closing date: commencing 17.11.2026
Interview expected to take place in the week following shortlisting: commencing 23.11.2026
The Deputy Director of Nursing (Operations) is a senior nursing leader within the Clinical Service Unit (CSU), providing strategic and operational leadership to ensure the delivery of safe, effective, compassionate and inclusive care.
As a key member of the CSU Senior Leadership Team, the post holder is accountable for leading and providing assurance on nursing quality, professional standards, patient safety, patient experience, workforce performance and nursing workforce development across the CSU.
Working in partnership with the Director of Nursing (Operations), Clinical Director, General Manager and multidisciplinary colleagues, the post holder will contribute to the development and delivery of CSU and Trust strategic objectives, ensuring services are responsive, evidence based, sustainable and aligned to national priorities. The post holder will support the delivery of high quality clinical outcomes through effective governance, quality improvement, workforce transformation and the optimisation of resources.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will be accountable for providing professional leadership and assurance regarding the effective utilisation of nursing resources, workforce expenditure and delivery of agreed financial objectives across the CSU.
The post holder will provide leadership and support to the CSU Senior Leadership Team, contributing to the strategic direction of the CSU and supporting delivery of the Trust's strategic objectives, Quality Strategy and People priorities.
The post holder is expected to function at a senior level within the CSU, exercising professional judgement and initiative to resolve highly complex clinical, operational and workforce issues in accordance with professional standards, agreed Trust objectives, targets, quality standards and resource constraints.
The post holder will be accountable for the delivery and assurance of quality governance within the CSU, ensuring robust systems and processes are in place to monitor, improve and provide assurance in relation to patient safety, patient experience, clinical effectiveness and regulatory standards.
The post holder will be accountable for regulatory compliance and external assurance processes across the CSU, ensuring services maintain compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements and that actions arising from inspections, reviews and external assessments are implemented and sustained.
About us
Our People Charter outlines the behaviours we can expect from one another and what you can expect from Bradford Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust:
- We value people
- We are one team
- We care
We're keen to meet people who share these values and are passionate about delivering the highest quality of care to our patients.
Job description
Job responsibilities
please see the attached job description and person specification for more information regarding the requirements of this post.
Job description
Job responsibilities
please see the attached job description and person specification for more information regarding the requirements of this post.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Significant experience of providing strategic and operational nursing leadership within a large and complex healthcare organisation
- Experience of providing strategic nursing leadership across multiple services within an acute healthcare environment
- Experience of leading large-scale quality improvement, transformation and service redesign programmes with demonstrable organisational impact
- Experience of leading and developing senior nursing leaders, including Heads of Nursing or equivalent senior clinical leaders
- Experience of quality governance, risk management and regulatory assurance at organisational or CSU level
- Experience of leading workforce transformation, workforce planning and succession planning initiatives
- Experience of using quality, workforce, financial and performance data to provide assurance and influence strategic decision-making
- Experience of delivering service improvement through effective use of workforce resources, productivity and resource management
- Experience of providing assurance against regulatory standards including Care Quality Commission requirements
- Experience of leading organisational change and managing complex operational, professional and workforce issues
- Experience of managing financial resources, workforce expenditure and delivery of efficiency programmes
- Experience of working collaboratively across organisational, regional and system-wide boundaries
- Experience of presenting highly complex information to executive-level meetings, committees or boards
- Experience of coaching, mentoring and succession planning for future leaders
Desirable
- Experience of leading research, innovation or evidence-based practice programmes
- Experience of representing an organisation at regional or national forums
Skills
Essential
- Ability to provide strategic and operational leadership across a large and complex portfolio of services
- Ability to analyse and interpret highly complex quality, workforce, financial and operational data to inform decision-making
- Ability to provide assurance and challenge regarding governance, quality, workforce and organisational performance
- Ability to lead, influence and develop senior nursing leaders and multidisciplinary teams
- Excellent communication, negotiation and influencing skills with the ability to engage at executive and system level
- Ability to establish and maintain productive relationships with senior stakeholders internally and externally
- Ability to develop and communicate strategic vision and deliver organisational priorities through others
- Ability to manage highly complex situations requiring professional judgement, political awareness and organisational sensitivity
- Advanced written and verbal communication skills including report writing, assurance reporting and formal presentations
- Ability to work effectively under pressure whilst managing competing priorities and organisational risk
- Ability to utilise digital systems, workforce information and performance dashboards to support assurance, service improvement and operational decision-making.
- Ability to lead workforce transformation, productivity improvement and establishment management programmes
- Ability to lead large-scale quality improvement, innovation and transformation initiatives
- Well-developed leadership and influencing skills with the ability to motivate, empower and hold senior leaders accountable for delivery
- Demonstrates a patient-centred approach to service development and organisational decision-making
- Ability to promote psychological safety, inclusion and compassionate leadership at scale
- Excellent interpersonal skills including active listening, coaching and constructive challenge
- High level of personal credibility, resilience, self-motivation and commitment to performance improvement
- Strong sense of commitment to openness, integrity, accountability and professional standards.
- Ability to lead investigations and reviews relating to highly complex incidents, complaints, professional concerns and organisational risks
Desirable
- Experience of leading research, innovation or evidence-based practice programmes
Knowledge
Essential
- Understanding of Information Governance and Confidentiality
- Detailed knowledge of current NHS priorities, healthcare policy and national nursing agendas
- Detailed knowledge of clinical governance, patient safety and risk management frameworks
- Knowledge of quality improvement methodologies and implementation within healthcare settings
- Detailed knowledge of workforce planning, workforce transformation and workforce assurance frameworks
- Knowledge of workforce productivity measures, establishment management and strategic resource utilisation
- Detailed knowledge of regulatory requirements including Care Quality Commission standards and the Single Assessment Framework
- Knowledge of Board assurance processes and governance arrangements within NHS organisations
- Knowledge of professional nursing standards and the NMC Code
- Knowledge of quality, workforce, financial and operational performance metrics and their use in organisational assurance and improvement
- Knowledge of safeguarding children and adults legislation, policy and best practice
- Understanding of organisational development, talent management and succession planning principles
- Sound political judgement and organisational awareness with the ability to work effectively within complex healthcare systems
- Commitment to evidence-based practice, innovation and continuous improvement.
Desirable
- Understanding of research governance and the application of research findings into practice
Qualifications
Essential
- First level Registered Nurse with active NMC registration
- Degree or equivalent level of knowledge and experience gained in a relevant environment
- Master's Degree, Master's level study or equivalent experience operating at a senior level
- Recognised Leadership qualification or equivalent senior leadership experience
- Post-registration qualification or substantial professional development relevant to the role
- Evidence of continuing professional development and lifelong learning
Desirable
- Quality Improvement Qualification
- Coaching, Mentoring or Executive Leadership qualification
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Significant experience of providing strategic and operational nursing leadership within a large and complex healthcare organisation
- Experience of providing strategic nursing leadership across multiple services within an acute healthcare environment
- Experience of leading large-scale quality improvement, transformation and service redesign programmes with demonstrable organisational impact
- Experience of leading and developing senior nursing leaders, including Heads of Nursing or equivalent senior clinical leaders
- Experience of quality governance, risk management and regulatory assurance at organisational or CSU level
- Experience of leading workforce transformation, workforce planning and succession planning initiatives
- Experience of using quality, workforce, financial and performance data to provide assurance and influence strategic decision-making
- Experience of delivering service improvement through effective use of workforce resources, productivity and resource management
- Experience of providing assurance against regulatory standards including Care Quality Commission requirements
- Experience of leading organisational change and managing complex operational, professional and workforce issues
- Experience of managing financial resources, workforce expenditure and delivery of efficiency programmes
- Experience of working collaboratively across organisational, regional and system-wide boundaries
- Experience of presenting highly complex information to executive-level meetings, committees or boards
- Experience of coaching, mentoring and succession planning for future leaders
Desirable
- Experience of leading research, innovation or evidence-based practice programmes
- Experience of representing an organisation at regional or national forums
Skills
Essential
- Ability to provide strategic and operational leadership across a large and complex portfolio of services
- Ability to analyse and interpret highly complex quality, workforce, financial and operational data to inform decision-making
- Ability to provide assurance and challenge regarding governance, quality, workforce and organisational performance
- Ability to lead, influence and develop senior nursing leaders and multidisciplinary teams
- Excellent communication, negotiation and influencing skills with the ability to engage at executive and system level
- Ability to establish and maintain productive relationships with senior stakeholders internally and externally
- Ability to develop and communicate strategic vision and deliver organisational priorities through others
- Ability to manage highly complex situations requiring professional judgement, political awareness and organisational sensitivity
- Advanced written and verbal communication skills including report writing, assurance reporting and formal presentations
- Ability to work effectively under pressure whilst managing competing priorities and organisational risk
- Ability to utilise digital systems, workforce information and performance dashboards to support assurance, service improvement and operational decision-making.
- Ability to lead workforce transformation, productivity improvement and establishment management programmes
- Ability to lead large-scale quality improvement, innovation and transformation initiatives
- Well-developed leadership and influencing skills with the ability to motivate, empower and hold senior leaders accountable for delivery
- Demonstrates a patient-centred approach to service development and organisational decision-making
- Ability to promote psychological safety, inclusion and compassionate leadership at scale
- Excellent interpersonal skills including active listening, coaching and constructive challenge
- High level of personal credibility, resilience, self-motivation and commitment to performance improvement
- Strong sense of commitment to openness, integrity, accountability and professional standards.
- Ability to lead investigations and reviews relating to highly complex incidents, complaints, professional concerns and organisational risks
Desirable
- Experience of leading research, innovation or evidence-based practice programmes
Knowledge
Essential
- Understanding of Information Governance and Confidentiality
- Detailed knowledge of current NHS priorities, healthcare policy and national nursing agendas
- Detailed knowledge of clinical governance, patient safety and risk management frameworks
- Knowledge of quality improvement methodologies and implementation within healthcare settings
- Detailed knowledge of workforce planning, workforce transformation and workforce assurance frameworks
- Knowledge of workforce productivity measures, establishment management and strategic resource utilisation
- Detailed knowledge of regulatory requirements including Care Quality Commission standards and the Single Assessment Framework
- Knowledge of Board assurance processes and governance arrangements within NHS organisations
- Knowledge of professional nursing standards and the NMC Code
- Knowledge of quality, workforce, financial and operational performance metrics and their use in organisational assurance and improvement
- Knowledge of safeguarding children and adults legislation, policy and best practice
- Understanding of organisational development, talent management and succession planning principles
- Sound political judgement and organisational awareness with the ability to work effectively within complex healthcare systems
- Commitment to evidence-based practice, innovation and continuous improvement.
Desirable
- Understanding of research governance and the application of research findings into practice
Qualifications
Essential
- First level Registered Nurse with active NMC registration
- Degree or equivalent level of knowledge and experience gained in a relevant environment
- Master's Degree, Master's level study or equivalent experience operating at a senior level
- Recognised Leadership qualification or equivalent senior leadership experience
- Post-registration qualification or substantial professional development relevant to the role
- Evidence of continuing professional development and lifelong learning
Desirable
- Quality Improvement Qualification
- Coaching, Mentoring or Executive Leadership qualification
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).
