Job summary
Non Executive Director - Fixed Term
Department: Board of Directors
Banding: £13, 000 per annum
Hours: 3-4 days per month, flexible working will be considered.
We are now seeking to recruit a Non-Executive Director to join the Trust Board of Directors and drive forward the Trust's strategic development. Working closely with the Trust Board Chair, you will have a strong commitment to the principles of the NHS and provide strategic direction, leadership, and challenge at the Board of Directors.
You will have held senior leadership or consultancy positions in either the public or private sector, preferably operating at board or strategic level. We are actively seeking applications from individuals with a finance, business transformation and change management background and who are committed to contributing to excellent standards of care and quality improvement within the Trust.
Applications should only be sent via email to the Trust Secretary: oluwakemi.olayiwola@mkuh.nhs.uk by midnight on 31 October 2025. Applications must not be sent via the website or TRAC portal
Interview date w/c 17 November 2025
Main duties of the job
We care We communicate We collaborate We contribute
Non-executive directors play a crucial role in bringing an independent perspective to the boardroom, in addition to any specific knowledge and skills they may have.
Non-executive directors have a duty to uphold the highest standards of integrity and probity and to foster good relations in the boardroom. They will be required to contribute to setting the strategic direction, effectively participate in the Board, ensuring effective governance and compliance and the meeting of performance targets required by the trust and other external partners such as commissioners of services, NHS Improvement, the Care Quality Commission and other statutory bodies. Non-executive directors are expected to participate fully as members of sub committees of the Board of Directors to which they are appointed and to take the role of committee chair if appointed.
Non-executive directors will need to ensure that the Board acts in the best interests of service users, patients, the community and wider public.
You will be a member of a unitary board.
About us
Milton Keynes University Hospital, in proud partnership with the University of Buckingham, is a University Teaching Hospital committed to advancing patient care through cutting-edge research and education. With a "Good" rating from the CQC and significant investment underway, this is an exciting time to join our team and grow your career.
As a medium sized general hospital, we provide a full range of general medical and surgical services, including a busy Emergency Department, Maternity, and Paediatrics. As the population of our city and surrounding areas continues to grow rapidly, we are expanding and enhancing our facilities to meet rising demand and improve access to care for all our communities.
We are also proud to offer a growing portfolio of specialist services. In January 2025 we opened our state-of-the-art Radiotherapy Centre, bringing advanced cancer treatment closer to home. Our services also include neonatology, specialist surgical care, and a wide range of diagnostics, supported by the new Community Diagnostic Centre at Whitehouse Health Centre.
Further investment is underway, including the construction of Oak Wards - a new ward block featuring two 24-bed wards - and the recently approved Women and Children's Centre, set to open by 2030.
Visit our website to explore the latest news and opportunities at MKUH - News - Milton Keynes University Hospital -
For further information about Milton Keynes please visit - Visit Milton Keynes
Job description
Job responsibilities
Upholding the values of the Trust by example, and to ensure that the organisation promotes and upholds the principles of equality and diversity for all its patients, staff and other stakeholders. Commit to working to, and encouraging within the Trust, the highest standards of probity, integrity and governance and contribute to ensuring that the Trusts internal governance arrangements conform to best practice and statutory requirements. Provide independent judgement and advice on issues of strategy, vision, performance, resources and standards of conduct and constructively challenge, influence and help the board of directors develop proposals on such strategies. In accordance with agreed board procedures, monitor the performance and conduct of management in meeting agreed goals and objectives and statutory responsibilities, including the preparation of annual reports and annual accounts and other statutory duties.
Please refer to the Job Description for further details
Job description
Job responsibilities
Upholding the values of the Trust by example, and to ensure that the organisation promotes and upholds the principles of equality and diversity for all its patients, staff and other stakeholders. Commit to working to, and encouraging within the Trust, the highest standards of probity, integrity and governance and contribute to ensuring that the Trusts internal governance arrangements conform to best practice and statutory requirements. Provide independent judgement and advice on issues of strategy, vision, performance, resources and standards of conduct and constructively challenge, influence and help the board of directors develop proposals on such strategies. In accordance with agreed board procedures, monitor the performance and conduct of management in meeting agreed goals and objectives and statutory responsibilities, including the preparation of annual reports and annual accounts and other statutory duties.
Please refer to the Job Description for further details
Person Specification
Essential Criteria
Essential
- Experience of delivering successful change within complex and highly regulated systems
Experience
Essential
- Board and/or senior leader experience with major transformational change projects in a public or private sector organization
- Strong understanding of quality and safety governance frameworks together with the ability to review complex performance data to provide oversight and challenge
- Understanding of complex organisations and a track record of leadership
- Experience specific to a particular profession, sector, or specialism as detailed in the job advert.
- Experience in leading transformational change and service redesign
- Awareness of and a strong background in quality improvement systems
Qualifications and knowledge
Essential
- A qualified projects professional, business transformation professional or chartered accountant, with a minimum of 10 years of experience in a Board and/or senior level in a public or private sector organisation
- A proven experience in projects management, financial leadership, business transformation and change management.
- An understanding of Foundation Trusts, the NHS and the external environment in which they operate and accountability arrangements
- Degree or equivalent experience in professional career
- A public member of the Foundation Trust or qualifies to be a public member of the Foundation Trust
- An understanding of and commitment to the equality, diversity and inclusion agenda in public service
- The ability to understand complex strategic issues and to analyse and resolve difficult problems
- Sound understanding of corporate governance
- An understanding of the essential need to build and maintain close relations with stakeholder groups to promote the effective operation of the Trust's activities, including Council of Governors and Membership
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills
- Well-organised and self-motivated
- Collaborative
Skills
Essential
- Ability to challenge and debate constructively
- Strategic thinking
- High level of personal and business integrity
- Leadership skills
- Political acumen and awareness
Specific requirements
Essential
- Able to perform the duties of the post with reasonable aids and adaptations
- Available to meet the time commitment, working flexibly as required.
Person Specification
Essential Criteria
Essential
- Experience of delivering successful change within complex and highly regulated systems
Experience
Essential
- Board and/or senior leader experience with major transformational change projects in a public or private sector organization
- Strong understanding of quality and safety governance frameworks together with the ability to review complex performance data to provide oversight and challenge
- Understanding of complex organisations and a track record of leadership
- Experience specific to a particular profession, sector, or specialism as detailed in the job advert.
- Experience in leading transformational change and service redesign
- Awareness of and a strong background in quality improvement systems
Qualifications and knowledge
Essential
- A qualified projects professional, business transformation professional or chartered accountant, with a minimum of 10 years of experience in a Board and/or senior level in a public or private sector organisation
- A proven experience in projects management, financial leadership, business transformation and change management.
- An understanding of Foundation Trusts, the NHS and the external environment in which they operate and accountability arrangements
- Degree or equivalent experience in professional career
- A public member of the Foundation Trust or qualifies to be a public member of the Foundation Trust
- An understanding of and commitment to the equality, diversity and inclusion agenda in public service
- The ability to understand complex strategic issues and to analyse and resolve difficult problems
- Sound understanding of corporate governance
- An understanding of the essential need to build and maintain close relations with stakeholder groups to promote the effective operation of the Trust's activities, including Council of Governors and Membership
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills
- Well-organised and self-motivated
- Collaborative
Skills
Essential
- Ability to challenge and debate constructively
- Strategic thinking
- High level of personal and business integrity
- Leadership skills
- Political acumen and awareness
Specific requirements
Essential
- Able to perform the duties of the post with reasonable aids and adaptations
- Available to meet the time commitment, working flexibly as required.
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.
