Senior Nursing Manager

Job Summary

The Senior Nursing Manager is responsible for the overall leadership, management and clinical governance of nursing services within an assigned block comprising approximately three to four wards.

The role ensures that residents receive safe, appropriate, person-centred and consistent nursing care across all wards within the block.

The Senior Nursing Manager provides leadership to ward management teams, oversees manpower deployment and ward operations, monitors clinical quality and resident outcomes, manages operational and clinical risks, and ensures that nursing policies, procedures and standards are consistently implemented.

The role serves as the key link between the Director of Nursing and ward-level nursing leadership and is accountable for the overall performance, quality, staffing and operations of the assigned block.

Key Responsibilities

1. Block-Level Nursing Leadership

. Provide overall leadership and direction to all nursing teams within the assigned block.

. Oversee the operations and performance of approximately 3-4 wards.

. Ensure consistency in nursing standards, work practices and resident care across all wards under the block.

. Translate Nursing Department priorities and management directions into ward-level actions.

. Provideguidance and support to Nursing Managers, Nursing Officers and ward leaders.

. Escalatesignificant clinical, operational or manpower issues to the Director of Nursingin a timely manner.

2. Resident Care & Clinical Standards

. Ensure residents receive safe, effective, appropriate and person-centred care.

. Monitor the overall quality of nursing care within the assigned block.

. Review complex, high-risk or deteriorating resident cases where required.

. Ensure appropriate care plans, nursing assessments and interventions are implemented.

. Promote continuity of care and consistent standards across shifts and wards.

. Work with multidisciplinary teams to address residents changing care needs.

3. Ward Management Oversight

. Oversee the performance and operations of each ward within the assigned block.

. Conduct regular ward rounds and management reviews.

. Ensure ward environments are safe, organised and conducive to resident care.

. Monitor operational issues including resident flow, admissions, transfers and discharge arrangements.

. Ensure ward leaders follow up on identified issues within agreed timelines.

. Promote consistent implementation of organisational policies and nursing procedures.

4. Manpower Planning & Deployment

. Oversee nursing manpower planning within the assigned block.

. Review staffing levels, skill mix, shift deployment and ward manpower requirements.

. Coordinate cross-ward manpower deployment where operationally necessary.

. Work with Nursing leadership and HR on vacancies, recruitment needs and staffing gaps.

. Monitor overtime, leave planning, absenteeism and manpower utilisation.

. Ensure staffing arrangements remain safe and appropriate to resident acuity and operational needs.

5. Staff Leadership &Performance Management

. Supervise and develop Nursing Managers, Nursing Officers and other nursing staff within the block.

. Set clear performance expectations and accountability.

. Conductor support staff performance reviews.

. Provide coaching and guidance to ward leaders.

. Address performance, conduct or competency concerns in collaboration with DON and HR.

. Identify high-potential staff and support succession and development planning.

. Promote a professional, respectful and accountable nursing culture.

6. Clinical Governance &Quality

. Monitor clinical quality indicators across all wards within the block.

. Review trends and variances in areas such as:

. Falls

. Pressure injuries

. Medication incidents

. Infection

. Hospital transfers

. Wound outcomes

. Resident deterioration

. Documentation compliance

. Ensure timely investigation and follow-up of significant clinical issues.

. Work with Quality & Risk Management on audits, incident reviews and improvement actions.

. Ensure corrective and preventive actions are completed and sustained.

7. Incident Management & Risk

. Overseethe management of clinical and operational incidents within the assigned block.

. Ensure incidents are reported, reviewed and escalated appropriately.

. Participatein or lead incident reviews and root-cause analyses where required.

. Monitor recurring trends and ensure appropriate preventive actions are implemented.

. Identify block-level clinical and operational risks and escalate significant concerns.

. Promote aculture of timely reporting, learning and continuous improvement.

8. Nursing Documentation & Care Planning

. Ensure nursing documentation is timely, accurate and complete.

. Monitor the quality of nursing assessments, care plans and progress documentation.

. Address recurring documentation gaps.

. Ensure resident information is appropriately communicated during shift handovers and multidisciplinary discussions.

. Support improvements in electronic or paper-based clinical documentation systems.

9. Regulatory & Audit Compliance

. Ensure wards within the assigned block comply with applicable regulatory, licensing and organisational requirements.

. Support internal and external audits and inspections.

. Ensure required documents, records and evidence are available and properly maintained.

. Trackfindings and ensure agreed actions are closed within required timelines.

. Work closely with QRM and Nursing leadership on compliance matters.

10. Infection Prevention & Control

. Ensure compliance with infection-prevention and control practices across wards.

. Monitor infection trends and high-risk areas.

. Work with IPC leads and Nursing leadership on outbreak management where required.

. Reinforce correct practices including hand hygiene, isolation precautions and infection-control procedures.

. Ensure staff receive appropriate training and follow-up where gaps are identified.

11. Staff Competency & Development

. Work closely with the Nurse Educator and Clinical Instructor to identify training and competency needs.

. Monitor competency status within the assigned block.

. Ensure staff complete required training and competency assessments.

. Identify recurring practice gaps requiring education or remedial training.

. Support orientation and development of new nursing staff and ward leaders.

12. Multi disciplinary Collaboration

. Work closely with Medical, Rehabilitation, Social Work, Dietetics, Pharmacy, Operations and other departments.

. Participatein multidisciplinary discussions and complex-case reviews.

. Coordinate resolution of issues affecting resident care.

. Ensure nursing considerations are appropriately represented in block-level operational decisions.

13. Resident & Family Engagement

. Support ward leaders in managing significant resident and family concerns.

. Meet families where escalation or senior nursing input is required.

. Ensure complaints and concerns are addressed professionally and promptly.

. Promote clear, respectful and compassionate communication with residents and families.

14. Operational Performance &Reporting

. Monitor the overall performance of the assigned block.

. Consolidate information and updates from individual wards.

. Prepare regular reports for the Director of Nursing on:

. Manpower

. Resident care

. Clinical incidents

. Quality indicators

. Audit findings

. Staff performance

. Operational risks

. Highlight significant trends, gaps and recommended actions.

15. Policies & SOP Implementation

. Ensure nursing policies and SOPs are consistently implemented across all wards in the assigned block.

. Identify operational difficulties or inconsistencies in implementation.

. Provide feedback to Nursing leadership and QRM on areas requiring clarification or improvement.

. Ensure staff are briefed and trained when policies or procedures are updated.

16. Emergency & Escalation Management

. Provide senior nursing oversight during significant clinical or operational events.

. Support response to resident deterioration, outbreaks, staffing shortages and other emergencies.

. Ensure escalation protocols are followed.

. Coordinate block-level response where multiple wards are affected.

. Provide leadership and decision-making support to ward teams during criticalsituations.

17. Continuous Improvement

. Identify opportunities to improve nursing workflows, resident outcomes and staff productivity.

. Lead or support nursing quality-improvement projects.

. Compare performance across wards and address significant variations.

. Promote sharing of good practices between wards.

. Support organisation-wide improvement and transformation initiatives.

Requirements

. Registered Nurse with the Singapore Nursing Board.

. Degree in Nursing or recognised equivalent qualification.

. Preferably at least 8-10 years of relevant nursing experience.

. At least 3-5 years of nursing management or supervisory experience is preferred.

. Strong experience in nursing operations, clinical governance and staff management.

. Experience in nursing homes, geriatrics, community care or long-term care would be highly advantageous.

. Demonstrated ability to manage multiple wards, teams or service areas.

. Strong understanding of resident safety, clinical quality, manpower management and regulatory requirements.

. Strong leadership, communication and problem-solving skills.

Key Competencies

. Nursing leadership

. Multi-ward operations management

. Clinical governance

. Manpower planning

. Staff management

. Quality and patient safety

. Incident and risk management

. Performance management

. Decision making

. Conflict resolution

. Multidisciplinary collaboration

. Resident and family engagement

. Data analysis and reporting

. Continuous improvement