Corporate Governance and Risk Lead | NHS England

NHS England; Otley; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A national health service organization in Otley is seeking a Corporate Governance and Risk Lead to provide oversight for the region's governance framework and risk management processes. This role involves establishing procedures for integrated governance and supporting the Deputy Head of the Regional Business Unit. The ideal candidate will have strong skills in governance, risk management, and data-driven decision making. This position offers a chance to make a significant impact within a high-performing team.

Qualifications

• Experience in corporate governance and risk management.
• Ability to support senior leadership in data-driven decisions.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Establish governance procedures and reporting infrastructure.
• Support the Deputy Head in setting up methodologies for priorities.
• Maintain risk management policies and the risk register.
• Provide governance advice and ensure best practices.

Skills

Governance oversight

Risk management

Data-driven decision making

Collaboration skills

Job description

The East of England Regional Director’s Office is a small central team led by the Chief of Staff, that oversees the region’s key priorities of the day.

The Regional Delivery Unit sits in the Regional Director’s office. This is aligned to support the regional interaction with national directors (and programmes) and insight to senior leadership across the region. The Regional Delivery unit is a small, central and high‑profile strategic team within the region.

The Regional Delivery Unit supports the delivery of the new operating model, including streamlining governance and reporting, oversight of programme delivery and ensuring delivery of key targets.

The Regional Delivery Unit’s main objectives are to:

• Support the regional executive team to make robust data‑driven decisions informed by regional and national priorities, keeping our staff and the communities we serve at the heart of our work.
• To implement a consistent approach to programme management across the key national programme areas to enable robust monitoring and reporting of progress and early identification and mitigation of risks and issues.

The role offers a fantastic opportunity to work at the heart of the region and to develop key relationships and skills to shape your future career. The Regional Director’s Office is a high‑performing, supportive, and inclusive team in a demanding but rewarding environment. As you develop in the role, there will also be the opportunity to take on further responsibilities.

As the Corporate Governance and Risk lead you will work as key member of the team reporting to the Deputy Head of Regional Delivery Unit. Approximately half of the role is to be responsible for overseeing the region’s corporate governance framework and risk management processes. The other half will be focused on establishing and contributing to a fully functioning Regional Delivery Unit.

Our work supports the NHS to deliver high quality services for patients and best value for taxpayers.

Our staff bring expertise across hundreds of specialisms — including clinical, operational, commissioning, technology, data science, cyber security, software engineering, education, and commercial — enabling us to design and deliver high‑quality NHS services.

We lead the NHS in England by:

• Enabling local systems and providers to improve the health of their people and patients and reduce health inequalities.
• Making the NHS a great place to work, where our people can make a difference and achieve their potential.
• Working collaboratively to ensure our healthcare workforce has the right knowledge, skills, values and behaviours to deliver accessible, compassionate care.
• Optimising the use of digital technology, research, and innovation.
• Delivering value for money.

Earlier this year, the Government announced that NHS England will gradually merge with the Department of Health and Social Care, leading to full integration. The aim is to create a smaller, more strategic centre that reduces duplication and eliminates waste.

If successful at interview, we will initiate an Inter‑Authority Transfer (IAT) via the Electronic Staff Record (ESR). This retrieves key data from your current or previous NHS employer to support onboarding, including competency status, Continuous Service Dates (CSD), and annual leave entitlement. You may opt out at any stage of the recruitment process.

Key responsibilities of the post include:

• Establish and maintain procedures for the sound integrated governance of the Region including designing new reporting infrastructure.
• Support the Deputy Head of the Regional Business Unit in setting up new reporting, methodologies and processes for regional priorities and programmes.
• Maintain the Region’s risk management policy and Core stream system including ownership of the risk register on behalf of the Regional Director.
• Provide advice and guidance to staff on governance, informational governance and risk and ensure best practice is adhered to; ownership of Region’s governance handbook and key corporate processes.

You can find further details about the role, including key responsibilities and accountabilities, alongside the organisational structure and person specification in the attached Job Description and other supporting documents.

Secondments

Applicants from within the NHS will be offered on a secondment basis only, agreement should be obtained from their employer prior to submitting the application.

This advert closes on Sunday 28 Dec 2025.