Community Midwifery Manager and Assistant Clinical Services Manager

Job/Role Summary

• Member of the senior midwifery team within the Woman and Child Health directorate.
• Working within a team to ensure effective coordination of midwifery services.
• Particular responsibility for community midwifery services.
• Development of a more woman-centred service.

Specific qualifications and experience required

• Registered midwife.
• 4 years experience as a midwife.
• Community midwifery experience.
• Hold a degree or diploma in midwifery or nursing.

Career Milestones

The experience I gained whilst working in England following registration had a real impact on me in terms of confidence building, learning and development. Whilst working abroad in a very busy unit I was able to build up my clinical and people skills working in a diverse cultural society. It was there that I gained my first sister’s post in a delivery suite which I really enjoyed the challenge of particularly with the responsibility and the routine of the work. During my experience as a community midwife in England I learned to project manage and became a team leader after 4 years as a traditional community midwife. I led a team that was looking at changing the approach to caring for women. It was then that I became more aware of the family needs of women as well as their clinical needs. In my present post I have had many opportunities for development and have felt well supported in all of my educational endeavours.

What attracted you to this job?

• I wanted to live in Northern Ireland.
• I was keen to try a management post
• I had not had a lot of experience in leadership.
• I wanted to develop people skills.
• I wanted to develop my change management skills.
• As I liked the profession in which I work, I was keen to develop within it and gather expertise.

Enjoyable aspects of the job/role

• Having a focus to improve the service and seeing it happen.
• Being able to bring others along with me in a project.
• Empowering others to develop and improve the service and profession.

Important success factors

• The person who appointed me to my community midwifery post and also my present manager both had an impact on me in that they helped build my confidence and were encouraging
• Engaging in professional development and education really opened up a whole new world which I feel is essential for me
• I would not have said this in the past but feel it is true for me now

Advice for those considering the type of job/role?

If you love midwifery and are well informed about current issues in both midwifery and wider issues within the DHSSPS then take on a management role. This will allow you to develop management skills whilst improving quality in your service. You must be patient and willing to take opportunities that present themselves. You must be willing to develop and learn from many experiences and people.

Key skills that can be gained within this job/role?

• People management skills
• Change management skills
• Confidence to follow through on innovations and able to bring some people along
• Recognition that not all people are motivated to change but most are motivated to do the best that they can do

Career Profiles