Director of Corporate Governance

University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust; Hurn; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading NHS Foundation Trust in the UK is looking for a Director of Corporate Governance. This senior role requires deep expertise in governance and the ability to work closely with the Board and Governors. The successful candidate will drive governance initiatives, ensuring that the Trust meets all obligations while improving patient care and organizational performance. The role demands significant leadership ability and experience in complex environments, making this a crucial appointment for the Trust's transformation journey.

Qualifications

• Significant experience as a senior governance professional or Company Secretary.
• Ability to influence at the Board level.
• Ability to navigate complex organizational environments.

Responsibilities

• Ensure UHD meets statutory, constitutional and regulatory obligations.
• Support the Board and Council of Governors in their responsibilities.
• Shape how UHD operates in partnership with communities.

Skills

Integrity, resilience, discretion

Leadership and influencing skills

Relationship-building skills

Organizational skills

Written and verbal communication skills

Education

Masters-level qualification

Professional membership of Chartered Governance Institute

Job description

University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust

Director of Corporate Governance

The closing date is 14 January 2026.

University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust (UHD) is undergoing a once-in-a-generation transformation, with significant investment in new hospital facilities and a shift toward clearly defined centres of excellence across our campuses. The UHD Patient First Programme provides a focal point for our strong commitment to improvement.

As we transform, corporate governance, led by our Board and Council of Governors, is of vital importance, and we are seeking an exceptional leader to join us as Director of Corporate Governance.

The Director of Corporate Governance role is a senior, high‑profile role operating at the heart of UHD. If you bring deep corporate governance expertise, can influence at the highest level, and are motivated by the positive impact good governance has on patient care, we want to hear from you.

This is a rare opportunity to join an organisation that has an ambitious strategic agenda and to help us ensure that our governance keeps pace with that ambition.

Our closing date for applications is 12 noon on Wednesday 14th January 2026.

Shortlisting will take place on Friday 16th January 2026.

We will be contacting applicants from Monday 19th January 2026.

The selection process will take place on Thursday 22nd January 2026. Please ensure you are available on that date.

Main duties of the job

About the Role

Acting on behalf of the Chair and Chief Executive, you will ensure that systems are in place to evidence that UHD is meeting all statutory, constitutional and regulatory obligations, while supporting and enabling the Board and Council of Governors to fulfil their responsibilities with confidence.

This is a role with significant reach and influence – helping the Chair, Chief Executive, Executive Directors and Governors to shape how UHD operates, how we partner with our communities, and how we deliver our responsibilities as a major NHS Foundation Trust.

About You

The Director of Corporate Governance must have the credibility and ability to influence that comes with operating at Board level, together with the judgment needed to navigate complex organisational and regulatory environments.

You will bring:

• Integrity, resilience, discretion and sound professional judgment
• Significant experience as a senior governance professional or Company Secretary in a large, complex organisation
• Highly developed leadership, influencing, relationship‑building and organisational skills
• Extremely well organized and committed to supporting others
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, able to distil complex legislation and provide clear, concise advice
• Masters‑level qualification or demonstrably equivalent levels of knowledge and capability gained through experience
• Professional membership of the Chartered Governance Institute

About us

What we offer

UHD is a great place to work; it is a supportive and ambitious organisation committed to being well‑led and continuously improving, with a collaborative culture and engaged executive leadership team.

This is a wonderful opportunity to help us as we strive to make UHD even more effective through a profound impact on governance, assurance and patient experience, all in a beautiful Dorset coastal setting.

If you are motivated by the difference that can be made through excellent governance, and by public service, and you are ready to join us in shaping and delivering a positive future for our major NHS Foundation Trust, we would be delighted to receive your application.

Job responsibilities

Please find attached the job description and person specification for further details.

If you would like to talk to us before submitting your application, please contact Melissa Duncan, UHD Head of Workforce Resourcing, at [e-mail]. Please head up your email FAO Melissa Duncan re UHD Director of Corporate Governance.

Shortlisting Matrix

• Evidence of significant experience in working with Boards and Governors and leading successful initiatives to improve governance.
• Evidence of specialist knowledge and expertise in the design, development, implementation, and regular review of governance initiatives/work programmes.
• Evidence of ability to concurrently manage a wide range of activities and prioritise/adjust plans and activities in response to conflicting concurrent requests, ensuring effective personal time management.
• Evidence of knowledge and skills to develop governance systems and policy, underpinned by knowledge of legislation relevant to the NHS context.
• Evidence of people leadership and management skills.
• Company Secretary qualification and evidence of regular and up‑to‑date role‑relevant CPD.
• Evidence of working knowledge of financial regime (e.g. Standing Orders and Standing Financial Instructions), ideally in NHS context.
• Evidence of skills to prepare high quality reports for both internal and external audiences and of interpretation, using complex data.
• Evidence of operating successfully in an independent, autonomous manner, ability to self‑direct safely.
• Evidence of confidence and skill to represent UHD at any forum.
• Evidence of advanced report‑writing skills, to an ‘expert level’ and hence able to teach others.
• Evidence of advanced governance and policy knowledge across all aspects of NHS Foundation Trusts, including the membership model.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Address

University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust (UHD)