Director of Strategy and PartnershipsNHS

Job summary

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 8,000 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.

As the NHS continues to evolve, the Trust is seeking an exceptional strategic leader to help position NWAS for the future, strengthening partnerships, driving change and ensuring it remains a leading voice across health and care systems.

Main duties of the job

As Director of Strategy & Partnerships, you will be a key member of the senior leadership team and a non-voting Board Director, helping to shape the future direction, performance and governance of the Trust. You will lead the development and delivery of the Trust's strategic direction, ensuring NWAS remains at the forefront of integrated urgent and emergency care while strengthening its influence across local, regional and national partnerships. By aligning the Trust's ambitions with system priorities, you will position NWAS as an influential partner in shaping the future of integrated urgent and emergency care and make a tangible impact on the health and wellbeing of the communities it serves.

You will be an engaging, visible and collaborative strategic leader with a strong track record of shaping strategy, leading change and improving services within a large, complex organisation. Operating at Board level, you will combine sound governance and assurance expertise with the practical ability to turn vision into delivery, working through others and in partnership with staff, patients and stakeholders. With the credibility, resilience and influence to build trusted relationships across organisational boundaries, you will unite people around a shared vision and deliver meaningful, measurable change.

Job description

To learn more about us and this exceptional role, please visit our dedicated microsite by clicking Director of Strategy and Partnership - Apply Here or for a confidential discussion, and details of how to apply, please contact our search partners Will McAlpine on [email protected] or Emily Smith on [email protected] at GatenbySanderson.

Preliminary interviews are to take place on w/c 16th & 23rd November 2026, with final panel on Monday Monday 14th December 2026

About us

NWAS is an inclusive, compassionate organisation committed to working together, being at its best and making a difference to patients, staff and communities. We actively welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds and are committed to building a diverse leadership team that reflects the communities we serve.