Band 8c | Full-time | The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust

We are seeking an exceptional, compassionate and credible senior leader to join our Women's Health senior leadership team as Head of Women's Health Governance and Assurance. This is a pivotal role with the influence and authority to strengthen safety, quality, learning and assurance across maternity and gynaecology, while working closely with neonatal colleagues to support a joined-up perinatal approach.

Maternity and neonatal services are operating in a period of unprecedented national scrutiny and reform. The expectations arising from recent independent reviews, the NHS Maternity and Neonatal 10 Point Plan, Care Quality Commission oversight and the Maternity (Perinatal) Incentive Scheme require visible leadership, robust evidence, rapid learning and clear Board assurance. The postholder will be central to ensuring that our services meet these standards, respond confidently to external review and, most importantly, translate learning into safer, equitable and consistently high-quality care for women, babies and families.

Working in close partnership with the Director of Midwifery and Gynaecology, Deputy Director of Midwifery, operational leaders, obstetric, neonatal and gynaecology medical teams, and corporate governance colleagues, you will provide strategic leadership for clinical governance, risk, patient safety, regulatory compliance and quality assurance. You will ensure that intelligence from incidents, complaints, claims, audit, outcomes and feedback is triangulated, acted upon and reported clearly through divisional, executive and Board governance routes.

The role also holds a significant education and training portfolio. You will lead the maternity education function, oversee delivery of the Core Competency Framework and multidisciplinary training requirements, and ensure that learning from reviews, investigations, audit and clinical practice directly informs workforce development. You will create the conditions in which staff are supported to learn, speak up and deliver evidence-based care.

What you will bring

• Current NMC registration as a midwife and substantial senior leadership experience in maternity services.
• Expert knowledge of maternity and perinatal governance, patient safety, risk management, regulation and national standards.
• A strong record of leading improvement, investigation, assurance and organisational learning across multidisciplinary services.
• The ability to interpret complex information, identify emerging risk and provide clear, credible assurance to senior leaders and the Board.
• Inclusive, compassionate and courageous leadership, with the confidence to challenge constructively and build effective partnerships.
• Experience of leading education and training, translating learning into sustainable improvements in practice.

This is an opportunity to shape the governance, assurance and learning infrastructure of Women's Health at a critical point in the national maternity and neonatal improvement journey. If you are a values-led leader who combines strategic insight with disciplined delivery, and you are committed to listening to women, families and staff, we would welcome your application.

Informal enquiries are welcomed. Please contact the Deputy Director of Midwifery and Gynaecology Katy Kay (catherine.kay8@nhs.net), or current post-holder Emma Rose (emma.rose34@nhs.net) to discuss the role and our ambitions for the service.

Please be aware of these dates if you are considering applying:
3 November 2026 – Advert closes
18 November 2026 – Interviews

Supporting Documents
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