About this role
Job summary
We are looking for a Director of Maternity & Neonatal Services who believes in compassionate care, who listens deeply, and who leads with purpose. This is your opportunity to guide our teams as they support families through some of the most important moments of their lives. As Director, you will take responsibility for the strategic, operational, and clinical leadership of our maternity and neonatal portfolio.
We are seeking an exceptional, forward-thinking leader to shape the future of our Maternity & Neonatal Services. This is a pivotal role for an experienced senior clinician with a passion for delivering outstanding, safe, and compassionate care for women, birthing people, babies, and families.
We are looking for someone who:
Has substantial senior leadership experience within maternity, neonatal, or acute clinical services Brings a strong track record of improving quality, safety, and outcomes Can inspire teams through compassionate and visible leadership Thrives in complex environments and can drive strategic change Is committed to equity, personalised care, and co-production with service users If you are a leader who brings authenticity, courage, and a deep commitment to improving maternity and neonatal care, we would love to hear from you.
Main duties of the job
In this role, you will nurture a culture where safety, kindness, and respect are at the heart of everything we do. You will champion staff wellbeing, strengthen multidisciplinary collaboration, and ensure that every voice -- from midwives to neonatal nurses and medical staff to service users -- is heard and valued.
As Director, you will provide strategic leadership across maternity, neonatal, and perinatal pathways, ensuring our services meet the highest standards of quality, safety, and experience. You will lead a talented multidisciplinary workforce, drive continuous improvement, and champion a culture where staff feel valued, supported, and empowered.
You will also play a key role in shaping our long-term vision, ensuring our services are inclusive, personalised, and responsive to the diverse communities we serve. You will work at Board level, influencing organisational strategy and ensuring maternity and neonatal care remains a top priority.
You will also collaborate with regional networks, national bodies, and service-user groups to deliver system-wide improvements. This role demands ambition, resilience, and a proven ability to deliver results in complex environments. In return, you will have the opportunity to shape a service that is safe, modern, and truly world-class.
Interview Date: 1st June 2026
About us
UHD are investing, developing and transforming Trust services in line with the New Hospital Programme. As part of this, some services may move site this year or next, either temporarily or permanently. Recruiting Managers will be happy to answer any service-specific questions at interview.
If a role or service relocates as part of a planned move, excess mileage will not bereimbursed. Travel from home to the new work base will be classed as a normal commute. Any other changes will be managed under Trust or national terms and conditions.
UHD has active networks including Women's, DEN, Pride, EU, Pro Ability, and Armed Forces. We support Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant interview schemes.
AI tools may be used, but applications must honestly reflect your own skills and experience. Integrity is key to our recruitment process
Job description Job responsibilities
Provide expert professional advice and support to the Chief Nurse, the Trust Board and midwives across UHD, leading and providing strategic oversight for Maternity & Neonatal Services, acting as an exemplary role model for the profession both internally and externally, championing a professional and open culture To promote an operating framework across the Trust that supports compassion, communication, teamwork, respect, professionalism and inclusion in accordance with the values and behaviours expected by the Trust To ensure inclusion, diversity and equality for all our people and that we foster effective working relationships based on our values To lead, motivate and develop their own team to ensure that they are able to deliver the new responsibilities of the Trust/ICB for Dorset Promote a culture of openness that encourages speaking up and learning from excellence as well as incidents, to continually drive a safe service Have a key role in influencing strategic direction for the development of Maternity & Neonatal Services within the ICB through working with strategic partners Be highly visible, approachable and available to respond to mothers, people, relatives and the public To ensure that the NHS People Strategy and NHS Long Term Plan is delivered across the Trust providing strategic leadership to support implementation Will work closely with the maternity voices partnership to develop and co-produce services Lead the quality assurance and risk management process within the Maternity and Neonatal Directorate; designing and implementing structures to ensure compliance with policy through audit and ensuring there are robust governance structures for the prevention and management of complaints, clinical incidents and serious untoward incidents. Act locally as a maternity safety champion to inform and provide assurance to Board level champions about matters of concern and quality improvement in the maternity service
Person Specification
Education Essential
Registered Midwife Degree level education or equivalent Evidence of continued personal & professional development Masters Degree
Desirable
Registered Nurse
Experience Essential
Extensive experience at Senior clinical leadership level within a complex Acute Trust A track record of successfully leading a midwifery function in a complex organisation Evidence of implementing significant organisational change Evidence of strong and positive leadership behaviours Evidence of working across boundaries, influencing and developing staff and working with multiple stakeholders Proven experience in the implementation of corporate and professional strategies Demonstrable experience of improving patient experience Demonstrable experience of improving patient safety Experience of resource management
Skills Essential
Able to build and maintain strong confidence in engagement with the Executive Directors and Trust Board Ability to effectively engage and communicate with a broad range of stakeholders Political awareness and ability to influence beyond line management Ability to work in a climate of rapid change and uncertainty The ability to think and act strategically, yet developing workable and practical solutions to achieve strategic outcomes
Knowledge Essential
Knowledge of health and social care structures and policy at national, regional and local level Political awareness and ability to influence and work with stakeholders at all levels Up to date knowledge of current clinical and professional issues An understanding of audit and research-based nursing/midwifery practice
Skills Essential
A strong lateral thinker and highly effective communicator Excellent influencing and negotiating skills Excellent interpersonal skills A strong sense of drive, determination and personal resilience A passion to make a difference to patient outcome and experience
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 University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust
Address Royal Bournemouth Hospital
Bournemouth
BH77DW
Employer's website https://www.uhd.nhs.uk/careers (Opens in a new tab)