Job Advert
Flexible Location: Based throughout Scotland, NES is a remote friendly employer supporting office, remote and hybrid working (within the UK).
Work Pattern: Permanent, Full Time, 37.5 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.
NHS Scotland Academy, Learning and Innovation is a recently formed (2023) directorate within NES to support the development of learning and innovation within the organisation which will have system-wide impact on the development of the health and social care workforce. Uniquely, the Director works across the executive teams of two national health boards: NES and NHS Golden Jubilee to lead the development, implementation, and ongoing management of NHS Scotland Academy.
The Opportunity
We are looking for a Principal Educator (Learning and Education Quality) to join our small, but highly talented, innovative, and growing team.
NES is currently developing a new Learning and Education Strategy and, at the same time, has committed to a process of transformation across the organisation. To deliver on our strategy and our transformation journey, a priority is the development and implementation of an integrated and holistic approach to quality across the diverse range of learning and education we offer and support. This will build on the excellent practice that already exists across the organisation. Our new approach will underpin our ambition to become an SCQF Credit Rating Body, drive greater organisational learning and allow us to effectively support our learners and educators to deliver for the health and social care workforce. In turn, this will have have a positive impact on health and social care delivery and health and wellbeing outcomes.
This is a complex, exciting and transformational programme of work requiring strong skills in relationship building and partnership working. You’ll need technical knowledge and skills, but equally important will be the ability to link these to the overarching strategic objectives of the organisation, the needs of learners and stakeholders and the challenges across health and social care. It’s not just about regulation or compliance – it’s about giving our learners, educators and partners the tools, skills and information they need to deliver impact and value for the people of Scotland.
As Principal Educator (Learning and Education Quality) you will:
Provide leadership and direction, working collaboratively with colleagues at all levels and liaising with stakeholders internally and externally. Initially, your focus will be on collaborative leadership of our Learning and Education Quality Systems (LEQS) Project – one of our major corporate improvement projects
As part of our LEQS Project, provide expertise, capacity, and support alignment across interconnected workstreams covering all aspects of NES’s approach to learning and education quality. You’ll work flexibly with executive level Senior Responsible Officers, the Project Lead, Programme Manager (and PMO colleagues) and Worksteam Leads to deliver the project’s benefits
Drive and support adoption and implementation of our new corporate approach to learning and education quality, with ongoing responsibility for operational leadership and the regular review of relevant policies and business processes across NES thereafter
Lead, on an ongoing basis, a critical part of the new Directorate’s responsibilities, working collaboratively and collegiately with others in the team to develop alignment across other Directorate functions and programmes of work
Do you want to work collaboratively with talented colleagues across a diverse organisation to build solutions to complex and shared challenges?
Do you enjoy building relationships and a shared vision for the future in order to support change and innovation?
Do you thrive working in high calibre and multi-disciplinary project teams?
Do you enjoy the challenge of translating technical information into accessible and empowering messages, linking these to organisational strategy and wider public policy?
Do you want to play a key role in enhancing the learning experiences of health and care staff and supporting educators?
Do you enjoy working at pace and being adaptive in an ever-changing environment?
Working within the NHS Scotland Academy, Learning and Innovation team you will have the opportunity to bring your unique skills and experience to the table, collaborating across multiple workstreams to effect real change within NES, and further afield.
Does this sound like you?
What We Love to See
Principal Educators offer a broad range of skills and experience, if you can offer some or all of these, we would love you to apply:
Knowledge and understanding of the key factors and practices essential to high-quality learning and education and how these are effectively embedded and continually enhanced within a learning organisation
Experience in the development, implementation and evaluation of organisational policies, business/management processes and systems to support strategic organisational or programme objectives
A track record of collaborating, influencing and building key networks and strategic alliances across a complex system of stakeholders (internal and external) in public or private sector
Leadership experience with proven ability to deliver corporate programmes and projects while engaging credibly with a range of stakeholders to influence policy and delivery.
Mentoring and line management experience
Ability to work on own initiative, to organise and prioritise own workloads and that of others, and 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 remote 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 Principal Educator 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 Ryan Reed, Head of Programme: Learning Strategy and Collaboration (NHS Academy, Learning & Innovation) via ryan.reed@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 27th October 2023. 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, CV’s will not be accepted.
You must have eligibility and entitlement to work in the UK which is required to be maintained throughout your period of employment. Evidence of this must be produced upon request.
We actively encourage applicants from a range of backgrounds, regardless of gender, age, disability, race, sexual orientation, religion or belief. https://www.careers.nhs.scot/about/who-we-are/
If you have any queries regarding the application portal or the recruitment process, please contact us at: NES HR Recruitment: EoS.ERRS@nhs.scot