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Job description

In support of the Department’s mission, the Chief Midwifery Officer works within the Chief Nursing Officer’s Group (CNOG) and reports to the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO). The Chief Midwifery Officer significantly contributes to the professional leadership, performance and development of midwives in Northern Ireland. This senior role provides the post holder with a unique opportunity to influence policy and to lead developments and transformation of midwifery services in line with wider government objectives. It is an exciting opportunity for the post holder, under the professional leadership of the CNO, to have a crucial role in leading the formulation of strategies which will make a tangible difference to people’s lives by improving health outcomes for the population of Northern Ireland. You will lead in matters relating to midwifery, women’s health, and neonatal and children’s nursing across all sectors, and join a dynamic collective leadership team which holds responsibility for wider nursing and allied health profession services. I encourage you to express an interest in this post and I give assurance that the successful candidate will gain valuable experience at a time of exciting and cutting-edge changes in midwifery and nursing in Northern Ireland.

Responsibilities

• Work in partnership with all members of CNOG ensuring that portfolio is represented as appropriate.
• Lead the strategic Midwifery group which is a sub group of the Central Nursing and Midwifery Ministerial advisory group.
• For more information please see page 8 of the Candidate Information Booklet (CIB).

Skills and Qualifications

Essential Skills

• Be a Registered Midwife on the live Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Register.
• AND Have a relevant higher degree or a relevant postgraduate qualification.
• AND Be currently working as a Midwife in a Band 8B or Band 8C or equivalent position.
• AND Have at least 3 years senior management or senior professional midwifery role within the health and social care sector in one or more of the areas listed on page 14 of the CIB.
• AND Have evidence of interpreting and implementing policy and influencing the development of policy and strategy related to midwifery and maternal and neonatal health services.

Desirable Skills

• Should it be necessary to shortlist candidates to go forward to interview, the panel will carry out an objective evaluation of the breadth and depth of information provided by candidates in response to Eligibility Criterion 4.

Further Information

NICS Application form only, vacancy closing date Friday 27th February 2026 at 12 noon. As young people (people under the age of 35), people with a disability and people from minority ethnic communities are currently under represented in the NICS, we would particularly welcome applications from these groups. The Northern Ireland Civil Service is an Equal Opportunities Employer. All applications for employment are considered strictly on the basis of merit.

Application Information

Visit the recruitment service website www.nicsrecruitment.org.uk (Please quote reference number IRC319038).