Job summary
Interview date: Week commencing 15th September 2025
The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is seeking to appoint a Non-Executive Director (NED) to join its Board of Directors. This is a key leadership role at a time of strategic transformation and improvement.
About the Role
As an NED, you will bring independent judgement, financial expertise, and strategic insight to the Board. You will work collaboratively with Executive and Non-Executive Director colleagues to ensure the Trust delivers safe, kind, and effective care. The successful candidate will be expected to Chair either the Finance & Performance Committee or the Audit Committee and therefore must bring strong financial experience.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide independent financial oversight and strategic advice
- Support the development and delivery of the Trust's Five-Year Strategy
- Champion patient safety, quality, and continuous improvement
- Constructively challenge and support the Executive team
- Promote openness, transparency, and public sector values
- Act as an ambassador for the Trust within the community and wider NHS
Main duties of the job
As a member of a unitary Board, there is a shared and collective responsibility amongst all the Directors for the overall strategic direction and performance of the Trust. As Non-Executive Director, you will collaborate with other Non-Executive Directors and Executive Directors as an equal member of the Board.
You will share responsibility with other Directors for the decisions made by the Board and form the success of the organisation in leading the local improvement of healthcare services. All of the Board members are required to work collaboratively and also to provide constructive challenge, as necessary.
The Directors must satisfy themselves as to the appropriateness and integrity of the information that comes to the Board and the efficacy of the controls and systems in place to ensure the good governance of the Trust. The Non-Executive Directors bring fresh perspectives to governance, reflecting their wider experience and skill sets acquired outside the Trust.
Non-Executive Directors have a particular role in collaborating with the Council of Governors which, in turn, is responsible for holding the Non-Executive Directors (both individually and collectively) to account for the performance of the Board. In practice, this requires the Non-Executive Directors to work with and be visible to the Council of Governors in the performance of their role as Non-Executive Directors.
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:
- The Countess of Chester Hospital: providing 438 general and acute beds.
- Ellesmere Port Hospital: providing 56 beds as a rehabilitation, intermediate and outpatient facility.
- Tarporley War Memorial Hospital: a base for community services which serve the local rural population.
The Trust employs over 5916 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 411,000. This includes 361,000 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.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Committee Leadership
The successful candidate will participate in Board level Committees and specifically will be expected to chair one of the following Committees:
- Audit Committee overseeing governance, risk, and assurance
- Finance & Performance Committee monitoring financial performance, sustainability and service delivery
- Each committee meets at least four times per year and plays a vital role in Board assurance.
Candidate Profile
We are looking for someone who:
- Has significant Board-level experience in a large, complex organisation
- Brings strong financial acumen and business performance expertise
- Demonstrates intellectual flexibility and strategic thinking
- Is politically astute with excellent communication and influencing skills
- Upholds the Nolan principles and NHS values
- Is committed to diversity, inclusion, and public service
Essential Criteria
- Professional financial qualification or equivalent experience
- Knowledge of NHS governance, financial management, and performance systems
- Ability to hold others to account and be held to account
- Strong interpersonal skills and personal integrity
Our Values
Safe- avoiding harm and reducing risk
Kind- considerate and non-judgmental
Effective -delivering excellent and reliable care
Additional Information
You must be a member of one of the Trusts constituencies (Chester and Rural Cheshire, Ellesmere Port and Neston, Flintshire, or the rest of England and Wales)
You must meet the Fit and Proper Person requirements and declare any conflicts of interest
The role is not pensionable and is subject to HMRC regulations for travel and subsistence
Equal Opportunities
We welcome applications from all backgrounds and are particularly keen to hear from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, and disabled individuals who are under-represented in non-executive roles.
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. Costswill be deducted from their 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.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Committee Leadership
The successful candidate will participate in Board level Committees and specifically will be expected to chair one of the following Committees:
- Audit Committee overseeing governance, risk, and assurance
- Finance & Performance Committee monitoring financial performance, sustainability and service delivery
- Each committee meets at least four times per year and plays a vital role in Board assurance.
Candidate Profile
We are looking for someone who:
- Has significant Board-level experience in a large, complex organisation
- Brings strong financial acumen and business performance expertise
- Demonstrates intellectual flexibility and strategic thinking
- Is politically astute with excellent communication and influencing skills
- Upholds the Nolan principles and NHS values
- Is committed to diversity, inclusion, and public service
Essential Criteria
- Professional financial qualification or equivalent experience
- Knowledge of NHS governance, financial management, and performance systems
- Ability to hold others to account and be held to account
- Strong interpersonal skills and personal integrity
Our Values
Safe- avoiding harm and reducing risk
Kind- considerate and non-judgmental
Effective -delivering excellent and reliable care
Additional Information
You must be a member of one of the Trusts constituencies (Chester and Rural Cheshire, Ellesmere Port and Neston, Flintshire, or the rest of England and Wales)
You must meet the Fit and Proper Person requirements and declare any conflicts of interest
The role is not pensionable and is subject to HMRC regulations for travel and subsistence
Equal Opportunities
We welcome applications from all backgrounds and are particularly keen to hear from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, and disabled individuals who are under-represented in non-executive roles.
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. Costswill be deducted from their 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
Qualifications
Essential
- oPossess a professional qualification or appropriate degree or equivalent experience
Experience
Essential
- oApplicants should have significant Board level and senior management experience gained in a large, complex organisation either in the private or public sector.
- oBusiness performance/financial experience
- oKnowledge of issues affecting Foundation Trusts and the NHS environment.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- oPossess a professional qualification or appropriate degree or equivalent experience
Experience
Essential
- oApplicants should have significant Board level and senior management experience gained in a large, complex organisation either in the private or public sector.
- oBusiness performance/financial experience
- oKnowledge of issues affecting Foundation Trusts and the NHS environment.
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).
