Job summary
- Main area
- Anaesthetics/ICM
- Grade
- Head of School (HoS)
- Contract
- Secondment: 12 months (Until 31 March 2027)
- Hours
- Part time - 2.25 sessions per week (9 hours per week)
- Job ref
- 990-SW-EC1779-E
- Employer
- NHS England
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Premier House
- Town
- Reading
- Salary
- In line with HoS sessional payments
- Closing
- 13/04/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Head of School of Anaesthetics and Intensive Care Medicine
Head of School (HoS)
Our Organisation
The NHS is building a culture that is positive, compassionate and inclusive – and we all have our part to play.
As employers we are committed to protecting and promoting the physical and mental health and wellbeing of all our colleagues. This underpins our values as set out in the NHS Constitution and supports us to be an Employer of Choice, while helping our colleagues to deliver high quality services for our patients and communities.
As a flexible employer, we want to support you to work in a way that is best for the NHS, our patients and you. Talk to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement whether that’s a job share, part time, hybrid working or another flexible pattern. In addition, although the role advertised may have a ‘home’ office base indicated, we remain committed to supporting flexibility around workplace locations. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.
We are an accredited Living Wage Employer which means that every colleague working for our organisation and third-party contractors will earn a real Living Wage. We are one of over 15,000 organisations, who voluntarily chose to pay the real Living Wage.
Job overview
Within NHS England, South East Region, the Thames Valley Local Office is responsible for the planning, development, education and training of the future and current healthcare and public health workforce across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.
An opportunity has arisen for a Consultant with a strong interest in medical education and training to be the Head of School of Anaesthetics.
The role of Head of School for Anaesthetics is to work with and support the Postgraduate Dean in leading the delivery of a wide range of functions, aligned to the NHSE Education England mandate.
The financial contribution towards this role is £12k per session.
Applicants are required to discuss their arrangements with substantive employer before applying.
Main duties of the job
The Head of School is professionally and managerially accountable to the Locality Dean. The Head of School will focus upon improvement of learner supervision, assessment and experience, engagement of faculty and ensuring effective educational outcomes, both now and in the future. The role is evolving and will also focus on whole workforce transformation and developing multi-professional links.
Working for our organisation
Our staff bring expertise across clinical, operational, commissioning, technology, data science, cyber security, software engineering, education, and commercial specialisms — enabling us to design and deliver high-quality NHS services.
We lead the NHS in England by:
- Enabling local systems and providers to improve the health of their people and patients and reduce health inequalities
- Making the NHS a great place to work, where people can develop and make a difference
- Working collaboratively to ensure our healthcare workforce has the right knowledge, skills, values and behaviours to deliver accessible, compassionate care
- Optimising the use of digital technology, research, and innovation
- Delivering value for money
Earlier this year, the Government announced that NHS England will gradually merge with the Department of Health and Social Care, to create a smaller, more strategic centre that reduces duplication and waste.
If successful at interview, we will initiate an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) via the Electronic Staff Record (ESR). This retrieves key data from your current or previous NHS employer to support onboarding, including competency status, Continuous Service Dates (CSD), and annual leave entitlement. You may opt out at any stage of the process.
Colleagues with a contractual office base are expected to spend, on average, at least 40% of their time working in-person.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The fixed level of funding contribution for this role is £12,000 per annum, as an Educational Management Contribution (EMC). 2.25 EMC has been allocated for this role. The number of EMCs indicatively equates to the number of PAs for job planning; however, the level of funding for EMCs is fixed and may not equate to your individual personal salary with your employer in relation to your planned activities.
Prior to applying, please ensure you have discussed this role with your local Director of Medical Education to ensure that this work functions as a secondment with time freed up in your job plan to fulfil expectations. The financial contribution to the Trust is then to backfill any clinical time.
The Trust Director of Medical Education will be asked to provide a reference in support of your application.
You can find further details about the job, organisational structure, recruitment profile, expected outcomes and benefits information in the attached Job Description and other supporting documents.
Secondments
Applicants from within the NHS will be offered on a secondment basis only, agreement should be obtained from their employer prior to submitting the application.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Membership/Fellowship of a College, Faculty, professional association and/or regulatory body
- Attendance at courses aimed to support educational development
- Primary clinical healthcare qualification
Desirable criteria
- Educational qualification such as postgraduate certificate diploma or masters in medical education
Experience
Essential criteria
- Considerable experience of working with learners or doctors in training in an educational context
- Experience of clinical and educational leadership and innovation, including managing a multi-professional team
- Understanding of developments involving the relevant Colleges/Faculties, professional bodies related NHS organisations and regulatory bodies
Desirable criteria
- Previous or current appointment as a leader in healthcare education
- Awareness of funding streams for healthcare education
- Understanding of current health, social care and education policy
Skills
Essential criteria
- Demonstrable leadership skills and an ability to influence and motivate others
- Ability to quickly establish personal and professional credibility with colleagues and other key Stakeholders
- Committed to own personal development and an ability to support others to develop and progress
Desirable criteria
- Ability to rapidly establish academic credibility
Behaviours and Values
Essential criteria
- A transformation leadership style
- Ability to make decisions autonomously when required on difficult issues
Desirable criteria
- An academic interest in training and education across primary and secondary care
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Rebecca Black
- Job title
- Locality Dean
- Email address
- [email protected]
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