Joint Non-Executive Director (Chair of Audit Committee)
Stockport NHS Foundation Trust and Tameside & Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation TrustJoint Non-Executive Director (Chair of Audit Committee)
Location: Trust-wide, expected to be present across both sites
Stockport NHS Foundation Trust and Tameside & Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust are recruiting a Joint Non-Executive Director (Chair of Audit Committee) across both Trusts. Our Trusts have been working together in close partnership since 2020, with exceptional leadership from our Joint Chief Executive, Karen James OBE. The appointment of our first Joint Chair, David Wakefield in April 2025 marked a critical development for our partnership, as we begin to bring our Boards and governance together, and are developing a shared strategic vision for the benefit of our staff and the communities we serve.
Main duties of the job
The Organisations
Our partnership is driven by our shared commitment to enhancing patient care and population health, improving outcomes, reducing inequalities, and ensuring the sustainability of services for the benefit of our patients and communities.
Stockport NHS Foundation Trust delivers acute hospital services and community care across the Stockport locality of Greater Manchester and its surrounds. With an annual budget of £514m and 6,610 staff, our latest CQC rating was "Requires Improvement" overall, with a rating of "Good" in the Caring domain, and we continue to make progress in our transformation journey. Tameside & Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust also provides acute and community services, supporting around 250,000 patients working across ICBs in both Greater Manchester and neighbouring Derbyshire. With an annual budget of £375m and 5,033 staff, we have a CQC rating of "Good" overall.
About us
We hold a unique position in the Stockport community as the provider of healthcare and we are one of its largest employers.
We believe that the best organisations are those that reflect the communities they serve. We are therefore seeking to improve the diversity of our workforce to make it truly representative of our local population.
We actively encourage applications irrespective of race, age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage & civil partnership, or pregnancy or maternity. Recognising those communities that are underrepresented within our workforce, we would particularly welcome applications from you.
If you require support with your application please contact a member of the recruitment team, who can discuss alternative application methods.
We recognise that flexible working is important. We take requests for flexible working seriously, consider any request we receive and try to work with you, so we can explore if your request may fit with the needs of the service.
Benefits we offer to you:
* Between 27-33 days of annual leave plus bank holidays based on years of service.
* Salary sacrifice schemes for lease cars, home electronics and more, to make your salary go further
* Cycle to work scheme
* Salary finance - for loans, savings, budget planning and tips on managing debt
* Stockport Credit Union- for local financial advice
Job responsibilities
The Role
As well as the undertaking the general duties of a Non-Executive Director, the postholder will Chair the Audit Committee.
The purpose of the Committee is to independently and objectively review the integrity of the Trusts financial statements. Oversee compliance with corporate governance standards and assurance processes across clinical and non-clinical activities and assist the Board of Directors in its oversight of risk management and the effectiveness of internal control Trust-wide
In additional you will oversee external and internal audit functions and the local counter fraud service, receiving assurance of their independence.
The Person
You will have the qualifications, expertise or experience to enable you to express credible opinions on finance and audit matters and possess a strong background in Audit and Governance, an appreciation of public or private sector Audit and Governance arrangements, and ideally prior experience of a non-executive in the NHS.
Your focus on equality, diversity, and inclusion will be critical, and you will share our ambition and hold the interests of our patients and the wellbeing of our staff and communities at the heart of your leadership.
We are keen to attract candidates who can bring diverse perspectives, and we welcome expressions of interest from the widest possible range of backgrounds, particularly those who are under-represented at board level in the NHS.
For further information, please contact our recruitment advisor Jonathan Phillips on 07817988490. Applications are to be made via CV and covering letter to Jonathan at jp@seymourjohn.com using the email subject T&S NED application
Interview date: 7th January 2026
Person Specification
Eligibility and Commitment
* Ability to commit average of 4-5 days per month to Trust's business; and flexibility to commit more if required for defined periods
* You are, or are eligible and willing to become, a Member of the Trusts
* Ensure you meet the criteria for eligibility for appointment as a member of the Board of Directors including the criteria for Fit & Proper Person in accordance with NHS Improvement and CQC principles.
Background and Experience
* Have experience of operating at a senior level or board level in a public or private sector organisation
* Hold the CCAB qualification and have recent and relevant expertise in finance, evidenced through membership of a professional body
* Have a strong background in audit and governance.
* Have an awareness of the current challenges and opportunities in the National Health Service
* Are able to engage in strategic thinking and development for organisations
* Have previous experience as a Non-Executive Director within the public or private sector
* Have an awareness of developments in the local health economies of Stockport and Tameside & Glossop
* Able to demonstrate a strong connection to their local community or have lived experience, either as carers or service users.
Knowledge
* Have an awareness of the differing roles of a Non-Executive Director and executive management
* Have an understanding of accountability for actions, including collective accountability for Board decisions
* Have an awareness of the principles of effective corporate governance and effective Boards
* Have experience of working as part of a diverse Board or equivalent to reach consensus
* Have experience of engagement with a diverse and large group of stakeholders and interested parties, including the general public; and feeding that intelligence back into the work of the organisation
Abilities
* Capable of chairing a committee, have an understanding of the needs of our local patient community, the roles and responsibilities of the Council of Governors, statutory and regulatory requirements, risk management and board assurance processes
* You are able to participate in a unitary Board, balancing challenge and collective responsibility, to deliver statutory responsibilities
* You are able to both support and challenge the Chief Executive and the Executive Team
* You are able to successfully engage with a range of statutory regulators and local stakeholders
* You able to exercise judgements independently of Trust management, discuss them robustly with colleagues, and reach a final view
* You are able to engage with and constructively challenge complex proposals and arguments
* Good interpersonal skills. Able to work as a team to meet common goals and willingness to utilise skills and experience for the good of the organisation
* Able to assess strategies and plans of action to achieve objectives
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.
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