Non Executive Director - Clinical

Castle Peak Group; North East; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Castle Peak Group has been appointed to support an NHS Foundation Trust in the North East of England with the recruitment of an experienced Clinical Non-Executive Director. This Board appointment seeks a credible clinical leader with governance experience to provide independent oversight, challenge and assurance on quality, safety and compassionate care.

The role focuses on strategic direction, risk management and independent judgement, with a strong emphasis on improving patient outcomes while

Qualifications

• Clinical leadership at senior level in a complex organisation.
• Experience as a Non-Executive Director with board responsibilities and independent oversight.
• Strong governance, risk management and accountability understanding.
• Strategic thinking with balance of quality, performance and financial sustainability.
• Ability to challenge senior leaders constructively with evidence.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver the Trust's strategic objectives and long-term priorities.
• Provide independent clinical insight into quality, safety and patient experience.
• Ensure robust governance arrangements operate effectively and are evidenced.
• Hold Executive Directors to account for performance and objectives.
• Support risk management and decisions informed by data and outcomes.
• Champion compassionate leadership and inclusive culture.
• Engage with patients, staff, communities and stakeholders.
• Contribute to cross-system collaboration and board committees.

Skills

Clinical leadership

NED experience

Governance

Strategic thinking

Independent judgement

Education

Clinical qualification

Non-Executive Director experience

Job description

Castle Peak Group has been appointed to support a major NHS Foundation Trust in the North East of England with the recruitment of an experienced Clinical Non-Executive Director.

This is an important Board appointment at a time of significant change and opportunity across the NHS. The organisation is seeking an accomplished clinical leader who can combine professional credibility, strategic thinking and established Non-Executive Director experience to help shape its future direction.

The successful candidate will play a central role in providing independent oversight, constructive challenge and assurance, ensuring that clinical quality, patient safety and compassionate care remain at the heart of organisational decision making.

We are particularly interested in engaging with experienced leaders from nursing, pharmacy and allied health professions, although applications from individuals with other recognised clinical qualifications are equally encouraged.

Previous Non-Executive Director experience is essential, although this does not need to have been gained within the NHS.

For someone with the right combination of clinical expertise, governance experience and independent judgement, this represents an opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to healthcare services across the North East.

About the Organisation

Our client is a well established NHS Foundation Trust providing a broad range of hospital and community healthcare services to a diverse population.

The organisation has a clear strategic ambition to deliver outstanding patient care, strengthen clinical services and develop sustainable models of healthcare that respond to the changing needs of patients and communities.

Operating within an increasingly complex health and care environment, the Trust is focused on improving quality, strengthening governance, developing its workforce and working collaboratively with regional partners.

Its strategic priorities include:

• Delivering consistently safe, effective and compassionate patient care.
• Strengthening clinical quality, patient safety and organisational assurance.
• Supporting innovation, research and the development of modern diagnostic and treatment services.
• Developing more integrated models of care, including services delivered closer to patients' homes.
• Improving patient experience, outcomes and access to services.
• Supporting a positive, inclusive and compassionate organisational culture.
• Maintaining financial sustainability and operational resilience.
• Strengthening collaboration with partners across the wider health and care system.

The Board has a critical role in supporting these ambitions, ensuring that the organisation maintains strong governance, effective leadership and a clear focus on delivering the best possible outcomes for patients and communities.

The Role

As Clinical Non-Executive Director, you will become a full member of the Trust's unitary Board, working alongside the Chair, fellow Non-Executive Directors and Executive Directors.

You will share collective responsibility for the strategic direction, performance, governance and long term sustainability of the organisation.

Drawing upon your clinical background and leadership experience, you will bring an informed and independent perspective to Board discussions, contributing to decisions that balance clinical quality, patient safety, organisational performance and financial sustainability.

This is a strategic governance appointment rather than an operational clinical leadership role.

You will be expected to provide appropriate scrutiny and constructive challenge while supporting a collaborative, values led approach to Board leadership.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Contributing to the development and delivery of the Trust's strategic objectives and long term priorities.
• Providing independent clinical insight into quality, patient safety, clinical effectiveness and patient experience.
• Seeking assurance that robust clinical governance arrangements are in place and operating effectively.
• Holding Executive Directors to account for organisational performance and the delivery of agreed objectives.
• Supporting the Board in identifying and managing significant clinical, operational and organisational risks.
• Ensuring that decisions are informed by appropriate evidence, performance information and an understanding of patient outcomes.
• Championing compassionate leadership, workforce wellbeing and an inclusive organisational culture.
• Supporting effective engagement with patients, staff, communities and wider stakeholders.
• Contributing to the development of collaborative working arrangements across the regional health and care system.
• Participating in Board committees and potentially assuming a committee chairing responsibility.

The successful candidate will be comfortable operating within a complex governance environment, asking thoughtful and sometimes challenging questions while maintaining positive and constructive relationships with Board colleagues.

The Person

We are seeking a credible, experienced and strategically minded clinical leader who understands the responsibilities of Non-Executive leadership and can contribute effectively within a large and complex organisation.

You will bring professional independence, sound judgement and the confidence to challenge constructively, alongside a genuine commitment to improving healthcare outcomes.

Essential Experience and Attributes

Candidates must be able to demonstrate:

Clinical credibility and leadership

A recognised clinical qualification supported by significant senior clinical leadership experience within a complex organisation.

Previous Non-Executive Director experience

Experience of serving in a Non-Executive Director capacity, with a clear understanding of Board responsibilities, collective accountability and the distinction between executive management and independent oversight.

Importantly, this experience does not need to have been gained within the NHS.

Governance and assurance

A strong understanding of corporate governance, risk management, organisational accountability and the role of a Board in providing effective scrutiny and assurance.

Strategic thinking

The ability to consider complex issues from an organisational and system wide perspective, balancing quality, performance, risk and long term sustainability.

Independent judgement and constructive challenge

The confidence to question, influence and challenge senior leaders appropriately, supported by evidence, professional experience and sound judgement.

Commitment to quality and patient safety

A demonstrable commitment to high standards of clinical care, patient experience, continuous improvement and compassionate leadership.

Communication and relationships

Strong interpersonal and influencing skills, with the ability to build effective relationships while maintaining the independence required of a Non-Executive Director.

Values and public service

A genuine commitment to NHS values, equality, diversity and inclusion, and improving outcomes for the communities served.

Clinical Backgrounds of Particular Interest

We would particularly welcome applications from individuals with professional qualifications and substantial leadership experience in:

• Nursing
• Pharmacy
• Allied Health Professions

Candidates from other recognised clinical disciplines are also encouraged to apply, provided they can demonstrate the required senior leadership and Non-Executive experience.

Additional Experience

The following would be advantageous, although not essential:

• Experience of chairing a Board committee, particularly one with responsibility for quality, clinical governance or organisational assurance.
• An understanding of NHS structures, regulation and the wider health and care environment.
• Experience of working within a large, complex or highly regulated organisation.
• An appreciation of the relationship between clinical quality, workforce capability, operational performance and financial sustainability.
• Experience of organisational transformation, service improvement or system wide collaboration.

We recognise that strong Non-Executive Directors can bring valuable perspectives from different sectors. Candidates who have developed their Board experience outside the NHS, but who possess the required clinical credentials and strategic leadership experience, are strongly encouraged to consider this opportunity.

Why Consider This Appointment?

This is an opportunity to influence the future direction of an important healthcare organisation at a time when the NHS faces significant challenges and opportunities.

The successful candidate will join a Board with a clear commitment to improving patient outcomes, strengthening organisational performance and developing services that meet the needs of local communities.

You will have the opportunity to:

• Influence the strategic direction of a major NHS Foundation Trust.
• Contribute to the improvement of clinical quality, patient safety and patient experience.
• Support innovation and the development of more integrated and sustainable healthcare services.
• Provide independent oversight during a period of continued organisational and system wide change.
• Champion compassionate leadership and a positive culture for staff and patients.
• Make a lasting contribution to healthcare provision across the North East.

For an experienced clinical leader who understands the value of effective governance, this is a rewarding opportunity to combine professional expertise with meaningful public service.

Eligibility and Inclusion

Candidates must reside within the North East or North Cumbria, within the geographical boundaries of the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care System.

Applicants must also satisfy the relevant NHS Foundation Trust public constituency membership requirements.

Our client is committed to developing a diverse, inclusive and effective Board that reflects the communities it serves.

Applications are welcomed from individuals of all backgrounds, with particular encouragement for candidates from groups currently under-represented on NHS Boards, including people from the Global Ethnic Majority, disabled people and individuals with lived experience of health inequalities.

We are committed to ensuring a fair, accessible and inclusive recruitment process and welcome conversations about reasonable adjustments.