Job summary
Working hours: hours per week
The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has an exciting opportunity to join us as our Head of Corporate Governance.
This role is based at the centre of our organisation. Supporting the Director of Governance, Risk and Improvement and the Company Secretary, you will ensure that the Trust has in place, sound, integrated corporate governance policies, procedures and structures.
You will be responsible for ensuring the Trust complies with its legal, constitutional and regulatory requirements in order to support the delivery of outstanding, integrated care to the people who use our services.
The successful applicant will be highly motivated, enthusiastic individual with extensive knowledge of NHS governance processes. You will have excellent verbal and written skills, with the ability to communicate and negotiate effectively at all levels within the organisation toensure key deadlines are met, whilst also liaising with our external partners such as Internal and External Audit.
Interviews will take place: 16th December 2024
Main duties of the job
1. Support the Company Secretary in the effective operation of the Trust's governance structure, ensuring it is fit for purpose, reporting any deficiencies and making proposals for Ensure that arrangements are in place for the Trust to maintain a well-defined and established corporate governance framework, including best practice Standing Orders, Standing Financial Instructions, and Schemes of Delegation; and that these are reviewed on an annual Be responsible for the preparation of the corporate calendar, circulation of agenda, minutes and papers of the Board of Directors, Council of Governors and Board Act as an advisor on the Constitution and code of conduct, ensuring transparency and accountability in the conduct of the Trust's Act as the point of contact with the external auditor to provide relevant evidence to them in order to provide an audit opinion and to ensure that a final draft of the annual report is available for approval by Board and laying to Parliament in a timely Ensure the effective and efficient flow of information to and between the Trust Board of Directors, Governors and Support the Company Secretary to consistently review all corporate governance arrangements to ensure that the Board is fully briefed in order to make informed decisions, and ensure that arrangements are in place for monitoring compliance with the code of governance and provider licence.
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:
o The Countess of Chester Hospital: providing 438 general and acute Ellesmere Port Hospital: providing 56 beds as a rehabilitation, intermediate and outpatient Tarporley War Memorial Hospital: a base for community services which serve the local rural population.
The Trust employs over 6258 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 407,000. This includes 357,000 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.
The Trust is a busy district general hospital and in 2022/2023, there were more than 503,342 patient attendances (inpatient, outpatient and diagnostic) ranging from a simple outpatient appointment to major cancer surgery. This is an increase of nearly 10,000 compared to the previous year when there were 494,387 patient attendances.
Job description
Job responsibilities
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. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. The cost of the DBS application is £ or £, this cost will be deducted from your 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
Knowledge and experience
Essential
1. Experience and knowledge of corporate governance legislation and best practice and experience of their application in complex settings
2. Track record of initiating and implementing good administrative systems
3. Experience of co-ordinating and producing an NHS Annual Report
4. Significant involvement in managing Trust committees reporting to Board
5. Understanding of role and relationships between Governors, Chairman, Chief Executive, Executive and Non-Executive Directors
6. Knowledge of and practical application of sound processes for managing standards of business conduct (anti-bribery, management of conflict of interest, hospitality, sponsorship etc)
7. Knowledge of the annual reporting cycle and external requirements/guidance
Desirable
8. Experience in an NHS Corporate Affairs / Governance Management role
9. Experience of working in an organisation under public and political scrutiny
10. Experience of engaging with Trust stakeholders including Council of Governors and Trust membership
11. Financial awareness. oKnowledge of risk assurance mechanisms
Skills and Abilities
Essential
12. Highly developed communication, interpersonal skills
13. Ability to analyse complex facts and develop a range of options
Desirable
14. Proven ability to understand and give advice on relevant legislation, regulations and standing orders
15. Ability to manage and monitor budgets
Qualifications
Essential
16. Educated to degree level, and equivalent relevant experience or specialist knowledge to masters level or equivalent.
17. Knowledge and understanding and practical application of regulatory compliance and corporate governance in the NHS
18. Evidence of personal/professional development