Chief Nurse
Location: Rachel House, Kinross or Robin House, Balloch
Salary: £87,400 – £93,685 per annum (aligned to NHS Band 8C)
Contract Type: Permanent; Full-Time; 37.5 hours per week
Closing Date: 26/02/2026 at 23:59
The Vacancy
This is a rare opportunity for a dynamic, compassionate and person-centred Nurse Leader to deliver real impact for children and families.
In Scotland, three children die from a life-shortening condition every week. CHAS provides unwavering care for children who may die young, and their families. Our team includes Nurses, Doctors, AHPs, Social Workers and Family Support Specialists. They work across two children’s hospices, in community settings and in hospitals in deep partnership with NHS staff.
We are seeking a Chief Nurse to lead the delivery of our nursing services across all these settings. Reporting to the Director of Nursing and Family Support, you will lead a team of approximately 180 nursing staff working in all parts of Scotland.
You will inspire Nurses to deliver exceptional care every day. You will work closely and collaboratively with NHS Boards, HSCP’s and other organisations to plan seamless wrap-around care, which helps some of the most vulnerable families in Scotland.
Following a planned retirement and organisational restructure, this is a new role in a new structure. It offers a chance to join CHAS in a senior nursing role, set to shape the future of paediatric palliative care across Scotland.
About You
You will be an experienced Nurse Leader with a track record of delivering positive change across health care systems. Your experience will include:
- Having significant experience leading nursing teams.
- Strong knowledge of Clinical Governance and Regulation, workforce planning, safe staffing and quality improvement.
- Proven ability to deliver on organisational targets.
- Excellent communication, influencing, and partnership skills.
- Commitment to staff wellbeing, compassionate leadership, and clinical supervision.
- The ability to lead multidisciplinary teams with courage and compassion.
We are particularly interested in hearing from Children’s Nurse Leaders, but this role is open to Nurse Leaders from all backgrounds.
Why CHAS?
For families we support, time is precious. This is an opportunity to lead a team that makes extraordinary things happen every day.
In 2024, CHAS launched our 2024 – 2028 Strategic Plan, setting out our vision to provide unwavering care to children who may die young, and to their families, at every step of their journey. Our work is grounded in three core fields of care:
- Learning that your child is seriously ill and may die young.
- Living well.
- Dying well and bereavement.
As Chief Nurse, you will play a pivotal leadership role in bringing this strategy to life – shaping practice, developing people, and ensuring the highest standards of safe, compassionate and effective care.
- Broad and impactful role: Representing CHAS nationally as an expert Nurse Leader, building strategic partnerships to influence policy, promote best practice, and enhance CHAS’s impact.
- Flexibility: Your primary base will be either Rachel House in Kinross or Robin House in Balloch, with regular travel between both hospices. CHAS provides care and support to children and families across Scotland with staff bases in Aberdeen and Inverness. This role will require travel to all CHAS sites, including clinical settings and office locations, as well as attendance at external events. Flexibility is essential, and business mileage expenses will be reimbursed. As a family friendly organisation, we recognise that flexibility works both ways, and we will support a balanced and adaptable approach to working hours and locations wherever possible.
- Professional growth: You will work with Healthcare Leaders in a visible role where you will be encouraged and supported to excel and develop your skills.
- Holidays: 35 days annual leave, increasing progressively to 40 days after five years’ service. For applicants coming from an existing NHS post, your current service-based enhanced annual leave entitlement will be honoured, up to 40 days (CHAS maximum entitlement).
- Pension: Continued membership of the NHS Scotland Pension Scheme or the opportunity to join the Local Government Pension Scheme for Scotland, administered by Lothian Pension Fund.
- Comprehensive benefits: Including generous annual leave and pension, incremental salary progression, life assurance, employee assistance programme, access to Blue Light and Perkbox discount schemes, health and wellbeing support.
Further Information and How to Apply
Click apply now and you will be redirected to our careers website where you can access more information and submit your application.
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Thank you!
The Haberdashers’ Company is one of the ancient Livery Companies of the City of London, with a history dating back to 1371. While custodians of a remarkable heritage, we are firmly focused on the present and future. Our enduring purpose is to empower young people from every background to fulfil their potential through our schools and by supporting their communities.
Today, the Company is a thriving membership organisation of more than 1,000 members from a wide range of professions, united by a shared commitment to service and social impact. We are a modern, values-led funder, committed to flexible, relational and transparent grant-making, working in partnership with our schools, churches, communities and charity partners to create lasting change.
Central to our approach is the Haberdashers’ Advantage, a distinctive funder-plus model that combines grant funding with member-led governance support, volunteering, mentoring and capacity building. Each year, the Company distributes over £5.6 million to support schools, young people, churches and charities across North London, Southeast London, South Wales and the West Midlands, with a primary focus on education and community resilience.
The Role
We are seeking a Director for Charities to lead and further develop the Company’s grant-making, philanthropy and fundraising. This senior leadership role is responsible for shaping and delivering charitable strategy and ensuring the Company’s resources create meaningful, long-term impact for young people and communities.
The Director for Charities will oversee our grant-making, steward key funding relationships and play a central role in developing fundraising with members, including growing individual giving, legacies and events-based income. The role is inherently relational, working closely with charity partners, schools, dioceses, Company members and colleagues. You will support and advise grant-making committees, convene learning and engagement events, and represent the Company within external funder networks to remain connected to best practice in modern philanthropy.
Who We Are Looking For
We are looking for a values-driven leader with strong experience of flexible and responsive grant-making and fundraising in the charitable sector, and a clear commitment to improving outcomes for young people and communities. You will have excellent communication skills, a warm, engaging and reflective leadership style, and will thrive in a small but highly collaborative organisation. You will be comfortable engaging with grassroots charities, senior stakeholders, Company members and robust governance structures, combining an appreciation for heritage and service with a commitment to modern, progressive philanthropy.
To read more about the opportunity and our work, please download the full appointment brief.
Closing Date: 3 March 2026
People Beyond Profit Screening Conversations: 9-18 March 2026
The Haberdashers’ Company Panel Interviews:
- First Stage: 27 March 2026
- Second Stage: 13 April 2026
