Head of Quality Governance & Risk

Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced, knowledgeable, and driven leader for the role of Head of Quality Governance & Risk at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust. The right person will have an ambitious approach to leading the quality governance agenda to drive the very best patient outcomes and experience. Supporting the Associate Director of Quality Governance, this role will play an important part in continuing to drive forward and provide leadership to the Trust's Quality Governance agenda and Risk Management Strategy. They will provide visible professional leadership which inspires, motivates, and engages teams across the organisation.

The right candidate will be able to demonstrate success in delivering Quality Improvement Methods and Strategies with a solid background in project management and transformation. They will act as a subject matter expert on quality improvement, risk management, patient safety standards and regulatory requirements. They will be a confident communicator who models civility and compassion and able to engage a wide range of stakeholders. The post holder should be resilient, self-motivated, politically astute, and able to negotiate challenging situations and interactions.

Applicants should note that to be successful at the initial stage of recruitment, the personal statement and job history need to demonstrate a solid understanding and evidence of implementation of a range of Quality Improvement methodologies and project/programme management experience.

Main duties of the job

• Deputising for The Associate Director of Quality Governance, The role will provide strategic and operational leadership to ensure robust systems and processes are in place for effective governance across The Christie NHS Foundation Trust.
• Provide senior level leadership and direction to the Patient Safety, Clinical Governance, Health & Safety, Risk and Quality Improvement teams.
• Lead the continual development and evolution of the Trust Local Risk Management System and associated strategies.
• The postholder will work collaboratively to promote a culture of transparency, learning, and continuous improvement, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and delivering high standards of care.

About Us

The Christie is one of Europe's leading cancer centres and an international leader in cancer research. We are a performance-driven, high-achieving organisation, with the patient at the heart of everything we do. Our ambition is to be one of the leading comprehensive cancer centres in the world.

A Foundation Trust since 2007 we are one of Europe's leading comprehensive cancer centres, treating over 44,000 patients a year and with a turnover in excess of £220m. Based in Manchester we serve a population of 3.2 million across Greater Manchester & Cheshire, and as a national specialist around 26% of patients are referred to us from other areas of the country.

Our combination of service, research and education provides opportunities for innovation, and we use a strong business approach to develop our services. Our ambitious strategy includes delivering services closer to patients' homes for example through our network of Christie radiotherapy centres and developing new treatments for patients in our early phase trials unit which is the largest in the world.

If you think you could be the person we are looking for and wish to arrange an informal discussion, please contact Laura O'Brien, PA to Vicky Sharples, Chief Nurse and Executive Director of Quality: laura.obrien3@nhs.net

Date posted: 09 April 2025

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 8b

Salary: £62,215 to £72,293 a year per annum

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Full-time

Reference number: 413-94470-QS-LS

Job locations: Quality and Standards - E00025, Manchester, M20 4BX

Job Description

Job responsibilities

• Act as the formal deputy to the Associate Director of Quality Governance, including representation at senior meetings, committees, and external forums.
• Provide leadership in the absence of the Associate Director, ensuring continuity across quality governance functions.
• Contribute to Board-level and executive reports related to risk, patient safety, complaints, legal, health & safety and regulatory compliance.

Governance and Assurance

• Support the production, publication and delivery of the Trust's Quality Improvement Strategy and Governance Framework, working closely with divisional and corporate teams.
• Oversee the administration and review of the Trust's risk registers, ensuring alignment with the Board Assurance Framework and risk management strategy.
• Coordinate the production of external assurance submissions, CQC evidence preparation, and regulatory reporting.
• Contribute to governance training and development across the Trust.
• Embed improvement methodologies into governance processes.
• Drive the learning culture by supporting knowledge transfer from internal and external reviews, inquiries and national guidance.

Risk Management

• Lead the implementation and monitoring of the Trust's Risk Management Strategy aims and objectives.
• Promote the integration of risk management into operational and clinical processes.
• Lead a culture that supports staff to identify, assess, and manage clinical and non-clinical risks.
• Ensure robust escalation processes are in place.

Patient Safety and Incident Response

• Oversee incident reporting systems and ensure investigations are undertaken in line with the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework.
• Monitor trends, themes, and learning from patient safety incidents, complaints, claims, and inquests.
• Work collaboratively with the Patient Safety Team to ensure that learning from incidents is embedded across the Trust.

Duty of Candour

• Champion the Duty of Candour, ensuring staff are trained and supported to deliver open and honest communication with patients and families following harm events.

Health and Safety and Legal Assurance

• Work in collaboration with the Head of Health and Safety and Legal Services to provide assurance on compliance with the Health and Safety at Work Act and NHS Resolution processes.
• Provide input to claims management, coronial processes, and learning from inquests.

Leadership and Team Management

• Provide leadership to teams responsible for patient safety, risk management, complaints & PALS, health and safety, claims and quality improvement & clinical audit.
• Ensure staff have access to appropriate training, support, and development opportunities.
• Foster and role model a culture of collaboration, professionalism, and continuous improvement.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Promote patient and public involvement in governance and service improvement initiatives.
• Foster close working relationships with divisional leadership teams to align divisional governance arrangements with governance arrangements ensuring accountability and oversight.

Finance

• Ensure value for money and best use of resources when planning and initiating quality improvement activities in dispensing allocated budgets.
• Responsible for management of managed employees and directorate budget and monitoring the budget position within the department to ensure spending is reasonable, of the best value and accurately recorded.
• Seek out opportunities for value improvement / efficiencies within budgets.

Person Specification

Qualifications Essential

• Educated to Masters level (in a relevant discipline) or equivalent level, or equivalent experience of working at a senior level.
• Quality improvement qualification or equivalent previous experience.

Desirable

• Post-graduate governance qualification or previous experience.
• Post-graduate management, leadership qualification or previous experience.

Experience Essential

• Experience of working in a patient safety-related role with an understanding of the principles that underpin approaches to improving patient safety in health systems.
• Experience and knowledge of the components of clinical governance, incident response, risk management and assurance function; current NHS national policies, standards, requirements and directions that relate to measuring and improving the quality and safety of patient care.
• Experience of working in a strategic leadership role supporting Board Executives (includes voluntary experience).
• Experience of implementing national guidelines and policies with the ability to interpret national advice, guidance and requirements and advise their organisation on how these should be implemented.
• Experience of developing & delivering training programmes.
• Experience of working collaboratively with patients/service/stakeholders to improve quality of service by co-design.
• Evidence of post qualifying and continuing professional development.
• Experience in providing advice on complex professional and other people issues.

Desirable

• Experience of managing and prioritising a budget with solid working knowledge of financial processes and budget setting.
• Experience in project/change management in a healthcare environment and driving improvement for the safety of patients which can include techniques and tools such as Agile, Prince 2 or Managing Successful Projects.

Skills Essential

• Ability to interpret complex information (including patient safety incident data, administrative data, mortality data) that may conflict and where expert opinion may differ.
• Ability to communicate effectively with clinical, academic and all levels of staff.
• Ability to provide senior leadership and work with senior leaders.
• Ability to develop and communicate a vision, and convert that into plans, objectives and deliverables working to tight and often changing deadlines.
• Ability to develop and maintain collaborative relationships and deal confidently with staff at all levels of an organisation.
• Ability to make decisions autonomously, when required, on difficult issues.
• Ability to manage time effectively and to prioritise.
• Ability to use established networks and create new ones to share good practice and facilitate engagement with regional colleagues and the national patient safety team.
• Ability to use informed persuasion to influence others.
• Able to negotiate and influence at an organisational level and externally with a range of stakeholders.
• Demonstrates sound judgement in the absence of clear guidelines or precedent, seeking advice as necessary from more senior management when appropriate.
• High quality presentation skills and ability to provide and effectively communicate highly complex, sensitive and contentious information.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office with intermediate keyboard skills.
• High level analytical skills and the ability to draw qualitative and quantitative data from a wide range of sources draw appropriate conclusions and present in a clear concise manner.

Knowledge Essential

• Knowledge of systems thinking, human factors understanding and just culture principle.
• Knowledge and understanding of the Equalities Act 2010, including the importance of collecting and analysing data on key protected characteristics.
• Knowledge and understanding of the factors that contribute to healthcare inequalities and access to services.
• Knowledge and experience of developments in quality improvement science.
• Knowledge of the NHS patient safety strategy and how it can be implemented.
• Knowledge of safeguarding and the legal duties expected.

Values Essential

• Ability to demonstrate the organisational values and behaviours.

Other Essential

• Enables change, viewing it as an opportunity to learn and develop.
• Kind and compassionate.
• Courage to speak truthfully and challenge appropriately.
• Demonstrably involves patients and the public in their work.
• Actively develops themselves and supports others to do the same.

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.

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.

Employer details

Employer name: The Christie NHS FT