East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Chief Executive

The closing date is 25 February 2026

Job summary

We are seeking an exceptional and experienced leader to become our new Chief Executive. As a major integrated acute and community healthcare provider, and one of the largest employers in the region, our almost 13,000 staff are responsible for delivering high quality services to a population of around one million people living in Ipswich, east Suffolk, and north Essex, as well as providing some specialist services to a wider population.

We are seeking an outstanding individual who brings relevant executive leadership experience with a track record of success in a large and complex organisation. You will demonstrate your ability to build trusted relationships with stakeholders across organisations and communities, and be known as much for your collaborative, diplomatic, and inclusive approach as for care delivering standards expected of the NHS. You will likely have a substantial track record of success in the NHS and health and care sector, and your leadership will reflect a deep commitment to EDI. You will have a personal passion for delivering compassionate high quality care through our integrated services and in collaboration with system partners.

Main duties of the job

As our new Chief Executive, you will lead the organisation at a critical time for the Trust and wider health system as we embrace the opportunities and challenges of being at the forefront of delivering the NHS 10 Year Health Plan. With your broad skillset and experience you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future strategic direction of the organisation and providing inclusive, values driven leadership that ensures robust and sustained operational delivery alongside continuous improvement in patient outcomes and experience. Your ability to engage and empower our clinical leaders to be at the centre of this transformation is central. Building trusted partnerships with our wider partners in primary care and the third sector is essential if we are to make the shift to focus on prevention and care delivered in our communities. These are exciting times to be a leader in healthcare.

About us

We are ESNEFT and we provide hospital and community health services to almost one million people across east Suffolk and north Essex. Our dedicated staff deliver care from acute hospitals in Colchester and Ipswich, community hospitals, surgeries, community clinics and in patients' own homes.

We are one of the largest NHS organisations in England, employing more than 12,000 staff.

We pride ourselves on supporting our staff. We offer a wide range of training and development opportunities, as well as flexible working options.

Along with supporting you to achieve your career goals we offer a generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (where applicable), 27 days annual leave on commencement (pro rata) and access to a range of NHS discounts. Our Staff Health and Wellbeing programme offer a variety of services.

Our philosophy is that Time Matters to everyone. Across the Trust, we concentrate on improving the things we do and removing those which cause time delays for our staff and patients.

We are investing in our commitment to Time Matters with a partnership with leading electronic patient record (EPR) supplier Epic. This digital transformation will bring what's widely regarded as the world's best EPR system to ESNEFT, transforming life in hospital for staff and patients.

If you are passionate about patient care and want to develop your skills and knowledge, then we want to hear from you.

Find out about living and working here - www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkPu7HphU8A

Details

Date posted

06 February 2026

Pay scheme

Very senior manager (VSM)

Salary

Depending on experience Dependant on experience

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

432-HR1263-25

Job locations

Colchester/Ipswich

Colchester/Ipswich

CO5 4JL


Job description

Job responsibilities

For further information on the role and our organisation please see attached applicant pack.

If you are interested in this critical appointment, please contact Alumni Global, who are supporting the Trust on this appointment process, for a confidential discussion please get in touch with Thomas Patterson, Managing Director, on 07970 339 151 or thomas.patterson@alumniglobal.com.

Job description

Job responsibilities

For further information on the role and our organisation please see attached applicant pack.

If you are interested in this critical appointment, please contact Alumni Global, who are supporting the Trust on this appointment process, for a confidential discussion please get in touch with Thomas Patterson, Managing Director, on 07970 339 151 or thomas.patterson@alumniglobal.com.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Educated to Masters level standard or equivalent in relevant subject area and additional in-depth professional knowledge

Experience

Essential

  • Experience at Chief Executive level
  • Experience in a range of contrasting health organisations
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Educated to Masters level standard or equivalent in relevant subject area and additional in-depth professional knowledge

Experience

Essential

  • Experience at Chief Executive level
  • Experience in a range of contrasting health organisations

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Colchester/Ipswich

Colchester/Ipswich

CO5 4JL


Employer's website

https://www.esneft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Colchester/Ipswich

Colchester/Ipswich

CO5 4JL


Employer's website

https://www.esneft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Managing Director, Alumni Global

Thomas Patterson

thomas.patterson@alumniglobal.com

07970339151

Details

Date posted

06 February 2026

Pay scheme

Very senior manager (VSM)

Salary

Depending on experience Dependant on experience

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

432-HR1263-25

Job locations

Colchester/Ipswich

Colchester/Ipswich

CO5 4JL


Supporting documents

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