Director of Regulation

IHPN is the membership network for independent healthcare providers. We play a leading role in the sector by bringing independent providers together, representing their interests, and supporting them to deliver great care to patients. Our vision is for a thriving independent healthcare sector delivering great care to NHS and private patients.

We are seeking to appoint a Director of Regulation to join the IHPN team in November 2026.

PURPOSE

The Director of Regulation leads all aspects of IHPN’s regulatory work programme with a particular emphasis on, but not limited to, the regulation of clinical services. As part of the organisation’s senior management team, the Director of Regulation will be responsible for ensuring successful completion of the organisation’s regulatory annual business plan objectives and leading the team’s regulation function. IHPN members work within a heavily regulated sector across all four nations of the UK. IHPN supports them by working with regulators to help positively influence the regulatory environment, as well as to ensure that members are well-placed to deliver the highest standards of safety and quality.

In recent years this has included important work on behalf of members to strengthen clinical governance and information sharing and improve consistency across the sector. The Director works closely with our members to lead the regulation function and influencing programmes and has an excellent understanding of the regulatory issues which affect all IHPN members across the UK in terms of the NHS and private pay sectors. The Director builds relationships at a senior level across the health system and proactively identifies opportunities to progress the sector’s interests. They also take responsibility for ensuring that budget targets are met. The post involves line management responsibilities.

The Director of Regulation leads the Network’s work with national system and professional healthcare regulators and medical royal colleges including, but not limited to, the Care Quality Commission, NHS England’s patient safety and clinical functions, the Department of Health and Social Care, General Medical Council, Royal Colleges and devolved governments and regulators. The postholder is entirely responsible for IHPN’s Regulation function, which involves developing and leading a compelling and high impact sector-wide programme of strategic and proactive regulatory affairs and influencing work that positions the independent healthcare sector as being proactive on the quality, governance and transparency agendas.

ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Deliver Independent Healthcare Providers Network’s regulatory business plan priorities and be accountable for the successful completion of all regulatory team objectives. This involves being a subject specialist in UK independent healthcare covering the entire range of sectors including acute, primary, community, clinical home healthcare, and diagnostics. It also requires close engagement with members at Board level to understand members’ regulatory affairs challenges and to develop clear and focused solutions.
• Lead the team in developing a compelling and high impact programme of proactive regulatory affairs and sector-wide influencing work that positions the independent healthcare sector as being proactive on the quality and governance agenda and while at the same time enabling the sector to successfully address criticisms and external scrutiny.
• The postholder is able to manage large-scale, complex projects involving numerous stakeholders.
• Act as an external spokesperson for members and represent their views to regulators, civil servants, senior healthcare leaders, the media and other stakeholders as required.
• Be seen as a senior leader in the health and care system with a front facing role of speaking at conferences, presenting to public inquiries, parliamentary committees and commercial boards.
• Build influential relationships with key players in the health system, getting ahead of regulatory change and positioning the Network effectively to key stakeholders.
• This also involves developing and maintaining a wide perspective on the complex external regulatory, policy, political and fiscal changes that affect the UK healthcare market.
• Having sole autonomy and responsibility for the team, strategically evaluate the organisation’s programme of regulatory guidance and external research to ensure that we are developing positive content with the power to inform and influence the debate on the regulation of independent healthcare providers.
• In particular, quality assuring all regulation work that goes out and ensuring that there is a clear strategic approach to all influencing and engagement work.
• Lead the Regulation aspect of the Network’s annual Business Plan process including setting industry-wide objectives.
• Lead on all aspects of the Network’s activities in the devolved nations.

Leadership

• Assuming clear responsibility and accountability for all aspects of the job description with the IHPN Board, setting out clearly and concisely the work that is being done and how IHPN is addressing sector-wide challenges.
• Line management of the team and external consultants, ensuring staff are fully supported to discharge their duties, regularly appraised with learning and development opportunities identified and supported in their development.
• As part of the Senior Management Team, overseeing IHPN’s budgeting process and ensuring strong budget management.

Regulatory interface

• Being responsible and accountable for identifying a range of regulatory matters emerging from government and putting in place innovative and effective mechanisms to communicate those issues to members and to inform and influence their implementation.
• Take responsibility for building and maintaining relationships with all healthcare regulatory bodies including, but not limited to, the Care Quality Commission, NHS England, regulators and devolved nations regulators.

CLOSING DATE: 9am on Monday 29th June

INTERVIEWS: Monday 6th July, London (in-person)

HOW TO APPLY

To apply for this role, please send your CV and covering letter by email via the button below. Please note that applications without a CV & covering letter will be rejected. For a discussion about the role please email.