Job summary
Join Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust as the Associate Director of Infection Prevention and Control (ADIPC) and lead our commitment to delivering safe, high-quality care for our diverse community. This pivotal role offers the opportunity to shape and influence infection prevention and control (IPC) strategy at organisational, regional, and national levels. As the ADIPC, you will drive innovation, champion best practice, and provide expert guidance to clinical and operational leaders across both hospital and community settings. You will collaborate closely with senior leaders, demonstrate visionary leadership, and ensure that IPC remains at the forefront of our patient safety and quality agenda. This is an excellent opportunity for an ambitious and experienced IPC leader to join a dynamic Trust passionate about improvement, staff wellbeing, and community health outcomes.

Main duties of the job
To provide visionary leadership for Infection Prevention and Control across the organisation, ensuring the delivery of safe, high-quality care through strategic influence and operational excellence. The postholder will act as the professional lead for IPC nursing, shaping policy, driving innovation, and embedding best practice at all levels of the organisation and wider system. The Associate Director of Infection Prevention and Control (ADIPC) will be an expert in Infection Prevention and Control and in close collaboration with the lead microbiologist for IPC will develop and deliver the IPC strategy ensuring it aligns with the Lewisham and Greenwich Trust strategy and objectives. As an expert the ADIPC will act as an advisor to the Director of Infection Prevention and Control (Chief Nurse) and the Chief Medical Officer to ensure best practice decision and actions are implemented. They will be responsible for the delivery of the IPC annual plan, will lead and line manage the IPC nursing team, and will demonstrate flexibility and agility to prioritise and respond to competing challenges and demands, maintaining optimum safety and high quality care in the delivery of practice.

About us
Our people are our greatest asset. When we feel supported and happy at work, this positivity reaches those very people we are here for, the patients. Engaged employees perform at their best and our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) initiatives contribute to cultivate a culture of engagement. We have four staff networks, a corporate EDI Team and a suite of programmes and events which aim to insert the 5 aspirations: 1. Improving representation at senior levels of staff with disabilities, from black, Asian, and ethnic minorities background, identify as LGBTQ+ and women, through improved recruitment and leadership development 2. Widening access (anchor institution) and employability 3. Improving the experience of staff with disability 4. Improving the EDI literacy and confidence of trust staff through training and development 5. Making equalities mainstream

Details
Date posted: 15 July 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 8d
Salary: £94,356 to £108,814 a year
Per annum plus HCA
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 197-R-HF8481
Job locations: University Hospital Lewisham, Lewisham High Street, Lewisham, SE13 6LH, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
Strategic Leadership

• Lead the development and implementation of the organisations IPC strategy in alignment with national standards and system and Trust priorities.
• Influence IPC policy and practice at board level, contributing to strategic planning and assurance frameworks.
• Represent the organisation in system, regional and national IPC forums, fostering collaboration and shared learning.
• Drive innovation and transformation in IPC models, leveraging research, technology, and evidence-based practice.

Operational Excellence

• Lead and line manage the IPC nursing team to ensure a flexible and agile service is delivered to both acute and community sites and to meet competing priorities, performance metrics and safe care.
• Provide expert IPC advice and leadership to clinical and non-clinical teams
• Oversee the management of IPC performance data, reporting and escalation whilst establishing effective communication and challenge to leaders to support the improvement of practice.
• Lead outbreak investigations and ensure timely, effective response and reporting.
• Work in close collaboration with estates and facilities colleagues to ensure performance and best practice is maintained in day to day practice and estates development/adjustments.
• Ensure the delivery of the FIT testing programme.
• Oversee the development and implementation of IPC policies, procedures, and audit programmes.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory standards and contribute to clinical governance processes.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Registered Nurse (with current NMC registration)
• Evidence of Continuous Professional Development
• Master's Degree in a relevant field
• Teaching Qualification
• Specialist Infection Control Qualification

Experience and Knowledge
Essential

• Expert IPC knowledge in the acute setting
• Wide experience in a variety of IPC roles
• Significant recent experience at a strategic level in an acute Trust within the field of IPC
• Leadership experience
• Clinical Audit experience
• Expert knowledge and experience in IPC pedagogy
• Experience participating in an IPC on-call rota/service

Desirable

• Expert knowledge of decontamination issues and the national conversations influencing practice

Skills and Abilities
Essential

• Skilled risk assessor
• Can demonstrate awareness of the key issues impacting on the IPC field
• Meticulous attention to detail
• Can demonstrate IT skills using Microsoft Office products
• Able to review clinical evidence and apply to practice
• Policy/guideline development and analysis
• Able to prioritise workload to meet competing demands

Desirable

• Ability to lead complex quality improvement programmes and deliver positive outcomes

Personal Qualities
Essential

• Able to constructively introduce challenge
• Values diversity and equality
• Positive attitude to personal growth and development

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.

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: Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust
Address: University Hospital Lewisham, Lewisham High Street, Lewisham, SE13 6LH, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.lewishamandgreenwich.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact:
Chief Nurse: Louise Crosby
louise.crosby2@nhs.net
020331926080