Director of Quality Governance & Compliance

Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Cambridge; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

On-site leisure facilities

Subsidised staff parking

Free bus travel (Stagecoach)

Park and Ride free

24/7 on-site food

Staff pod break spaces

Job summary

Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust seeks a proven leader to champion quality governance and compliance across patient safety, clinical risk and regulatory assurance. Reporting to the Chief Nurse, you will establish frameworks and assurance processes that drive safe, effective and well-governed care across services and with regulators and commissioners.

You will lead containment of regulatory findings, support organisational learning, and provide independent challenge at

Qualifications

• You will bring substantial senior leadership experience in quality governance, patient safety, clinical risk or regulatory compliance within a large and complex healthcare organisation.
• You will have a strong record of providing expert advice and constructive challenge at Executive and Board level, leading major regulatory or external review activity and delivering sustained improvements in quality and assurance.
• You will be educated to Master's degree level in a relevant subject or able to demonstrate equivalent senior leadership experience and expertise.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert leadership, advice and assurance across quality governance, patient safety, clinical risk, regulatory compliance and clinical effectiveness.
• Establish frameworks, standards and assurance arrangements to deliver safe, well-governed care across services and with regulators and system partners.
• Escalate and address concerns, regulatory requirements and gaps in assurance with independence and constructive challenge.
• Represent the Trust with regulators, commissioners and NHS system partners at executive and board levels.

Skills

Quality governance

Patient safety

Clinical risk

Regulatory frameworks

Leadership

Influencing

Relationship-building

Independent judgment

Constructive challenge

Analytical skills

Communication

Board-level communication

Integrity

Objectivity

Professional judgment

Patient-centered care

Compassion

Education

Master's degree

Postgraduate qualification

Job description

We are seeking an accomplished and influential leader to serve as our Director of Quality Governance and Compliance. Reporting to the Chief Nurse, you will provide expert leadership, advice and assurance across quality governance, patient safety, clinical risk, regulatory compliance, clinical effectiveness, organisational learning and Ward-to-Board governance. This is a highly visible and strategically important role. You will establish the frameworks, standards and assurance arrangements that enable Accountable Care Groups and clinical services to deliver safe, effective and well-governed care. You will ensure concerns, regulatory requirements and gaps in assurance are identified, escalated and addressed. Working closely with the Chief Nurse, Chief Medical Officer, Executive Team, Trust Board and senior clinical and operational leaders, you will bring clarity, independence and constructive challenge to complex quality and safety matters. You will also represent the Trust with regulators, commissioners, coroners, NHS Resolution and system partners. CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times.

• Expert knowledge of NHS quality governance, patient safety, clinical risk and regulatory frameworks.
• Exceptional leadership, influencing and relationship-building skills.
• The confidence to exercise independent judgement and challenge constructively.
• Highly developed analytical and communication skills.
• The ability to translate complex information into clear conclusions, recommendations and Board-level assurance.
• Integrity, objectivity, courage and sound professional judgement.
• A visible commitment to patients, families, staff and the delivery of safe, kind and excellent car

About you

You will bring substantial senior leadership experience in quality governance, patient safety, clinical risk or regulatory compliance within a large and complex healthcare organisation. You will have a strong record of providing expert advice and constructive challenge at Executive and Board level, leading major regulatory or external review activity and delivering sustained improvements in quality and assurance. You will be educated to Master's degree level in a relevant subject or able to demonstrate equivalent senior leadership experience and expertise. A relevant postgraduate qualification and evidence of advanced continuing professional development are also essential. If you are an experienced, credible and compassionate senior leader who can strengthen assurance, support organisational learning and influence at the highest level, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust comprises Addenbrooke's Hospital and the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge. With over 13,000 staff and over 1100 beds the priorities of the Trust focus on a quality service which is all about people - patients, staff and partners. Recognised as providing 'outstanding' care to our patients and rated 'Good' overall by the Care Quality Commissioner, is testament to the skill and dedication of the people who work here. CUH's values - Together - Safe, Kind, Excellent - are at the heart of patient care, defining the way all staff work and behave. The Trust provides accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge, together with specialist services, dealing with rare or complex conditions for a regional, national and international population. CUH is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where we can all be ourselves. We value our differences and fully advocate and support an inclusive working environment where every individual can fulfil their potential. We want to ensure our people are truly representative of all the communities that we serve. We welcome applications for all positions in the organisation irrespective of people's age, disability, ethnicity, race, nationality, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity status or social economic background.

Interviews are due to be held on 06th January 2026. All appointments with a start date on or after 1 October 2026 will be subject to a 12-week probationary period. This provides a structured and supportive period to help you settle into your role, with regular reviews and feedback. Due to Home Office immigration rules, a full-time permanent vacancy cannot be filled by individuals on a student visa. Therefore, please be advised that if you are a student visa holder, we will not be able to offer you a full-time permanent contract unless you have:

• applied for a Graduate visa
• or you will have successfully completed your course and have applied for a Graduate visa before the anticipated start date of your employment

Benefits to you

At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff. On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only café, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.