Job summary
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (STH) is one of the largest and most respected NHS organisations in the country, employing over 20,000 colleagues and providing local, regional and specialist services to more than two million people across South Yorkshire and beyond. With a strong reputation for clinical excellence, teaching, research and innovation, we are committed to delivering outstanding care and improving outcomes for the communities we serve.

Our maternity, gynaecology and neonatal services are central to this ambition. As home to one of the UK's largest maternity centres, supporting around 5,700 births each year, we provide a comprehensive range of services, including specialist regional tertiary care. Building on significant progress in recent years, we are now focused on sustaining improvements, strengthening our positive culture and taking the quality, safety and experience of our services to the next level.

We are seeking an exceptional Midwifery Director to provide visible, compassionate and influential professional leadership across our Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Neonatology Care Group. As the Trust's senior professional leader for midwifery, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our services, championing clinical excellence, strengthening professional practice and ensuring that women, babies and families remain at the heart of everything we do.

Main duties of the job
Working in close partnership with clinical, operational and professional colleagues, you will drive improvements in quality, safety, workforce development and patient experience, while fostering a culture of openness, learning and continuous improvement. You will champion meaningful engagement with women, families and our diverse communities, ensuring their voices help shape the services we provide.

We are looking for an accomplished, values-led and collaborative midwifery leader with the professional credibility, strategic perspective and personal qualities to inspire confidence at every level. Approachable, authentic and highly visible, you will combine a genuine connection to frontline services with the ability to influence at Board level, navigate complexity and build effective partnerships across professional and organisational boundaries.

About us
You will be working for an organisation which values and respects all of its staff and the community it serves. The Trust is a leader in the NHS and research sectors and provides excellent benefits for its employees. This includes commitments to professional development but also many policies to support employees in balancing their personal and professional lives.

Details
Closing date: 22 November 2026
Pay scheme: Very senior manager (VSM)
Salary: Depending on experience pa/pro rata for part time staff
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 190-3097-DIR
Job locations: Jessop Wing, Tree Root Walk, Sheffield, S10 2SF, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
This is a compelling opportunity to make a lasting difference within a major teaching hospital Trust. Joining a committed and supportive leadership team, you will build on strong foundations, influence the next chapter of service development and help deliver our ambition for consistently safe, inclusive and outstanding care for women, babies and families across Sheffield and the wider region. For further information please visit alumniglobal.com/job/sthmidwiferydirector or contact Micheal Earnshaw on E: michael.earnshaw@alumniglobal.com or M: 07719055971 for a confidential discussion.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Registered Midwife with significant experience
• Evidence of Continuous Professional Development
• Masters degree

Desirable

• Registered Nurse

Experience
Essential

• Extensive post registration experience working effectively in a relevant multi-professional acute environment.
• Significant experience at a senior level in a large acute setting including effectively managing staff budgets and high quality patient centred services.
• Previous experience of managing midwifery in a complex environment, including understanding and applying relevant national standards.
• An expert understanding of the statutory framework governing midwives.
• An expert awareness of the national and local context affecting midwifery and maternity services and the delivery of care.
• A detailed awareness and an understanding of the clinical governance agenda.
• Evidence of a commitment to Evidence Based Practice.

Desirable

• Experience at Midwifery Director Level.
• Recent evidence of participation on national or regional groups dealing with NHS strategic issues.
• Evidence of relevant management development and ability to manage change effectively
• Evidence of relevant professional development and experience of contributing to, and effectively implementing nursing / midwifery strategy.

Skills
Essential

• A strong focus on developing excellence in the planning and delivery of maternity care.
• Proven professional and personal leadership skills with an emphasis on engagement and delivery.
• Ability to communicate very complex sensitive and contentious information to a range of colleagues and in a variety of media.

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.

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.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details
Employer name: Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Employer's website: https://www.sth.nhs.uk

For questions about the job, contact:
Chief Nurse, Chris Morley, christopher.morley3@nhs.net, 01142713077

The Trust is committed to equality of opportunity and diversity.