CQC Interim Director of Governance & Assurance

Care Quality Commission; United Kingdom; Remote; GBP 95,000 - 114,000; Full time

Job summary

A national health oversight organization is seeking a Director of Governance & Assurance to lead the governance arrangements that improve health and social care across England. This pivotal role requires a leader with a track record in governance functions and an ability to drive organisational resilience. The position offers £95,000 - £113,625 per annum and is home-based with necessary travel to meetings and offices.

Benefits

Annual leave starting at 27 days per year

Training and development opportunities

Wellbeing initiatives, such as gym discounts

NHS pension scheme

Discount schemes and rewards

Qualifications

• Experience leading governance or assurance functions in a large, complex organisation.
• Ability to analyse and present complex data to senior stakeholders.
• Proven success in building inclusive, high-performing teams.

Responsibilities

• Embed the CQC way in governance and decision making.
• Champion assurance and improvement through risk management.

Skills

Experience leading governance or assurance functions

Ability to analyze and present complex data

Proven success in building inclusive teams

Job description

Executive Level 2:£95,000 - £113,625 per annum
Contracted Hours:Full time 37 hours per week
Contract Type:Fixed Term / Secondment for 6 Months
Location:Home-based,with travel to meetings, CQC offices and providers as required
Closing Date: Monday 25 August 2025at 11.59pm
Interview Date:Tuesday 30 September 2025 via MS Teams

Foran informal discussion or further information on the role, please contact ChrisUsher, Director for Finance, Commercial and Workplace via his PA [e-mail] and for general enquiriesplease contact [e-mail]

Make a difference
Every role at CQC contributes to our mission. This is apivotal time for CQC as we continue to strengthen our governance andaccountability frameworks to meet the evolving demands of the health and socialcare landscape. As an organisation committed to transparency, integrity, andexcellence, we are seeking a highly capable and values-driven leader to ensureour governance arrangements are robust, effective, and aligned with bestpractice.

If you’re lookingfor an interim role that gives a true sense of meaning and purpose, then you’vefound it! As our Director of Governance & Assurance, you’llhelp shape how we lead, learn and improve—ensuring our organisation isaccountable, transparent and always striving for excellence.

Picture this
Imagine leading a team that helps CQC make confident,informed decisions that improve health and social care across England. You’llbe at the heart of our strategic thinking, working closely with senior leadersand the Board to drive assurance.

• AtCQC as aDirector of Governance & Assurance, you getthe chance to shape and influence the way a new CQC Board makes decisionsand works collegiately with the Executive team, implementing the findingsof an external governance review.
• As aDirector of Governance & Assurance, you get thechance to drive forward a refreshed approach to risk management andassurance that helps us manage risk and improve organisational resilience,building our credibility as a regulator.

The role
At CQC, we are proud of our values—Excellence, Caring,Integrity, and Teamwork—and we expect our senior leaders to embody these ineverything they do. You will be someone who builds trust through authenticity,champions diversity and inclusion, and fosters a culture of continuousimprovement. Your insight and leadership will influence what we do andhow we do it.

In this role, you’ll:

• Embed the CQC way:ensure the way you lead and that governance and decision making across CQC embodies with the CQC way.
• Championassurance and improvement: Build systems that identify risks,support internal audits, and promote a culture of continuous improvement.

Show us
We will be looking for specific skills, knowledge andexperience in your application form:

• Experienceleading governance or assurance functionsina large, complex organisation, with a track record of improving workingsand delivering value.
• Abilityto analyse and present complex datato senior stakeholders,turning insights into clear, actionable recommendations.
• Provensuccess in building inclusive, high-performing teams,setting a clear vision and fostering collaboration across diverse groups.

Join us and help CQC shape thefuture of health and care.

Compliance
Note for internal candidates:This is a secondment/fixed termopportunity. Please read the recruitment and selection policy section onsecondments. Youmustdiscuss your application with your linemanager before applying.

Note for external candidates:To progress your application, you’ll need to provide evidence of your right towork in the UK. Without valid right to work you won’t be eligible for therole.We are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.Someroles may also be subject to a satisfactory DBS check.

Next steps
If you apply, you’ll need to create a profile and complete an online application form.Your application will be completely anonymous.Please see ourinformation for applicantsfor more details on the process.We contact every applicantto let them know the outcome of their application, so you will hear from us whether or not you are shortlisted.

You can read the full details of the role in theJob Description:Director of Governance and Assurance JD.pdf

How to apply
To apply for this role, please submit a copy of your CV via the RecruitmentSystem (no supporting statement / covering letter is required).

The Benefits
Weoffer a wide range ofbenefits, including:

• Annual leave starting at 27 days per year, rising to 32.5 days with service, plus bank holidays (usually 8 days per year).
• Training and development opportunities.
• Wellbeing initiatives, such as gym discounts and meditation.
• NHS pension scheme, with around 14% employer contribution.
• Discount schemes (including eligibility for a Blue Light card, at a cost of £4.99 and valid for 2 years), reward vouchers, car leasing and more!

Please see ourbenefitspage for the full list.

Equity for all
We know job descriptions can feel intimidating. Research shows they can cause some people to doubt whether they’re a good fit. This happens more often to people from underrepresented groups (e.g. ethnic minority backgrounds).If this role interests you, we encourage you to apply.Your unique perspective, skills, and experience could be exactly what we need.

We want every candidate to feel supported and able to do their best. If you need adjustments to our process,we’ll work with you to remove any barriers. Visit ouraccessibility pagefor more on this. If you’d like to chat, please [e-mail]. Please note, if you have previously informed us of adjustments you need for interview or within your role these are not carried over and must be discussed for each individual application you make.

We promote a workplace wherefairness, respect and inclusion are a priority. Diverse teams make our work better, help us deliver our mission and make our culture stronger. See ourED&I pagefor more about this.

We welcomeapplications fromeveryone,and colleagues can find supportand community among our many employee networks. This includes people of any:

• Age
• Sex
• Gender identity or expression
• Sexual orientation
• Religion or belief
• Ethnicity
• Disability

Values and vision
We are guided by ourcore values, which shape our work and our culture.
Excellence– being a high-performing organisation.
Caring– treating everyone with dignity and respect.
Integrity– doing the right thing.
Teamwork– learning from each other to be the best we can.
We are a disability confident employer and a carer confident employer.

A Note on AI
AI tools can be great for research and refining ideas, but we want to learn about you. If you use AI or Chatbots to help you with your application, keep these points in mind:

• AI can support research, structuring and refining your writing, but your applicationmustreflectyour real skills and experience.
• Spell-checking and condensing word counts are great ways to use AI effectively.
• Do notcopy and paste AI generated answers. These will not help you stand out; remember we want to hear about your skills and experience.
• Providing false and insincere examples goes against our core values of honesty and integrity andmay lead to your application being withdrawnor termination of your employment.