Non-Executive Director - Finance Oversight & Assurance Group Chair

Non-Executive Director(s)

£13,000 – Minimum 4 days per month

At South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) we have nearly 6,000 colleagues, 950 volunteers and over 800 students in training to provide emergency and urgent care services in the most demanding of circumstances across 10,000 square miles to the people of South West England. Covering the counties of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, and the former Avon area (Bristol, Bath, North and North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire), we serve a population of over 5.5 million with an estimated 23 million visitors each year.

The pressures being felt by ambulance services up and down the country are well documented; SWASFT is no exception. United in our commitment to care for others and our ambition to learn, improve and innovate, SWASFT is a values led organisation. We have a deep-seated commitment to ‘deliver exceptional patient care by exceptional people’, exemplified by our high levels of compassion, kindness, and respect towards people. With the appointment of our new Chair, Stephen Otter, we now wish to appoint two Non-Executive Directors (NED) to join the Board. As a NED you will contribute to the strategic and long-term direction of the Trust, work alongside regional and national partners, and scrutinise our care and services, to ensure we are delivering the best for our population.

In terms of expertise, we are looking for a range of individuals in any of the following areas:

• Non-Executive Director – Audit & Assurance Committee Chair (AQ1645) requires significant experience in audit and risk management (from any sector), be financially qualified and have prior experience as a NED (any sector), with a view to chairing our Audit & Assurance Committee.
• Non-Executive Director – Finance Oversight & Assurance Group Chair (AQ1646) must bring broad business skills developed in a complex environment with strong financial acumen from a major, complex organisation in the public, voluntary or private sectors, with a view to chairing our Finance Oversight and Assurance Group.

Able to look ahead and take the wider strategic view, you are experienced at building strong working relationships internally and externally, you will put patients at the heart of all decision making, yet you will be independent of thought. Politically astute, you will have high levels of integrity with the energy and resilience to fulfil the requirements of the role with compassion. Above all else, you will bring a well held commitment to use your skills and experience to help provide high quality patient care; knowing that everyone counts.

We are committed to ensuring our Board represents our workplace population and the communities we serve.  We would love to hear from candidates from a diverse and wide range of backgrounds and strongly encourage applications from people with a disability, black, Asian and minority ethnic people, LGBTQIA+ people, and women.

For more information on the roles, please view the recruitment microsite to the right or go to www.andersonquigley.com/swasft-ned. For an informal discussion about your possible suitability please call our advising consultant, Helene Usherwood at Anderson Quigley on 07719 322 669.

SWASFT will be holding a virtual Q&A session on Thursday 26^th January 2023 from 17:00 to 18:30 for prospective candidates during which you can meet members of the Board and Council of Governors as well as colleagues who lead some of our inclusion, engagement, wellbeing, and staff network forums.  

If you would like to attend this meeting then please email Corporate.meeting@swast.nhs.uk for details of how to join. For those unable to attend we will record the session and make this available online.  Alternatively, a written transcript can be made available following the meeting on request.

Closing date for all applications: Friday 10 February 2023.