South West Yorkshire Partnership Teaching NHS FT - Chair

Closing Date: 9am on 17th April 2026

About the Organisation

South West Yorkshire Partnership Teaching NHS Foundation Trust is here to help people reach their potential and live well in their communities by providing high-quality care in the right place at the right time. Their compassionate, dedicated and enthusiastic staff are committed to living their values every day in providing a range of, mental health, learning disability and autism services to more than 1.22 million people across Barnsley, Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield and community health services in Barnsley. They are also the largest provider of adult secure services in Yorkshire.

The current Chair, Marie Burnham, is stepping down after five successful years in the role and they are seeking an exceptional new Chair to lead their ambitious board and Members’ Council through the next period of transformation as they align their aims to ‘Fit for the Future: the 10 year health plan for the NHS in England’. This is a rare opportunity to lead a high performing board, influence the Trust’s future direction, support their continuous development and champion their critical services as a key partner during a period of system reform.

About the role

They are seeking a strategic, inclusive, and values driven leader with a strong track record of board level experience in complex, regulated, and people centred environments. Approachable and collaborative, you will bring a deep commitment to good governance and improving the lives of people who need and access our services.  Comfortable operating in a complex stakeholder environment, you will quickly build constructive relationships their wider health and care system.  As Chair you will role model their open, learning culture where colleagues feel safe, empowered to speak up, and supported to drive continuous improvement

To apply

If you are inspired by this exceptional opportunity to lead their board and Members’ Council, they would be delighted to hear from you. Find full details on their recruitment microsite via Apply.

For a confidential conversation, please contact the recruitment partners at GatenbySanderson:

Helen Barkham – helen.barkham@gatenbysanderson.com 

Emily Smith – emily.smith@gatenbysanderson.com 

Emma Pickup – emma.pickup@gatenbysanderson.com 

You must live within the regions of Yorkshire, the Humber, Cumbria, Durham, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire or Lincolnshire and they welcome applications from all aspects of society, including people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communitites, and LGBT+ communities, people with disabilities, younger people, service users and carers.

Timetable

Closing date: 9am Friday 17^th April

Final interviews and stakeholder engagement: Tuesday 12^th May

Other Information

Remuneration: Up to £50,000 per annum for a

Time commitment of: 2.5 to 3.5 days per week

Location: West Yorkshire