About this role
Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced, dynamic, and compassionate midwifery leader to join our maternity team as a Ward Manager. This pivotal leadership role is responsible for the operational management and professional leadership of the maternity ward, ensuring the delivery of safe, effective, and high-quality care for women, babies, and families.
As Ward Manager, you will lead and support a multidisciplinary team, promoting a positive culture that places patient safety, quality improvement, and staff wellbeing at its centre. You will be accountable for workforce management, resource utilisation, governance, risk management, and the achievement of key clinical and operational objectives. Working closely with the Matron and wider maternity leadership team, you will drive improvements in patient experience, professional standards and service delivery while ensuring compliance with local and national maternity standards.
We are seeking an enthusiastic and motivated registered midwife with strong leadership skills, significant clinical experience, and a passion for supporting teams to deliver outstanding care. This is an excellent opportunity to influence and shape maternity services while developing your leadership career within a progressive and supportive organisation.
Main duties of the job
The Ward Manager is responsible for the operational leadership and day-to-day management of the postnatal ward, ensuring the safe, effective, and compassionate delivery of maternity care. The post holder will coordinate clinical activity, manage staffing, skill mix, and resource allocation, and maintain oversight of patient flow, bed capacity, and service demands. They will provide visible clinical leadership, supporting staff to deliver high-quality, evidence-based care while responding to changing priorities and periods of increased clinical activity.
The role includes responsibility for staff management, recruitment, appraisal, professional development, attendance management, and workforce planning. The Ward Manager will support and motivate the multidisciplinary team, foster a positive and inclusive culture and address performance, behavioural and professional issues appropriately.
About us
If you are being interviewed you must accept an interview slot in the system to continue, even if you have arranged with the manager.
You must be able to produce ALL certificates stated essential in the person specification or you will not be able to complete pre-employment checks.
We provide hospital services from two acute sites - Darlington Memorial Hospital and University Hospital of North Durham. We have a centre for planned care in Bishop Auckland and provide care from community hospitals in Chester-le-Street, Shotley Bridge, Barnard Castle, Sedgefield and Weardale as well as over 80 other community based settings and providing care in patients' homes.
We particularly welcome applications from disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as BAME and disabled people are currently under-represented.
Full Job Descriptions can be found in the adverts supporting documents.
Over reliance on AI-generated content is discouraged and may diminish the applicant's chances of success.
For the most up-to-date information on visa requirements and eligibility, please check online to determine whether you can apply.
Please note that we may close any vacancy early once a sufficient number of applications have been received.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The post holder will lead on patient safety, risk management, incident investigation, complaint resolution, and quality improvement initiatives, ensuring compliance with Trust policies, national standards, and best practice guidance. They will work collaboratively with the Matron, Head of Midwifery, medical staff and wider multidisciplinary teams to develop services, improve patient experience and maintain high standards of care.
Maintaining clinical competence, teaching, and supporting midwives, students and other healthcare professionals is a key aspect of the role, alongside contributing to service development, governance, safeguarding and the effective use of resources across maternity services.
The Ward Manager is responsible for the overall operational, clinical, and professional leadership of the maternity ward, ensuring the delivery of safe, effective, woman-centred, and high-quality care to women, babies, and families. The post holder will provide visible and compassionate leadership, maintain professional standards, and create a positive culture that promotes safety, learning, staff wellbeing, and continuous improvement.
The role encompasses responsibility for the day-to-day management of the ward, including workforce planning, staff deployment, patient flow, resource management, and the coordination of clinical activity. The Ward Manager will ensure appropriate staffing levels and skill mix are maintained to meet the needs of the service, responding proactively to fluctuations in activity and clinical acuity. Working collaboratively with the Matron and wider multidisciplinary team, the post holder will contribute to the effective and efficient delivery of maternity services and support the achievement of organisational objectives.
A key aspect of the role is leading, supporting, and developing the ward team. The Ward Manager will be responsible for recruitment, induction, appraisal, supervision, performance management, and professional development of staff, fostering a culture in which individuals are empowered to achieve their full potential. The post holder will promote excellence in clinical practice through education, mentorship, and role modelling, ensuring staff remain competent and compliant with mandatory and role-specific training requirements.
The Ward Manager will provide strong clinical leadership, ensuring that evidence-based care, professional standards, and national maternity guidance are consistently implemented. This includes maintaining oversight of patient safety, safeguarding, infection prevention and control, medicines management and clinical risk management. The post holder will lead investigations into incidents, complaints, and concerns, ensuring lessons learned are embedded into practice and shared across the team to improve care quality and patient outcomes.
The role requires close collaboration with medical colleagues, specialist teams, practice development staff, and senior leaders to support service development, quality improvement, and innovation. The Ward Manager will monitor clinical quality indicators, analyse performance data, and lead initiatives designed to improve patient experience, clinical outcomes, and operational effectiveness. They will contribute to audits, inspections, and governance processes, ensuring the ward meets Trust, regulatory and national standards.
Maintaining a visible clinical presence within the ward environment is an important component of the role. The post holder will provide expert advice and support to staff, patients and families, facilitating effective communication and supporting complex decision-making where required. They will act as an advocate for women, babies, and families, ensuring care is delivered with dignity, respect, and compassion.
The Ward Manager is also responsible for the effective management of financial and physical resources within the ward, ensuring best value is achieved while maintaining high standards of care. Through strong leadership, professional credibility and a commitment to continuous improvement, the post holder will play a pivotal role in ensuring the maternity ward delivers safe, responsive, and outstanding care for the local population.
Person Specification
Statutory Registration
Essential
- Registered Midwife
Qualifications
Essential
- Registered Midwife with current NMC registration.
- Evidence of continuing professional development.
Desirable
- Recognised management/leadership qualification masters degree or working towards
Special Requirements
Essential
- Ability to travel between sites independently
Desirable
- Full UK Driving licence and access to a car.
Experience
Essential
- Significant experience post registration
- Experience of managing and leading a team
- Current issues on healthcare
- Experience of leading, motivation and supporting a team
- Experience of providing training
- Excellent presentation skills
- Experience of delegating workload and monitoring progress
- Evidence of managerial development
- Clinical audit and standard setting
- Experience of managing resources
- Service development and/or change management
- Experience of training staff
Desirable
- Service development and/or change management
Special Skills & Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge of the standards of professional practice
- Knowledge and understanding of relevant National Services Frameworks
- Knowledge of Trust guidelines and policies
- Knowledge of care pathways for women with complex health needs
- Awareness of current issues in midwifery
- Capable of lateral thinking
- Influencing and negotiation
- Skills in identifying and securing provision of training needs for the team
- Highly developed communication skills, written and verbal
- Delegation abilities and excellent time management skills
- Listening/counselling skills
- Well-developed problem solving and decision-making skills
- Flexibility/adaptability to meet the needs of the service
- Self-awareness
- Possess individual credibility
- Approachable
- Has strategic vision and demonstrates innovation in practice
- Ability to work under pressure, thinking and acting coherently and with respect for others
- Manage and identify stress in self and others
- Excellent written and verbal skills
- Ability to organise and prioritise own and other workloads
- Understanding of skills and knowledge required to lead and develop team members
- Resource management
- Ability to take the lead in the promotion of evidence-based practice
- Excellent IT skills, including Word, Excel, Power-point, and Outlook
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
County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Darlington Memorial Hospital NHS Trust
Hollyhurst Road
Darlington
County Durham
DL3 6HX
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.cddft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)