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
As from 1/4/26, the Agenda for Change full-time working week will be reducing from 37 to 36 hours per week. Part time hours will be reduced pro-rata. However, there will be a corresponding increase in the hourly rate so that pay will not be affected.
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 Medical Directorate is responsible to the NES Board and through the Board to Scottish Government for the commissioning and delivery of postgraduate medical education in Scotland. This training is delivered in general practices and health
boards to standards set by the General Medical Council (GMC). The role of the Directorate is to oversee training, manage the trainee’s progress through the training programme and ensure the training is delivered to GMC standards.
The Opportunity
This is an exciting opportunity to join and provide key leadership within the Medical Directorate of NES. You will lead the Medical Trainer Development Collaborative (TDC), which has responsibility for the development and delivery of training for trainers in both primary and secondary care across a variety of medical roles and practitioners, including provision of some mandatory training.
This role will respond to clinical priorities and provide key leadership for both education design, development, commissioning, delivery and evaluation as well as providing the management of the function as a whole.
This is a senior role with an emphasis on key collaborative and flexible change management skills sitting alongside educational knowledge and applied training delivery skills (both virtual and in person). You will be able to respond to changing environments while focussing on the key workforce education needs.
Reporting to the Principal lead and working closely with the Clinical Lead, you will be responsible for the successful delivery of the full range of functions across the TDC and contributing to the wider delivery for the Medical Directorate in response to the needs of the learning and education delivery for Medical roles.
Do you want to play a key leadership role in enhancing the learning and development of key medical roles including medical trainers, resident doctors in training, Psychiatrists and SAS doctors?
Do you want to work collaboratively with a range of stakeholders across Scotland to play a lead role in supporting national training initiatives that provide education and development opportunities for the workforce?
Do you enjoy building relationships and a shared vision for the future in order to support change and innovation?
Do you thrive in environment responding to that change and evolving needs?
Do you enjoy working at pace and being part of a wider education focussed environment committed to the quality education for the multiprofessional workforce in health and social care?
Working within the NES Medical team you will have the opportunity to bring your unique skills and experience to the table, collaborating across multiple workstreams impacting on the quality of education for the wider workforce
Does this sound like you?
What We Love to See
Senior Managers 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 in the design, development, delivery and evaluation of training and education particularly focussed on medical roles.
· Proven leadership, business management, communication, and negotiation with extensive experience in managing people, plans, budgets, deliverables and performance, at a senior management level.
· Significant experience of leading teams and managing a function with a critical delivery output.
· Resilience in the management of change for self and others.
· Excellent communication, interpersonal, negotiating, influencing and facilitation skills at a senior level with evidenced experience of collaborative working across multiple stakeholders including steering groups, healthcare professionals, educational institutions, and NHS boards (and others relevant to particular focus, eg regulator), to identify needs and develop effective solutions.
· Experience of delivery of training via virtual (online) environments as well as face to face, with experience in the use of technology/online solutions in training/education.
· Significant experience of managing relevant resources (including team) across multiple competing requirements.
· Ability to encourage and explore innovation.
· Highly experienced in working across complex environments with multiple stakeholders, with a particular focus on health/social care and educational settings.
· Highly effective communicator able to analyse and communicate complex information, responding to the needs of the stakeholder/partner/audience
· An advocate for the importance of medical education and training based on knowledge/experience.
· 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 means considering the diverse needs, perspectives, and backgrounds of everyone in Scotland. We are focused on hiring the very best talent and actively encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds. Our aim to ensure that everyone is treated fairly, with respect, and has a positive recruitment experience—regardless of the outcome.
We welcome applications from all under-represented groups, including racially minoritised people and disabled people. It is not essential to be in Senior Manager role right now—you may be returning from a career break (e.g., maternity, paternity, caring) or coming from another field. Your experiences can bring a fresh perspective to our work.
If you are considering applying and would like to discuss the opportunity, any adjustments or alternative work patterns, please contact Rosemary Porter, Principal Lead, at rosemary.porter@nhs.scot
Next Steps
All applicants who are shortlisted for interview will be contacted by e-mail.
In person OR online interviews (including a presentation) will take place on 23rd February 2026. 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.
1. Please be advised that if you are successful in being offered the role following the recruitment process, you will be expected to attend the office prior to your start date to complete face-to-face pre-employment checks. If you require any adjustments to support this, please let us know.
2. To work in the United Kingdom, there is a legal requirement for an individual to demonstrate that they have the relevant permission to work in the country. This permission is, without exception, granted by the UK Visa and Immigrations Service.
As part of the pre-employment checks for a preferred candidate, NHS Scotland Boards will check your entitlement to work in the UK. It can be evidenced through a number of routes including specific types of visa as well as EU settled and pre-settled status. To find out more about these routes of permission, please refer to the GOV.UK website here.
For specific types of post, if you do not have the necessary eligibility to work in the UK, it might be possible (though not guaranteed) to secure sponsorship via a UK Skilled Worker/Health & Care Worker Visa. However, this is only possible if the employer is a licenced Sponsor, and if the post does not fall below the current minimum salary threshold or ‘going rate’. Further information on these criteria can be found here.
It is ESSENTIAL that you have checked that you either already have an appropriate right to work in the UK or that the post would be eligible to be sponsored BEFORE submitting your application form.
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