Non-Executive Director

Integrated Care System; Chester; On-site; GBP 125,000 - 150,000; Part time

Job summary

A leading healthcare organization in Chester is seeking a Non-Executive Director to enhance their Board. This strategic role requires strong financial expertise and a commitment to patient-centered care. The successful candidate will chair a key committee, ensuring effective governance and supporting the Trust's strategic goals. Ideal for someone with substantial Board-level experience and a passion for improving healthcare services.

Qualifications

• Significant Board-level experience in a large, complex organisation.
• Knowledge of NHS governance and financial management.
• Ability to hold others to account.

Responsibilities

• Provide independent financial oversight and strategic advice.
• Chair either the Finance & Performance Committee or the Audit Committee.
• Champion patient safety and continuous improvement.

Skills

Financial acumen

Strategic thinking

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Education

Professional qualification or appropriate degree

Job description

Go back Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Non-Executive Director

The closing date is 05 September 2025

The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is seeking to appoint a Non-Executive Director (NED) to join its Board of Directors. This is a key leadership role at a time of strategic transformation and improvement.

About the Role

As an NED, you will bring independent judgement, financial expertise, and strategic insight to the Board. You will work collaboratively with Executive and Non-Executive Director colleagues to ensure the Trust delivers safe, kind, and effective care. The successful candidate will be expected to Chair either the Finance & Performance Committee or the Audit Committee and therefore must bring strong financial experience.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide independent financial oversight and strategic advice
• Support the development and delivery of the Trust's Five-Year Strategy
• Champion patient safety, quality, and continuous improvement
• Constructively challenge and support the Executive team
• Promote openness, transparency, and public sector values
• Act as an ambassador for the Trust within the community and wider NHS

Main duties of the job

As a member of a unitary Board, there is a shared and collective responsibility amongst all the Directors for the overall strategic direction and performance of the Trust. As Non-Executive Director, you will collaborate with other Non-Executive Directors and Executive Directors as an equal member of the Board.

You will share responsibility with other Directors for the decisions made by the Board and form the success of the organisation in leading the local improvement of healthcare services. All of the Board members are required to work collaboratively and also to provide constructive challenge, as necessary.

The Directors must satisfy themselves as to the appropriateness and integrity of the information that comes to the Board and the efficacy of the controls and systems in place to ensure the good governance of the Trust. The Non-Executive Directors bring fresh perspectives to governance, reflecting their wider experience and skill sets acquired outside the Trust.

Non-Executive Directors have a particular role in collaborating with the Council of Governors which, in turn, is responsible for holding the Non-Executive Directors (both individually and collectively) to account for the performance of the Board. In practice, this requires the Non-Executive Directors to work with and be visible to the Council of Governors in the performance of their role as Non-Executive Directors.

About us

The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust provides services to West Cheshire and to Welsh patients covered by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The Trust works collaboratively within the wider Cheshire and Merseyside Health and Care Partnership. Its services are provided from three locations:

• The Countess of Chester Hospital: providing 438 general and acute beds.
• Ellesmere Port Hospital: providing 56 beds as a rehabilitation, intermediate and outpatient facility.
• Tarporley War Memorial Hospital: a base for community services which serve the local rural population.

The Trust employs over 5916 staff (headcount) which includes temporary bank staff and provides acute emergency and elective services, primary care direct access services and obstetric services to a population of approximately 411,000. This includes 361,000 residents in Chester and West Cheshire which includes Ellesmere Port and Neston as well as the Deeside area of Flintshire which has a population of approximately 50,000.

Job responsibilities

Committee Leadership

The successful candidate will participate in Board level Committees and specifically will be expected to chair one of the following Committees:

• Audit Committee overseeing governance, risk, and assurance
• Finance & Performance Committee monitoring financial performance, sustainability and service delivery
• Each committee meets at least four times per year and plays a vital role in Board assurance.

Candidate Profile

We are looking for someone who:

• Has significant Board-level experience in a large, complex organisation
• Brings strong financial acumen and business performance expertise
• Demonstrates intellectual flexibility and strategic thinking
• Is politically astute with excellent communication and influencing skills
• Upholds the Nolan principles and NHS values
• Is committed to diversity, inclusion, and public service
• Knowledge of NHS governance, financial management, and performance systems
• Ability to hold others to account and be held to account
• Strong interpersonal skills and personal integrity

Our Values

Safe- avoiding harm and reducing risk

Kind- considerate and non-judgmental

Effective -delivering excellent and reliable care

Additional Information

You must be a member of one of the Trusts constituencies (Chester and Rural Cheshire, Ellesmere Port and Neston, Flintshire, or the rest of England and Wales)

You must meet the Fit and Proper Person requirements and declare any conflicts of interest

The role is not pensionable and is subject to HMRC regulations for travel and subsistence

We welcome applications from all backgrounds and are particularly keen to hear from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, and disabled individuals who are under-represented in non-executive roles.

See Job Description for further details.

Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values.

Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costswill be deducted from their salary over the first three months of employment.

You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of £16per year applies.

New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.

Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.

Good luck with your application.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• oPossess a professional qualification or appropriate degree or equivalent experience

Experience

• oApplicants should have significant Board level and senior management experience gained in a large, complex organisation either in the private or public sector.
• oBusiness performance/financial experience
• oKnowledge of issues affecting Foundation Trusts and the NHS environment.

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.

Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust