Managing DirectorNHS

Job summary

Managing Director (Fixed Term 12 Months)

An exceptional opportunity to lead two outstanding NHS organisations at a pivotal time.

South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust (SWFT) and George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust (GEH) are seeking an outstanding, values-driven leader to join our Joint Executive Team as Managing Director on a fixed-term basis. This appointment follows the secondment of our substantive Managing Director to undertake a significant NHS leadership role.

As Managing Director, you will work alongside the CEO and Executive Team to provide visible leadership across both Trusts, ensuring delivery of our operational, quality, workforce, financial and strategic objectives. You will play a key role in maintaining organisational performance while supporting the continued alignment of GEH and SWFT.

This is a unique opportunity for an experienced NHS executive leader to make a significant impact across two successful organisations with a strong track record of collaboration, innovation and high-quality patient care.

Further Information

The appointment is for a period of up to 12 months, with a formal review after 9 months.

We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workforce and warmly welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds and communities.

Shortlisted candidates will participate in a formal interview with a panel comprising the Chief Executive Officer, Non-Exec Directors and NHS England.

Interview Date:6th October 2026

Main duties of the job

About the Role

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, the Managing Director will:

• Provide day-to-day leadership of both Trusts alongside the Executive Team.
• Support delivery of quality, operational, workforce and financial performance targets.
• Lead organisational improvement and transformation programmes.
• Foster strong relationships with clinicians, staff, partners and stakeholders.
• Represent the organisations across system, regional and national forums.
• Promote a culture of accountability, compassion, inclusion and continuous improvement.
• Contribute to the ongoing development of the Foundation Group and integrated models of care.

About You

We are seeking an exceptional leader who can demonstrate:

• Significant Board-level leadership experience within an NHS organisation or similarly complex environment.
• A track record of delivering operational performance, quality improvement and organisational transformation.
• Experience of leading large, diverse teams through change.
• Outstanding partnership-working skills and the ability to influence across organisational boundaries.
• Strong strategic thinking coupled with a hands-on, delivery-focused approach.
• A commitment to equality, diversity, inclusion and reducing health inequalities.

You will be an authentic and visible leader who can inspire confidence, build relationships quickly and maintain focus during a period of organisational transition.

Job description

South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust (SWFT), George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust (GEH), Wye Valley NHS Trust and Worcester Acute Hospital NHS Trust have established a Foundation Group through the creation of a Committee in Common (the Group Strategy Committee). The purpose of the Group is to support the ongoing sustainability the Trusts and to facilitate the rapid development of integrated care in their localities.

SWFT and GEH have a shared, single executive team. The post-holder will therefore be a Board member representing both organisations.

The Managing Director will report to the Chief Executive Officer and will be responsible with other Chief Officers for achievement of performance, quality and financial standards and for the provision of high standards of regulatory activity and patient safety.

The Managing Director will be a voting member of the Board of Directors and Board Committees, and the Group Strategy Committee.

As Managing Director, the post holder must act as a role model for our people and ensure the development of a culture and core values which enable the Trusts to continuously improve and innovate. Maintaining and developing strong internal and external stakeholder relations is a key aspect of the role.

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

Trust Board

Foundation Group

Group Strategy Committee

Trusts Executive Team and Senior Managers

ICB, NHS England (and successor), Care Quality Commission, Health and Wellbeing Board, Overview and Scrutiny Committee

Local Authority and other local providers including Primary Care, Mental Health and Social Services

Local Voluntary and Representative Groups

KEY RESULT AREAS

Leadership and Strategy Implementation

To support the Chief Executive and be responsible with the Chief Officers and through them to manage all the Trusts resources, ensuring the Trusts comply with the requirements of regulators and meets their obligations in contracts with commissioners

To support the Chief Executive in development of a cohesive leadership team through the Chief Officers and together develop clear work plans for assurance and improvement within the Trusts

Provide leadership to develop a fully engaged workforce and an accountable, delivery focused culture

To support the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Nursing Officer in the development and engagement of clinicians in leadership

• To progress the development of integrated care through close collaboration with partner organisations and communities

To play lead role in the continued development of system, place and neighbourhood healthcare, including the establishment of Lead Provider / Integrated Healthcare Organisation status.

Performance and Governance

To ensure systems are in place to monitor the performance of the Trusts against business targets and plans and against standards for accreditation by external bodies such as the Care Quality Commission

To ensure that there is an effective system of governance and performance management in place within the Trusts to monitor how the sites effectively use their resources

Ensuring effective corporate management of resources, (people, organisation, structures and management systems), regularly reviewing and re-prioritising these to ensure effective utilisation

To identify and minimise key risks to the achievement of the Trusts objectives and ensure service continuity is maintained in the event of major disruption to normal service delivery

Represent the Trusts at a local level including ICS, Local Authority, and other appropriate meetings

Ensure the Trusts deliver quality, operational, financial and workforce performance against agreed plans and with the Chief Executive hold the relevant Executive Directors to account for the delivery of their plans and objectives

Nurture opportunities which improve service delivery and performance to the highest level possible thus contributing to the overall success of the Trusts and local health and care system

With the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Nursing Officer and other senior leaders in both Trusts, seek opportunities to challenge and improve practice in all areas including clinical quality, patient experience and operational effectiveness and put remedial actions in place to ensure and evidence improvement and demonstrate that quality and safety are of the utmost priority in the daily operation of the hospital sites.

On Call

• To participate in the Trusts Executive on call rota and provide leadership, advice and guidance.

About us

Come and join a Trust rated Outstanding by the CQC. South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust have been rated as outstanding following our latest inspection by the CQC and we are recruiting new staff to come and help us improve even further. In addition our staff survey results have placed us 4th in the country for recommended place to work.

We provide services across Warwickshire and beyond ranging from Hospitals in Warwick, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Royal Leamington Spa and Shipston-on Stour to Community Services across the county. We are a progressive, expanding organisation with great ambition around improving quality, integrating pathways and delivering high levels of productivity.Our values can be summed up in one sentence. We are 'Trusted to provide safe, inclusive, effective and compassionate care'. Throughout the recruitment process you will be asked to think about how you demonstrate these values and how they impact on your work. It doesn't matter what role you do, whether it is patient facing or not, we are all working in the same way with our values at the core.

As part of our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion we encourage all applicants to complete a short survey. This can be accessed via the link below:

https://forms.office.com/e/ahWY3eAGM2

We appreciate you completing the survey.