Deputy Chief Executive




Medway NHS Foundation Trust



Medway NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an outstanding Deputy Chief Executive to join a newly formed Executive Team and help lead the next phase of the Trust's development. Serving a population of more than 500,000 people across Medway and Swale, the Trust plays a vital role within the Kent and Medway health and care system.



As Deputy to the Chief Executive, you will provide leadership across strategy, planning, transformation, improvement, digital, analytics and system partnerships. Working closely with executive and clinical colleagues, you will help ensure that strategic ambitions are translated into practical improvements for patients, staff and local communities.



This is an opportunity to join the organisation at an important point in its journey. A refreshed Executive Team is focused on strengthening organisational culture, improving performance, building improvement capability and creating the foundations for sustainable long-term success. The Deputy Chief Executive will play a central role in shaping and delivering that agenda.



We are looking for a credible, values-led leader with Board-level experience, a strong track record of leading organisational improvement and transformation, and the ability to build effective relationships across complex organisations and partnerships.



For an ambitious leader who wants to make a significant contribution to a major NHS organisation, this is an excellent opportunity to help shape the future of services for the communities of Medway and Swale.



For an informal conversation after reviewing the candidate information please contact our recruitment partners at GatenbySanderson.



Lucy Deane, Research Associate



E: lucy.deane@gatenbysanderson.com



T: +44 (0) 7825 990 792



Melanie Shearer, Partner



E: melanie.shearer@gatenbysanderson.com



T: +44 (0) 7785 616 548



Julia St Clare, Senior Consultant



E: julia.stclare@gatenbysanderson.com



T: +44 (0) 7807 631 564



To view the job description and person specification, please scroll to the bottom of the page, tick to agree to the privacy policy, then click 'Continue to full details'.




Documents

Fit and Proper Person Declaration - New.docx

Recruitment Timetable



Closing date

9am Thursday 29th October 2026



Preliminary interviews

w/c 2nd November 2026



Final Panel Interview

Wednesday 18th November 2026




How to Apply

• Please submit an up to date copy of your CV, along with a Supporting Statement that addresses the criteria set out in the person specification, using examples to demonstrate how you meet the essential requirements.


• A completed fit and proper person form - the template can be downloaded from the same place as the job description.


• Detail any employment or education gaps.


• You should provide the names, positions, organisations, and contact details for your referees, which must be your line managers and include your current and most recent employer. The referees should cover at least two roles as the minimum. Please note, should you be appointed, you will be required to provide references covering your last 6 years of employment as per the new NHS Fit and Proper Person regulations. Where there have been gaps in employment, this six year period will be extended accordingly. Referees will only be contacted for those proceeding to the final stage - we will always gain your permission before we contact referees.


• Let us know any difficulty you may have with the indicative timetable.


• Check that your contact details are correct before you submit.

Once you have submitted your application, you will receive an automated email to confirm that you have applied. If you do not receive this email, please make contact with GatenbySanderson.