About this role
Job summary
Lead assurance. Strengthen learning. Help shape safer care.
An exceptional opportunity has arisen to join Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in a pivotal senior leadership role.
We are seeking an accomplished and influential leader to serve as our Director of Quality Governance and Compliance. Reporting to the Chief Nurse, you will provide expert leadership, advice and assurance across quality governance, patient safety, clinical risk, regulatory compliance, clinical effectiveness, organisational learning and Ward-to-Board governance.
This is a highly visible and strategically important role. You will establish the frameworks, standards and assurance arrangements that enable Accountable Care Groups and clinical services to deliver safe, effective and well-governed care. You will ensure concerns, regulatory requirements and gaps in assurance are identified, escalated and addressed.
Working closely with the Chief Nurse, Chief Medical Officer, Executive Team, Trust Board and senior clinical and operational leaders, you will bring clarity, independence and constructive challenge to complex quality and safety matters. You will also represent the Trust with regulators, commissioners, coroners, NHS Resolution and system partners.
Main duties of the job
You will have
- Expert knowledge of NHS quality governance, patient safety, clinical risk and regulatory frameworks.
- Exceptional leadership, influencing and relationship-building skills.
- The confidence to exercise independent judgement and challenge constructively.
- Highly developed analytical and communication skills.
- The ability to translate complex information into clear conclusions, recommendations and Board-level assurance.
- Integrity, objectivity, courage and sound professional judgement.
- A visible commitment to patients, families, staff and the delivery of safe, kind and excellent car
About you
You will bring substantial senior leadership experience in quality governance, patient safety, clinical risk or regulatory compliance within a large and complex healthcare organisation. You will have a strong record of providing expert advice and constructive challenge at Executive and Board level, leading major regulatory or external review activity and delivering sustained improvements in quality and assurance.
You will be educated to Master's degree level in a relevant subject or able to demonstrate equivalent senior leadership experience and expertise. A relevant postgraduate qualification and evidence of advanced continuing professional development are also essential.
If you are an experienced, credible and compassionate senior leader who can strengthen assurance, support organisational learning and influence at the highest level, we would be delighted to hear from you.
About us
Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust comprises Addenbrooke's Hospital and the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge. With over 13,000 staff and over 1100 beds the priorities of the Trust focus on a quality service which is all about people - patients, staff and partners. Recognised as providing 'outstanding' care to our patients and rated 'Good' overall by the Care Quality Commissioner, is testament to the skill and dedication of the people who work here. CUH's values - Together - Safe, Kind, Excellent - are at the heart of patient care, defining the way all staff work and behave. The Trust provides accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge, together with specialist services, dealing with rare or complex conditions for a regional, national and international population.
CUH is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where we can all be ourselves. We value our differences and fully advocate and support an inclusive working environment where every individual can fulfil their potential. We want to ensure our people are truly representative of all the communities that we serve. We welcome applications for all positions in the organisation irrespective of people's age, disability, ethnicity, race, nationality, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity status or social economic background.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.
This vacancy will close at midnight on 13th December 2026.
Interviews are due to be held on 06th January 2026.
All appointments with a start date on or after 1 October 2026 will be subject to a 12-week probationary period. This provides a structured and supportive period to help you settle into your role, with regular reviews and feedback.
Due to Home Office immigration rules, a full-time permanent vacancy cannot be filled by individuals on a student visa. Therefore, please be advised that if you are a student visa holder, we will not be able to offer you a full-time permanent contract unless you have:
- applied for a Graduate visa
- or you will have successfully completed your course and have applied for a Graduate visa before the anticipated start date of your employment
Benefits to you
At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.
On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only caf, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.
CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times.
Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.
We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to Master's degree level in a relevant subject, or able to demonstrate equivalent senior leadership experience and expertise.
- Relevant postgraduate qualification in quality governance, patient safety, risk management, healthcare leadership or a closely related field.
- Evidence of continuing professional development at an advanced level.
Desirable
- Current registration with an appropriate clinical or healthcare professional body.
- Postgraduate management, leadership, improvement or Board-level quality governance qualification.
Experience
Essential
- Substantial senior leadership experience in quality governance, patient safety, clinical risk or regulatory compliance within a large and complex healthcare organisation.
- Demonstrable experience of holding accountability for organisation-wide quality governance, patient safety, clinical risk or regulatory compliance arrangements.
- Significant experience of providing expert advice, constructive challenge and assurance to Executive Directors, Board Committees or a Trust Board.
- Successful leadership of major regulatory inspections, external reviews, accreditation activity or complex organisational responses.
- A demonstrable record of improving quality, strengthening assurance, reducing risk or delivering sustained organisational learning.
- Experience of leading and developing multidisciplinary teams through senior managers and professional leaders.
- Experience of handling highly complex, sensitive and high-profile quality or safety matters, including engagement with patients, families, regulators or legal processes.
- Experience of managing budgets, workforce and competing priorities at senior level.
Desirable
- Experience across more than one NHS provider, system or regulatory environment.
- Experience of Board or committee development relating to quality, safety, risk or assurance.
- Experience of research, publication, teaching or national policy contribution in a relevant field.
Knowledge
Essential
- Expert knowledge of NHS quality governance, patient safety, clinical risk and assurance systems.
- Expert understanding of statutory and regulatory frameworks relevant to NHS providers, including Care Quality Commission requirements and national patient safety expectations.
- Advanced understanding of Board assurance, risk management, control effectiveness, assurance mapping and escalation.
- Expert understanding of systems-based learning, human factors, safety culture and organisational learning.
- Strong knowledge of clinical audit, effectiveness, accreditation, complaints intelligence, claims, mortality and inquest processes and how these contribute to quality governance.
- Understanding of NHS strategy, provider oversight, integrated care systems and the wider policy and financial context.
- Knowledge of equality, diversity, inclusion, health inequalities, safeguarding, information governance and duty of candour as they relate to quality and safety.
Desirable
- Knowledge of improvement science, implementation methods and evaluation approaches.
- Knowledge of data analytics and methods for identifying variation, weak signals and emerging risk.
Skills
Essential
- Exceptional leadership, influencing and relationship-building skills, with the credibility to work effectively with Board members, executives, clinicians, managers, regulators, patients and external partners.
- Ability to exercise independent expert judgement and provide constructive challenge in complex, politically sensitive or high-risk situations.
- Highly developed analytical skills and the ability to synthesise complex quantitative and qualitative information into clear conclusions and recommendations.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including production and presentation of high-quality Board reports, regulatory submissions and executive briefings.
- Ability to lead across organisational and professional boundaries and secure delivery where direct authority may be limited.
- Advanced negotiation, facilitation and conflict-resolution skills.
- Ability to prioritise, make decisions and maintain effective oversight across a broad and demanding portfolio.
- Ability to lead change, develop organisational capability and embed sustainable improvements.
- High level of digital literacy and ability to use information systems to support governance, analysis and reporting.
Desirable
- Formal training in coaching, mediation, quality improvement, human factors or systems thinking.
Additional Requirements
Essential
- The ability to understand and always behave, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of safe, kind, excellent.
- Embodies the NHS Constitution and Trust values.
- Visible commitment to patients, families, staff and the delivery of safe, kind and excellent care.
- Open, inclusive and collaborative, while able to challenge and hold others to account.
- Politically astute, resilient and able to remain credible and composed under pressure.
- Curious and improvement-focused, with a commitment to learning and evidence-based practice.
- Able to understand and consistently demonstrate the Trust values and behaviours.
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
Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Addenbrookes Hospital-Division Corporate
Hills Road
Cambridge
CB2 0QQ
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.cuh.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)