Job summary
- Main area
- Corporate Governance
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 9
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 339-TS8738-NB
- Employer
- North Bristol NHS Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- NBT and UHBW sites
- Town
- Bristol
- Salary
- £109,179 - £125,637 pa
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 05/09/2025 23:59
Employer heading

Group Director of Corporate Governance
NHS AfC: Band 9
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Job overview
We are looking for a senior governance leader to join us at an exciting time for the Bristol NHS Group. Comprising two Trusts, NBT and UHBW, we are one of the largest NHS organisations in the country and we have big ambitions to transform services in line with our Joint Clinical Strategy and the NHS Ten Year plan.
As our new Group Director of Corporate Governance, you'll play a central role in ensuring our Group Board operates with integrity, transparency, and confidence as we progress towards full merger. Working across the Group, you'll lead the development and delivery of a robust governance framework that supports safe, effective decision making whilst being agile and responsive to our rapidly changing environment.
This is a high impact senior leadership role where your expertise will help us navigate ambiguity, complexity, manage risk and uphold the high standards and values we embrace as a modern NHS organisation. You'll work closely with the Group Chair, Group Chief Executive and other senior leaders to ensure we meet our statutory duties, regulatory requirements, and public commitments.
Main duties of the job
We’re looking for someone who brings:
· Significant senior-level experience in corporate governance, ideally in a complex NHS or public sector setting
· A clear understanding of the role governance plays in enabling high-quality care and organisational performance
· Strong political and organisational awareness, with the ability to influence at Board level
· A commitment to continuous improvement, transparency, and ethical leadership
· A passion for making a positive difference for the people and communities we serve
This is a unique opportunity to lead governance across a newly formed NHS Group, helping us deliver on our shared mission to improve outcomes for our patients, people, populations, and the public purse.
Working for our organisation
North Bristol NHS Trust employs over 12,000 staff providing healthcare to the residents of Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset from our award-winning hospital building at Southmead. We are the regional Major Trauma Centre, and an internationally recognised centre of excellence in a range of services and major specialities. Our vision is that by enabling our teams to be the best that they can be, we will provide exceptional healthcare, personally delivered.
North Bristol NHS Trust values all people as individuals. We aim to be an anti-discriminatory organisation and are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We welcome applicants from all underrepresented groups.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
For a detailed Job Description and Person Spec please refer to JD and PS document attached to this job advert.
Person specification
Skills and Experience
Essential criteria
- Significant senior-management experience in an NHS Provider
- Significant experience of Board and corporate governance systems and processes
- Strong understanding of the role of the Accountable Officer in an NHS Trust and FT environment
- Strong understanding of the governance of NHS Trusts and FTs
- Able to demonstrate an in-depth knowledge and understanding of corporate governance conduct principles, legislation and best practice and able to evidence application of this knowledge in a highly complex organisation
- Able to demonstrate a significant and in-depth knowledge and understanding of risk management systems, processes and their application in the workplace
- Experience of building effective, productive and relevant working relationships with a diverse range of senior stakeholders
- Strong evidence of experience in handling highly complex arrangements to a high degree of accuracy, timeliness and effectiveness, including managing multiple deadlines
- Able to evidence application of highly advanced organisational management skills and delivery of highly complex organizational, multi-faceted tasks
- Ability to write compelling, clear, concise papers for senior-level audiences
- Ability to present complex or contentious information in a clear, concise way that conveys the messaging to the relevant audience
- Budgetary management experience
- Strong IT skills and able to manipulate and present complex data in an intelligent manner
Personal Attributes
Essential criteria
- Highly proactive, takes initiative and demonstrates strong judgement when making decisions and dealing with sensitive or controversial matters.
- Able to lead and motivate others, strong influencing and negotiation skills.
- Able to assess priorities and make decisions, quick to grasp a point, able to think on feet, influence, persuade, give leadership and direction.
- Knowledge and understanding of key NHS issues, including at a national level and has ability to establish local policy drivers.
- Relates immediate situations to trends and pressures.
- Committed people person; empowering, enabling, motivating and developing others
Education and professional qualifications
Essential criteria
- Educated to master’s degree or equivalent experience
Desirable criteria
- Relevant management qualification or member of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators ICSA
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Xavier Bell
- Job title
- Chief Operating Officer
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07930252220
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