Head of Governance and Risk
1 day ago
Smethwick
Here at Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust we’re committed to recruiting and supporting a diverse workforce and we welcome applications from all parts of the community. We are committed to having a team that is made up of diverse skills, experiences and abilities whilst employing people to our organisation who meet our Trust values of ambition, respect and compassion. With the opening of our new hospital, Midland Metropolitan University Hospital, it’s the coming together of expertise from every corner of our organisation and a show of our commitment to provide better healthcare and create more jobs and so much more. We at the Trust actively encourage Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) and disabled applicants, as well as members of the armed forces community and value the positive impact that difference has on our teams. We are committed to equality and diversity within our workforce.Job overviewThe Head of Governance & Risk provides senior leadership for governance, assurance, risk management, and performance reporting across the Estates and Facilities Directorates at The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust and Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust.The role is responsible for developing and maintaining robust governance frameworks that ensure statutory and NHS compliance, effective risk oversight, and high-quality management information to support executive decision-making. As a key member of the Estates Senior Leadership Team, the postholder leads on estates-focused risk management, assurance processes, and performance reporting across capital delivery, contract management, compliance, property, and soft facilities services.Working closely with senior leaders, regulators, auditors, and internal partners, the role champions a data-driven and improvement-focused culture, translating performance and risk intelligence into actionable insights that enhance safety, quality, efficiency, and value for money across the Trusts’ estates portfolios.Main duties of the job- Provide senior leadership for governance, assurance, and risk management across Estates and Facilities.- Develop and maintain governance frameworks ensuring statutory, regulatory, and NHS compliance.- Lead estates-focused risk management, including risk registers, escalation processes, and assurance actions.- Produce and present high-quality performance, risk, and compliance reports to senior leadership and Trust committees.- Translate estates performance and risk data into actionable insights to drive service improvement and safety.- Act as the senior business assurance lead, working closely with internal teams, regulators, and audit bodies.- Support financial performance, efficiency initiatives, and continuous improvement across the Directorate.Working for our organisationSandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust (SWB) serves Birmingham and the Black Country – one of the country’s most culturally diverse areas. It’s a friendly and welcoming place – a place where you can belong, and a place where you can grow.We care for our patients, we care about our population, and we care about our people.Our values – Ambition, Respect and Compassion – are at the heart of who we are. They guide us every step of the way; how we work with each other, and how we look after our patients and their families; how we respect and value the rich diversity of our team and our community.Our Trust has always aspired to be more than a hospital, more than a healthcare provider. Our purpose is to “Improve the Life Chances and Health Outcomes of our Population.” It is what inspires, drives, and unites us every day. It’s what makes us unique.We want working at SWB to feel like more than just a job. We want our Trust to be a place where you can feel you belong. A place where you feel happy, safe, and rewarded. A place where you can develop your career in whatever way you choose. When we say we’re ‘with you all the way’ we want you to know that we mean it. Visit the SWB website to find out more about our ambitions and people plans.Detailed job description and main responsibilitiesThe Head of Governance & Risk is responsible for strengthening corporate governance and assurance arrangements across the Estates and Facilities Directorates at The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust and Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust. The role leads the development of integrated governance and reporting frameworks covering estates operations, capital delivery, contract management, compliance, property management, and soft facilities services.As a key member of the Estates Senior Leadership Team, the postholder provides senior oversight of estates risk management, ensuring infrastructure, compliance, and environmental risks are effectively identified, monitored, escalated, and mitigated. The role oversees operational and corporate risk registers, supports assurance actions arising from audits and inspections, and ensures alignment with national standards and NHS requirements.The postholder is accountable for producing clear, accurate, and timely performance, compliance, and risk intelligence to inform executive decision-making. By analysing trends, benchmarking performance, and working closely with operational leads, the role drives targeted service improvements that enhance safety, quality, sustainability, efficiency, and value for money. Strong collaboration with Finance, Digital, Procurement, clinical teams, and external stakeholders is essential to deliver a transparent, data-driven, and improvement-focused estates governance model.Person specificationExperienceEssential criteria- Senior experience in governance, assurance, or risk management within Estates & Facilities or similar technical function- Experience managing compliance against statutory and regulatory frameworks (e.g., HTMs, HBNs, Fire, Asbestos, Water Safety, H&S)- Experience managing compliance against statutory and regulatory frameworks (e.g., HTMs, HBNs, Fire, Asbestos, Water Safety, H&S)- Experience working across multi-site or complex organisations- Leading external audit, inspection, and assurance processes- Developing and maintaining risk registers, audit programmes, and compliance dashboards- Working with external agencies (e.g., HSE, fire service, regulators)Desirable criteria- Experience within the NHS or public sector estates environmentQUALIFICATIONSEssential criteria- Degree in Estates, Facilities Management, Risk Management, Engineering, Health & Safety, or related discipline- Evidence of continuing professional development (CPD)- Relevant postgraduate qualification or equivalent experience in governance, risk, or assuranceDesirable criteria- NEBOSH General Certificate or equivalent Health & Safety qualification- NEBOSH General Certificate or equivalent Health & Safety qualification- Membership of a relevant professional body (e.g., IHEEM, IOSH, IWFM)KnowledgeEssential criteria- In-depth understanding of estates and facilities statutory compliance and risk frameworks- Strong knowledge of NHS governance structures and quality frameworks- Excellent analytical and reporting skills – able to interpret complex data for senior audiences- Ability to lead change and drive improvement across large and diverse teams- High level of IT literacy – Excel, PowerPoint, risk systems, and estates compliance software- Knowledge of NHS standards: Premises Assurance Model, PLACE, CQC, EPRRMulti-site working The four partner Trusts of the Black Country Provider Collaborative (Dudley Group NHS FT, Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, Sandwell & West Birmingham NHS Trust, and Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust) are actively working in partnership to deliver a collective vision focused on providing "better, faster and safer care to the population of the Black Country and beyond". To support this vision, we are (where appropriate and safe to do so) actively looking at new models of care which:· Better protect elective / planned care service delivery across the system by organising on a 'hot and cold' arrangement · Consider the optimal use of resources through consolidation and specialisation, and· Seek to reduce unwarranted variance, level up / standardise care through a 'Networked Service Solution' approach across the four sitesAgainst this context, although this post is hosted by Sandwell & West Birmingham NHS Trust, there may be an expectation to work flexibly across the four partner Trusts to better meet patient and service needs.As a major employer in the Black Country and West Birmingham region we are committed to supporting all employees to achieve a healthy work life balance. We want the Black Country and West Birmingham region to be the best place to work and as such will consider all requests to work flexibly taking into account personal and individual circumstances alongside the needs of the service. We encourage all prospective applicants to discuss their individual circumstances with the Recruiting Manager as part of the on-boarding process.Healthcare services have a significant impact on the environment. We are committed to embedding sustainable practices. We expect all colleagues to support the delivery of our Green Strategic Plan and to drive positive changes in their department by joining our Green Impact programme.