Job summary
- Main area
- Director
- Grade
- Band 9
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 364-B-595
- Employer
- Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- The Lodge
- Town
- Essex
- Salary
- £112,782 - £129,783 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 12/11/2026 23:59
- Interview date
- 04/12/2026
Employer heading
Director of Safety & Patient Safety Specialist
Band 9
Please be aware that, due to current allocation constraints, Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) are being prioritised for registered roles at this time.
Our Trust cares for more than 100,000 patients at any one time across our community health, mental health and learning disability services across Essex and parts of Bedfordshire and Suffolk.
We want you to be part of our journey of transformation, where our patients and their families are at the heart of everything we do and to achieve our vision to be the leading health and wellbeing service in the provision of mental health and community care.
You’ll be part of a Trust where you will be supported to be your authentic self and be the best you can be, where we will help you to grow, develop and thrive.
The Trust is recognised by the University of Essex and is a top provider of apprenticeships for people looking to be an assistant practitioner, senior health care support worker (CAP). Our trailblazing CAP apprenticeship won a national HSJ Award.
We are also recognised as a Veteran Aware Trust and holder of gold accreditation from the Ministry of Defence Employment Recognition Scheme. Our services are highlighted as an exemplar of good practice, producing the best care for more than 3.500 armed forces veterans in the past seven years.
We have been shortlisted and won national awards. We are an inclusive organisation and Level 3 Disability Confident Leader Trust.
We are constantly innovating and looking for new ways to deliver care, such as using technology to enhance patient care and working with partners to launch new services such as the Basildon Mental Health Urgent Care Department, virtual hospitals and falls response cars.
Join us and you’ll do the best work of your life – and make a difference to other people’s lives. What we do together, matters.
Job overview
Lead the Future of Patient Safety
We are seeking an exceptional and visionary leader to join our organisation as Director of Safety & Patient Safety Specialist. This is a pivotal executive-level role, responsible for shaping, leading and embedding a culture of patient safety across the Trust.
This is a unique opportunity for an experienced senior leader with a passion for patient safety, quality improvement and organisational transformation to influence strategic decision-making at the highest level, drive improvements in patient outcomes and ensure safety remains at the heart of everything we do.
About the Role
Reporting to the Executive Nurse, you will be the Trust's lead patient safety expert, providing visible, influential leadership across all aspects of patient safety, risk management, organisational learning, complaints, patient experience and quality improvement.
Main duties of the job
Working closely with the Executive Team, Board members, operational leaders and clinical teams, you will lead the strategic patient safety agenda and ensure the Trust continues to develop a proactive, learning-focused and safety-driven culture.
Key responsibilities include:
- Leading the development and delivery of the Trust's patient safety strategy.
- Providing executive leadership for the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF), Duty of Candour and Learning from Deaths programmes.
- Driving improvement through systems thinking, human factors and Just Culture principles.
- Providing expert advice to the Board and senior leaders on patient safety risks, incidents and emerging themes.
- Ensuring robust systems are in place to identify, investigate and learn from incidents and complaints.
- Overseeing patient safety intelligence, reporting and organisational learning processes.
- Leading the Complaints and PALS functions to ensure patient feedback drives meaningful improvement.
- Working collaboratively with patients, carers, regulators, commissioners and system partners to improve safety outcomes.
- Developing patient safety capability through training, coaching, leadership development and quality improvement methodologies.
- Supporting the Trust's ambition to become a recognised leader in patient safety and continuous improvement.
Working for our organisation
Valuing you. Recognising your dedication. At EPUT, we look after you.
- Receive supervision and support to help you fulfil your potential.
- Join an inclusive EPUT community and connect with others through engagement events and equality or champion networks.
- If you need help, we provide mental health and wellbeing services, occupational health advice and counselling.
Benefits
- 27 days holiday, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days after 10 years’ service.
- Excellent pension of up to 14.5% of your pensionable pay.
- Staff discounts include Blue Light Card, NHS discount offers, and staff benefits.
- £8K relocation package if you move to Essex to join us
- Season ticket loans are interest-free to cover the cost of travelling to and from work via tram, rail, or bus.
Work that wraps around your needs
- Job share: Applications for job shares are welcomed.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
About You
We are looking for an inspirational and highly credible leader who has a proven track record of delivering strategic change and improving patient outcomes within complex healthcare environments.
You will be passionate about creating safer systems of care, influencing culture change and empowering teams to learn and improve.
Essential Requirements
- Master's degree or equivalent level of knowledge and experience.
- Leadership qualification or significant leadership development experience.
- Advanced knowledge and experience of quality improvement methodologies.
- Significant senior-level experience in patient safety, quality, governance or risk management.
- Extensive knowledge of NHS patient safety policy, strategy and regulatory frameworks.
- Proven experience of leading large-scale organisational change and service improvement programmes.
- Expertise in systems-based approaches to safety, incident investigation and human factors.
- Strong understanding of learning systems, governance and quality assurance mechanisms.
- Excellent communication, influencing and stakeholder engagement skills.
- Experience of presenting complex information to Boards, executives and external stakeholders.
- Ability to analyse complex data and translate findings into strategic actions and improvements.
Desirable Requirements
- Professional clinical qualification and current registration.
- Recognised qualification in quality improvement, patient safety or human factors.
- Experience of working at Board or system level.
What We Offer
This role provides the opportunity to make a lasting impact on the quality and safety of services for patients, carers and communities.
You will join a forward-thinking organisation committed to continuous improvement, learning and innovation, working alongside highly skilled colleagues who are passionate about delivering outstanding care.
Person specification
Education/Qualification
Essential criteria
- Educated to master’s or equivalent level, or equivalent experience of working at a senior level
- Advanced Quality Improvement Certification or relevant experience
- Leadership qualification
Applicant requirements
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Ann Sheridan
- Job title
- Director of Nursing
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07581069866
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