Deputy Chief Nurse Officer

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an outstanding, compassionate, and strategically focused Deputy Chief Nurse to join our senior leadership team. This is a pivotal role within our Care Directorate, shaping the future of NMC and HCPC regulated professions, professional standards, and patient care across the organisation and wider Integrated Care System (ICS).

As Deputy Chief Nurse, you will work alongside Care Directors, senior operational clinical leaders and corporate colleagues to drive high quality, safe, person-centred care. You'll provide visible professional leadership, expert advice, and strategic oversight across nursing, AHP and care services, ensuring excellence in clinical practice, quality governance, education, research and innovation across both nursing and AHP pathways.

We are seeking an emotionally intelligent, politically astute leader with substantial senior NHS experience across multiple care settings. You'll bring a proven track record in clinical leadership, transformation, workforce development, and shaping high performing teams. Most importantly, you will embody our values of Kindness, Respect and Teamwork, serving as a role model for compassionate leadership.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced Nursing Leader with a strong understanding of AHP contribution to influence care at scale and support our ambition to deliver outstanding outcomes for our patients, communities, and workforce.

Main duties of the job

The Deputy Chief Nurse provides senior professional leadership across the Trust, supporting the Chief Nurse and Midwife to deliver safe, high quality and compassionate care. The role leads on key areas of quality, patient safety and clinical governance, ensuring strong assurance against CQC standards and promoting a culture of continuous improvement.

A major focus is the development of the nursing and AHP workforce, including safe staffing, education, supervision and workforce transformation, working closely with senior AHP/Nursing leaders and Higher Education Institutions. Working in collaboration with the Associate Directors of Patient Care (ADPCs) you'll seek to develop strong, consistent and effective professional leadership across the organisation. You'll also contribute to business planning and financial oversight, and represent the Chief Nurse and Midwife at internal, system and national forums.

As a visible senior leader, you'll line manage senior nursing and AHP staff, foster inclusive and compassionate leadership behaviours, handle complex and sensitive information, and participate in the strategic on call rota.

If you are an experienced senior nurse leader with strong experience leading and working alongside AHP colleagues, and are passionate about shaping the future of multi-professional care and improving outcomes for patients, we would love to hear from you.

About us

At Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, we're committed to supporting our employees with a range of benefits designed to enhance your professional and personal life. We offer:

• Flexible working options to help you balance work and life
• NHS pension scheme for long-term financial security
• Generous annual leave allowance to recharge and relax
• A strong focus on career development to help you grow and achieve your potential

Additionally, you'll gain access to our Blue Light Card, unlocking exclusive discounts on shopping, dining, and leisure activities, as well as NHS-specific perks to support you both inside and outside of work.

We are proud to foster a diverse, skilled, and inclusive workforce, and we encourage applications from all backgrounds.

Why Somerset? Somerset offers the perfect blend of idyllic countryside, outstanding areas of natural beauty, and breathtaking coastlines, with vibrant cities like Bristol, Bath, and Exeter just a short drive away - and only two hours to London.

The region is home to excellent educational facilities, and with affordable housing compared to other parts of the country, it's a great place to build both your career and your future.

Somerset truly has it all - the peaceful countryside and cosmopolitan city life, with something for everyone to enjoy.

Job responsibilities

Please refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification for more information about the role.

Person Specification Qualifications

• Please refer to the job description.

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.