Job summary
The Maternity Operational Manager has a responsibility to provide clinical and operational midwifery leadership with support and direction from the Senior Leadership team, to ensure the effective and safe running of the maternity unit during the week, night shifts, weekends and Bank Holidays.

The post holder will maintain a visible professional presence where patients, carers and staff can turn for senior assistance, advice and support and upon whom they can rely to ensure that the fundamental and specialist aspects of care are met.

It includes the management of staff and being accountable for the quality of services (both clinical and non-clinical) delivered within the span of authority. This includes redeployment of staff to meet the needs of the service across the maternity and gynaecology setting.

Main duties of the job

• Support data collection from Red Flag reporting, staff redeployments, emergency calls (working to aid improvement work to optimise safety and provide analytics to facilitate best redeployment for staff.
• Participate in roster writing to ensure appropriate skill mix of staff across inpatient areas of maternity.
• To provide clinical support at times of escalation to maintain safety within the maternity service.

Job responsibilities

• Developing a clear understanding of Workforce staffing.
• Gaining an in-depth understanding of the processes supporting flow through maternity and Gynaecology to ensure appropriate placement of patients according to their clinical need and ensure best placement of birth and minimise service closure.
• Recognising the trigger factors associated with the Maternity and Trust Escalation policy in order to minimise bed crisis through effective planning and how to implement the strategy when necessary.
• Gaining an understanding, and liaising with our Main Trust Operations centre and regularly attending Site Safety meetings to report staffing levels and quality issues.
• Recognising the need to escalate admission, discharge, safeguarding and patient flow issues, to the Midwifery Manager on call or relevant specialist teams and becoming aware of the strategies that can be employed to address critical bed states and maximise staffing.
• Developing working relationships with on call staff in order to co-ordinate the patient flow process at weekends.
• Implementing the communication with our sister site at Luton and Dunstable, along with other Trusts and Health Care providers in the area regarding capacity to support when the Maternity unit is in escalation and when necessary co-ordinating the transfer of patients to other hospitals.

Person Specification
Qualifications

• Essential: Registered Midwife; Evidence of degree or masters qualification.
• Desirable: Research qualification.

Experience

• Essential: Suitable post-registration experience within relevant speciality at band 6 or above; Extensive clinical experience; In depth knowledge of inpatient pathways; Evidence of the application of management and leadership skills and autonomous practice; Evidence of continued professional development.
• Desirable: Involvement in audit; Participation in research; Participation in roster management.

Knowledge and skills

• Essential: Organisational and negotiation skills; Effective communicator, both written and verbal; Leadership and motivation skills; Evidence of audit and change management ability; Computer literate; Ability to motivate self and others; Ability to take managerial and professional responsibility for team and staff; Ability to think logically, prioritise and use initiative; Diplomatic; Personal and professional maturity; Reliable, adaptable and dependable.

Salary £49,387 to £56,515 a year per annum pro rata (Agenda for Change, Band 7)
Working pattern Part-time
Contract Permanent
Closing date 29 October 2026
Location Luton & Dunstable Hospital, Lewsey Road, Luton, LU4 0DZ

Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarise yourself with all requirements of the job.

Apply through our website

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. Applicants must have current UK professional registration. Subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975, a Disclosure and Barring Service check is required.