About this role
Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced, dynamic, and inspirational Paediatric Lead Nurse, Band 8a, to lead our specialist Respiratory Nursing Service within a leading tertiary and regional centre.
This is a pivotal leadership role, providing strategic, clinical, and operational leadership across a highly specialised respiratory service caring for children and young people with some of the most complex respiratory conditions. Working as part of a multidisciplinary team, you will ensure the delivery of outstanding, evidence-based care while driving innovation, service development, and excellence in patient experience.
As the Paediatric Lead Nurse for Respiratory Services, you will provide professional leadership across our specialist respiratory pathways, supporting children and families throughout their healthcare journey. You will oversee services caring for children with: Complex and difficult to manage asthma; Cystic fibrosis; Long Term Ventilation (LTV) and Complex respiratory and chest conditions
As a recognised regional centre, our service supports patients from across the wider region, providing highly specialised care alongside outreach, education, and collaborative working with local hospitals and community teams.
Main duties of the job
You will lead a highly skilled team of Band 7 Clinical Nurse Specialists, fostering a culture of clinical excellence, continuous improvement, compassionate leadership, and professional development. You will work closely with consultants, allied health professionals, operational managers, community providers, and commissioners to ensure services continue to evolve to meet the needs of children and their families.
You will need to be an exceptional paediatric nurse with expert clinical knowledge and outstanding leadership skills. You should have significant senior level experience within a paediatric respiratory nursing post.
This is an exciting time to join Cambridge University Hospital with the completion of the East of England Children's Hospital in the next few years.
About us
Come Nurse with us...
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest teaching Trusts in the country. It comprises Addenbrooke's Hospital and the Rosie Hospital. We provide accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge and regional and national specialist services. It's a great place to nurse, work and live.
You will work on a vibrant hospital campus with a friendly community feel; we have excellent facilities to practise your skills and abilities to support your career pathway and development. Our values of Together - Safe, Kind, Excellent support the delivery of outstanding care. We have a fully electronic patient record system that is improving health-care quality; this is transforming services, improving patient safety and clinical outcomes.
Why choose Cambridge University Hospitals?
o Our values and reputation for outstanding careo Opportunities to experience a range of specialitieso Career and development opportunitieso Preceptorship and mentoring programmes delivered by a dedicated clinical education support teamo Research experience and opportunitieso Lovely location and quality of lifeo Excellent schools/colleges and transport links (road, rail and air)
Job description Job responsibilities
Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.
This post is subject to a 12-week probationary period, during which performance, conduct and attendance will be reviewed in line with Trust standards. The probationary period provides a structured and supportive approach to help new employees successfully transition into their role.
Due to Home Office immigration rules, a full time permanent vacancy cannot be filled by individuals on a Student visa. Therefore, please be advised that if you are a Student visa holder, we will not be able to offer you a full time permanent contract unless you have:- applied for a Graduate visa- or you will have successfully completed your course and have applied for a Graduate visa before the anticipated start date of your employment
All roles in the Trust include a mandatory 12-week training period. Therefore, successful candidates are expected to have the Right to Work for a period of at least 6 months from the proposed start date. Immigration and Right to Work status will be discussed with successful candidates at conditional offer. CUH will not offer sponsorship to candidates that have applied for a fee waiver.
This vacancy will close at midnight on 15th September 2026
Interviews are due to be held in 22nd September 2026
Benefits to you
At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.
On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only caf, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.
CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times.
Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.
We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
RN Child with a degree Post registration module in Specialist field of work Research Module Advanced clinical assessment skills (if nurse led services part of role) Teaching & mentoring qualification Evidence of professional continuous development and portfolio of learning Leadership or management module Willingness & ability to work toward Masters
Desirable
Non-medical prescriber Advanced communication skills or Counselling qualification Masters degree
Experience Essential
Significant clinical experience as nurse specialist in the speciality Recognised as an expert in the field of practice with the ability to clinically assess and diagnose Experience in project management Evidence of leading service change Managing and or leading a team
Desirable
Practical experience of policy development Audit or research experience NHS experience
Knowledge Essential
Recognised as an expert in the field of practice with the ability to clinically assess and diagnose Budget management
Skills Essential
Advanced communication skills Effective communicator with proven ability to influence all levels of staff Ability to work autonomously as an independent practitioner Proven leadership and team leading skills Proven ability to manage and progress own professional development Presentation skills Able to respond to change and apply themselves to development in practice
Additional Requirements Essential
Highly motivated committed to continuous service development and quality improvement Ability to work under pressure to meet deadlines and targets Reliable and supportive Ability to synthesise information, consider and evaluate risks and options when making difficult decisions The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of safe, kind, excellent
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship 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).
Employer details Employer name Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Address Addenbrookes Hospital - Division E
Hills Road
Cambridge
CB2 0QQ
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.cuh.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)