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Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Head of Risk, Governance and Compliance

The closing date is 13 April 2026

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Job summary

Sherwood Forest Hospitals is seeking an exceptional leader to take on the pivotal role of Head of Risk, Governance & Compliance. This is a high-impact position at the heart of our organisation's commitment to delivering safe, effective, and well-governed care for our patients and communities.

As the Head of Risk, Governance & Compliance, you will play a central role in shaping and embedding the Trust's approach to risk management, assurance, and corporate governance. Your work will ensure that robust, proactive systems are in place to identify, classify, and control risks that could affect the Trust's ability to achieve its strategic objectives.

You will:

  • Lead the development and implementation of effective policies, processes, systems, and relationships that support strong organisational governance.

  • Provide expert support to the Executive Director of Corporate Affairs in delivering efficient corporate governance and ensuring compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements.

  • Facilitate high-quality risk management arrangements across the Trust, enabling early identification and mitigation of issues.

  • Champion a culture of accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement.

This is a role for someone who thrives on complexity, influence, and strategic impact.You'll join a supportive, forward-thinking Trust that values innovation, collaboration, and professional growth.

Main duties of the job

To understand the role in more detail, please refer to the attached job description and person specification.

About us

We are an award-winning NHS Foundation Trust working alongside health and social care colleagues across the county to provide acute and community healthcare services to more than 420,000 people across Mansfield, Ashfield, Newark and Sherwood, and parts of Derbyshire and Lincolnshire.

We put the patient at the heart of everything that we do and it is our aim to make sure that every patient is treated as we would want a member of our own family to be treated. At the same time, we expect our staff to be caring, kind and courteous to each other and to look out for each other. We believe that we are truly a clinically-led organisation.

We are proud that our Trust colleagues have voted us the best acute Trust to work for in the East Midlands for seven years running in the National NHS Staff Survey, while the Care Quality Commission has rated our Trust as 'outstanding' for care and our King's Mill Hospital as the only 'outstanding' NHS-run hospital in the East Midlands.

Not all of our roles are eligible for visa sponsorship. To find out which roles are eligible, please refer to the shortage occupation list found here:

Skilled Worker visa: eligible healthcare and education jobs - GOV.UK

Home Office guidance has changed as of 9th April. Anyone that requires switching visa type may not be eligible for sponsorship even if the role is on the shortage occupation list.

Details

Date posted

30 March 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£64,455 to £74,896 a year per annum

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

6 months

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

214-CEN-7826608

Job locations

King's Mill Hospital

Mansfield Road

Sutton in Ashfield

NG17 4JL


Job description

Job responsibilities

To understand the role in more detail, please refer to the attached job description and person specification.

Job description

Job responsibilities

To understand the role in more detail, please refer to the attached job description and person specification.

Person Specification

Knowledge Requirements

Essential

  • Detailed knowledge of governance and risk management and assurance
  • Risk Management systems and standards
  • High level expertise with IT systems including Microsoft Office suite and Copilot
  • Good understanding of information analysis, techniques and tools and the ability to present concepts clearly
  • Ability to interpret national and local guidance and develop practical solutions to meet requirements
  • Excellent written skills to produce formal, informal and technical documents/material to meet delivery needs
  • Excellent Communication skills both written and oral
  • Excellent inter-personal skills
  • Excellent analytical skills
  • Understanding of information governance, confidentiality and the Data Protection Act

Desirable

  • Leadership and team building skills
  • Presentational skills using a variety of formats/equipment

Qualifications

Essential

  • Educated to master's degree level or equivalent in risk or governance or equivalent experience

Desirable

  • Project Management - PRINCE 2 foundation

Experience

Essential

  • Managing Governance or risk within a large / complex NHS organisation
  • Management of staff and effective leadership
  • Achievement of challenging deadlines whilst maintaining quality and professional standards
  • Adverse incident reporting including data capture, trend analysis and identification of system/process changes to reduce risk

Desirable

  • Presenting information to the Board and its committees
  • Working with partner organisations on the development of policy or specific schemes/projects
  • Working in a complex changing environment and the ability to prioritise
  • Implementing Governance and Assurance processes

Contractual Requirements

Essential

  • Own transport or suitable alternative
Person Specification

Knowledge Requirements

Essential

  • Detailed knowledge of governance and risk management and assurance
  • Risk Management systems and standards
  • High level expertise with IT systems including Microsoft Office suite and Copilot
  • Good understanding of information analysis, techniques and tools and the ability to present concepts clearly
  • Ability to interpret national and local guidance and develop practical solutions to meet requirements
  • Excellent written skills to produce formal, informal and technical documents/material to meet delivery needs
  • Excellent Communication skills both written and oral
  • Excellent inter-personal skills
  • Excellent analytical skills
  • Understanding of information governance, confidentiality and the Data Protection Act

Desirable

  • Leadership and team building skills
  • Presentational skills using a variety of formats/equipment

Qualifications

Essential

  • Educated to master's degree level or equivalent in risk or governance or equivalent experience

Desirable

  • Project Management - PRINCE 2 foundation

Experience

Essential

  • Managing Governance or risk within a large / complex NHS organisation
  • Management of staff and effective leadership
  • Achievement of challenging deadlines whilst maintaining quality and professional standards
  • Adverse incident reporting including data capture, trend analysis and identification of system/process changes to reduce risk

Desirable

  • Presenting information to the Board and its committees
  • Working with partner organisations on the development of policy or specific schemes/projects
  • Working in a complex changing environment and the ability to prioritise
  • Implementing Governance and Assurance processes

Contractual Requirements

Essential

  • Own transport or suitable alternative

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

Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

King's Mill Hospital

Mansfield Road

Sutton in Ashfield

NG17 4JL


Employer's website

https://www.sfh-tr.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

King's Mill Hospital

Mansfield Road

Sutton in Ashfield

NG17 4JL


Employer's website

https://www.sfh-tr.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Executive Director of Corporate Affairs

Sally Brook Shanahan

sally.brookshanahan@nhs.net

07802376894

Details

Date posted

30 March 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£64,455 to £74,896 a year per annum

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

6 months

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

214-CEN-7826608

Job locations

King's Mill Hospital

Mansfield Road

Sutton in Ashfield

NG17 4JL


Supporting documents

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