Here at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust, we are proud to provide expert, compassionate care for our local population. We are ranked as the third in the country for research, embedding education and training across the organisation. Our main hub is the Queen Alexandra Hospital, which is one of the largest hospitals on the south coast employing over 8,700 staff.

Our patients come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds because it makes our hospital stronger. If you share our values and our enthusiasm for getting it right for patients, colleagues, and our community, you will find a home at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust

Senior Matron – Urgent Care

Band 8B | Fixed term (12 months)
 

Are you an experienced and inspirational Registered Nurse ready to take on a senior leadership role where you can make a real impact on patient care, quality and staff experience?

Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust is seeking a high‑calibre Senior Matron (Band 8B) to join our Urgent Care management team on a 12‑month fixed-term basis. This is a pivotal leadership role, offering the opportunity to shape strategic direction, influence service transformation and lead high-performing clinical teams within a complex and fast‑paced environment.

About the role

Our Urgent Care Group includes the Emergency Department (ED), Acute Medical Unit (AMU) and the Urgent, Primary and Emergency Care Centre (UPECC). As Senior Matron, you will provide visible, professional and managerial leadership across these services, ensuring the delivery of safe, effective and compassionate care.

This role requires a strong clinical presence alongside strategic and financial leadership and would suit a senior nurse leader with a passion for emergency and acute care.

Key responsibilities include:

• Champion high standards of care, ensuring evidence‑based practice, robust governance and continuous improvement. A significant element of the role involves maintaining a visible presence in clinical areas to support teams and assure quality.
• Lead, develop and inspire nursing and multidisciplinary teams, with responsibility for workforce planning, recruitment, retention and professional development. You will directly manage clinical managers and promote a positive, inclusive and learning-focused culture.
• As a core member of the Care Group Management Team, you will contribute to service redesign, lead improvement projects, manage nursing budgets and support delivery of key Trust strategies, including Patient Experience and Patient & Public Involvement. You will also participate in the Trust’s Duty Matron rota.
• Reporting directly to the Director of Nursing, you will play a key role in influencing both clinical and corporate objectives across the Care Group and wider organisation.

About you

You will be a Registered Nurse with significant senior leadership experience in an acute or emergency care setting. You will bring strong strategic thinking, excellent communication skills and a proven ability to lead teams through change while maintaining a focus on quality, safety and staff wellbeing.

Above all, you will have a genuine passion for delivering outstanding urgent and emergency care and for developing our most valuable resource – our people.

Why join Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust?

This is a unique leadership opportunity within a supportive and ambitious organisation, offering:

• Exposure to senior decision‑making and strategic leadership
• Opportunities for professional and personal development
• The chance to influence and shape urgent care services for our local population

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact: Juliet Pearce, Director of Nursing Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust

[email protected]

07913 467919

For more information, or to discuss the role, please contact: Juliet Pearce, Director of Nursing Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust [email protected] - 07913467919.

For the full duties of the role, please see enclosed job description.

Qualifications and Experience

Essential

• 1st Level Registered Nurse on relevant part of the NMC register
• First Degree or equivalent
• Masters degree or equivalent educational or experience to meet this requirement
• Recognised Management and/or Leadership qualification
• Evidence of Continual Professional development
• Evidence of project management experience

Desirable

• Experience and/or teaching qualification
• Published work in a clinical or health care area
• Mentoring/Coaching Qualification

Experience

Essential

• Significant post-registration experience 
• Extensive experience of working in a surgical care setting
• Extensive knowledge of National and Local Planned and Emergency Care, NHS and N&M agenda
•  Extensive experience in the acute healthcare setting in clinical leadership/clinical management position
• Evidence of advanced leadership qualities
• Formal and informal teaching experience
• Staff and resource management experience
• Experience of introducing change to clinical environment
• Report writing skills and experience
• Budget management experience

Desirable

• Coaching / mentoring experience/ skills
• Understanding of specialist area

Aptitudes and Skills

Essential

• Excellent high level leadership skills
• Articulate with highly developed communication skills with the ability to network and build relationships at all levels, including interpersonal skills, liaison and negotiation skills. Writing and presentation skills
• Advising and influencing
• IT skills and ability to develop these skills further
• Ability to prioritise work and adapt to changing deadlines
• Able to develop and implement policy, guidelines and projects from initiation to completion
• Evidence of continuing professional development

Desirable

• Project management skills

Personal Qualities

• Professional role model
• Inspirational leader
• Motivated and enthusiastic
• Team Player
• Able to work under pressure
•  Assertive yet approachable
• Personal drive and initiative
• Able to work independently and meet tight deadlines
• Ability to think strategically

The health and wellbeing of our staff is at the forefront of everything we do. We are proud to be able to offer our staff some fantastic benefits including our on-site Nursery, access to our free Beach Hut for those long summer days, our on-site Wellness Centre including a gym and a swimming pool, access to our fantastic staff networks including LGBTQ, Race Equality and DisAbility, and awards ceremonies to recognise your achievements. We believe we can offer support to all of our staff when they need it the most.

We welcome the unique contributions that you can bring in terms of your education, opinions, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity and expression, nation of origin, age, languages spoken, veteran’s status, colour, religion, disability, sexual orientation, and beliefs.