Job Advert
Flexible Location: NES is a remote-friendly employer with staff based throughout Scotland. We support office-based and hybrid working arrangements. We welcome conversations about alternative working patterns—please get in touch during the application process to discuss.
Work Pattern: Permanent, Full Time, 37 hours per week
You must have eligibility and entitlement to work in the UK which is required to be maintained throughout your period of employment.
Who We Are
NHS Education for Scotland (NES) is the national health board with statutory responsibilities to effect sustainable change through workforce development, education and training across the health and social care system in Scotland, while working at UK level with partner organisations.
The role of the People and Culture Directorate is wide-ranging and exciting. We not only enable NES to attract, recruit, support, train, develop, reward and recognise its own workforce, but also play a significant role in employing doctors and dentists in training across Scotland. Furthermore, we support recruitment of medical and dental trainees and other vocational groups for the whole of Scotland's health sector. We support the management of change, providing organisational consultancy. We also play an active part in the organisation’s commitment to fulfilling its equality and diversity responsibilities, not just to its own staff but throughout all the activities of the organisation.
Nationally the People and Culture Directorate acts as a key strategic partner to Scottish Government in the delivery of national talent, leadership and management, quality improvement, and learning and development ambitions. We also provide information, advice, educational solutions and support to the wider NHS through links with Health Boards, care providers and the Scottish Government. This post is within one of our national programmes of work, Leading to Change.
Leading to Change was initiated by the Health Workforce Directorate of the Scottish Government. The programme sets out an ambition to develop leadership capability at all levels in the workforce and create leaders who are inspirational and empowering, inclusive, promote well-being and understand that people are the most significant asset for creating positive change.
https://www.nes.scot.nhs.uk/our-work/leading-to-change/
One of the key drivers of this work is the need to create a diverse, inclusive and values driven workforce that reflects the diversity in Scotland’s communities – including socio-economic, ethnicity, gender and disability. This role will act as a subject matter expert in the leadership development and talent management field leading various high-profile interventions that will support the development of leadership at all levels.
The Opportunity
This role is an exciting opportunity to lead the delivery of the leadership development and talent management activities within the Leading to Change team. The team is tasked with delivering national leadership development programmes and resources to support Scotland's health and social care workforce.
We are looking for a Senior Specialist Lead to join our talented team to build on work undertaken to date and continue to design, develop, deliver and evaluate leadership development programmes and interventions with a focus on cultural change. This will require building on already established and effective relationships with Scottish Government and stakeholders across the wider health and social care system.
Do you want to help develop our leaders at all levels, and improve the everyday lives of health and social care colleagues as well as people who use services?
Do you enjoy rising to the challenge in a fast paced, complex and political environment?
Do you want to play a key role in changing the way we think about the health and social care workforce and the care and service it provides?
Do you want to use your knowledge, skills and experience to lead the development of a range of leadership and talent management interventions for the health and social care workforce?
Do you want to deliver and evaluate the effectiveness of different leadership and talent management activities for the health and social care workforce?
Working within the Leading for Change Team, you will have the opportunity to bring your skills and experience to the table, collaborating with senior stakeholders across the system to effect real change.
Does this sound like you?
What We Love to See
The Senior Specialist Lead role in the Leading to Change team requires someone who can offer a broad range of skills and experience, if you can offer some or all of these, we’d love you to apply:
Proven experience leading and delivering complex leadership development and talent management programmes.
A clear understanding of the workforce and leadership challenges facing health and social care and how leadership development and talent management interventions can support these.
Highly experienced in working successfully across complex health and social care environments with multiple stakeholders.
A deep understanding of contemporary leadership development and talent management approaches.
Highly effective communicator with the ability to make complex, technical information and language engaging for diverse stakeholders.
Expertise in improvement methodologies including impact and effectiveness reporting.
Demonstrate honesty, integrity, care and compassion when dealing with others, utilising tact and persuasion skills when necessary
Ability to work on own initiative, to organise and prioritise own workloads, to meet strict deadlines
Benefits Which Matter
As a valued employee of NHS Scotland, you can enjoy an extensive range of benefits including:
Life-work balance - with opportunities for flexible working and hybrid working
Generous NHS pension scheme
Annual incremental salary progression (up to the maximum of the salary band) plus annual NHS salary scale review
Annual Leave - 27 Days increasing in line with service plus 8 days public holiday
NHS discounts and more
Diversity and Inclusion
Developing a successful national service for Scotland is impossible without ensuring we consider the diverse needs, perspectives and backgrounds of everyone in Scotland in our work.
We are focused on hiring the very best talent available for NES, and actively encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds and aim to ensure everyone is treated fairly, with respect and has a positive recruitment experience – regardless of the outcome.
It’s not essential to be in a Senior Specialist Lead role right now. You may be returning from a career break (e.g. maternity, paternity, caring for others) or returning after working in another field. Your experiences elsewhere can bring a fresh perspective to our work.
If you are considering applying and feel it would be helpful to discuss this initially, please contact Jess Elsey, Head of Programme, Leading to Change at jess.elsey@nhs.scot
Next Steps
Our recruitment process is currently 100% remote and if successful you would initially work remotely, working from our offices as operationally required.
All applicants who are shortlisted for interview will be contacted by e-mail.
Online interviews (including a presentation) will take place on Thursday 13 November 2025. The presentation topic will be sent to candidates selected for interview.
For further information please refer to the Job Information Pack below.
Unless otherwise stated the deadline for applications is 23:59 hours on the closing date. Please note, CVs will not be accepted.
If you have any queries regarding the NHS Scotland National Recruitment Portal or the recruitment process, please don't hesitate to contact our recruitment partners, the East Region Recruitment Service, at: EoS.ERRS@nhs.scot