To be responsible for overseeing early career midwives and facilitating the preceptorship programme, supporting the transition from student to newly qualified midwife. Acting as a role model, you will provide support for the preceptee midwives as they consolidate their learning and skills. As a member of the preceptorship team, you will work with a caseload of preceptee midwives to enhance their experience, build confidence and establish a strong foundation for their future career. The overall function of this post is to facilitate the delivery of a high-quality preceptorship programme. You will participate in developing and delivering a quality preceptorship programme with a focus on the provision of leadership and clinical support and advice to support and promote excellence in safe evidence-based practice. The post holder will be required to work closely with preceptees and the wider clinical and leadership team to provide a robust model of pastoral support and act as a coach, mentor and supportive listener. The post holder will work closely with the established clinical education team, professional midwifery advocates and the lead preceptorship midwife to deliver a robust seamless preceptorship programme. The post holder will need to have demonstrable knowledge skills and experience in maternity services to facilitate effective preceptorship across all clinical areas of the maternity service. The post holder needs to work well in high pressured situations and be confident to communicate and collaborate with all levels of the multidisciplinary team to ensure the delivery of safe quality care. PRINCIPAL DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY Communication To be an experienced and approachable practitioner, flexible and available to meet the needs of the preceptorship programme and preceptees. To be highly visible, approachable and available to respond to staff, and the public, maintaining open and honest communication channels. Contribute to a positive culture, demonstrating effective professional attitudes and behaviours internally and external to the Trust, to enable continuous quality and service improvement, and maintain good working relationships. Foster a creative and open working culture, which encourages and nurtures innovation and new ways of working. To provide pastoral support for all new graduates signposting to services as required Recognise and act on situations that may be detrimental to the health and wellbeing of an individual. To coordinate regular clinical supervision for the early career midwives during their preceptorship period. Act in a supportive role as a coach, mentor and supportive listener Act as a role model, sharing effective practice and learning from others, promoting a high standard of safe and effective care which is based upon the best evidence Inform the Director/Head of Midwifery of any emerging safety issues becoming evident in the maternity service Demonstrate an ability to work under pressure and always maintain good clinical judgement. Service delivery and improvement Keep up to date with developments in midwifery practice, incorporating national and local recommendations into the preceptorship programme Work collaboratively with the workforce lead to analyse feedback and data to support recruitment and retention strategies and identify new initiatives to support the retention of new graduates Identify areas for potential quality improvement and act to develop and achieve successful quality improvement projects Support the recruitment team with recruitment processes including interviewing. Support delivery of onboarding of new starters and provide efficient and effective inductions, liaising with the lead midwife for recruitment and the onboarding team. Continually monitor standards, by identifying risks, benchmarking, audit and research, assisting the Ward leaders in the implementation of action plans as required. Assist with allocated budgets ensuring effective use of financial resources. Learning and development To work with local education providers and the overarching lead midwife for preceptorship to ensure the programme supports a natural transition into the preceptees first role. Recognise the knowledge, skills, attributes and competence of preceptee midwives at the point of registration, providing them with the appropriate resources to enable them to develop their confidence and practice To work clinically alongside the new preceptees to support their transition from learner to competent practitioner acting as a role model and providing a model of support Provide support to midwives in sharing of good practice learnt through the maternity services internal risk management processes with the aim of reducing the incidence of harm Work closely with the leadership team and education team to devise learning objectives for midwives in need of remediation to improve their midwifery skills and competencies. Ensure all training records are up to date and compile reports as required Contribute to training needs analysis, workforce plan and midwifery workforce strategy. To ensure own practice and that of others upholds the NMC Codes of professional conduct. Takes responsibility for own continuing professional development and performance, maintaining own portfolio in accordance with the Midwifery and Nursing Councils revalidation requirements. Can identify own development needs in relation to current practice and future plans, setting personal development objectives. COMMUNICATION & WORKING RELATIONSHIPS Director of Midwifery Head of Midwifery Deputy Head of Midwifery Matron Team Leaders Maternity support workers Corporate Nursing Organisational Learning All grades of nursing & midwifery staff Allied Health Professionals Medical staff Clinical educators Preceptorship lead midwife External educational partners Service users 12. SPECIAL WORKING CONDITIONS i) PHYSICAL EFFORT: The work setting will vary from an office to clinical areas with VDU use. Light physical effort (2-5kgs) for short periods during half their shifts on average. Use of Keyboard and presentation skills. Movement of equipment and materials. Inter-site working could be required, ii) MENTAL EFFORT: The job requires a high level of concentration, documenting in notes, calculations, assessing patients, high level of involvement in clinical teaching, audit and statistical analysis of data. Report writing, within an area of changing priorities with a high level of interruptions. iii) EMOTIONAL EFFORT: Staff are required to undertake duties that may be distressing such as breaking bad news, dealing with verbal abuse, managing very stressed service users, their families and colleagues. Significant amount of negotiation and processing of rapid changing information, in an area of changing priorities and climate challenges. iv) WORKING CONDITIONS: Working conditions can include fluctuations in temperature, exposure to blood and body fluids. Conflict management and dealing with aggression in stressful situations.