Job summary
Lead, Inspire, Transform

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and ambitious senior nursing leader to join Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust as Head of Nursing for Surgery at Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

This is a pivotal leadership role within our Surgical Directorate, offering the opportunity to influence strategic decision-making, drive quality improvement and lead the delivery of outstanding surgical care across a diverse portfolio of inpatient, outpatient and perioperative services.

As Head of Nursing, you will provide professional, operational and strategic nursing leadership, ensuring the highest standards of patient care, safety, quality and experience. Working closely with the Clinical Director, General Manager, Matrons and multidisciplinary teams, you will play a key role in shaping and delivering the Directorate's vision, supporting service transformation and achieving excellence in clinical outcomes.

This role is ideal for an inspirational and compassionate leader who thrives in a complex environment and is passionate about developing services, supporting staff and achieving the best outcomes for patients.

Main duties of the job

• Provide strategic and professional nursing leadership across Surgical Services.
• Ensure the delivery of safe, effective, responsive and high-quality patient care.
• Lead on nursing quality, patient safety, safeguarding, patient experience and clinical governance.
• Drive continuous improvement and innovation across surgical pathways and services.
• Support the development and implementation of directorate and Trust-wide strategies and objectives.
• Work collaboratively with medical, operational and corporate colleagues to improve performance and patient outcomes.
• Lead workforce planning, recruitment, retention and succession planning initiatives.
• Foster a culture of compassionate leadership, inclusion, accountability and continuous learning.
• Ensure effective management of quality indicators, regulatory requirements and performance standards.
• Champion evidence-based practice, research, education and professional development.
• Lead and support service redesign programmes that enhance efficiency, productivity and patient experience.

About us
Please refer to the Applicant Guide via the link below for key information:- Applying to LGT Guide - Key Information for Applicants

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:

• 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
• Widening access (anchor institution) and employability
• Improving the experience of staff with disability
• Improving the EDI literacy and confidence of trust staff through training and development
• Making equalities mainstream

Details
Date posted: 24 August 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 8c
Salary: £79,504 to £91,609 a year per annum
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 197-R-LC8652
Job locations: Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust, Stadium Road, London, SE18 4QH, United Kingdom

Job description
Job responsibilities

• Current NMC registration.
• Significant senior leadership experience within acute hospital services, ideally within Surgery or an associated clinical specialty.
• A proven track record of leading quality improvement, service transformation and operational performance.
• Strong experience in clinical governance, patient safety and workforce leadership.
• The ability to influence and build effective relationships across multidisciplinary teams and organisational boundaries.
• Excellent communication, leadership and organisational skills.
• Experience of managing complex change within a large healthcare organisation.
• A commitment to staff wellbeing, inclusion and professional development.
• Educated to Master's level or equivalent senior leadership experience, with evidence of ongoing professional development.

Person Specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential

• Post graduate training in Clinical Specialty, or Business or NHS Management in progress or completed
• Formal education to first degree level or equivalent ability
• RN part 1
• Master's degree or equivalent ability/evidence of skill

Experience
Essential

• Minimum 3 years operational management in an acute NHS Trust, including senior level experience & management of specialist services

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: Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust, Stadium Road, London, SE18 4QH, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.lewishamandgreenwich.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Divisional Director of Nursing and Governance, Shelly Rose, michellerose1@nhs.net, 07353101065

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.
Applicants must have current UK professional registration.