NCCU Senior Sister/Senior Charge Nurse

Job summary
This is an exciting opportunity for a Band 7 Senior Sister/Charge Nurse to join our Neuro Critical Care team for a year's secondment.

We are looking for someone innovative to join our diverse and passionate critical care team.

We currently have 27 critical care beds caring for both level 3 and level 2 patients caring for critically ill neurosurgical patient and major trauma.

As a pivotal part of our team you will be responsible for the leadership, management and coordination of the nursing team to ensure that critically ill patients and their families receive safe, effective and high quality care. In addition you will be responsible for leading and developing nurses and nursing practice within NCCU. Our band 7 team works collaboratively with the senior medical and allied professionals to ensure our patients are given outstanding care.

We offer excellent development opportunities for all staff which includes local education, leadership and development programmes as well as courses at degree or masters level.

You will also be required to carry the critical care coordinator bleep. This role includes optimisation of patient admissions and transfers to the ward areas, balancing and ensuring safe staffing across the critical care units and sharing the critical care position with the hospital.

Main duties of the job
The post holder will be responsible for the management and co-ordination of the nursing team and collaboration with the wider team to ensure that critically ill patients and families receive high quality, safe, kind and excellent care. The post holder will also be responsible for leading, developing and managing nurses and nursing practice within the NCCU

About us
Come Nurse with us...

Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest teaching Trusts in the country. It comprises Addenbrooke's Hospital and the Rosie Hospital. We provide accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge and regional and national specialist services. It's a great place to nurse, work and live.

You will work on a vibrant hospital campus with a friendly community feel; we have excellent facilities to practise your skills and abilities to support your career pathway and development. Our values ofTogether - Safe, Kind, Excellentsupport the delivery of outstanding care. We have a fully electronic patient record system that is improving health-care quality; this is transforming services, improving patient safety and clinical outcomes.

Why choose Cambridge University Hospitals?

• Our values and reputation for outstanding care
• Opportunities to experience a range of specialities
• Career and development opportunities
• Preceptorship and mentoring programmes delivered by a dedicated clinical education support team
• Research experience and opportunities
• Lovely location and quality of life
• Excellent schools/colleges and transport links (road, rail and air)

Job responsibilities
Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.

Due to Home Office immigration rules, a full time permanent vacancy cannot be filled by individuals on a Student visa. Therefore, please be advised that if you are a Student visa holder, we will not be able to offer you a full time permanent contract unless you have:

• applied for a Graduate visa
• or you will have successfully completed your course and have applied for a Graduate visa before the anticipated start date of your employment

Please note that we cannot accept applications from individuals who do not have the right to work in the UK or who have less than 6months remaining on their visa from the proposed start date."

Please note:- Internal applicants on permanent contracts can apply for this post as a secondment. For secondments you must have the approval of your line manager before applying. If you are an internal applicant currently on a fixed term contract you are able to apply for this as a fixed term position.

This vacancy will close at midnight on 1 September 2026

Interviews are due to be held on 8 September 2026

Benefits to you
At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.

On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only caf, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.

CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times.

Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.

We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• NMC Registered Nurse
• Recognised critical care post registration course. 60 credits or equivalent curriculum, aligned with national competency

Desirable

• Teaching/assessment qualification
• Leadership/management experience
• Diploma/Degree
• Research Experience

Experience
Essential

• At least 12 months experience as band 6 in charge in critical care
• Experience of leading and developing staff
• Experience of teaching, training and mentoring staff
• Expert Clinical Practice
• Awareness of reflective and evidence based practice

Desirable

• Experience in a variety of acute care areas
• Project management experience
• Audit/research experience

Knowledge
Essential

• Expert clinical knowledge
• Ability to integrate education/professional needs with the needs of the service
• Knowledge of Critical Care current climate and national standards

Desirable

• Understanding of current issues in Critical Care Nursing

Skills
Essential

• Good interpersonal and communication skills
• Leadership and team working skills
• Good organisational skills
• Ability to integrate educational/professional needs with service needs
• Able to adapt to the changing needs of the unit

Desirable

• Assertive/perceptive counselling skills
• Able to prioritise workload
• Good decision-making skills

Aditional Requirements
Essential

• Adaptable to changing situations due to both workload and colleague needs
• Committed to continuous professional development (both own and in others)
• Evidence of both professional and personal development
• Willing to learn
• Interested in critical care and the nursing of the critically ill
• Able to promote good working partnerships with other departments
• To be willing to undertake Mentoring and Mentor Module relevant to job banding and as required by your Line Manager
• The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of together, safe, kind and excellent.

Desirable

• Willingness to undertake additional roles
• Willingness to accept alternative shift times
• Understanding of current issues in critical care
• Interest in teaching
• Representation of unit/organisation in broader initiatives
• Good computer skills

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 (Opens in a new tab).

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 (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

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.

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 (Opens in a new tab).

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 (Opens in a new tab).

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).