Job summary
The 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.
About us
Sandwell 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.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The 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.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The 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 Specification
Experience
Essential
- 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
- Experience within the NHS or public sector estates environment
QUALIFICATIONS
Essential
- 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 assurance
Desirable
- 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)
Knowledge
Essential
- 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, EPRR
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- 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
- Experience within the NHS or public sector estates environment
QUALIFICATIONS
Essential
- 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 assurance
Desirable
- 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)
Knowledge
Essential
- 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, EPRR
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
