About this role
Job summary
As a Session Sister / Charge Nurse at NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), you will provide visible, confident clinical leadership to ensure donors receive safe, compassionate and highquality care at every session.
You will lead donorfacing teams, balance operational performance with regulatory compliance, and be the expert point of contact for donor eligibility and clinical decisionmaking.
Working autonomously when required, you will manage complex situations, respond to incidents, and role model professional behaviours that build donor trust and loyalty.
This role gives you the opportunity to make a direct contribution to saving and improving lives, while continuing to develop your leadership skills in a unique, nationally impactful healthcare environment.
Previous session nursing experience is not essential for this role.
Full training and a structured 6-week supernumerary period will be provided to support successful transition into the role.
We are offering both full-time and part-time opportunities, so you can choose what works best for you.
Full-time hours are 9 days per fortnight, while our part-time option (6 days per fortnight) gives you greater flexibility to balance work with life outside it, while both roles continue to make a real difference. Early shifts start at 08:00 and finish at 17:00, while late shifts run from 10:30 to 19:30
Main duties of the job
Lead and support donor session teams to deliver safe, dignified and compassionate care, putting donors and patients at the centre of everything you do
Direct daily blood collection activity to meet operational targets while maintaining regulatory and quality standards
Act as the clinical expert for donor eligibility, donor care and the management of adverse events
Create a positive team environment by setting clear expectations, giving constructive feedback and role modelling NHSBT values
Monitor performance, identify risks early and take action to maintain donor and product safety
Support learning and development through coaching, mentoring and delivery of training
Work collaboratively with colleagues across NHSBT to share learning and support service improvement
Deputise for senior colleagues when required and contribute to wider service development activities Weekend and bank holiday working will be required.
You can expect to work some long hours, but you wont be working more than five days a week.
About us
It takes all types of people to deliver the kind of service that saves and improves lives. At NHS Blood and Transplant, youll join a team of more than 6,000 people who are making a genuine difference to communities, families, friends, relatives and more across the UK. We play a unique and special role in the NHS by helping people do something extraordinary- donate blood, blood products, organs, tissues, or stem cells to save someone in need.
Our three core values are what set us apart. They guide and inspire everything we do. By being caring, expertly meeting the needs of our patients and our people, and accepting nothing less than the best quality, we can do extraordinary work and help our people to do something extraordinary in their career, too.
Three small words, one big difference - Caring, Expert and Quality. Together we'll save and improve more lives than ever.
You will join us on our journey to create an inclusive workplace and aim to reflect the diverse communities we work with, and we positively encourage applications from all sectors of the community.
Job description Job responsibilities
What we offer:
No night shifts. TOIL (Time off in Lieu) Opportunities to work in other areas/specialisms. Facilitating donation Flexible working options – we promote flexible working where the role allows. We’re happy to discuss what flexibility might look like for you. Generous annual leave - 27 days annual leave (pro rata for part-time) plus Bank Holidays, increasing to 29 days after 5 years’ service and to 33 days after 10 years. Inclusive pension scheme - the NHS Pension Scheme is a defined benefit scheme (not dependent on investment returns). Further details and outline of benefits can be found at: http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/information-about-nhs-pensions Supportive learning culture - we’ve fostered a culture of continuous learning where colleagues are well-led, engaged, and encouraged to grow. We support you in reaching your full potential, both in your current role and future career. Our Thrive program embodies our commitment to learning and development, offering a wide range of activities to support your personal and professional growth. It’s open to everyone at NHSBT, ensuring you have the resources to succeed and shine in your role. Health and wellbeing support – we offer confidential services including occupational health, employee assistance programme, and wellbeing resources. Our support is available to all colleagues and we endeavour to provide tailored workplace adjustments where possible. As a Disability Confident Employer, we welcome applications from disabled candidates. We will talk with you to explore any adjustments that may help you during the recruitment process.
You can find more information about accessibility, our culture, and how we support applicants on the NHSBT Careers website:
Read about our application process Learn more about our culture at NHSBT To learn more, please see the job description and person specification. These can be accessed via the link below, or by clicking ‘Apply’ if you are viewing this advert on another site.
Next steps This vacancy will close at 23:59 on Sunday 17th May 2026. Please note that this vacancy may be withdrawn at any time should we receive sufficient applications.
The assessment process for this role will consist of a single interview and a session visit.
Interviews are provisionally scheduled for 26th May 2026, subject to confirmation.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
Registered Nurse with current Nursing and Midwifery Council registration (Adult/General) Evidence of ongoing professional development and commitment to continued learning Hold a full and valid UK driving licence with no more than 6 points
Experience Essential
Substantial management and leadership experience in a clinical environment Experience of managing and motivating teams to meet performance objectives Demonstrated understanding of patient or donor safety, risk management and quality standards Experience of implementing and leading change in a clinical setting Ability to manage complex situations confidently, making sound clinical judgements
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.
Employer details Employer name NHS Blood and Transplant
Address NHSBT
Oxford Centre
Oxford
United Kingdom
OX3 9BQ
Employer's website https://www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)