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, Full Time, 37 hours per week (2 Posts)
Fixed-term or Secondment** until 31st March 2026
**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.
NES Technology Service (NTS) has created a strategic programme for the transformation of digital based services to allow NES to become a leading digital organisation in Scottish Health, digital by default and fully aligned with the Scottish Government’s technology strategies.
Our Technology
We are in the business of providing safe, secure and innovative technology products and services that aim to improve outcomes across education, training, workforce, health and care in the public sector in Scotland. Using modern cloud-based technology we deliver sustainable products and services for the future.
The Opportunity
To ensure we deliver quality products and services, NES Technology Service is seeking to recruit 2 highly motivated and experienced Principal Leads for Test, to further develop the testing service within our Health & Social Care & National Digital Platform domains.
These new roles within the Product & Delivery business unit of the NES Technology Service will work closely with the Head of Testing to shape the vision and strategic evolution of testing, and act as an ambassador for testing and quality with the assigned domain and wider programmes of work they support.
The postholder will collaborate with senior leaders, stakeholders and third parties to drive transformation at the domain and wider programme level, with a focus on testing and quality. Being and integral part of testing team, you will support the Head of Testing to drive cultural and procedural change, embedding a focus on quality in everything we do. With a strong test management background, you will primarily focus on embedding testing best practices and methods within your domain, ensuring we have the right mix of skills and experience to enable the delivery of high quality, impactful technology solutions.
In addition to extensive testing experience, as the Principal Lead for test you will have exceptional leadership qualities, building excellent working relationships across teams and delivery partners. Leadership at all levels is an integral part of a team’s success and you will foster a culture of team work, assertiveness, clear communication and ensure the team are delivering a high quality testing service.
Do you want to play a key leadership role in the development of high quality, robust digital technology solutions that will directly improve the working lives of Healthcare colleagues and help improve health and care for the people of Scotland?
Do you enjoy collaborating and problem solving with a wide range of stakeholders and delivery teams, to ensure you are delivering maximum value and continually improving our testing process and products in line with our changing landscape?
Do you want to play a key role in developing, motivating and coaching a successful team of testers ?
Do you enjoy working at pace and being adaptive to an ever-changing environment?
Working within the Product & Delivery Business Unit (Test Team) you will have the opportunity to shape and lead the development of a robust testing strategy for the domain which includes several product teams and programmes of work. The strategy is integral to the success of our delivery of high-quality products and will support the development of digital services for health and care professionals and the general public.
Does this sound like you?
What We Love to See
Principal Leads offer a broad range of skills and experience, if you can offer some or all of these, we’d love you to apply:
- Significant experience of simultaneously managing multiple workstreams in the delivery of high-quality testing services.
- The ability to work at a senior level with a range of stakeholders, customers and delivery partners to jointly and successfully plan, manage and execute a variety of testing phases including User Acceptance and Integration testing.
- Proven experience of building and embedding a testing service, with the aim of improving quality through the promotion of a shift left approach.
- A passion for team development, including the ability to foster a learning and coaching culture
- A delivery focussed mindset and highly experienced in working with other senior leaders to develop resourcing plans, identify testing needs and skills to support timely delivery of our products.
- 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 Principal 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 Amanda Murphy, Head of Testing - Product & Delivery, Amanda.murphy@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 between 18th and 21st November 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