Job Details

Job Grade Level: Management

Employee Category:Management

Department: Nursing

Sub-Department: Nursing

Clinical/non-clinical:Clinical

Patient Facing :(Y/N) Yes

Direct Reports :(Y/N) Yes

Direct Report :Senior Management

Job Summary (Main Purpose)

The Head of Nursing at Hospital is the strategic and operational Nurse Manager who holds the mandate of ensuring the highest standards of nursing and midwifery care, patient safety, and clinical excellence across all Hospital. This role assumes full authority, responsibility, and accountability for nursing operations, ensuring a culture of professionalism, continuous learning. Manages the structure processes and outcomes of nursing care across the Hospital. The Head of Nursing provides leadership in clinical governance, nursing workforce planning, quality assurance, and compliance with regulatory and accreditation standards. The role involves developing and implementing nursing policies, optimizing staff deployment, spearheading training initiatives, and overseeing seamless collaboration between nursing teams, physicians, and other healthcare professionals.

Main Duties/Responsibilities

1. Strategic Nursing Leadership & Patient Care Excellence

• Develop and implement nursing care models aligned with Hospital’s healthcare vision, ensuring evidence-based and patient-centred care.
• Oversee the delivery of high-quality nursing services across all clinical areas in the Hospital, ensuring clinical excellence and patient safety.
• Lead initiatives to improve client experience, reduce & manage Peri- hospital morbidities through enhanced nursing service quality.
• Ensure compliance with national and international healthcare regulations, accreditation requirements (e.g., COHSASA, JCI), and patient safety standards.
• Develop and enforce clinical protocols to minimize risks, improve workflow efficiency, and enhance patient outcomes.
• Drive continuous quality improvement (CQI) initiatives through structured audits, reporting, and corrective action plans (CAPA).
• Monitor and manage key performance indicators (KPIs) related to nursing care, including patient satisfaction scores, incident reports, and compliance audits.

2. Workforce Planning, Talent Development & Leadership

• Spear head the nursing workforce planning, recruitment, and retention strategies to ensure optimal staffing levels and skill mix.
• Implement structured induction, training, and mentorship programs for nurses and nursing leaders.
• Drive continuous professional development, ensuring all nursing staff complete mandatory training, competency assessments (OSCEs), and leadership programs.
• Foster a positive and supportive work environment that enhances nurse engagement, satisfaction, and retention.
• Conduct one-on-one performance reviews with nursing leaders and establish clear improvement plans.

3. Quality Assurance, Compliance & Patient Safety

• Ensure full compliance with nursing regulations, accreditation standards, and hospital protocols.
• Develop, maintain, and implement nursing policies and procedures in alignment with national and international best practices.
• Enforce adherence to infection prevention and control (IPC) protocols, medication safety measures, and risk management strategies.
• Conduct regular clinical audits, nursing quality assessments, and root cause analyses (RCA) for incident reviews.
• Oversee the standardization and documentation of nursing procedures, ensuring accurate and timely record-keeping.
• Work with regulatory bodies and hospital leadership to ensure compliance with all healthcare standards and nursing laws.

4. Operational Efficiency and Resources Management

• Optimize nurse-patient ratios, manage shift scheduling, and optimal, safe workforce utilization for financial efficiency and patient safety.
• Oversee financials and hospital administration to ensure cost-effective nursing resource allocation.
• Monitor and manage budgets for the nursing department, sundries, and equipment and other patient care resources.
• Implement nursing informatics and digital solutions to enhance workflow efficiency and documentation accuracy.
• Participate in multidisciplinary hospital meetings to align nursing operations with overall healthcare delivery goals.

5. Collaboration, Stakeholder Engagement & Interdisciplinary Teamwork

• Strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration between nursing teams, medical staff, and hospital administration.
• Establish structured communication channels, including regular leadership meetings, doctor-nurse collaboration initiatives, and feedback sessions.
• Engage with external stakeholders such as regulatory bodies, academic institutions, and healthcare organizations to enhance nursing education and best practices.
• Ensure strong Consultant to Nurse collaboration by implementing structured feedback mechanisms and interdepartmental teamwork initiatives.

6. Innovation, Research & Nursing Excellence 

Spearhead a culture of nursing innovation through research, evidence-based practice, and continuous improvement.

• Stay updated on emerging trends in nursing informatics, telehealth, and digital healthcare solutions to improve patient care delivery.
• Lead efforts to integrate new technologies and nursing advancements into hospital workflows

Key Relationships

Internal Contacts and purpose of interactions

• Country CEO & Leadership Team – Aligns nursing leadership with corporate healthcare strategy.
• Medical & Clinical Leadership – Enhances interdisciplinary collaboration in patient care.
• HR & Talent Development Teams – Develops training and workforce planning strategies.
• Quality & Compliance Teams – Ensures adherence to nursing regulatory standards.
• Hospital Head of Nursing Peers – Ensures adherence to Group nursing guidelines.

External Contacts and purpose of interactions

• Regulatory & Accreditation Bodies – Ensures compliance with nursing practice standards.
• Nursing Associations & Professional Networks – Engages in nursing leadership development.
• Academic & Research Institutions – Supports nursing education and clinical research collaborations.
• Government Health Agencies – Contributes to public health and nursing policy discussions.

Planning & Organising Duties

Planning Cycle Activity To Be Planned

Monthly 

• Monitor staffing levels, patient care delivery metrics, and training initiatives.
• • Track progress on nursing education programs and skill development workshops.

Quarterly

• Review nursing quality performance indicators, compliance reports, and workforce development progress.
• Adjust strategies based on patient feedback and clinical safety reports.

Annual 

• Develop a strategic nursing roadmap for patient careexcellence.
• Plan investments in nursing education, workforce expansion, and digital nursing solutions.

Long-Term Planning •

• Develop long-term nursing pipeline
• Strengthen global partnerships for nursing research and healthcare innovation.
• Support training/leadership programs for nurse managers and senior nursing professionals.

Key Skills and Competencies

Qualifications

Formal education required for competence in the job

• Bachelor’s of Science or Master’s in Nursing, Nursing Education, Clinical Nursing Leadership, or Public Health is relevant.
• Certification in Healthcare Quality & Safety, NursingLeadership, or Hospital Management is preferred.
• 12+ years in nursing leadership, clinical operations, or hospital management.
• Experience in workforce planning, quality assurance, and patient care improvement.

Knowledge & Technical Competencies

Registrations, Affiliations, Professional Certifications

• Expertise in nursing best practices, clinical safety protocols, and healthcare leadership.
• Strong understanding of nursing informatics, telehealth solutions, and digital patient care systems.

Behavioural Competencies

• Strong leadership in nursing innovation and workforce development.
• High ability to enhance patient care quality through evidence-based nursing.
• Strategic mindset in nursing workforce planning and digital transformation.
• Excellent communication, mentorship, and interdisciplinary collaboration skills.