University Hospital Waterford is recruiting a Temporary Assistant Director of Nursing – Theatre Services (Stiúrthóir Cúnta Sealadach Altranais – Seirbhísí Amharclainne) to provide senior nursing leadership across theatre operations at one of the South East’s major acute hospitals. This is a wholetime, specified purpose post offering significant professional scope at a critical level of the nursing management structure.
About the Role
The Assistant Director of Nursing – Theatre Services is a senior management role with responsibility for the professional leadership, operational management, and quality governance of theatre nursing services at University Hospital Waterford. The successful candidate will work in close collaboration with the Director of Nursing, theatre consultants, and multidisciplinary teams to ensure safe, efficient, and patient-centred perioperative care delivery. The post operates at Band 1 Hospital level and carries commensurate responsibility for service planning, staff management, and continuous improvement across all theatre suites and related perioperative areas.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide effective professional and operational leadership for theatre nursing services, ensuring safe and high-quality perioperative care across all theatre suites.
- Lead on workforce planning, rostering, and staff deployment within theatre services to ensure adequate skill mix and safe staffing levels at all times.
- Drive quality improvement initiatives, clinical audit, and governance frameworks in line with HSE and national standards for perioperative services.
- Manage and support the professional development of theatre nursing staff, fostering a culture of learning, accountability, and continuous improvement.
- Liaise with consultant surgeons, anaesthetists, theatre managers, and wider hospital management to coordinate theatre scheduling, capacity planning, and service development.
- Implement and monitor infection prevention and control standards, equipment management protocols, and patient safety procedures within the theatre environment.
- Contribute to the development and review of policies, protocols, and guidelines relevant to perioperative nursing practice.
- Participate in senior nursing management meetings and contribute to hospital-wide service planning and strategic development.
- Manage budgetary resources within theatre services in accordance with HSE financial governance requirements.
- Ensure compliance with HIQA standards, national clinical guidelines, and all relevant regulatory frameworks.
Requirements and Qualifications
- Registered in the General Division of the Register of Nurses and Midwives maintained by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI).
- Substantial post-registration nursing experience, with a significant proportion in a theatre or perioperative nursing environment.
- Demonstrable experience in nursing management or senior clinical leadership, ideally at Clinical Nurse Manager or equivalent grade.
- A relevant postgraduate qualification in nursing management, perioperative nursing, or a related field is highly desirable.
- Proven ability to lead, manage, and develop multidisciplinary teams in a complex, fast-paced acute hospital setting.
- Strong working knowledge of clinical governance, quality improvement, and patient safety frameworks.
- Excellent communication, organisational, and decision-making skills.
- Commitment to ongoing professional development and evidence-based nursing practice.
Note: The full eligibility criteria and competency framework are set out in the Job Specification. Candidates are strongly advised to download and read the Job Specification in full before completing their application.
Salary
€72,843 – €85,485 per annum (HSE Assistant Director of Nursing – Band 1 Hospitals scale, 8-point incremental scale, effective 1 June 2026). A Long Service Increment of €89,894 applies after qualifying service at the maximum point. Salary is based on the HSE Consolidated Salary Scales effective 1 June 2026 (DoH Circular 2/2026).
Location
University Hospital Waterford is the principal acute hospital for the South East region, providing a comprehensive range of emergency, surgical, and specialist services to a population across counties Waterford, Wexford, Kilkenny, Carlow, and South Tipperary. The hospital’s theatre services are a core component of its acute surgical capacity, and this post offers the opportunity to shape and lead perioperative nursing at a regional level within the HSE Dublin and South East health region.
Contract Type
Specified Purpose — Wholetime (Temporary)
Application Details
Applications must be submitted via Rezoomo. Please ensure you download, save, and read the Job Specification, Additional Campaign Information, and Application Form — all available at the bottom of the original advertisement — before submitting your application.
Reference: 26UHWN1806
Informal Enquiries
Niamh Sheehan, Interim Director of Nursing and Integration, University Hospital Waterford
Email: NiamhM.Sheehan@hse.ie
Proposed Interview Date
To be confirmed.
