About this role
Job summary
Thank you for your interest in joining Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust as a Non-Executive Director.
This is an important time for our Trust and for the wider NHS. We are working in a challenging environment, with significant changes taking place across health and care. At the same time, we have a real opportunity to think differently, strengthen our partnerships and continue improving the care and support we provide to the communities we serve.
We are seeking two new Non-Executive Directors who will bring independent thinking, constructive challenge and sound judgement to our Board. Across the two appointments, we are looking to strengthen the Board's collective expertise in:
Medical or clinical leadership and practice. The NHS and the wider health and care environment. Primary care or social care. Organisational development and culture. These areas of expertise are important, but they are not the whole of what we are looking for. How you work, the values you bring and your commitment to the people we serve will matter just as much. Our values are simple but fundamental: we are caring and compassionate; respectful; honest and transparent. We want Board members who will live those values, keep service users and carers at the heart of their thinking, listen to different perspectives and help create an inclusive culture in which people feel valued and able to speak openly.
Main duties of the job
We particularly welcome applications from people whose backgrounds, perspectives and lived experiences will broaden the thinking of our Board and help us better reflect and understand the diverse communities we serve.
If you share our values and feel your experience could help us meet the challenges and opportunities ahead, I would be delighted to hear from you.
Darren BestChair, Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
You can also view a video from Darren telling you a little bit more about the role here
If you have any queries regarding the application process, please contact Debbie Henderson, Director of Communications and Corporate Affairs via email at [email protected]
Should you be interested in this role and would like to have an informal discussion with Darren Best, Chair, please contact the Corporate Affairs Team via email at [email protected]
Closing date for applications: 6th November 2026
Interviews will be held over two days during week commencing 7th December 2026
Please note: successful candidates will be subject to the NHS England Fit and Proper Person Test Framework requirements NHS England NHS England Fit and Proper Person Test Framework for board members
About us
You will need to be comfortable working as part of a unitary Board, sharing collective responsibility for the Trust's decisions and performance. You must be able to offer robust but constructive challenge, work collaboratively with Executive and Non-Executive colleagues, and recognise that no organisation can meet the needs of its communities on its own.
We aim to attract and retain a diverse, talented and committed workforce, who are caring and compassionate, and therefore able to meet the demands of the modern NHS now and in the future. In return we can offer a dynamic working environment in which to build a career.
Job description Job responsibilities
Applications should be submitted by sending a full CV (covering a minimum of six-year employment history) and a supporting statement outlining how requirements of the role can be met.
All CVs and supporting statements should be sent via email to [email protected] CVs submitted in the absence of the supporting statement will not be considered for interview.
Please find attached job description and also ensure to read the attached 'Recruitment Pack'.
Closing date: Friday 6th November at midnight
Person Specification
Background and experience Essential
Empathy, compassion and an understanding of the complex challenges of mental health and disability issues Board level experience in a large organisation whether gained in the private, public, or voluntary sector, well respected with strong reputation in their chosen field. A good knowledge and experience of corporate governance, strategy formulation, change management and financial management Politically astute, able to grasp relevant issues and understand the relationships between interested parties. Excellent partnership and relationship management skills; a good understanding of public and voluntary sector organisations Accustomed to being held to a high level of accountability and experienced in holding others to account Ability to understand and accept the legal duties and liabilities of Non- Executive Directors and the regulatory framework in which the NHS operates. Experience of leading and delivering transformational change in an open and inclusive way, with a natural ability to communicate with service users and carers, communities and colleagues as well as managing complex political environments Experience of effective joint working with other statutory, third sector or private sector organisations Qualified to be a member of the CNTW NHS FT (please refer to the Eligibility section of the recruitment website
Attributes, personal qualities and values Essential
Commitment to continuously improving outcomes, tackling health inequalities, and delivering the best value for money for the taxpayer Commitment to upholding, the NHS principles and values outlined in the NHS Constitution Commitment to ensuring that the organisation values diversity, and promotes equality and inclusivity in all aspects of their business Commitment to promoting integration where this is in the patients' best interest Committed to 'system working', partnering across organisations to deliver on key priorities set out in NHS Long Term Plan An effective decision maker who leads by example and can take others with them Flexible and adaptable in approach, enabling him/her to respond to the situation accordingly Strategic thinker with the ability to communicate a vision and engage followership Personal integrity and commitment to openness Independent in judgement Commitment to the NHS, CNTW and other partners within the system for the benefit of health services and the wider population Exceptional engagement skills; and able to communicate well with a range of people including staff and service users. Strong inter-personal skills to contribute to discussions to achieve common goals Ability to represent the Trust at regional and national levels Able to weigh up arguments and summarise key issues Commitment to NHS values and principles; understands aims of NHS Foundation Trusts; and demonstrates understanding of role of Governors. Ability to contribute to the development of a strong organisational values-driven culture.
Competencies Essential
Demonstrates an ability to work effectively and with sound judgement in a highly complex and dynamic environment The ability to develop, with service users, carers, colleagues and partners a clear and compelling organisational narrative that describes the future strategy of the Trust, and to communicate this narrative and progress to a wide range of audiences The ability to communicate complex health and care issues in laypersons language at public meetings. Understand and analyse complex issues, drawing on the breadth of data that needs to inform the Trust's deliberations and decision-making; and the wisdom to ensure that it is used ethically to balance competing priorities and make difficult decisions. The ability to influence and persuade others articulating a well-founded view and to engage in constructive debate without being adversarial or losing respect and goodwill The ability to take an objective view, seeing issues from all perspectives and especially external and service user and carer perspectives Capability to work across organisational boundaries
Leadership Essential
Contribute to setting the direction and strategy and aspirations of the Trust and act in a manner consistent with its values Create a compelling vision for the future and communicate this within and across organisations Work with others in teams and networks and engage, listen, and involve service users, carers and communities to provide services with a view to continuous improvement Demonstrate resilience, independence of thought, emotional intelligence, the ability to work through conflict and ambiguity and the ability to demonstrate a range of leadership styles to secure results A level of political astuteness with highly developed skills in engaging and influencing Demonstrate presence and engage people by the way they communicate, behave, and interact with others
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 Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and wear (CNTW) NHS Foundation Trust
Address St Nicholas Hospital
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE3 3XT
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.cntw.nhs.uk/careers/ (Opens in a new tab)