The Organisation: The Nursing & Midwifery Council
The Role: Executive Director of Professional Practice
Reporting To: Chief Executive and Registrar
Salary Range: circa. £150,000 plus benefits
Grade: Director Level
Location: London – Hybrid working (approximately 3 days per week in the office)
About us
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) exists to protect the public and uphold confidence in nursing and midwifery across the UK. Everything we do matters because it shapes who can practise, how they practise, and the standards the public can trust. This role sits at the very centre of that mission.
The opportunity
As Executive Director of Professional Practice, you will be the NMC’s most senior registrant and professional voice, a visible ambassador for nursing and midwifery regulation across the UK and internationally. You will set the direction for how nursing and midwifery are regulated now and, in the future, influencing standards, education and professional practice across all four nations.
Operating at the highest level, you will work in partnership with Chief Nursing Officers, Chief Midwifery Officers, educators, employers and professional bodies. As a trusted relationship builder, you will shape the Code, standards and policies that underpin entry to the register and ongoing practice, balancing professional insight with robust public protection.
The decisions you lead will affect hundreds of thousands of professionals, and the millions of people who rely on their care. This is a role with national visibility, authority and lasting impact.
What you will make happen
You will lead the professional vision for regulation, ensuring standards are modern, evidence-based and aligned to the NMC’s new values. You will champion fairness, inclusion and transparency, while maintaining a clear focus on public safety and confidence.
You will safeguard the integrity of the register through strategic oversight of registration and revalidation, sustaining trust in the professions and the regulatory system.
You will shape the future of nursing and midwifery education, strengthening regulation and quality assurance and leading strategic debate on how the register and education system must evolve to meet future workforce, population and service needs.
As a member of the Executive Board, you will play a full part in leading the organisation as a team player, contributing to collective decision-making, organisational performance and good governance. You will model inclusive, collaborative leadership and help embed the NMC’s values in how we work and how we lead.
What we are looking for
This role is for a registered nurse or midwife with the confidence, credibility and ambition to lead at a national level. You will bring senior strategic leadership experience, strong influencing skills and a deep commitment to public protection, professional integrity and values-led leadership.
You will be comfortable operating in complexity, visible and authentic in your leadership, and motivated by the opportunity to drive meaningful change at scale. You will thrive as an ambassador for the professions, a collaborative leader and a builder of strong, trusted relationships.
Why join the NMC?
Because few roles offer this level of influence, purpose and reach. At the NMC, you will help shape the future of two of the UK’s most trusted professions and play a defining role in protecting the public.
If you want your leadership to truly matter, this is the role. Contact our dedicated executive search partners Green Park – Emma Law @ Emma.law@green-park.co.uk or Richard Grayling @ Richard.grayling@green-park.co.uk
For more information or how to apply, please visit https://micro.green-park.co.uk/nmc-ed/
Closing date: 11:59pm Sunday 8th March 2026