Chief Executive Officer

North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust

Chief Executive Officer

Attractive Salary

Newcastle upon Tyne

NEAS is a values-led and patient-centred provider of vital lifesaving and life-changing services to a population of 2.7 million people in rural, coastal, and urban communities from the Scottish Borders down to North Yorkshire. At the heart of the NHS in the North East, we are the gateway to receiving care, providing emergency ambulance care, patient transport services, and integrated 999 and NHS 111 services. For many, we are the first contact with the NHS, making what we do vital to our local communities, and their interaction with our health services. Providing Safe, Effective and Responsive Care for All is at the heart of everything we do, from the start to end of our patients' journeys. Our benchmarked performance standards are strong in comparison to many national targets and to our peers, giving our committed workforce much to be proud of whilst also indicating where improvements can be made.

Following the announced retirement of our current Chief Executive, we are seeking an inspiring, collaborative and visible leader. Working with our new Chair and our Board, this role carries responsibility for the overall management of the Trust, its service provision, financial sustainability, and fulfilment of statutory duties. You will put in place healthcare strategies that meet the needs of our patients, and you will contribute to the region's strategic planning.

We are an ambitious and caring Trust and our journey ahead is one of transformation, so your leadership skills will need to be exemplary. Our highly dispersed workforce will look for a visible role model and a good listener, and we also need a leader with the strategic acumen and influence to play an active regional role, to seize opportunities in the forthcoming NHS 10 Year Plan, to influence national ambulance service policy, and to play a leading role in the Integrated Care System, the Regional Provider Collaborative and the Northern Ambulance Alliance.

With significant board level leadership gained in complex, regulated, and person-centred environments, you need to be comfortable operating at scale, supported by experience of delivering transformation whilst delivering against targets with constrained resources. Establishing credibility with a wide and diverse range of stakeholders and influencing broadly with regional and national partners will be essential to the role as you seek to create opportunities for the ambulance sector across the system. We therefore will be looking for someone with excellent communication skills. Your strong focus on equality, diversity and inclusion will be critical, and you will hold the interests of patients and the wellbeing of our staff and communities at the heart of your leadership.

We are committed to, and actively promote, equality of opportunity. Applications from individuals from all areas of the community who meet the specific criteria are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage/civil partnerships. We want to reflect the diversity of the population we serve, and we welcome all applications, especially from under-represented groups, including people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities.

Please click 'Apply' to visit our microsite and read more about NEAS and our journey, the demands of the role, and the recruitment process. For a confidential discussion about this role, please contact Will McAlpine, Niamh Blair, or Robin Staveley of GatenbySanderson via

Closing date for applications: 9am Monday 3 February

Preliminary interviews with GS w/c 10 February

Final interviews: 13 March 2024 (Stakeholder Panels) 14 March 2024 (Final Panel)