Job summary
The Specialty Director will provide strategic, professional and operational leadership across Paediatrics, Neonates and Neurodisability within Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The role will support the delivery of high-quality, safe, effective and compassionate services for infants, children and young people, ensuring services are responsive to patient need, evidence-based, operationally sustainable and aligned to Trust and system priorities.

The Paediatrics Speciality Director provides Clinical leadership to oversee governance and ensure maximum efficiency and productivity of the service (all sites).

The postholder will work in partnership with operational, nursing and allied health professional leaders to deliver service performance, workforce development, clinical governance, quality improvement and transformation across the specialty portfolio. The role will provide visible, credible clinical leadership to multidisciplinary teams and will champion collaborative working across acute, community and system partners involved in children's services and SEND/neurodisability pathways.

This role is professionally accountable to the Medical Director.

Main duties of the job
Strategic and Clinical Leadership Quality, Safety and Clinical Governance Workforce Leadership and Medical Management Improvement, Education and Research Partnership and System Working

About us
The Paediatrics, Neonates and Neurodisability services form a key part of the Trust's Children's Services, primarily delivered through the Children's Centre at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital. These services provide integrated care for infants, children and young people, encompassing acute paediatrics, neonatal intensive and special care, outpatient and diagnostic services, and specialist pathways for children with complex neurodevelopmental conditions and disabilities.

The division is committed to

• Delivering safe, effective and high-quality care
• Improving access and reducing health inequalities
• Developing sustainable workforce models
• Driving service transformation in line with national NHS priorities and local population need

This is an exciting time for Children's Services within the Trust, with ongoing opportunities to strengthen pathways across acute and community settings, enhance neonatal and paediatric capacity, and further develop integrated neurodevelopmental and disability services.

Details
Date posted: 11 August 2026
Pay scheme: Hospital medical and dental staff
Grade: Consultant
Salary: £113,565 to £150,569 a year pro rata per annum
Contract: Fixed term
Duration: 3 years
Working pattern: Part-time
Reference number: 318-26-SDPAEDS
Job locations: Gloucester Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Great Western Road, Gloucester, GL1 3NN, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
Strategic and Clinical Leadership
Provide clear and visible clinical leadership across Paediatrics, Neonates and Neurodisability services, promoting a culture of safety, compassion, continuous improvement and multidisciplinary teamwork. Lead the development and implementation of specialty strategy and service plans in line with Trust objectives, national standards and local population need. Contribute to long-term service redesign, pathway improvement and integration across hospital and community interfaces for children and young people. Ensure services remain patient-centred, equitable and responsive, with particular attention to vulnerable children, newborns and those with complex developmental or disability-related needs.

Quality, Safety and Clinical Governance
Take a senior leadership role in clinical governance across the specialty, ensuring robust arrangements for incident review, learning, risk management, guideline implementation, audit and assurance Support delivery of safe neonatal, paediatric and neurodisability services through oversight of quality standards, pathway safety, escalation processes and compliance with regulatory expectations. Lead and support quality improvement initiatives that improve patient outcomes, family experience, access and clinical effectiveness. Ensure lessons from complaints, incidents, mortality reviews, audits and patient feedback are translated into sustainable improvement actions. Work jointly with operational and nursing leaders to ensure delivery of agreed performance, activity, access and quality standards across the specialty. Provide clinical input into demand and capacity planning, clinic utilisation, waiting list management, rota sustainability, service productivity and operational resilience. Support timely escalation of operational pressures, clinical risks and workforce issues, maintaining focus on patient safety and continuity of care. Contribute to business planning and recovery planning within paediatric, neonatal and neurodisability pathways.

Workforce Leadership and Medical Management
Provide professional leadership and support to medical staff within the specialty, fostering an open, inclusive and high-performing culture. Lead on consultant engagement, job planning, appraisal contribution, succession planning and medical workforce development in partnership with divisional leadership. Support recruitment, retention and development of the multidisciplinary workforce, including contribution to education, training and supervision. Address conduct, capability or attendance concerns in line with Trust HR processes, with support from senior leadership and medical staffing teams.

Improvement, Education and Research
Promote a culture of learning, innovation and evidence-based practice across the specialty Encourage and support participation in audit, quality improvement, research and service evaluation relevant to paediatrics, neonatology and neurodisability. Contribute to undergraduate, postgraduate and multidisciplinary education across the specialty, promoting excellence in teaching and clinical supervision.

Partnership and System Working
Develop strong relationships with internal and external partners to improve pathways for infants, children and young people across Gloucestershire. Work collaboratively with community services, neurodevelopmental/disability services, commissioners and wider system partners to support integrated models of care. Represent the specialty at Trust, divisional and system meetings, providing expert clinical advice and leadership. Support delivery of services within agreed resources, contributing to business planning, prioritisation and efficient use of workforce and estate. Work with divisional teams to identify opportunities for service improvement, value, pathway redesign and sustainable growth where appropriate.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Full GMC registration with license to practice
• Consultant-level experience in paediatrics, neonatology, neurodisability or a closely aligned field.

Desirable

• Management or leadership qualification, or evidence of formal leadership development
• Higher qualification in medical education, quality improvement or healthcare leadership

Knowledge and Skills
Essential

• Strong knowledge of clinical governance, patient safety and quality assurance processes
• Ability to lead through influence, build consensus and manage complexity across professional groups
• Excellent communication, negotiation and presentation skills
• Ability to interpret data and use this to support decision-making, performance improvement and service planning
• Strong commitment to equality, inclusion and patient/family-centred care

Desirable

• Higher qualification in medical education, quality improvement or healthcare leadership

Clinical / Experience
Essential

• Significant senior clinical experience within paediatric / neonatal / neurodisability services
• Evidence of successful clinical leadership at service, department or specialty level
• Experience of clinical governance, quality improvement, service development and risk management
• Experience of multidisciplinary working and partnership across organisational boundaries

Desirable

• Experience of leading across combined acute/community children's pathways
• Experience in business planning, service redesign and financial decision-making

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: Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Gloucester Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Great Western Road, Gloucester, GL1 3NN, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.gloshospitals.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact:
Chief of Service
Dr Simon Pirie
simon.pirie@nhs.net
03004225186

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.
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.