Chief Executive Officer

Job description

Job responsibilities

Purpose

The Chief Executive will provide strategic and operational leadership at local, regional and national levels to ensure that the Hospice of the Good Shepherd achieves its objectives within the governance and strategic framework set by the Board of Trustees. The post holder will ensure that people facing a life-limiting illness receive high-quality care and that everyone we support has the best possible quality of life. The Chief Executive will uphold the Hospices values of Dignity and Respect, Care and Compassion, Trust and Honesty, Teamwork and Collaboration, and Excellent Communication and maintain the Hospices vital reputation within the community.

Key Stakeholders/Relationships

Internal relationships

• Board of Trustees Senior Management Team. All staff and volunteers.

External relationships

• Local Hospice networks
• Local NHS Trusts, ICB and Community Service Providers.
• Commissioning bodies.
• Local community, donors, and supporters.
• National bodies including Hospice UK.

Key Responsibilities

Equal Opportunities

• Provide strong, visible leadership to staff and volunteers, building a motivated and high performing workforce committed to teamwork and professional development.
• Lead, support and direct the Senior Management Team, nurturing a culture of collaboration and excellence to ensure services are delivered in line with the Hospices strategy, core values, and governance standards.
• Drive the development of good people management practices, including recruitment, induction, performance management, personal and professional development, and staff engagement, ensuring an effective and resilient workforce.
• Foster a culture of inclusion, care, and wellbeing, that promotes open communication, collaboration, responsiveness and shared accountability.
• Lead and manage change to maintain a learning organisation and continuously improve the staff experience.

Achieving Strategic Goals

• Work with the Board of Trustees to formulate and implement a 35-year strategic plan and annual business plan.
• Ensure plans are translated into clear, meaningful objectives with measurable outcomes and that performance is monitored with key performance indicators.
• Provide the Board with informed professional advice and recommendations to support effective strategic decisions.
• Track changes in the healthcare and regulatory landscape and advise on strategies to safeguard the Hospices long term relevance and sustainability.
• Future-proof the organisation by identifying opportunities for service development and new income streams.

Service Delivery and Development

• Ensure the highest standards of specialist palliative and end-of-life care for patients and families.
• Regularly review services to meet changing community needs and contractual requirements.
• Take action to address underperformance and safeguard service quality.
• Ensure central support functions (Finance, People, Estates, Facilities, IT) are effectively managed and compliant with legislation.

Governance, Risk and Financial Management

• To work effectively and cooperatively with the Chair and Board of Trustees and its various committees to maintain effective communications and ensure informed and beneficial decision making in support of the Hospice and its work.
• Act as Nominated Individual with responsibility for regulated activities under the Care Quality Commission.
• Ensure the Hospice operates within all legal, governance, compliance and regulatory requirements.
• To work with the Board to ensure that the Charity Objects laid out in the Hospices Memorandum and Articles of Association are met.
• To ensure that Board and Committee meetings are efficiently organised in a timely manner and that all necessary papers are in in accordance with agreed standards to allow appropriate informed decision making.
• Support the Board in fulfilling its governance responsibilities by ensuring timely, accurate and relevant reporting, agreeing any major changes to policy or plans with the board.
• Develop and maintain robust risk management arrangements. Ensure appropriate financial stewardship, including preparation of budgets, monitoring income and expenditure, and financial reporting to the Board.
• Arrange the planning and production of the Hospice Statutory Annual Report to be submitted for approval at the Annual General Meeting.
• Establish and maintain robust systems to generate accurate quantitative and qualitative data that enable evidence-based decision making.
• Oversee subsidiary companies, including Hospice of the Good Shepherd Promotions Company (Trading) Ltd and the Lottery, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.

Building and Developing Relationships

• Represent and promote the Hospice at local, regional and national forums. Build and sustain effective relationships with donors, commissioners, partners, and statutory bodies.
• Act as ambassador for the Hospice to strengthen its standing, reputation and visibility.
• Engage actively with the community to promote fundraising and volunteering.

Other Duties

• Ensure full implementation of information governance principles.
• Undertake any other duties commensurate with the level of the post as directed by the Trustees.
• Maintain own personal and professional development, keeping up to date with best practice within the sector.

This job description may vary from time to time according to the needs of the Hospice of the Good Shepherd and will be reviewed with the post holder.

Personal Development

The post holder will be expected to maintain high professional standards and will be supported with relevant education and development opportunities agreed with the Chair of Trustees.

Health, Safety & Security

• Comply with the Hospices Health & Safety Policy and take personal responsibility for workplace safety.
• Ensure the Hospice operates in a secure environment and reports breaches of security.
• As CEO, hold overall responsibility as Senior Information Risk Owner (SIRO), working with the Caldicott Guardian to manage risk and information governance.

Confidentiality and Safeguarding

• Strictly adhere to all confidentiality policies and legal requirements, ensuring that sensitive information is handled, stored, and always shared appropriately and responsibly.
• Take personal responsibility for safeguarding adults and children in line with Hospice policies and statutory guidance, maintaining the highest standards of vigilance and care.
• Safeguarding training is mandatory for all staff, and leaders are expected to champion a culture of safety, openness, and accountability across the organisation.

Equal Opportunities

The Hospice of the Good Shepherd is fully committed to fostering a culture of equality, diversity, and inclusion where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. We value the unique contributions of all individuals and actively promote an environment that is fair, supportive, and free from discrimination. All staff are expected to uphold these principles in their daily work and interactions, with leaders at every level responsible for championing inclusive practices and ensuring that these values are embedded across the organisation.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to Degree level or equivalent.

Desirable

• Educated to Masters level or equivalent.

Experience

Essential

• Significant experience of successful leadership at Board level in a multidisciplinary organisation.
• Knowledge of the hospice sector in the UK.
• Inspirational leader with demonstrable experience of leading and developing a Senior.
• Leadership Team with the ability to inspire, motivate and empower others.
• Strong strategic and commercial acumen, with extensive experience developing and implementing business plans, managing large-scale budgets, achieving efficiencies and broadening income streams through effective fundraising and partnership development.
• Deep understanding of the charity sector with the ability to align financial strategy with organisational mission and impact.
• Proven ability to demonstrate and embed values, vision, and ethos, and to foster a positive, inclusive culture.
• Ability to identify, measure and manage organisational risk, taking appropriate action to ensure delivery of strategic aims and objectives.
• Strong understanding of governance, compliance, and Board dynamics, with experience developing robust, effective relationships with Trustees and ensuring best practice standards.
• Extensive experience of representing and collaborating with key stakeholders, including regulators, partners, and the wider public.
• Extensive experience of leading staff and volunteers through times of change.

Desirable

• Experience in the care sector ideally with an NHS interface.
• Experience of developing innovative service models and approaches to extend reach and impact.

Personal skills and abilities

Essential

• Strong ambassadorial skills, with the ability to act as an advocate and sector leader externally.
• Strong communication negotiation and influencing skills, with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders.
• Integrity, versatility, flexibility and sensitivity to ethical issues, alongside a strong commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Ability to understand and analyse complex issues applying innovative and practical solutions.
• Strong emotional intelligence with the ability to assess the implications and impact of decision making.
• Ability to create an environment where individuals and services work together in a spirit of partnership.

Desirable

• Ability to influence policy, strategy or service delivery at regional or national level.

Other Requirements

Essential

• Willingness to work outside of usual working hours when required.
• Ability to travel to local and national events and all Hospice Premises.

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Hospice of the Good Shepherd

Address

Hospice of the Good Shepherd

Gordon Lane

Chester

Cheshire

CH2 4DG

Employer's website

https://hospiceofthegoodshepherd.com/ (Opens in a new tab)