Chief Executive Officer jobs in United Kingdom

Job summary

* * To apply for this vacancy, please refer to the candidate information pack with details of how to submit your application, as online applications are not being accepted for this vacancy**

We are delighted that you may be interested in joining our Board of Directors in the role of Acting Chief Executive Officer.

It is an exciting time to join Gateshead Health as we launch our new 5 year strategy and work collaboratively with partners in the Alliance and at place and neighbourhood levels to support the delivery of the NHS 10 Year Plan.

We are seeking to appoint an Acting Chief Executive to join our Board of Directors as the Trust's Accountable Officer on secondment for a six month period, whilst our substantive Chief Executive is on secondment at North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust (NCIC), one of our Alliance partners. The secondment will commence in August/September 2025 and cease at the end of January 2026, or on the return of our substantive Chief Executive (whichever is soonest). The successful candidate's current employer will have to agree to the secondment at short notice

Main duties of the job

This is an exceptional opportunity to contribute towards the delivery of excellent healthcare and improving population health in our area and region. It is a demanding and exciting role, which provides an opportunity to be at the forefront of change in a progressive NHS provider.

The successful candidate will demonstrate a clear understanding of, and ability to live our Trust's vision and values, including our strong focus on being a clinically-led and management supported organisation, and will embrace the challenges of the NHS and local health and care system in the current environment.

About us

Based in the North East of England we provide a range of hospital and community health services from our leading facilities, including the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Blaydon urgent care centre and Bensham Hospital, all within Gateshead.

Established in 2005, we were one of the first foundation trusts in the country and since then have consistently achieved the highest levels of care for patients.

We now employ around 4,800 staff and currently provide 444 hospital beds across the Gateshead region.

Our values should be the 'golden thread' which runs through everything we do - they are the core of who we are. Our five values can easily be remembered by the simple acronymICORE; Innovation, Care, Openness, Respect, Engagement.

We have a number of staff networks including the Global Ethnic Majority (GEM) network, D-Ability network, LGBTQ+ Network and the Women's Network, to challenge us and help us to constantly improve. Our Armed Forces network is one of our emerging networks.

The health and wellbeing of our staff is one of our highest priorities, and we offer a range of support and initiatives as part of our 'Balance' programme balancegateshead.com to cater for our diverse workforce, so that your individual needs can be supported, allowing you a happy and healthy working experience with us.

Details Date posted

21 July 2025

Pay scheme

Very senior manager (VSM)

Salary

Depending on experience Competitive

Contract

Secondment

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

297-7362914

Job locations

Queen Elizabeth Hospital / Trustwide

Queen Elizabeth Avenue

Gateshead

NE9 6SX

Job description Job responsibilities

The Acting Chief Executive is responsible to the Board of Directors for ensuring individual/patient and population needs are at the fore of all we do; and that high-quality outcomes, care and experience are delivered by well-motivated, well led and engaged colleagues.

The Acting Chief Executive is the Foundation Trusts Accountable Officer and will ensure that all services provided are safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led and that resources are used with the greatest of care.

The Acting Chief Executive is an Executive member of the Board of Directors and, with other Executive and Non-Executive members of the Board, is responsible for the leadership, strategic direction, and operational excellence of the Trust.

The Acting Chief Executive will be instrumental in implementing the recently agreed new trust strategy and further developing the values and culture of the Trust to deliver our ambitions to be an outstanding organisation.

The post holder will also play a key role at a system level including representing the Trust within the Great North Healthcare Alliance, being a member of the Provider Collaborative Board (and acting as senior responsible officer for workstreams where required), leading engagement with the Integrated Care Board as well as working closely with partners at a Place and neighbourhood level across Gateshead.

Job description Job responsibilities

The Acting Chief Executive is responsible to the Board of Directors for ensuring individual/patient and population needs are at the fore of all we do; and that high-quality outcomes, care and experience are delivered by well-motivated, well led and engaged colleagues.

The Acting Chief Executive is the Foundation Trusts Accountable Officer and will ensure that all services provided are safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led and that resources are used with the greatest of care.

The Acting Chief Executive is an Executive member of the Board of Directors and, with other Executive and Non-Executive members of the Board, is responsible for the leadership, strategic direction, and operational excellence of the Trust.

The Acting Chief Executive will be instrumental in implementing the recently agreed new trust strategy and further developing the values and culture of the Trust to deliver our ambitions to be an outstanding organisation.

The post holder will also play a key role at a system level including representing the Trust within the Great North Healthcare Alliance, being a member of the Provider Collaborative Board (and acting as senior responsible officer for workstreams where required), leading engagement with the Integrated Care Board as well as working closely with partners at a Place and neighbourhood level across Gateshead.

Person Specification QUALIFICATION Essential

• Master's degree in a relevant subject or demonstrable equivalent experience.
• Leadership/Management/Business or relevant Clinical Professional Qualification, plus accreditation with relevant professional body.
• Evidence of continuing professional/personal development

EXPERIENCE Essential

• Successful transformational leadership in a complex, ideally acute, healthcare organisation, either at chief executive level or in a senior board level role.
• Proven experience of operating beyond organisational boundaries as a system leader: a commitment to partnership working across the wider public and voluntary sectors to deliver tangible improvements in health outcomes and reduce health inequalities.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS Essential

• Ability to participate in the Director On-Call rota.

Person Specification QUALIFICATION Essential

• Master's degree in a relevant subject or demonstrable equivalent experience.
• Leadership/Management/Business or relevant Clinical Professional Qualification, plus accreditation with relevant professional body.
• Evidence of continuing professional/personal development

EXPERIENCE Essential

• Successful transformational leadership in a complex, ideally acute, healthcare organisation, either at chief executive level or in a senior board level role.
• Proven experience of operating beyond organisational boundaries as a system leader: a commitment to partnership working across the wider public and voluntary sectors to deliver tangible improvements in health outcomes and reduce health inequalities.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS Essential

• Ability to participate in the Director On-Call rota.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information 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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details Employer name

Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Queen Elizabeth Hospital / Trustwide

Queen Elizabeth Avenue

Gateshead

NE9 6SX

Employer's website

https://www.qegateshead.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details Employer name

Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Queen Elizabeth Hospital / Trustwide

Queen Elizabeth Avenue

Gateshead

NE9 6SX

Employer's website

https://www.qegateshead.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)