Head of Corporate Secretariat and Legal

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Isle of Wight NHS Trust Head of Corporate Secretariat and Legal

The closing date is 22 November 2026

Apply for this job

Job summary

Contract Type: Permanent

Hours: 37.5 hours per week (Monday - Friday)

Grade: Band 8c

Base: Across site working, between Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth and St Mary's Hospital, Isle of Wight.

We are seeking an exceptional and highly experienced senior governance leader to join our Corporate Governance Directorate as Head of Corporate Secretariat and Legal.

This is a significant Group-level leadership appointment with responsibility for two distinct but closely connected portfolios: the Board Secretariat and Healthcare Legal Services functions serving both Isle of Wight NHS Trust and Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust.

Reporting directly to the Group Director of Corporate Governance, you will be a senior member of the Corporate Governance Directorate leadership team and will provide authoritative advice to the Boards, Executive teams and senior leaders across both organisations. You will also deputise for the Group Director of Corporate Governance on corporate governance and legal matters when required.

Main duties of the job

The role

You will provide strategic and operational leadership to the teams responsible for:

• delivering an effective and high-quality Board and committee secretariat;
• maintaining and continuously improving the Groups corporate governance framework;
• managing the annual business cycles of the Boards, their committees and Executive teams;
• supporting Board effectiveness, development and succession planning;
• overseeing healthcare legal services, including litigation, coronial inquests, Court of Protection matters and general legal advisory work;
• ensuring effective oversight and supervision of lawyers, paralegals and case managers;
• managing legal-service performance, risk, external representation and reporting arrangements; and
• providing expert, proportionate and pragmatic advice on complex, sensitive and potentially contentious governance and legal matters.

This is a broad and demanding portfolio requiring an individual who can operate credibly with Board members and senior executives while providing visible, effective leadership to specialist governance and legal teams.

You will need to balance strategic leadership with a detailed understanding of the systems, controls and professional standards required to deliver high-quality Board governance and healthcare legal services across two statutory NHS organisations.

About us

Working as a partnership, both Isle of Wight NHS Trust and Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust have a shared vision for excellence in care for our patients and communities; with a set of strategic aims underpinning how we will achieve this.

The single corporate service is delivered across both organisation.You may be based at either IWT or PHU and individuals may be required to undertake business travel between sites. For leaders managing staff across multi-site locations, you will need to be visible and provide in person leadership. The arrangements and frequency will be agreed locally.

Details

Date posted

06 November 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8c

Salary

£79,504 to £91,609 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

REF2610M

Job locations

Queen Alexandra Hospital

Southwick Hill Road

Portsmouth

Hampshire

PO6 3LY

United Kingdom

St Mary's Hospital

Parkhurst Road

Newport

Isle of Wight

PO30 5TG

United Kingdom

Job description

Job responsibilities

About you

To succeed in this role, you will already be operating in a substantive senior corporate governance, company secretariat or comparable leadership position within a large, complex and highly regulated organisation.

You must be able to demonstrate:

• significant senior-level experience of leading corporate governance or Board secretariat services;
• substantial knowledge of NHS governance structures, statutory responsibilities and regulatory requirements;
• direct experience of overseeing a legal-services function or supervising legal professionals and complex legal casework;
• experience of advising Boards, Executive Directors, Non-Executive Directors and other senior stakeholders;
• leadership of multidisciplinary specialist teams at a senior level;
• the ability to interpret complex legal, regulatory and governance requirements and translate them into practical organisational arrangements;
• experience of leading complex governance programmes, service improvements or strategic initiatives;
• excellent judgement, political awareness and the ability to influence confidently where issues are sensitive or contested; and
• the ability to produce and present complex, high-quality reports and advice at Board level.

A relevant Masters degree, or equivalent senior-level experience, together with a corporate governance qualification or demonstrable equivalent expertise, is essential.

A legal qualification, chartered governance qualification and experience of healthcare, coronial or Court of Protection law would be advantageous. However, all applicants must demonstrate credible senior-level experience of providing oversight of legal services and supervising legal professionals.

This role is unlikely to be suitable for candidates whose experience has been limited primarily to committee administration, meeting coordination or governance support without wider strategic leadership responsibility and direct exposure to legal-services oversight.

Working across the Group

As part of our Single Corporate Service, the role operates across Isle of Wight NHS Trust and Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust.

A visible leadership presence will be required across both organisations. The successful candidate must therefore be able to work regularly across our sites in Portsmouth and on the Isle of Wight, with a significant proportion of the role undertaken on site. Individual working arrangements will be agreed with the Group Director of Corporate Governance.

This is an opportunity to make a significant contribution to the leadership, governance and assurance of two major NHS organisations.

Working alongside Board members, Executive Directors and senior leaders, you will help shape governance best practice, strengthen organisational assurance and ensure that the Group has effective, responsive and professionally led corporate secretariat and legal-services functions.

If you are an accomplished, strategic and collaborative senior leader with the confidence and credibility to operate at Board level, and the experience to lead both a complex corporate governance portfolio and a specialist healthcare legal-services function, we would welcome your application.

Along with your CV, please also provide a supporting statement. As part of your supporting statement, please provide clear examples demonstrating:

• your personal experience of advising Boards, Executive Directors and Non-Executive Directors on complex corporate governance matters;
• a significant governance framework, programme or service improvement that you have led at organisational level;
• your experience of overseeing a legal-services function, supervising legal professionals or managing complex healthcare legal matters

For further details, please see enclosed Job Description

Job description

Job responsibilities

About you

To succeed in this role, you will already be operating in a substantive senior corporate governance, company secretariat or comparable leadership position within a large, complex and highly regulated organisation.

You must be able to demonstrate:

• significant senior-level experience of leading corporate governance or Board secretariat services;
• substantial knowledge of NHS governance structures, statutory responsibilities and regulatory requirements;
• direct experience of overseeing a legal-services function or supervising legal professionals and complex legal casework;
• experience of advising Boards, Executive Directors, Non-Executive Directors and other senior stakeholders;
• leadership of multidisciplinary specialist teams at a senior level;
• the ability to interpret complex legal, regulatory and governance requirements and translate them into practical organisational arrangements;
• experience of leading complex governance programmes, service improvements or strategic initiatives;
• excellent judgement, political awareness and the ability to influence confidently where issues are sensitive or contested; and
• the ability to produce and present complex, high-quality reports and advice at Board level.

A relevant Masters degree, or equivalent senior-level experience, together with a corporate governance qualification or demonstrable equivalent expertise, is essential.

A legal qualification, chartered governance qualification and experience of healthcare, coronial or Court of Protection law would be advantageous. However, all applicants must demonstrate credible senior-level experience of providing oversight of legal services and supervising legal professionals.

This role is unlikely to be suitable for candidates whose experience has been limited primarily to committee administration, meeting coordination or governance support without wider strategic leadership responsibility and direct exposure to legal-services oversight.

Working across the Group

As part of our Single Corporate Service, the role operates across Isle of Wight NHS Trust and Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust.

A visible leadership presence will be required across both organisations. The successful candidate must therefore be able to work regularly across our sites in Portsmouth and on the Isle of Wight, with a significant proportion of the role undertaken on site. Individual working arrangements will be agreed with the Group Director of Corporate Governance.

This is an opportunity to make a significant contribution to the leadership, governance and assurance of two major NHS organisations.

Working alongside Board members, Executive Directors and senior leaders, you will help shape governance best practice, strengthen organisational assurance and ensure that the Group has effective, responsive and professionally led corporate secretariat and legal-services functions.

If you are an accomplished, strategic and collaborative senior leader with the confidence and credibility to operate at Board level, and the experience to lead both a complex corporate governance portfolio and a specialist healthcare legal-services function, we would welcome your application.

Along with your CV, please also provide a supporting statement. As part of your supporting statement, please provide clear examples demonstrating:

• your personal experience of advising Boards, Executive Directors and Non-Executive Directors on complex corporate governance matters;
• a significant governance framework, programme or service improvement that you have led at organisational level;
• your experience of overseeing a legal-services function, supervising legal professionals or managing complex healthcare legal matters

For further details, please see enclosed Job Description

Person Specification

Knowledge

Essential

• Extensive knowledge and experience of the application of corporate governance and law in a practical setting.

Desirable

• Expert knowledge of systems and processes relating to the management of the Coronial process, litigation and claims management.
• Expert awareness and application of Data protection and confidentiality, Human Rights Act, Mental Health Act and Health and Safety Law.

Qualifications

Essential

• Masters degree in relevant subject (or equivalent level).
• Corporate governance qualification (or equivalent experience).

Desirable

• Qualified practising Solicitor/Barrister/Legal Executive.
• Chartered Secretariat qualification.

Experience

Essential

• Significant experience working in a senior role in corporate governance.
• Knowledge and experience associated with NHS specific provisions, structures and social care policies.
• Experience of oversight and supervision of junior lawyers.
• Line management responsibilities at a senior level.
• Team Management.
• Excellent organisational and analytical skills.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Expert in influencing, negotiating and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to analyse and interpret data and information at an advanced level.
• Ability to write complex reports at a senior level, including Board level.
• Strategic skills and experience of application, to support with design and implementation of strategy and strategic initiatives.

Desirable

• Expertise in one or more legal disciplines.
• Experience in healthcare law, coronial law and court of protection proceedings.

Person Specification

Knowledge

Essential

• Extensive knowledge and experience of the application of corporate governance and law in a practical setting.

Desirable

• Expert knowledge of systems and processes relating to the management of the Coronial process, litigation and claims management.
• Expert awareness and application of Data protection and confidentiality, Human Rights Act, Mental Health Act and Health and Safety Law.

Qualifications

Essential

• Masters degree in relevant subject (or equivalent level).
• Corporate governance qualification (or equivalent experience).

Desirable

• Qualified practising Solicitor/Barrister/Legal Executive.
• Chartered Secretariat qualification.

Experience

Essential

• Significant experience working in a senior role in corporate governance.
• Knowledge and experience associated with NHS specific provisions, structures and social care policies.
• Experience of oversight and supervision of junior lawyers.
• Line management responsibilities at a senior level.
• Team Management.
• Excellent organisational and analytical skills.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Expert in influencing, negotiating and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to analyse and interpret data and information at an advanced level.
• Ability to write complex reports at a senior level, including Board level.
• Strategic skills and experience of application, to support with design and implementation of strategy and strategic initiatives.

Desirable

• Expertise in one or more legal disciplines.
• Experience in healthcare law, coronial law and court of protection proceedings.

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Isle of Wight NHS Trust

Address

Queen Alexandra Hospital

Southwick Hill Road

Portsmouth

Hampshire

PO6 3LY

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.iow.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Isle of Wight NHS Trust

Address

Queen Alexandra Hospital

Southwick Hill Road

Portsmouth

Hampshire

PO6 3LY

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.iow.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Group Director of Corporate Governance

Lauren Wagner

[email protected]

Details

Date posted

06 November 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8c

Salary

£79,504 to £91,609 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

REF2610M

Job locations

Queen Alexandra Hospital

Southwick Hill Road

Portsmouth

Hampshire

PO6 3LY

United Kingdom

St Mary's Hospital

Parkhurst Road

Newport

Isle of Wight

PO30 5TG

United Kingdom

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Isle of Wight NHS Trust's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)

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