Executive Director of Quality

Job overview

This vacancy will close at 09:00, Monday 1st September 2025

Rated ‘Good’ by the CQC and Ofsted, North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust provides 24 hour, 365 days a year Urgent and Emergency Care to those in need of immediate medical treatment, and where necessary, transport to the most appropriate receiving hospital/centre. As the geographically largest Ambulance Service in the UK, our 8000 staff and volunteers in over 300 different roles serve a population of more than 7.5 million people across Cumbria, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Cheshire, and part of Derbyshire. Each year we receive approximately 1.4 million 999 calls, respond to just under 1 million emergency incidents, and make more than 1.4 million patient transport journeys for those who require non-emergency transport to and from healthcare appointments. We also deliver the NHS 111 service across the region for people who need medical help or advice, handling around 1.7 million calls every year.

This is an outstanding opportunity to join our Trust as the Executive Director of Quality, a critical member of our leadership team. Reporting directly to our Chief Executive, Salman Desai, you will be at the forefront of ensuring patient safety as the highest priority whilst shaping the future of our Trust. Your strategic leadership will drive excellence across quality, assurance, innovation, and improvement, ensuring that our services are not only safe and effective but also person-centred and equitable.

Main duties of the job

As a member of the Executive Team, you will define and deliver a compelling vision for quality governance, patient safety, and compliance, fostering a culture of continuous learning and transformation. You will be responsible for patient safety and effectiveness, regulatory compliance, and provide professional clinical leadership for the Nursing, Midwifery, and Mental Health workforce. You will lead the development of strategic plans to enhance care pathways, address safety risks, improve service delivery, and embed a robust culture of innovation and improvement.

As an inclusive, creative, and clinically qualified senior leader, you will bring extensive expertise in clinical governance, quality processes, and patient safety. With significant senior leadership experience at or near board level, you will excel at managing change in complex, dynamic, and unionised environments. A skilled communicator and collaborative team player, you will work closely with internal and external stakeholders across the health and care landscape.

The Trust is entering an exciting phase with a recent change in leadership, and the successful candidate will play a pivotal role in shaping a future that places patient safety and quality at the heart of everything we do.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To learn more about us and this exceptional role, please visit our dedicated microsite North West Ambulance Service | or for a confidential discussion, and details of how to apply, please contact our search partners Helen Barkham, Emily Smith, or Emma Pickup at Gatenby Sanderson on 07921 308766, or [email protected]