Here at University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM), we are ambitious for improvement, and passionate about our goal to be a world-class centre of clinical and academic achievement, where our staff work together to ensure patients receive the highest standards of care, and the best people want to come to learn, work, and research. We want all our patients, staff, and partners to reach their potential, and we are extremely proud to be one of the country’s largest and most modern University Trusts, with over 12,300 dedicated staff and a turnover of c£1.1b. Our two hospitals (Royal Stoke University Hospital, and County Hospital at Stafford) provide a wide range of acute and specialist healthcare services to our local populations as well as being a Major Trauma Centre for a wider population of 3 million people from Anglesey to the Peak District. Our services represent more than half of the Staffordshire health and social care economy and we are working collaboratively with our partners, commissioners and our public to integrate services, deliver more of these closer to home and create a sustainable model for the future.

At a time of significant change and challenge in our sector, we are seeking to appoint a values-driven and inspiring Non-Executive Director and Associate Non-Executive Director to join our engaged and dynamic Board focused on putting patients, their families, and our people at the heart of all our strategic decisions. In these roles you will demonstrate compassion for our staff and those we serve, promote the highest standards of integrity and corporate governance, and offer independent challenge and support.

For the Non-Executive Director position we are keen to hear from individuals with strong financial backgrounds from either the public, private or third sector; leaders who are able to scrutinise complex performance data and offer constructive insight and challenge.  For the Associate Non-Executive Director we are seeking a clinical leader who can add stretch to our quality assurance and improvement agendas.  Both roles require strategic and politically astute leaders with Board level or equivalent experience gained in complex person-centred environments.  With the highest standards of personal integrity and an understanding of the accountabilities of being part of a Unitary Board, you will have a passion for the work of the NHS and the part it plays in the wellbeing of our communities.

Essential criteria

You will need to have a genuine commitment to patients and the promotion of excellent health care services. You will have senior level experience in at least one of the following areas:

The Trust is actively working towards a diverse, gender balanced, and representative workforce, and welcomes and encourages applications from all parts of their communities. The Trust is working hard on a range of diversity issues, and is making great progress, however they acknowledge that there is still much to do and the successful applicants, together with the Board, will provide senior leadership and support to the Trust to address the challenges faced by the sector.

For each of the roles we are looking for distinct skillsets as defined below:

Non-executive Director

The successful candidate will have transferable senior leadership experience gained in complex person-centred environments. We are looking for financially qualified individuals with Board level strategic finance leadership experience drawn from a track record working in complex highly regulated sector/s. Ideally you will already have experience as a NED or Trustee but this is not essential. You will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the complexity of the NHS financial landscape or have the ability to get up to speed quickly. The successful candidate will be a member of the Performance and Finance Committee.

Associate Non-executive Director

We are looking for an individual with Board level clinical leadership experience drawn from medical, nursing or an allied health profession. The successful candidate will be a member of the Quality and Governance Committee.

Both roles

For both roles we need people who bring experience of leading cultural change in person-centred environments and who can commit the time required to being a NED or ANED of a significantly sized and complex organisation.

As a future NHS leader, the successful candidate will be able to demonstrate that they meet the NHS leadership competency framework for board members (please see the information pack for the six domains). The competency domains are aligned to Our NHS People Promise, Our Leadership Way and the Seven Principles of Public Life (Nolan Principles).

The best boards are those that reflect the workforce and communities they serve. We particularly welcome applications from women, people from local black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, and people with disabilities, who we know are all under-represented in these important roles.

Applicants should live in or have strong connections with the area served by the Trust.

Application documents

• UHNM NED ANED – Final M3140
• Monitoring Form M3140

Key dates

Find out more

• GatenbySanderson are helping us to identify potential candidates and are supporting the selection process. If you would like a confidential discussion about the role and/or process, please contact Eleanor Lawrence, Senior Researcher: Eleanor.lawrence@gatenbysanderson.com, Isha Hussain, Researcher: isha.hussain@gatenbysanderson.com, Julia St Clare, Consultant: Julia.stclare@gatenbysanderson.com or Emma Pickup, Partner:  emma.pickup@gatenbysanderson.com
• NHS England – for general process enquiries contact  Helen Barlow by emailing helen.barlow2@nhs.net

Related content

• Support to prepare candidates to apply for a non-executive vacancy
• View all current chair and non-executive vacancies 
• Sign up to receive email alerts on the latest vacancies 
• Contact the Senior Appointments and Assessment Team