Job summary
The Lead for Quality Governance provides senior operational leadership for the Trust's quality governance agenda, ensuring processes are effective, coherent and supportive. Working under the strategic direction of the Head of Quality Governance, Risk & Compliance, the post-holder brings specialist quality governance insight, leads delegated programmes of work, contributes to Trustwide quality governance leadership development and promotes a culture aligned to the CUH values of Safe, Kind and Excellent.
They also ensure key quality governance meetings operate effectively, with clear reporting, structured oversight and early identification of risks to support learning and improvement.
The role requires strong visibility across clinical areas, excellent analytical capability, senior influencing skills and the ability to lead staff and stakeholders through improvement in relation to quality governance.
Main duties of the job
Provide senior operational leadership for the delivery of the quality governance agenda across CUH.
Ensure quality governance expectations are clearly articulated, well-understood and consistently applied across Divisions and at a Trustwide level.
Provide expert leadership in quality governance, drawing on specialist knowledge of risk management, patient safety, patient experience and clinical effectiveness and national standards to support Divisions and the organisation in embedding robust governance systems.
Support Divisions to strengthen quality governance systems and embed improvement actions.
Contribute to the development and review of Trust wide quality governance policies, procedures and strategies, offering specialist insight.
Support the development and implementation of medium- and long-term quality governance improvement plans across clinical areas.
About us
Our Trust
Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust comprises Addenbrooke's Hospital and the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge. With over 13,000 staff and over 1100 beds the priorities of the Trust focus on a quality service which is all about people - patients, staff and partners. Recognised as providing 'outstanding' care to our patients and rated 'Good' overall by the Care Quality Commissioner, is testament to the skill and dedication of the people who work here. CUH's values - Together - Safe, Kind, Excellent - are at the heart of patient care, defining the way all staff work and behave. The Trust provides accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge, together with specialist services, dealing with rare or complex conditions for a regional, national and international population.
CUH is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where we can all be ourselves. We value our differences and fully advocate and support an inclusive working environment where every individual can fulfil their potential. We want to ensure our people are truly representative of all the communities that we serve. We welcome applications for all positions in the organisation irrespective of people's age, disability, ethnicity, race, nationality, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity status or social economic background.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job
Due to Home Office immigration rules, a full time permanent vacancy cannot be filled by individuals on a Student visa. Therefore, please be advised that if you are a Student visa holder, we will not be able to offer you a full time permanent contract unless you have:- applied for a Graduate visa- or you will have successfully completed your course and have applied for a Graduate visa before the anticipated start date of your employment- or the Trust has agreed that they will Sponsor you as a Skilled Worker and you will complete your studies within 3 months of the anticipated start date of employmentThis vacancy will close at midnight on the 22nd March 2026.
Interviews are due to be held on the 9th April 2026.
Benefits to you
At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.
On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only caf, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.
CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times.
Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.
We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job
Due to Home Office immigration rules, a full time permanent vacancy cannot be filled by individuals on a Student visa. Therefore, please be advised that if you are a Student visa holder, we will not be able to offer you a full time permanent contract unless you have:- applied for a Graduate visa- or you will have successfully completed your course and have applied for a Graduate visa before the anticipated start date of your employment- or the Trust has agreed that they will Sponsor you as a Skilled Worker and you will complete your studies within 3 months of the anticipated start date of employmentThis vacancy will close at midnight on the 22nd March 2026.
Interviews are due to be held on the 9th April 2026.
Benefits to you
At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.
On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only caf, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.
CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times.
Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.
We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to degree level or equivalent experience.
- Educated to Master's degree level in a relevant field (such as Quality Improvement, Patient Safety, Healthcare Leadership or Risk Management), or able to demonstrate equivalent senior specialist expertise through substantial, relevant experience.
- Completion of Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF) Patient Safety Training Levels 1 and 2.
Desirable
- Coaching, mentoring, management or leadership qualification.
- Completion of a recognised governance or quality improvement programme or evidence of ongoing CPD in governance, quality or risk.
Experience
Essential
- Evidence of substantial experience working within governance, demonstrating a depth and breadth of knowledge within the NHS.
- Demonstrable experience of supporting assurance processes, including triangulation of quality, safety and risk information within the NHS/Healthcare Setting
- Experience in leading change projects/programs and demonstrating measurable outcomes.
- Experience working in partnership with clinical and operational leaders to strengthen governance systems and meet regulatory requirements.
- Strong background in building partnerships and engaging with the multidisciplinary team and service users.
- Experience line managing or supervising staff.
Desirable
- Experience of reporting to or working with regulators (e.g., CQC, NHS England). Recent experience of working within an large acute Trust setting.
- Experience leading or coordinating incident investigations, PSIRF learning responses or governance reviews.
Knowledge
Essential
- Strong knowledge of clinical governance frameworks, assurance processes, national standards (e.g., CQC, NHSE) and quality improvement principles.
- Highly developed analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex governance and quality data to identify themes, risks and assurance gaps.
- Excellent communication and influencing skills, with the ability to provide clear, constructive challenge and support to senior leaders.
- Excellent report writing skills, able to translate complex information into clear, accessible assurance narratives for senior audiences.
- Ability to coach and guide teams to improve governance systems, documentation and decision making.
- Ability to work autonomously, manage competing priorities and exercise sound judgement.
Skills
Essential
- Strong leadership and influencing skills, with the ability to challenge and support at senior levels.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills, both written and verbal.
- Ability to undertake high level analysis of complex governance intelligence (incidents, audits, outcomes, workforce, patient experience, risk data) to identify themes, risks, early warning indicators and required interventions.
- Provides expert judgement and specialist quality governance advice to Divisions on risk mitigation, quality improvement priorities and regulatory compliance.
- Ability to evaluate quality of care performance using multiple data sources and advise on corrective actions.
- Strong project and programme management skills.
- Ability to build trust and credibility across diverse stakeholders.
- Skilled in facilitation, training, and coaching.
Desirable
- Research and evaluation skills.
- Ability to use digital tools to enhance engagement and reporting.
Additional Requirement
Essential
- The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of safe, kind, excellent.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to degree level or equivalent experience.
- Educated to Master's degree level in a relevant field (such as Quality Improvement, Patient Safety, Healthcare Leadership or Risk Management), or able to demonstrate equivalent senior specialist expertise through substantial, relevant experience.
- Completion of Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF) Patient Safety Training Levels 1 and 2.
Desirable
- Coaching, mentoring, management or leadership qualification.
- Completion of a recognised governance or quality improvement programme or evidence of ongoing CPD in governance, quality or risk.
Experience
Essential
- Evidence of substantial experience working within governance, demonstrating a depth and breadth of knowledge within the NHS.
- Demonstrable experience of supporting assurance processes, including triangulation of quality, safety and risk information within the NHS/Healthcare Setting
- Experience in leading change projects/programs and demonstrating measurable outcomes.
- Experience working in partnership with clinical and operational leaders to strengthen governance systems and meet regulatory requirements.
- Strong background in building partnerships and engaging with the multidisciplinary team and service users.
- Experience line managing or supervising staff.
Desirable
- Experience of reporting to or working with regulators (e.g., CQC, NHS England). Recent experience of working within an large acute Trust setting.
- Experience leading or coordinating incident investigations, PSIRF learning responses or governance reviews.
Knowledge
Essential
- Strong knowledge of clinical governance frameworks, assurance processes, national standards (e.g., CQC, NHSE) and quality improvement principles.
- Highly developed analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex governance and quality data to identify themes, risks and assurance gaps.
- Excellent communication and influencing skills, with the ability to provide clear, constructive challenge and support to senior leaders.
- Excellent report writing skills, able to translate complex information into clear, accessible assurance narratives for senior audiences.
- Ability to coach and guide teams to improve governance systems, documentation and decision making.
- Ability to work autonomously, manage competing priorities and exercise sound judgement.
Skills
Essential
- Strong leadership and influencing skills, with the ability to challenge and support at senior levels.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills, both written and verbal.
- Ability to undertake high level analysis of complex governance intelligence (incidents, audits, outcomes, workforce, patient experience, risk data) to identify themes, risks, early warning indicators and required interventions.
- Provides expert judgement and specialist quality governance advice to Divisions on risk mitigation, quality improvement priorities and regulatory compliance.
- Ability to evaluate quality of care performance using multiple data sources and advise on corrective actions.
- Strong project and programme management skills.
- Ability to build trust and credibility across diverse stakeholders.
- Skilled in facilitation, training, and coaching.
Desirable
- Research and evaluation skills.
- Ability to use digital tools to enhance engagement and reporting.
Additional Requirement
Essential
- The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of safe, kind, excellent.
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.
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).
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.
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).
Employer details
Employer name
Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Addenbrookes Hospital-Division Corporate
Hills Road
Cambridge
CB2 0QQ
Employer's website
https://www.cuh.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)