Chief Executive

Chief Executive - 2 locations available

Salary:220,000
Closing date: Friday 15 May2026 at 12:00 noon

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) playsa central rolein Englands health and social care system. As the independent regulator, we ensure services are safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well-led, shaping standards that affect millions and influencing public confidence, service improvement, and peoples experiences at critical moments.

The organisation faces complex challenges. Weoperateunder intense scrutiny, navigating public and political expectations, workforce pressures, and an evolving care system. While we have not always met expectations, over the past year we have taken decisive steps: strengthening inspection and regulatory frameworks, investing in data and technology, and building a confident, professional workforce. Momentum is growing, but the next phase requires leadership in rebuilding operational strength around our core functions, while fostering innovation for the future.

We are now seeking an exceptional Chief Executive to lead the CQC through this next chapter. This is an opportunity to provide stability to a critical organisation, and to shape the future of health and care regulation in England, restoring confidence, sharpeningimpactand ensuring the regulator is strong,trustedand forward-looking. As Chief Executive, you will lead an organisation of around 3,300 people, a 300m budget and an influential national mandate. Working closely with the Chair and Board, you will set a clear strategic direction and translate ambition into delivery through strengthening consistency and timeliness, embedding intelligence-led regulation, driving quality improvement, and ensuring that CQCs voice is authoritative,independentand focused relentlessly on peoples experiences and outcomes.

You will bring a strongtrack recordof leading complex organisations through change, ofoperatingconfidently under scrutiny, and of building trust with Ministers, senior stakeholders,providersand the public. You will be politically astute, able to combine operational grip with empathy, and confident enough to takedifficult decisionsin the public interest.Above all, youwill be motivated by purpose and by the opportunity to protect people, raise standards and make a tangible difference at national scale.

This is one of the most important leadership roles in the health and care system today. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive leadership and welcome applications from candidates who bring different perspectives,experiencesand backgrounds.

Closing date for applications:
Applicationsmustbe received bynoon on Friday 15 May2026.

How to apply:
Please donot apply via this website.
CQC has engagedSaxtonBampfyldeLtd as our employment agency advisor to supportmanagement of this appointment.For further information about the role,including details about how to apply, pleaseclickhereoralternativelyvisit roles.saxbam.com using referenceACQD.
If yourequirefurthersupport, pleaseemailBelinda.beck@saxbam.com