About this role
Job summary
Due to the retirement of the current postholder the Trust is seeking to recruit an exceptional individual to support the Chief Executive and Deputy Chief Executive and manage the team that supports the other Directors.
The role is based in the Executive Offices at Whiston Hospital and is often the first point of contact with the Trust so the postholder must be able to represent the organisation to the public, patients, staff and a range of external partners and stakeholders across the wider health and social care system in Cheshire and Merseyside and beyond.
If anyone would like an informal chat please contact Jacqui Wallis via [email protected] or 01514301242
Interview Date: 27th November 2026 (at Whiston)- The interview process will consist of an assessment as well as the interview.
Closing date: 15th November 2026
Main duties of the job
Applicants must be able to demonstrate experience of managing staff and resources and working in a busy fast-moving environment with competing priorities. The role requires close working with the Chief Executive across all areas of his role, both within the organisation and also across the wider health system. This includes preparing briefings and presentations, drafting correspondence, managing, and arranging meetings, including preparing agendas, taking minutes, and managing actions, dealing with complex and highly sensitive information.
Candidates will ideally have worked in a similar position previously and have a good understanding of the NHS. They should demonstrate excellent verbal and written communication skills and be proficient at using office technology and software. The ability to manage competing pressures and remain calm and professional is essential.
About us
Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves a population of over 600,000 with a workforce of over 10,500 dedicated and skilled staff across 21 sites.
Our services
Acute Care
Providing emergency and maternity services at Whiston, Southport and Ormskirk hospitals, and medical and surgical specialties across all our sites.
Primary Care
Providing primary care services at Marshalls Cross Medical Centre situated in St Helens Hospital.
Community Services
Providing adult community services for St Helens and a wheelchair service in Chorley, South Ribble, and West Lancashire. Our inpatient unit at Newton Community Hospital is where patients needing acute hospital beds can continue rehabilitation. We also provide urgent care at our Urgent Treatment Centre located in St Helens town centre.
Specialist Regional Services
We provide the Mersey Regional Burns & Plastic Surgery Unit at Whiston Hospital and the Spinal Injuries Unit at Southport Hospital to more than 4 million people across the whole of Merseyside, West Lancashire, Cheshire, Isle of Man and North Wales.
Achievements
- Rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018
- Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)
- National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please find attached detailed job description and person specification for main duties and responsibilities.
Person Specification
Our Values
Essential
- We are Kind
- We are Open
- We are Inclusive
Qualifications
Essential
- Bachelor's Degree or equivalent level of experience of working at management
- Post graduated qualification and/or equivalent qualification or experience
Desirable
- Master level and/or equivalent qualification or experience
Experience
Essential
- Significant management experience
- Experience of managing people and resources
- Experience of dealing with conflict and working with colleagues to agree remedial action as required
- Ability to work effectively with others across all organisations and outside agencies
- Ability to exert influence to ensure objective and deliverables are met
Desirable
- Detailed knowledge of NHS standards
- Operational, clinical and strategic management experience
- Understanding of NHS terms and conditions of employment
- Experience of operational and staff management in the NHS
Skills
Essential
- Excellent communication skills especially with sensitive information, including the ability to communication information/agreement with individuals at all levels in the organisation
- Analyse complex correspondence making judgements on the course of action on behalf of the CEO
- Ability to offer constructive and well thought through feedback to the CEO in order to support them effectively
- Ability to exert influence to ensure objectives are met
- Excellent problem-solving skills
- Ability to assess large quantities of data/information, analyse the data identifying options and recommendations
- Exceptional interpersonal skills
- Report writing capability
- Motivated to improve population health and well-being
- Highly developed presentation skills IT literate, e-mail, MS office
- Personal resilience
Desirable
- Project management
Other
Essential
- Effective strong team player
- Flexible approach
- Able to seek and exploit opportunities to advance objectives
- Quick and eager to learn and develop
- Good listener
- Upholds and models the Trust values
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
Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Address
Whiston Hospital
Warrington Road
Prescot
L35 5DR
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.merseywestlancs.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)