University Hospital Southampton NHS FT
Head of Compliance and Business
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Head of EFCD Compliance & Business – Job Description
About the Role & Organisation
We are excited to offer an opportunity to join UHS Estates Ltd (UEL), a subsidiary of University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust.
UEL oversees:
- Building design and construction
- Estates maintenance
- Soft facilities management
- Equipment, consumable, and materials management for one of England’s largest acute teaching Trusts.
Lead Compliance. Drive Improvement. Shape Healthcare Infrastructure.
This is your chance to become a strategic leader in compliance, governance, business services, property management, service improvement, and digital transformation within a thriving healthcare ecosystem.
Role Summary
This senior leadership position seeks an experienced expert to deliver strategic oversight across compliance, governance, business support, property services, and service improvement—ensuring safe, effective, and patient-centric operations. You will shape the way our high-performing teams drive excellence, compliance, and transformational change in a complex healthcare environment.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Vision
As a visionary leader, you will:
- Set the strategic direction for compliance, business support, property management, and service improvements.
- Translate organizational priorities into concrete plans and metrics.
- Influence Board-level decision-making by leveraging data and analysis.
- Lead through influence, change, and continuous improvement.
Compliance, Risk Management & Governance
Core to the role, you will:
- Develop and enforce a comprehensive compliance strategy for UEL.
- Lead risk management programmes, ensuring statutory and regulatory obligations are met.
- Conduct investigations, analyse compliance risks, and ensure robust governance.
- Oversee government, board reporting, and assurance frameworks.
Team Leadership & Development
You must:
- Inspire and lead multidisciplinary teams (including professional staff across different disciplines).
- Foster a culture of operational excellence through coaching and empowerment.
- Maintain accountability and high performance through clear communication.
- Build collaborative relationships with key stakeholders.
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Service Improvement & Digital Transformation
Your responsibility includes:
- Utilising data, analytics, and digital solutions to identify opportunities.
- Leading improvement initiatives to enhance efficiency and service quality.
- Driving digital investments, including Computer-Aided Facility Management (CAFM) system implementation.
- Ensuring new processes align with patient care priorities.
Other Critical Focus Areas
- Ensure all services remain safe, effective, and compliant while supporting exceptional patient care.
- Oversee property and estates operations, including maintenance, facilities management, and transformation programmes.
Person Specification
Education & Experience
Essential Criteria
- Educated to Masters level (or equivalent professional knowledge/experience).
- Specialist knowledge gained through extensive experience in hospitals/estates environments.
- Expertise in compliance, health and safety, or risk management (equivalent to NEBOSH Diploma or Post-Graduate Diploma).
- Post-qualification continuing professional development (CPD) evident (provide reference).
- Fire safety management experience required.
Desirable Criteria
- Root cause analysis qualification.
- Project management certification (e.g., PRINCE2, APM).
- Membership of a professional organization (e.g., CMIOSH, CIozofH).
Previous Experience (Essential)
- Senior leadership experience in a large, complex organisation.
- Significant health & safety/risk management expertise (within large, multidisciplinary teams).
- Proven track record managing professional-level staff across multiple disciplines.
- Budget/delegated expenditure management for projects and operational costs.
- Experience assessing training programme efficiency and facilitating change across services.
- Development of organisational strategies, policies, systems that influence workflows.
- Policy formulation, training, investigations, and audits experience.
- Ability to manage and prioritise workloads under dynamic/organisational change.
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Desirable Extranединя
- Experience working in the NHS environment.
Aptitudes & Skills Required
Essential Criteria
- Ability to develop and implement major policies aiming to reduce risk/improve quality.
- Policy analysis skills and process design expertise.
- Intelligence, persuasion, and negotiation capabilities at all levels.
- Automotive skills in complex compliance systems and procedures.
- Communication skills (engaging effectively with all stakeholders internally/externally).
- Training experience, including management/employee coaching.
Critical Soft Skills
- Skilled at demonstrating a clear strategic vision in planning and delivery.
- Strong understanding of health, safety, and compliance management systems.
- Ability to operate collaboratively and proactively within a complex environment.
Key Values & Behaviours
- “Patients First” – Ensuring patient safety and service excellence are paramount.
- “Always Improving” – Proactively seeking operational efficiencies and best practice.
- “Working Together” – Cultivating trust, teamwork, and cross-departmental collaboration.
About UEL’s Working Environment
Based in Southampton—a coastal city with:
- National Park (New Forest), beaches (Jurassic Coast heritage).
- Attractive housing/living costs (~20% lower than London).
- Direct access to London and international aviation/rail links.
Employee Benefits
- NHS pension scheme (generous contributions).
- NHS terms of service, including competitive annual leave provisions.
- Employee benefits platform (discounts on groceries, shopping, travel, holidays, leisure).
- Potential for career progression in this grade 8 position.
Joining the Team
If you’re passionate about governance, digital innovation, operational excellence, and driving real impact, we’d love to hear from you.
Interested candidates can initiate a confidential conversation by contacting the recruiter directly (details provided on request).
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