Contents
Overview
Applications for the Aspiring Chair Talent Programme open on Monday, December 15.
To be eligible for the next cohort of this programme you will be a non-executive director (NED) currently working in an NHS provider organisation or a retiring/recently retired NHS executive or chief executive officer. You will need to be nominated for the programme by your chair.
If you have not been nominated by your chair and wish to be considered, please discuss this opportunity with the chair. If for any reason you are not able to approach your chair directly and wish to discuss this with one of the programme team please email [email protected].
Our Aspiring Chair Talent programme has been designed to deliver an exceptional development programme to prepare you for your first chair role within a provider organisation. The programme is suitable for participants who demonstrate their readiness to become a chair within a maximum of 12 to 18 months of commencing the programme.
This is a challenging 12-month programme that requires commitment from you and your sponsoring trust/organisation. There is no guarantee of a chair post at the end of it, but the benefits of the programme are that you will be provided with development and direct support which prepares you for the chair role and future recruitment processes.
What is covered
For this cohort commencing in May 2026, you will be operating either in a NED role or be a recently retired or soon to retire NHS chief executive. The focus will be to support participant to transition into the chair role and you will leave the programme with a clear understanding of the chair’s role, responsibilities and how to be successful.
The programme aligns to the expected chair competencies within the NHS Leadership Competency Framework which shape all content delivery and the overarching learning objectives. These are to develop leadership that:
- is competent to chair a complex organisation and is willing and able to collaborate with other system partners
- puts local populations, patients, service users and carers at the centre
- creates the right conditions for all staff to do their best work for those in their care
- reduces inequalities and improves inclusion for all staff and service users, whatever their background
Who is it for?
We welcome nominations from existing chairs for applicants who have the aspiration and competency to move into the chair role in the next 12 to 18 months. To be nominated you should demonstrate the skills, experience and qualities required to be credible candidate for undertaking future chair roles. Participants will be close to readiness for the chair role and will benefit from learning more about the transition from NED or CEO to chair and the associated responsibilities of the chair whilst supporting the board in providing NHS services and achieving organisational collaboration across systems.
Why should I join the programme?
- to develop a strong and sustaining network of colleagues aspiring to chair roles and to receive mentorship from experienced chairs
- to develop clear understanding of responsibilities and effective transition into the chair role, including chairing boards which are tackling significant demand, productivity, systems working and improvement challenges
- to develop critical awareness of your personal approach to leadership: style, impact, behaviours, attitudes, readiness for change, biases, blind spots and attitude to diversity
- to understand your role in creating a productive and inclusive culture for staff, irrespective of their background
The eligibility criteria for this development programme is based on the requirements of the role and the NHS Leadership Competency Framework. Nominees are not expected to meet all areas of the eligibility criteria, rather it is intended as a guide to support applicants in assessing their readiness and suitability for this programme alongside identified development areas.
We will be recruiting for one cohort to commence on May 19, 2026 with up to 40 places. Applications are open from December 15 to midday on January 23, 2026. Interviews and assessments will take place via MS Teams between March 2 and March 12, 2026.
Before applying for this programme, you must be able to attend the first residential workshops which are to be held over 3 days on May 19, 20, 21 2026, in London or Leeds with 2 overnight stays funded by the programme. Further workshops will also require travel and overnight stays during the 12-month programme. Please note travel to workshops is not funded by the programme and should be discussed with your hosting organisation or self-funded.
If you are nominated, you will be sent a link to an application form by the programme team.