Lead Midwife

About the role

The Lead Midwife will provide professional, clinical and strategic leadership for maternity services across remote and rural communities in Argyll and Bute, including five Community Maternity Units and 23 inhabited islands. This senior position shapes a safe, high‑quality, person‑centred maternity service.

Key responsibilities

• Provide visible, effective leadership across community maternity teams.
• Line‑manage Team Leads, Digital Midwife, PDM/Risk Midwife and Sonographers.
• Drive continuous quality improvement, governance, safety and evidence‑based practice.
• Support on‑call arrangements for local births and triage.
• Lead workforce planning, recruitment, performance management and professional development.
• Collaborate with NHS Highland, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde and multidisciplinary partners.
• Contribute to strategic redesign and improvement of remote and rural maternity pathways.

Required profile

• Current NMC midwifery registration.
• Significant Band 7 (or equivalent) leadership experience.
• Evidence of post‑registration professional development.
• Strong skills in workforce planning, change management, quality improvement and governance.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities.
• Valid driving licence and access to a car.

Required skills

What we offer

• Opportunity to lead maternity care across a unique geographical area.
• Supportive, forward‑thinking leadership team.
• Reduced working week (36 hours) from April 2026 with unchanged pay.
• Encouragement of applications from Gaelic speakers.