Job Description
Deputy Chief Nurse- Corporate Nursing
Job Summary
At NHS Blood & Transplant (NHSBT) we are passionate about saving and improving lives every day and continually working to advance our service to positively impact the lives of even more patients.
At the heart of our organisation is our Nursing workforce and we are looking for a Deputy Chief Nurse for our Corporate Nursing Team. You will join us to be the directorate lead responsible for clinical and professional aspects of the Nursing Directorate and support the Chief Nurse in ensuring compliance with the Corporate Clinical Governance responsibilities and will be accountable for the strategic development of nursing roles within the Nursing Division and the delivery and maintenance of safe and effective clinical and professional standards and excellence in clinical care.
As the Deputy Chief Nurse for Corporate Nursing, you will create an environment in which excellent, enhanced, and sustained nursing practice, training and development and patient safety can flourish.
Main duties of the job
You will also be responsible for:
- The Deputy Chief Nurse will deputise for the Chief Nurse – Clinical Services, Corporate Nursing and Plasma for Medicines as and when required, including but not limited to deputising as Chair across Nursing Directorate meetings as required, covering the full range of duties both at Directorate and Organisation level.
- Accountable for the provision of dynamic, inspirational, and professional management and leadership and for ensuring compliance with statutory regulation and provision of clinical supervision and development for all nurses and staff groups to whom frontline care is delegated.
- Accountable for the development and application of education and training policy to enable a flexible, skilled, productive, and affordable workforce that meets the needs of the service.
- Ensure that all regulatory requirements and standards are fulfilled. The post holder will ensure positive service user experience by improving the quality of care by proactively promoting and ensuring delivery of a service that upholds the CQC Essential Standards of Quality and Safety, alongside other relevant regulatory requirements, and standards. The post holder will lead and maintain a positive culture for change always ensuring regulatory compliance.
- Working collaboratively with other Heads of Function/ DCNs to provide assurance to the senior management team that robust systems of governance are in place and high-quality donor services are being delivered and developed.
- Leading on multi million pound strategic, clinical, professional clinical or procurement projects including the agreement and management of research-based specifications and validations, additionally to lead and develop the operationalisation implementation of major University based PI led research studies including the publication of findings to internal governance groups and external audiences. You will be accountable for a sizeable budget.
- The DCN will be responsible for line management of the Corporate functions (Corporate team & IPC team) within the Nursing Division.
- Leading on the implementation and regular review of excellent governance and clinical risk management processes within the Nursing Division ensuring that these are fully aligned with corporate policies, standards, and procedures.
- Acting as safeguarding lead and expert, with responsibility to advise and report on safeguarding concerns, providing advice and guidance on appropriate action.
- Implementation of a modern effective Education and Development Strategy in the Nursing Division ensuring that outcomes are based on the principles of continuous improvement, including the management and leadership of the Learning, Education and Development Department team.
- Providing strategic, professional, corporate and clinical oversight for a portfolio of clinical governance responsibilities across key elements of the Nursing Division. In collaboration with the Chief Nurse’s capacity as Lead for Corporate Clinical Governance, the post holder will support Corporate Clinical Governance strategy. This is including but not limited to, education, ongoing training and clinical leadership development and expertise, improved clinical delivery, implementation of change, incident review, coaching and capability, policy development, research, innovation, clinical audit, and practice development.
- As the Nursing Division within NHSBT evolves the DCN will develop a portfolio of key areas of accountability as agreed and delegated by the CN Clinical Services, Corporate Nursing and Plasma and the relevant Directors of operational directorates.
About You
Experience and Knowledge
- Substantial nursing management and leadership experience in a fast-paced health service sector at a senior level.
- Demonstrable evidence of successful improvement in service delivery and implementation of change.
- Experience in managing and motivating people to deliver corporate strategy and business objectives.
- Extensive experience of working with budgets.
- Evidence of experience in setting, monitoring and evaluating standards of care.
- Substantial senior Nursing experience of managing a multidisciplinary team/ service in the health care sector.
- Demonstrate understanding and knowledge of patient safety initiatives and strategies, clinical risk management and regulatory compliance.
- Knowledge and experience of leading on either clinical or compliance audits.
- Experience of leading the successful implementation of clinical or professional change projects.
Qualifications and Training
- Registered Nurse with current Nursing and Midwifery Council registration (Part 1 Adult/General, level 1 or 2).
- Educated to Masters level OR Equivalent masters level experience plus modules at this level are complete or are ongoing as part of current master level post graduate academic study (with an ongoing commitment to complete a masters level qualification).
- Demonstrable evidence of continued professional development commitment to continued learning and application in practice including specialist leadership and /or management training or equivalent.
About Us
It takes all types of people to deliver the kind of service that saves and improves lives. At NHS Blood and Transplant, you’ll 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.
What we offer:
- Hybrid working arrangements – because NHSBT works nationally, we’re able to offer hybrid working options that give you more flexibility to balance work with life.
- 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:
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 17th May 2026.
The assessment process for this role will include: a video submission at stage 1 followed by an interview for those successful. Interviews are anticipated to be held on 4th June – subject to confirmation.
For informal enquiries please contact –
Name: Shaminder Kaur
Job Title: PA to Chief Nurse – Clinical Services, Corporate Nursing and Plasma
Contact Details: Email – shaminder.kaur@nhsbt.nhs.uk
