Executive Director of Corporate and Governance

NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board; England; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional healthcare authority is seeking an Executive Director of Corporate and Governance to provide strategic leadership within the Integrated Care Board. This role involves overseeing corporate governance, driving cultural transformation, and ensuring compliance across functions. The ideal candidate will have extensive senior leadership experience in healthcare, possess a Master's degree or equivalent, and demonstrate a commitment to innovative practices in patient engagement and governance. This position offers the opportunity to influence patient care across a diverse population while promoting inclusive leadership and sustainable workforce strategies.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or equivalent experience in system leadership.
• Experience in leading corporate governance functions.
• Demonstrated record of cultural and organizational change.

Responsibilities

• Support the CEO and senior leadership team in developing ICB’s vision.
• Foster a compassionate and inclusive culture.
• Oversee internal communications and strategic stakeholder engagement.
• Ensure robust patient feedback systems.
• Lead complex transformation initiatives and system-wide collaboration.

Skills

Senior leadership

Corporate governance expertise

Transformation leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Compassionate culture development

Data protection compliance

Education

Master's degree or equivalent experience

Membership of governance-related bodies (e.g., ICSA)

Job description

Job Summary

The Executive Director of Corporate and Governance is a senior leader within the Integrated Care Board (ICB), providing strategic leadership for all corporate functions and ensuring robust governance, compliance, and organisational resilience. The postholder will drive cultural and organisational transformation, embed inclusive leadership, and deliver measurable improvements in governance, workforce sustainability, and patient engagement. They will also lead digital and data governance within corporate services, ensure financial stewardship, and champion innovation to support the NHS Long Term Plan and Marmot principles.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & Corporate Governance – Support the CEO, Chair, and senior leadership team in developing and implementing the ICB’s vision, values, and strategy; act as the ICB’s governance lead; provide assurance on corporate governance systems; oversee resource planning and financial stewardship; drive efficiency and resilience in corporate operations.
• Workforce and People Leadership – Foster a compassion‑inclusive culture; support workforce integration across NHS providers, local government, VCSE and academic partners; lead and develop high‑performing teams; embed workforce voice and partnership.
• Corporate Affairs & Communications – Oversee internal and external communications, corporate identity, and public affairs; lead strategic stakeholder engagement; manage freedom of information, information governance and reputational risk; provide crisis communication protocols.
• Patient Experience and Engagement – Ensure robust systems for capturing and responding to patient feedback, complaints and PALS input; embed patient voice, lived experience and involvement in all ICB decision‑making.
• Matrix and System Working – Promote system‑wide collaboration and shared ownership; lead complex transformation initiatives; build relationships with system leaders, local authority partners, Healthwatch, provider collaboratives and trade unions; align local approaches into a harmonised corporate model.
• Estates and Sustainability – Develop and implement an estates strategy aligned to ICB priorities and NHS sustainability goals; oversee property management, carbon reduction initiatives and the NHS Green Plan objectives.
• Data Protection – Ensure compliance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR; oversee breach management and privacy impact assessments; act as organisational lead for data protection.
• Governance and Delivery Oversight – Provide assurance on programme delivery, risk management and performance across health and care partnerships; monitor delivery against strategic objectives; lead reporting and evaluation processes.

About Us

NHS Cheshire and Merseyside serves a population of over 2.7 million people across nine localities, working with 16 NHS provider organisations, 51 Primary Care Networks, local authorities and voluntary sector partners. Our vision is for everyone in Cheshire and Merseyside to have a great start in life and get the support they need to stay healthy and live longer. We will do this by working together, as equal partners, to support seamless, person‑centred care and tackle health inequalities by improving the lives of the poorest fastest. Our values are rooted in the NHS Constitution, and we strive to create a compassionate, collaborative and innovative culture where staff can thrive and make a real difference to local communities.

Person Specification

• Essential Qualifications – Master’s degree or equivalent experience in system leadership and working with system partners, supported by evidence of agreeing and delivering on shared objectives that have resulted in policy/strategic outcomes.
• Desirable Qualifications – Membership of governance‑related bodies (e.g., ICSA).
• Essential Experience – Extensive experience of senior leadership and oversight within NHS, public sector or similar complex environments; demonstrable expertise in leading corporate governance functions such as communications, HR/workforce, or public sector corporate affairs; proven record of delivering large‑scale transformation, people strategies or organisational development programmes; demonstrable expertise in leading corporate governance functions and risk management at Board level within healthcare and/or social care settings; proven track record of leading cultural and organisational change to deliver improved outcomes for local populations.
• Desirable Experience – Membership of governance‑related bodies (e.g., ICSA).

Employer Details

NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board
No 1 Lakeside 920 Centre Park, Warrington, WA1 1QY