Head of Clinical Services

In person interviews to take place the w/c 11th of May

Be the clinical leader who shapes exceptional end-of-life care

At Sue Ryder, we believe no one should face death or grief alone. At Wheatfields Hospice, you’ll lead and develop a dedicated team, shaping and strengthening services to deliver consistently outstanding palliative and end-of-life care—when it matters most.

About us

Wheatfields Hospice is a specialist palliative care service at the heart of the Leeds community. We provide expert care, emotional support and dignity to people at the end of life, as well as support for their families. As part of Sue Ryder, you’ll join a nationally recognised charity committed to innovation, quality and person-centred care.

About the role

This is a senior clinical leadership role with real impact.

You’ll:

• Lead and inspire multidisciplinary clinical teams to deliver safe, high-quality, CQC-compliant care
• Drive a culture of continuous improvement, innovation and service development
• Take ownership of clinical governance, risk, audit and quality standards
• Manage budgets, resources and service performance
• Lead transformation—developing services that meet changing patient and community needs
• Build strong partnerships with stakeholders including commissioners and regulators
• Deputise for the Regional Director of Healthcare Operations and contribute at senior leadership level


This role requires the successful candidate to become the registered manager with the Care Quality Commission and participate regularly in the on-call rota.

This is your opportunity to shape the future of hospice care locally and beyond

About you

You’re a credible, visible clinical leader who combines compassion with strategic thinking.

You will bring:

• Strong leadership experience in a healthcare setting
• A passion for improving patient outcomes and experience
• Confidence leading change, managing complexity and influencing across systems
• Deep understanding of clinical governance and quality assurance
• The ability to balance operational delivery with long-term vision

Minimum Essential Criteria:

(Applicants who meet these criteria and identify as disabled will be guaranteed an interview under our Disability Confident scheme)

• Registered General Nurse with active UK NMC registration
• Significant post-registration clinical experience in a healthcare setting Demonstrable experience of leading, managing or supervising clinical teams
• Experience of clinical governance, audit, risk management or quality improvement
• Evidence of working across multidisciplinary teams and organisational boundaries
• Experience contributing to or leading service improvement or change initiatives
• Strong communication and organisational skills, with ability to manage competing priorities
• Understanding of healthcare regulations, standards and patient safety requirements
• Competent IT skills and ability to use digital systems

Desirable Criteria

• Master’s degree (or equivalent experience)
• Leadership/management qualification
• Experience in palliative or end-of-life care
• Experience managing budgets and resources
• Experience engaging with external stakeholders (e.g. CQC, ICBs)

For an informal and confidential chat, please email sian.dodunski@sueryder.org

Benefits

• Enhanced pay for unsociable hours
• Company pension scheme
• Continuation of NHS pension (terms and conditions apply)
• 27 days holiday – rising to 33 with length of service plus bank holidays
• NHS annual leave honoured (terms and conditions apply)
• Enhanced maternity and paternity pay
• Enhanced sick pay
• Electric Vehicle Scheme
• Healthcare Cash plan, to claim back costs of routine healthcare
• Death in Service benefit
• Staff discount on new goods online at shop.sueryder.org
• Structured induction programme and learning and development opportunities.

For more of our employee benefits please visit our website:
www.sueryder.org/jobs/careers-in-palliative-care/benefits-of-working-for-sue-ryder/

Our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion

At Sue Ryder, we recognise that a diverse workforce allows us to provide the best care and support. We are committed to encouraging equity, diversity and inclusion among our workforce, and eliminating unlawful discrimination.

We welcome applications from people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities, LGBTQ+ individuals, those from lower socio-economic backgrounds, and those living with disabilities.

As a Disability Confident Committed employer, we’re proud to support the ‘Offer an Interview’ scheme. This means we will offer an interview to all disabled applicants who best meet the minimum essential criteria for the role. 

We use inclusive recruitment practices including sharing interview themes or questions in advance, offering remote interviews where needed, and other accessibility support.

If you require support to compete an application or participate fully in the interview process, please email recruitment@sueryder.org. 

Once in post you’ll have access to staff and volunteer networks for LGBTQ+ colleagues, Global Cultures, people with disabilities, and women and non-binary individuals, plus an Inclusion Passport to record and carry your workplace adjustments.

For more information on our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion work, please visit: www.sueryder.org/jobs/equity-diversity-inclusion

Join us in creating a culture where everyone feels respected, valued, and able to thrive.