Job summary
- Main area
- Education
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 9
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time
- Flexible working
- Job ref
- 391-RFL-8125302
- Employer
- Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust
- Town
- London
- Salary
- £121,528 - £138,529 per annum inclusive of HCAS
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 19/08/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Band 9 Group Director of Education (Clinical)
NHS AfC: Band 9
Our trust has over 17,000 staff serving 2 million patients every year. It comprises Barnet Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital, the Royal Free Hospital, North Middlesex University Hospital and more than 30 services in the community. This larger scale organisation provides an unprecedented opportunity for us to continue our pioneering work, particularly in finding ways to deliver even better care to our patients.
Our mission is to deliver world class care and expertise in our clinical services, underpinned by world class teaching and research and we will continue to measure our progress against our five governing objectives: excellent outcomes, excellent patient and staff experience, excellent value for taxpayers’ money, being safe and meeting our external duties, and building a strong organisation.
Everyone is welcome at Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. We're proud of our diversity and we continue to undertake new initiatives to advance equality for LGBT+, BME, gender equality, staff carers and people with disabilities and lived experiences to promote good relations and understanding between our staff.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a set of technology that can perform various tasks that typically required human intelligence. Your application is your opportunity to demonstrate to us how you meet the requirements of the role. We recognise that AI tools can support accessibility, equity and confidence for applicants. However, it’s important that examples and responses genuinely reflect your own experience and abilities, as these will be explored further during the selection process. AI must not be used to provide misleading or false information during any stage of the application journey. Further guidance can be found in the NLPSS Applicant Toolkit https://royalfree.pagetiger.com/cuuomnr/1.
Click here to view our video Welcome to the Royal Free
Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust is committed to fair and transparent recruitment and requires applicants to provide accurate information, as misleading details may affect their application or employment and may be verified in line with the Fraud Act 2006. For further information please visit https://royalfree.pagetiger.com/cuuomnr/1.
Job overview
Working directly to the Group Chief People Officer, the Group Director of Education (Clinical) will play a critical role in the strategic leadership of the Royal Free London and its clinical partners in the achievement of the trust’s tri-partite mission for excellence in clinical care, research and education.
The postholder will work in partnership alongside a Group Director of Education (Operations), jointly providing group-wide leadership of education, training, learning and development. Together they form a single point of leadership for all education, training and development across our group.
They will lead the development and implementation of an ambitious and transformative strategy for education, training and development in line with our vision: world-class learning for world-class care. They will also lead the establishment of a multi-professional, multi-disciplinary Royal Free London Academy as the vehicle through which this vision will be delivered.
The Group Director of Education (Clinical) will be the senior responsible officer (SRO) — alongside the Group Director of Education (Operations) — for education and training across all professional groups and all stages of the career pathway: from entry-level and unregistered roles and apprenticeships, through undergraduate and postgraduate education, to continuing professional development.
Main duties of the job
Lead the development, refinement and communication of a long-term vision and strategy for education, training and development for the Royal Free London group, securing belief and buy-in from clinical, operational and corporate colleagues at all levels.
Lead the establishment of the multi-professional, multi-disciplinary RFL Academy as: a new organisational form within the group model; a vehicle for a step-change in the breadth and quality of education, training and development; and a focal point for collaboration with academic, charitable and ICS partners.
Lead the integration of education, training, learning and development functions across the enlarged Royal Free London group ensuring harmonisation of structures, governance, processes, quality standards and organisational culture.
Work with divisional and site-level leaders to embed education and training into the governance and operating models of each business unit, ensuring it has equivalent standing to clinical care and research within the trust’s tri-partite mission.
Create and sustain a learning environment and culture that is safe, open, inclusive and multi-disciplinary, reinforcing the trust’s values – Our Shared Commitments.
Working for our organisation
The postholder will be expected to consistently demonstrate behaviors aligned to the Trust’s shared commitments, embedding compassion, inclusion, integrity and excellence in their day-to-day practice.
The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK’s biggest and most innovative trusts. Across three main hospitals, our dedicated army of staff care for over 1.6million patients, treat more than 200,000 in A&E, deliver over 8,000 babies and carry out more than 17million tests.
Our size, scale and influence offer you unrivalled career opportunities and a forward-thinking approach to working that works around your lifestyle. From flexible hours and generous benefits, to next level training, we make it easier to take your career to the top.
For more information please follow link https://www.royalfreelondonjobs.co.uk/
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see attached Job description and person specification for further information about the post and working at Royal Free NHS Foundation Trust.
Person specification
Education and professional qualifications
Essential criteria
- Educated to Master’s degree level or equivalent experience in a relevant field
- Current professional registration with a relevant clinical regulator (e.g., GMC, NMC, HCPC, GPhC)
- Experience of handling sophisticated internal and external stakeholder engagement, influencing across organisational and professional boundaries
Desirable criteria
- Experience of working at ICS or system level on education and workforce matters
- Experience of leading at regional or national level in an education or professional body context
- Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (or equivalent recognition as an educator)
Experience
Essential criteria
- Significant experience of developing and implementing multi-professional and/or multi-disciplinary approaches to education and training
- Significant senior leadership experience in education, training, learning and development within a healthcare context
Desirable criteria
- Experience of leading at regional or national level in an education or professional body context
Royal Free shared commitments
Essential criteria
- Demonstrable ability to meet the Trust shared commitments.
Personal qualities and attributes
Essential criteria
- Excellent interpersonal, communication and leadership skills; proven track record in engaging colleagues and stakeholders at all levels and at scale
- Strong strategic perspective; ability to translate organisational mission, vision and objectives into a compelling and deliverable strategy
- Expert at influencing, building partnerships and networks, and skilled in negotiation across professional and organisational boundaries
Desirable criteria
- Experience of working at ICS or system level on education and workforce matters
Applicant requirements
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Claudia McCarthy
- Job title
- Group Executive Support Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
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