Chief Governance Officer (Company Secretary) | London, UK

We are seeking an exceptional and innovative Chief Governance Officer (Company Secretary) to provide expert, system-level leadership of governance, assurance, and corporate services across NHS Devon and NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, working within a single ICB Cluster arrangement ahead of an anticipated future merger. This is a pivotal executive leadership role at a critical point of transformation for the NHS. As ICBs transition towards a more strategic commissioning and system leadership model, the Chief Governance Officer will ensure that governance enables change, assures Boards and regulators, and underpins safe, transparent and effective decision-making across the system.

Reporting directly to both the Chairman and the Chief Executive Officer and acting as a formal participant of the Board, you will be the principal adviser on all matters of governance, assurance and statutory compliance, risk operating at the heart of system leadership. Together, we serve one of the largest, most complex, and geographically challenging health systems in England, covering extensive rural, coastal, and island communities, and urban areas.

As our Chief Governance Officer (Company Secretary), you will play a central role in ensuring that governance arrangements are robust, proportionate, and future-focused, supporting transformation whilst maintaining public trust, accountability, and statutory assurance. You will work closely with NHS England, system partners and senior leaders to ensure governance arrangements support evolving operating models, shared leadership structures and future integration.

In this appointment, we are seeking a qualified senior governance professional with significant experience at Board or system level within complex, regulated environments. You will bring deep expertise in corporate governance, assurance, risk management, and statutory compliance, ideally within the NHS or wider public sector. With the confidence and credibility to advise and influence Boards, you will have strong political acumen, diplomacy, and communication skills, and the ability to build trusted relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

This is a rare opportunity to shape the future of governance for our ICB Cluster and our governance arrangements with Providers and Local Authorities, at a defining moment for the NHS and our organisations. You will be at the heart of system leadership decision making, ensuring that governance enables innovation, collaboration, and improvement of outcomes for our populations.

For a discussion in confidence, please contact our retained recruitment partners at GatenbySanderson.

How to Apply: Please submit an up to date copy of your CV, along with a Supporting Statement that addresses the criteria set out in the person specification, using examples to demonstrate how you meet the essential requirements. A completed fit and proper person form - the template can be downloaded from the same place as the job description. Detail any employment or education gaps. You should provide the names, positions, organisations, and contact details for your referees, which must be your line managers and include your current and most recent employer. The referees should cover at least two roles as the minimum. Please note, should you be appointed, you will be required to provide references covering your last 6 years of employment as per the new NHS Fit and Proper Person regulations. Where there have been gaps in employment, this six year period will be extended accordingly. Referees will only be contacted for those proceeding to the final stage - we will always gain your permission before we contact referees.