Job Advert
Flexible Location: Based throughout Scotland, NES is a remote friendly employer supporting office and hybrid working. We’re happy to talk about how you want to work.
Work Pattern: Fixed term, Part Time, 22.5 hours per week (22 hours 30 minutes)
Fixed term or Secondment** until 30 September 2025
**For NHS applicants, an NHS secondment will be offered in the first instance. For non-NHS applicants, a fixed-term or secondment would be considered.
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.
We are leaders in remote, rural and island healthcare educational design, delivery and quality assurance and provide wide-ranging support for workforce development. We support national workforce planning and develop digital technologies that support innovation and transformation.
Our purpose is to drive change and improve the quality of care experienced by citizens across Scotland by ensuring that we have the right staff, with the right skills, in the right place, at the right time. NES is integral to improving outcomes for people and in ensuring a skilled and capable workforce underpins the design and delivery of services. As an organisation, we recognise the significant contribution we can make to improving population health, reducing inequalities and economic development.
The Opportunity
We are looking for a Programme Officer to join our highly talented and growing team to help address some of the challenges within remote & rural communities.
The National Centre (The Centre) for Remote and Rural Health and Care was established by NES on behalf of the Scottish Government in 2023. As a valued member of our team, you will support the delivery of improved care for remote, rural and island communities across Scotland and reduce remote, rural and island health and wellbeing inequalities through focused work to improve the sustainability, capacity, and capability of remote, rural and island primary care and community-based workforce and service delivery.
As a Programme Officer you will:
- Provide project support for the design, delivery and evaluation of remote and rural primary health and care research, training, education, recruitment, leadership and good practice
- Provide programme support to leads who are consulting and collaborating with a wide range stakeholders, both nationally and internationally
- Provide administrative support to relevant project/programmes/events, conferences, seminars, and steering group/stakeholder meetings
- Utilise the latest digital technologies and innovation in ways which will support the wellbeing and sustainability of remote and rural communities
- Support with gathering research information from a wide range of sources
- Contribute to operational plans in line with NES Strategy, utilising National Policy documents, formulating and adjusting plans and liaising with key stakeholders throughout Scotland, as necessary
Do you enjoy working with a wide range of stakeholders and across a multidisciplinary team?
Do you enjoy making a difference, influencing improved ways of working, and sharing innovative ideas?
Do you enjoy working at pace and being adaptive to an ever-changing environment?
Do you enjoy problem solving and collaborating with others?
Do you want to support colleagues in the National Centre for Health & Care and across the organisation, sharing information and expertise, where appropriate, and offering advice and support?
Does this sound like you?
What We Love to See
Programme Officers offer a broad range of skills and experience, if you can offer some or all of these, we’d love you to apply:
- Highly experienced within in a project/programme support role, or equivalent, including creating project plans and coordinating completion of tasks
- Ability to confidently lead conversations to understand needs and take a proactive approach to planning and prioritising workload whilst maintaining project documentation
- Experience/understanding of the external NHS policy issues and priorities
- Experience of supporting the planning, developing and delivering research & evaluation programmes
- Ability to communicate clearly, effectively and confidently at all levels
- Experience of creating reports and project documents related to progress, risks, issues, and governance
- Ability to work on own initiative, to organise and prioritise own workloads and that of others, and to meet strict deadlines
- Line management and coaching/mentoring experience
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 Programme Officer 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, Professor Sarah-Anne Munoz, Head of Programme for Rural and Remote Research and Evaluation, sarah-anne.munoz@nhs.scot
Next Steps
**NHS candidates will be considered firstly on a secondment basis, and so are strongly encouraged to discuss this with their current NHS employer at the earliest opportunity, ideally prior to application.
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 Monday 12 August 2024. 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