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: Permanent, Full Time 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 Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professionals (NMAHP) Directorate works to support the education, training and continuing professional development of nurses, midwives, allied health professionals, health and social care chaplains and healthcare support workers. The Directorate is also responsible for providing education, training and workforce development across wider professional groups and disciplines, often in partnership with other agencies, to support key policy drivers.
The core function of the NMAHP Directorate is to design, deliver and support high quality education, training and workforce development for nurses, midwives, allied health professionals, healthcare chaplains and support workers. We also work across wider professional groups and disciplines, often in partnership with other organisations and agencies, to support key policy imperatives for Health and Social Care. Our goal is to ensure we have a skilled, confident and capable health and social care workforce to improve outcomes for the people of Scotland.
The NMAHP Directorate is made up of the following programmes of work:
Workforce Education and Career Development
Practice Education and Pre-registration
Public Health
Women, Children, Young People and Families
Mental Health and Wellbeing
The Opportunity
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Associate Director post within the Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions Directorate. The purpose of the role is to provide leadership and direction to a substantial portfolio within the Directorate including specific national responsibility for education and development of the NMAHP workforce in Scotland.
The post holder will work closely with NMAHP colleagues, including our other Associate Directors with professional leadership for Nurses, Midwives, and AHPs in collaboration with the Executive Director of NMAHP, the NES Executive Team and with Scottish Government, NHS Scotland, Scotland’s Universities and Colleges, professional regulators and health and social care sectors across Scotland to provide strategic leadership for education for the health and care workforce in Scotland.
The post holder will hold current registration with either the Nursing and Midwifery Council or the Health and Care Professions Council and will have substantial post-registration experience and personal credibility in professional education and clinical practice. Educationally, you will demonstrate the equivalent experience of being educated to Doctoral level or hold a Doctorate.
First rate communication, interpersonal and relationship building skills will be key to your success. Combined with considerable strategic leadership, change management experience and robust knowledge of professional education, you will possess excellent analytical and negotiation skills and have the ability to influence at the highest level. Flexibility, diplomacy and a commitment to inclusion will inform all that you do.
Do you want to play a key strategic role in contributing to NES’ ambitions to continue to respond to changing circumstances and opportunities across the health, care and education sectors.?
Do you want to provide strategic leadership for education for the health and care workforce in Scotland and represent NES at national and UK wide professional and government forums?
Do you have a clear understanding of, and want to contribute to Scotland’s health and social care policy landscape?
Do you have the ability to think strategically, influence, negotiate and work in partnership with others demonstrating visible and dynamic leadership?
Working within the NMAHP Directorate will give you the opportunity to support better rights based quality care and outcomes for every person in Scotland through a skilled, capable, and resilient health and social care workforce.
Does this sound like you?
What We Love to See
Associate Director roles need to offer a broad range of skills and experience, if you can offer some or all of these, we’d love you to apply:
The skills necessary to develop and utilise an extensive and complex professional network of contacts and relationships with government agencies, funding bodies, professional regulatory bodies, other education providers and the health and care service.
A proven and demonstrable ability to function and support others within the context of a rapidly changing environment.
Ability to work at a strategic level across the directorate and organisation as well as with external partners such as Scottish Government, health and care, education partners, and other national bodies including other Boards, social care providers and wider public sector.
Ability to think creatively, analyse information, understand and present complex arguments, make judgements and reconcile competing demands.
Excellent communication, negotiation, organisational, management and leadership skills, along with an excellent understanding of policy, practice, education and professional structures and processes, including regulatory and other professional standards.
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 an Associate Director 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 karen.wilson@nhs.scot or maria.pollard@nhs.scot
Next Steps
All applicants who are shortlisted for interview will be contacted by e-mail.
In person interviews (including a presentation) will take place on 26th March 2025. The presentation topic will be sent to candidates selected for interview.
If successful you would initially work remotely, working from our offices as operationally required.
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