Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
Ward Manager
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Ward Manager
Clinical Ward Manager – Job Description
Job Overview
The Clinical Ward Manager will provide clinical leadership to all ward-based staff, ensuring the multidisciplinary team (MDT)
adheres to a recovery-based approach in patient care. The role involves managing the day-to-day operational efficiency of the ward while overseeing the delivery of high-quality, evidence-based care.
The Manager will:
- Ensure compliance with Trust policies and procedures
- Lead a team of nursing staff, promoting safe, effective practice through regular supervision and appraisals
- Manage administrative and operational resources cost-effectively
- Coordinate multidisciplinary working, maintaining strong communication and collaboration across services
- Demonstrate a relentlessly patient-centred approach, acting as a visible, accessible, and authoritative figure offering support to staff, patients, relatives, carers, and visitors
This role is patient-facing.
Main Duties
The role covers the following key responsibilities:
- Management of Nursing Care and Practice
- Management of Financial and Material Resources
- Management of Clinical Standards
- Management of Human Resources
- Patient Flow
- Management of the Environment
- Management of Information and Communication
Full responsibilities are outlined in the attached [job description].
About the Organisation
Central and North West London NHS Trust (CNWL) expects all Band 7 Ward Managers to embody and promote its core values through their interactions with:
- Service users and their families
- Caregivers and visitors
- Trust colleagues
We emphasise five key principles:
- Compassion: Deliver care with empathy and kindness, recognising the impact of your actions on others.
- Respect: Warmly welcome and acknowledge differences without prejudice.
- Empowerment: Equip people with information, support, and resources to make their own decisions.
- Partnership: Collaborate with commissioners and users as critical stakeholders shaping our services.
- These values must underpin everything you do—your conduct and communications should reflect them.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential Criteria
- Registered Nurse on the NMC (Nursing & Midwifery Council) Mental Health Register
- Evidence of relevant post-registration healthcare or management qualifications
- Mentorship, Teaching & Assessing qualification (e.g., RCNi or alternative approved by NMC)
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Desirable Criteria
- First or higher degree in an appropriate subject (Healthcare, Nursing, Psychology, Sociology)
- NVQ assessor certification or Recovery Champion Training
- Qualification as a Non-Medical Prescriber
Experience
Essential Criteria
- Significant experience as a Clinical Team Leader (Band 6 or above)
- Proven understanding of budget and resource management
- Experience in management supervision and appraisal
- First-line management and leadership experience
- Experience at a senior clinical level, including staff management, mentoring, and clinical oversight
- Multidisciplinary teamwork in a mental health environment
- Evidence of leadership in service development (e.g., policy change, care models, improvements)
- Experience with risk assessment and ongoing management
- Mentoring experience
- Competency in operating Clinical Portal/IT systems (CPA systems)
Academic Criteria
Desirable Criteria
- Experience working with other clinical groups and applying diverse care models (e.g., psychosocial therapy, recovery-based approaches)
- Experience managing non-clinical staff or other healthcare professionals
- Experience in performance management (addressing underperformance, disciplinary processes)
- Successfully leading significant organisational change projects (e.g., process redesign, technology implementation)
- Evidence of good project management skills
Skills
Essential Criteria
- Strong leadership abilities able to motivate, inspire, and guide diverse teams
- Excellent communication skills (verbal and written), with the ability to welcome, inform, and advocate
- Competent in admission assessments, care planning, and decision-making
- Effective analytical and time-management skills, capable of prioritising workload
- Calm under pressure, with the ability to manage competing priorities
- Expectation/planning skills for managing team dynamics, MDT collaboration, and workload fluctuations
- Competency in their clinical profession (e.g., psychosocial interventions, medication administration)
- Proficient in ICT systems (electronic patient records, scheduling tools)
- Collaborative mindset, able to build and or support high-functioning team relationships
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Desirable Criteria
- Skills in change management (driving consultation and implementation)
- Ability to simplify complex information for varied audiences (staff, managers, service users)
- Experience supporting teams through difficult situations (e.g., crisis de-escalation, bereavement support)
- Experience in mediating or managing conflict between staff or service users
- Understanding of the intersection of clinical and administrative demands (balancing strategy and day-to-day operations)
Knowledge
Essential Criteria
- Working knowledge of acute mental health laws (e.g., Mental Health Act 1983, Mental Capacity Act 2005, Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards, Children Act, Equality Act 2010)
- Understanding of individual rights frameworks (Health and Safety Act, Data Protection Act, Human Rights Act, NHS Plan)
- Experience with Clinical Governance frameworks
- Awareness of nursing agendas (e.g., National Service Frameworks, NHS Plan, Five-Year Forward View)
- Understanding of safeguarding issues and related responsibilities (e.g., Working Together to Safeguard Children)
- Budget management skills (allocating funds and monitoring financial efficiency)
- Understanding of a recovery-oriented approach to care
- Familiarity with risk assessment frameworks and clinical audits
Desirable Criteria
- Knowledge of performance improvement methodologies (e.g., SHIELDS framework, Quality Improvement)
- Basic understanding of NHS procurement strategies and operational efficiency
Other Requirements
Essential Criteria
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Professional conduct in line with the NMC Code and NHS values
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Credible role-model for trust behaviours (compassionate, consultative, adaptable)
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Resilience to work under pressure while maintaining clarity
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Compliance with Trust’s Equal Opportunity policy
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Full commitment to service goals, prepared to adapt role as needed
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Willingness to support and motivate colleagues
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Professional development mindset – commitment to annual appraisals and self-improvement
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Desire to enhance service-user engagement and user-led decision-making
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Practically able to meet role demands, including physical mobility for daily ward duties
Full details refer to the attached document.
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