Children's Specialist Nursing Service Lead

Job description

Job summary

Are you an experienced children's nurse leader who is passionate about delivering outstanding care and improving services for children and young people with additional and complex health needs?

We are looking for a compassionate and inclusive leader to provide senior clinical, professional and operational leadership across our Children's Community Nursing Service and associated services including Special School Nursing, Paediatric Palliative Care and Child Development Nurse Specialists. This is an exciting opportunity to shape services that make a meaningful difference to children, young people and families.

You will lead the delivery of safe, effective, evidence-based and child- and family-centred care, while supporting service improvement, workforce development and strong clinical governance. Working collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams and partner organisations, you will help ensure children receive high-quality care in the right place and at the right time.

The role combines strategic leadership with operational management offering the opportunity to influence service development, improve outcomes and support staff to thrive. You will champion quality, inclusion and continuous improvement, ensuring services remain responsive to the needs of diverse communities.

We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds who share our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, who are motivated to improve the experiences of children, young people and families.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will:

• Provide visible clinical and professional leadership across community children's nursing, palliative care, complex care and special school nursing services.
• Lead and support nursing and support worker teams, ensuring effective workforce planning, recruitment, induction, supervision, appraisal, wellbeing, learning and performance management.
• Maintain high standards of clinical governance, safeguarding, risk management, incident reporting, complaint management, audit, evidence-based practice and quality improvement.
• Oversee operational performance, including activity, access, workforce and financial management, identifying risks and implementing timely actions to support safe and effective services.
• Lead the development and improvement of services, pathways and policies to meet the needs of children and families.
• Build strong partnerships with children, families, education, social care, acute and specialist services, commissioners and wider stakeholders.
• Promote a culture of inclusion, collaboration and continuous learning that supports excellent outcomes for children, young people and families.

About us

We are proud to be one of the largest community healthcare providers in the country, with more than 4,500 colleagues caring for over four million people across London and Hertfordshire. Every day, our teams bring their skill, compassion, and determination to the people who depend on us.

What inspires us is at the heart of who we are: when we work together, we can help people move forward in ways that truly matter. Our teams support children as they take their first steps in life, and they stand beside adults as they rebuild strength, confidence, and independence. From newborn health visiting to community nursing, stroke rehabilitation, and palliative care, we are there for people through some of life's most important moments.

Joining Central London Community Healthcare means becoming part of a community that lifts each other up. It means working in an organisation that values compassion, welcomes new ideas, and believes in the potential of every colleague. Your development matters here. Your wellbeing matters. Your voice helps shape the future of the care we provide.

We offer a competitive employment package because the work you do matters. At Central London Community Healthcare, you will join an inclusive organisation that invests in its people, supports development, and helps you thrive while delivering high-quality care.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Applicants are expected to present clear and relevant evidence of the competencies and responsibilities detailed in the attached Job Description and Person Specification, together with a demonstrated commitment to the Trusts values of Accountability, Inclusion, Compassion, and Empowerment.

Job description
Job responsibilities

Applicants are expected to present clear and relevant evidence of the competencies and responsibilities detailed in the attached Job Description and Person Specification, together with a demonstrated commitment to the Trusts values of Accountability, Inclusion, Compassion, and Empowerment.

Person Specification

Education/Qualification

Essential

• Registered Nurse (Child) / RSCN / RGN with current NMC registration
• Relevant post-registration education to degree/diploma level
• Community nursing/specialist practitioner qualification or equivalent experience

Desirable

• Teaching qualification
• Post-registration management/leadership qualification
• Masters-level study or equivalent knowledge and experience

Experience

Essential

• Substantial post-registration experience in children's community nursing, complex care or palliative care
• Significant experience at Band 7 or equivalent
• Experience of leading and managing clinical teams
• Recruitment, workforce planning, supervision and performance management
• Clinical governance, audit, risk management and service improvement

Desirable

• Experience of operational service management across community and/or acute environments
• Budget/resource management
• Business planning, service redesign, commissioning or new service development
• Managing activity, performance and quality data
• Implementing multidisciplinary change

Skills & Knowledge

Essential

• Strong clinical and professional leadership skills
• Ability to motivate, influence and develop staff
• Knowledge of clinical governance, safeguarding, risk management, health and safety and professional standards
• Ability to analyse complex problems and performance information
• Strong communication, negotiation, conflict management and facilitation skills
• Ability to prioritise competing demands
• Strong IT, numerical and analytical skills
• Knowledge of evidence-based practice and quality improvement

Desirable

• Knowledge of NHS operational, commissioning and financial processes
• Understanding of CQUINs, PREMs/PROMs and service performance frameworks
• Knowledge of current issues affecting children's community health services and the wider NHS

Key Attributes

Essential

• Highly organised, self-motivated, resilient and driven to improve performance
• Strong accountability and professional integrity
• Collaborative and inclusive approach
• Commitment to child- and family-centred care and improving outcomes
• Able to work autonomously and across professional boundaries
• Flexible approach to changing service requirements

Desirable

• Demonstrates innovation, strategic thinking and the ability to identify opportunities for service development and efficiency while maintaining quality and safety

Person Specification
Education/Qualification

Essential

• Registered Nurse (Child) / RSCN / RGN with current NMC registration
• Relevant post-registration education to degree/diploma level
• Community nursing/specialist practitioner qualification or equivalent experience

Desirable

• Teaching qualification
• Post-registration management/leadership qualification
• Masters-level study or equivalent knowledge and experience

Experience

Essential

• Substantial post-registration experience in children's community nursing, complex care or palliative care
• Significant experience at Band 7 or equivalent
• Experience of leading and managing clinical teams
• Recruitment, workforce planning, supervision and performance management
• Clinical governance, audit, risk management and service improvement

Desirable

• Experience of operational service management across community and/or acute environments
• Budget/resource management
• Business planning, service redesign, commissioning or new service development
• Managing activity, performance and quality data
• Implementing multidisciplinary change

Skills & Knowledge

Essential

• Strong clinical and professional leadership skills
• Ability to motivate, influence and develop staff
• Knowledge of clinical governance, safeguarding, risk management, health and safety and professional standards
• Ability to analyse complex problems and performance information
• Strong communication, negotiation, conflict management and facilitation skills
• Ability to prioritise competing demands
• Strong IT, numerical and analytical skills
• Knowledge of evidence-based practice and quality improvement

Desirable

• Knowledge of NHS operational, commissioning and financial processes
• Understanding of CQUINs, PREMs/PROMs and service performance frameworks
• Knowledge of current issues affecting children's community health services and the wider NHS

Key Attributes

Essential

• Highly organised, self-motivated, resilient and driven to improve performance
• Strong accountability and professional integrity
• Collaborative and inclusive approach
• Commitment to child- and family-centred care and improving outcomes
• Able to work autonomously and across professional boundaries
• Flexible approach to changing service requirements

Desirable

• Demonstrates innovation, strategic thinking and the ability to identify opportunities for service development and efficiency while maintaining quality and safety

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

Additional information
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

Employer details

Employer name

Central London Community Health Trust
Address

The Medical Centre

7e Woodfield Road

London

W9 3XZ

United Kingdom

Employer's website