Vacancy -- Non-Executive Director (University) - Public Health Wales

Vacancy details

Public Health Wales NHS Trust
Pan-Wales
£9360 per annum
4
month

Function of body


Public Health Wales is the National Public Health Institute in Wales. Its vision is Working to achieve a healthier future for Wales and, in delivering this vision, it plays a pivotal role in driving improvements in population health and wellbeing, reducing health inequalities, improving healthcare outcomes, protecting the public and supporting the development of health in all policies across Wales.


The organisation works closely with communities, NHS organisations, local authorities, ministers and officials and a wide range of partners including the voluntary sector, housing, education and the police and criminal justice system. It also has an increasing role in supporting public health internationally as a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre and through its many relationships with international partners including the International Association of National Public Health Institutes.


 


It is an exciting time for public health in Wales with an innovative and progressive policy and legislative context that firmly places health, well-being and sustainability at the forefront of public services in Wales. Three significant drivers for this are the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act, the Programme for Government: Prosperity for All the national strategy and A Healthier Wales: our plan for health and social care.


 


Our focus is very clear. In order to achieve improvements in health and well-being at scale and pace and reduce health inequalities in Wales, we will need to focus on what works, support our own national and local Public Health Wales people in thinking, engaging and working with partners differently and manage and deliver change well. We also need to support our partners including communities, workplaces, the NHS, local authorities, the third sector, police, fire and rescue and housing agencies in becoming public health advocates and champions within and across communities. Additionally, there is a need to modernise how we, and the wider public health system, engages, interacts and communicates with the general public and communities.


 


We have established a number of key strategic partnerships and collaborations to drive improvements in health, well-being and sustainability across Wales – with a particular focus on building resilience and the wider determinants. These include CymruWellWales a cross sector strategic partnership leading for Wales on the first 1000 Days and the Wales Adverse Childhood Experience (ACEs) Support Hub, the Early Action Together national programme with Public Health Wales and the police and criminal justice system to embed a public health approach to policing in Wales and a strategic Health and Housing Partnership for Wales.


The key roles that the Board discharges within the organisation are:

 

  • formulating strategy and setting the direction of the organisation

  • ensuring accountability by holding the Executive to account for the delivery of the strategy and through seeking assurance that the systems of control are robust and reliable

  • setting the risk appetite for the organisation, determining the key strategic risks and overseeing the management and mitigation of those risks

  • shaping a healthy tone and culture for the Board and the organisation.

 

 

The role of a Board member focuses on four key areas:

 

  • Strategy: to contribute to strategic development and decision-making

  • Performance: to ensure that effective leadership and management arrangements are in place discharged through an effective Executive Team. To hold the Executive to account for its performance in meeting agreed goals and objectives through purposeful challenge and scrutiny, and to monitor the reporting of performance

  • Financial and risk management: to ensure that financial information is accurate and that financial controls and systems of risk management and assurance are robust and defensible. To ensure that all strategic risks are identified, managed and mitigated appropriately.

  • Behaviours: to live the values of the organisation, comply with the highest ethical standards of integrity and probity and comply fully with the Code of Conduct. Board members should demonstrate through their behaviour that they are focusing on their responsibilities to citizens, our staff and our stakeholders.


Role description


This is an exciting time for Public health Wales as we embark on a new Long Term Strategy and is a great opportunity to use your skills and experience to make a contribution to our vision ‘Working to achieve a healthier future for Wales’.


 


Role and responsibilities


 


Non-executive Directors will among other things:


 


  • Discharge effective governance of the organisation, in all its integrated forms. You will take an active part in discussions, providing your opinion and challenge, and support to the Board on key issues.

  • Contribute to the development and maintenance of a healthy culture across the organisation’s functions and services.

  • Contribute to the work of the Board based upon your independence, your past experience and knowledge, and your ability to stand back from the day to day operational management.

  • Contribute to and accept corporate decisions to ensure a joined up, robust and transparent decision-making process by the Board.

  • Be expected, in time, to fully understand the business through active involvement to enable the effective performance of the organisation.

  • Work closely with other public, private and voluntary organisations ensuring that the views of patients, carers and families are fully involved in helping to shape, develop and improve services.

  • Analyse and critically review complex information and contribute to sound decision-making.

  • Oversee the effective stewardship of resources, ensuring openness and accountability in the allocation and utilisation of resources.


Welsh language skills

The Welsh Government acknowledges the importance of developing and growing bilingual capabilities in public appointments in Wales, and welcomes applications from candidates who demonstrate their capability to work in both English and Welsh.  The following list of language requirements represents an objective assessment by the recruiting body of the Welsh language skills required to undertake the duties of this particular post.
Desirable

Person specification



You will most likely be, or will have had substantial experience in having worked as, an experienced academic within a population health-related field in a University. Your understanding and appreciation of population health related issues for Wales is essential and if you do not specifically have a directly related population health portfolio, your understanding and commitment to the principles of population health will be key to your ability to fulfil this role.


 


To be considered, you must be able to demonstrate that you have the qualities, skills and experience to meet all the essential criteria for appointment.


 


 


 


 


Role Specific Criteria


 


  • Significant knowledge and understanding of population health related issues in Wales from a University/higher education perspective. Your background / research may be in health generally or in population health specifically;

  • Significant experience in undertaking research, or other relevant work, at a national level to improve outcomes for the population of Wales.

  • Ability to apply your knowledge and understanding of health or population health matters in a national, strategic board environment.


 


Desirable criteria


 

You will have ideally served in a non-executive or trustee role.

Interview dates

2 April 2020
3 April 2020

Closing date

13/02/2020, 16:00

Additional information


For further information regarding the selection process, please contact:


Public Appointments Team Publicappointments@gov.wales


 


For further information regarding the role of Non-executive Directors, please contact:


 


Helen Bushell, Board Secretary and Head of Board Business Unit,


Public Health Wales


Tel: 07711 819665


Email: helen.bushell@wales.nhs.uk


 


For further information about Public Health Wales, you may wish to visit the organisation’s website: http://www.publichealthwales.wales.nhs.uk/


 


If you need any further assistance in applying for this role, please contact the Public Appointments Team on Publicappointments@gov.wales


 


For further information about Public Appointments in Wales, please visit www.gov.wales/publicappointments


How to apply

To apply for this role, click on the ‘Apply’ button below. The first time you apply for a post, you will need to complete a registration form for the Welsh Government’s online application system.  You will only need to register once, and you will be able to keep yourself updated on the progress of your application, and any other applications you make, via your registered account.

Once you’ve registered, you’ll be able to access the application form.  To apply you will need to submit two supporting documents. The first, a document outlining how your knowledge, skills and experiences meet the criteria for the role as outlined in the information for candidates.  This document should be no more than 2 sides of A4.  Your application may be rejected if you exceed this limit.  The second document is a full, up to date CV.  The two documents should be uploaded to the ‘Reasons for applying’ section of the online application form.

In your application, you will also be asked to provide details of any activities which have helped you to develop skills that would be useful in a public appointment role, and list the organisations for which you undertook these activities.  We also need to know about any political activity that you’ve undertaken over the last 5 years. 

It is recommended that you register for an account and access the application form as soon as possible so that you see how the application form is structured, before starting to prepare your evidence.  You don’t have to complete the application form all in one go.  You can save your responses, and log in and out as required, until you’re ready to submit – just follow the guidance in the application form.

If you’d like to apply for this opportunity in Welsh, please use the ‘Newid Iaith / Change Language’ link at the top of this page, to take you to the Welsh version of this advert, from which you can apply in Welsh.

If you need any further assistance in applying for this role, please contact the Welsh Government’s Public Appointments Team on  PublicAppointments@gov.wales.

For further information about Public Appointments in Wales, please visit www.gov.wales/publicappointments

Commissioner for Public Appointments logo

This vacancy is closed to applications.