Chief Nursing Officer, Isle of Wight NHS Trust & Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust

Isle of Wight NHS Trust & Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust are seeking an exceptional clinical leader to join their executive team as Chief Nursing Officer.

‘Leading and supporting the workforce who care for our communities every day’.
Thank you for your interest in the role of Chief Nursing Officer for Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust (PHU) and Isle of Wight NHS Trust (IWT).
Both of our organisations share a vision of ‘working together to deliver excellence in care for our patients and communities’. We are proud of the dedication, professionalism and compassion shown by our staff every day and we are committed to creating an environment in which colleagues feel supported, valued and able to do their very best work.
At the same time, we are ambitious about how we continue to strengthen our services and support our workforce.
This appointment is therefore an important leadership role for both organisations and one that sits at the heart of how we support our staff and care for our patients.
Nursing, midwifery and allied health professionals play a central role in the quality, safety and compassion that define the care provided across our hospitals and community services every day. The Chief Nursing Officer therefore holds a vital leadership role in supporting and inspiring this workforce and in ensuring that professional standards, patient experience and clinical quality continue to improve across both organisations.
The partnership between PHU and IWT began in 2019 and developed into Group model with a single CEO and executive team in 2023 to reflect our commitment to working at scale, reducing duplication and sharing learning across our organisations where it benefits patients, staff and system partners, while retaining our strong local identities as providers to our local communities. This creates a unique leadership opportunity for the Chief Nursing Officer to shape professional practice and workforce culture across two organisations.
As well as unifying our Trust strategies, with five shared ambitious aims, we have a joint clinical strategy that underpins our commitment to putting patients at the centre of everything we do. Our clinical strategy provides a blueprint for us to drive change in the way we think about, plan and deliver our clinical services, driving innovation and excellence to develop care models that prioritise patient experience.
Our clinical services are supported by single corporate services that work across both organisations to ensure we provide clinically and financially sustainable services for all our patients and communities.
As Chief Nursing Officer you will provide professional leadership for nursing, midwifery and allied health professionals across both Trusts. You will play an important role in creating an environment where colleagues feel supported, valued and able to do their very best work, recognising that outstanding patient care begins with supporting the people who deliver it.
A visible presence across our services, spending time with staff and patients, will be an important part of how you lead and understand the realities of care delivery.
We are looking for someone who combines deep professional credibility with warmth, humanity and a genuine commitment to supporting staff. Someone who will inspire confidence across the workforce, build strong relationships across professions and organisational boundaries, and help ensure that our organisations continue to provide safe, compassionate and high quality care.
Working with colleagues across both Trusts and across the wider Hampshire and Isle of Wight system, the Chief Nursing Officer will help shape the future of professional leadership and support the continued development of a strong and confident workforce.
If you are motivated by the opportunity to inspire colleagues, champion professional excellence and contribute to the future development of services across our organisations, I would be delighted to hear from you. As part of the search process, I would also very much welcome the opportunity to speak with prospective candidates and would encourage anyone interested in the role to spend time visiting our services and meeting colleagues across both organisations.
Thank you again for your interest in the role. Our executive search partners, Alumni Global, would be very happy to have an initial and informal conversation with you to explore the opportunity further. If you would like to do so, please feel free to contact Frank McKenna, Managing Director, or Beth Stickney, Principal Researcher.
Penny Emerit
Chief Executive
Isle of Wight NHS Trust and Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust
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Please click here to view the Role Profile & Person Specification
All applications must include:
• A full curriculum vitae/resume
• Quoting the relevant role reference number:
Chief Nursing Officer - A041684
• A covering letter highlighting the aspects of the job description and Isle of Wight NHS Trust & Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust that particularly attract you to the post (Microsoft Word document)
• Contact details for three referees, these will not be contacted without your permission. (References should validate a minimum period of six years employment)
• A completed Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form (which you will be redirected to once you have submitted your application) *
Monitoring
One of Alumni Global’s and Isle of Wight NHS Trust & Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust’s objectives is to ensure that its workforce is reflective of the local community and therefore we actively encourage applications from under-represented groups. So that we can successfully achieve these aims, while it is not mandatory we would encourage every applicant to complete the “Equal Opportunities Monitoring form” so that we can measure the effectiveness of our efforts. The Recruiting Manager does not have access to the Monitoring Information Sections of the application form at any stage of the process and the information provided will be kept entirely confidential.
For a confidential discussion on this role please contact:
Frank McKenna, Global Managing Director, or Beth Stickney, Principal Researcher on +44 7703 821 996
Candidate adjustment
If you require any reasonable adjustments to be made as part of the recruitment process please can you advise us so that we can ensure this is accommodated.
Key Milestones:
Closing date: 1st May 2026
Stakeholder session: w/c 11th May 2026 - TBC
Final Interviews: w/c 18th May 2026 or w/c 25/05/2026 - TBC
Please ensure you have made a note of the final interview date. We recommend that you bookmark this microsite, as any potential updates regarding the role will be posted online.
Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust and Isle of Wight NHS Trust are seeking an exceptional clinical leader to join their group executive team as Chief Nursing Officer.
This is a significant opportunity to provide professional leadership for nursing, midwifery and allied health professionals across two important NHS organisations working in a Group model, and to inspire a workforce whose commitment, skill and compassion are central to the service provided to our patients and communities every day.
As Chief Nursing Officer you will lead and support a large and diverse workforce, offering clear and compassionate leadership, inspiring colleagues to be their very best and continuing to build on both organisations’ shared commitment to outstanding care for every patient.

The partnership between PHU and IWT began in 2019 and developed into Group model with a single CEO and executive team in 2023. This reflects our commitment to working at scale, reducing duplication and sharing learning across our organisations where it benefits patients, staff and system partners, while retaining our strong local identities as providers to our local communities. The two Trusts remain independent statutory bodies, with both Boards meeting in common. This creates a unique leadership opportunity for the Chief Nursing Officer to shape professional practice and workforce culture across two organisations.
Providing visible and inspiring leadership, you will articulate a clear and compelling vision for the professions you support and help create the conditions in which colleagues can thrive and deliver the very highest standards of care. You will have a natural drive to ensure colleagues feel supported, valued and proud of the care they provide.
You will bring empathy for patients, compassion for colleagues and a deep commitment to excellence. You will be a skilled relationship builder, able to create and nurture relationships across all grades of staff and across organisational boundaries.
You will champion the workforce and ensure that clinical leadership continues to shape culture, performance and standards across both Trusts. You will also help ensure that staff wellbeing, development and pride in their work remain central to the way services are delivered.
As a member of the Group Executive leadership team and Board of Directors in Common, you will bring sound judgement, professional credibility and a strong commitment to our values. You will ensure that the voice of nursing, midwifery and allied health professionals is clearly represented in strategic discussions and that these professions continue to shape the direction and culture of both organisations.
Working closely with our Group Chief Executive, Penny Emerit, and executive colleagues, you will help shape the future development of workforce practice across the Group. You will also represent clinical leadership across the wider Hampshire and Isle of Wight system, working with partners to strengthen collaboration and advance standards across the region and where appropriate, nationally.
This is an outstanding opportunity to inspire a workforce, shape the future of clinical practice across two organisations and continue to build on a shared commitment to excellence in care.
We believe outstanding patient care begins with supporting and inspiring the people who deliver it. If you are motivated by the opportunity to support and develop a large professional workforce and to help shape the future of care across two organisations, we would welcome the opportunity to speak with you.