Job summary
- Main area
- Non-Obstetric Ultrasound [Sonography]
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 8b
- Contract
- Secondment: 7 months (until 31 March 2026)
- Hours
- Part time - 15 hours per week
- Job ref
- 990-SE-16441-E
- Employer
- NHS England
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Premier House
- Town
- Reading
- Salary
- £64,455 - £74,896 pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 17/09/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Senior Sonography Lead
NHS AfC: Band 8b
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
NHSE England is recruiting a Senior Sonography Lead for a fixed term basis for the South East Imaging Training Academy.
The post will be home based, working remotely. The post holder will sit within the NHSE South East Cancer and Diagnostics Programme team and will be instrumental in leading the ongoing development and implementation of sonography workstreams within the South East Imaging Training Academy.
The purpose of the Senior Sonography Lead, working in partnership with the Academy Clinical Co-Leads, is to provide subject matter expertise, leading the development of a sustainable workforce supply pipeline of sonographers to the south east region, including direct entry, apprenticeships, and postgraduate training.
The successful candidate will be passionate about the delivery and management of Sonography education and training in the South East. They will promote and strengthen the practice of lifelong learning along the professional development continuum from qualification to retirement.
The successful candidate will show an understanding of important contribution made by all members of the multi-professional health care team, including support staff as well as clinicians.
Main duties of the job
As a member of the core leadership team, the post holder will be responsible for:
- Providing professional Sonography expertise.
- Leading the development of a sustainable workforce supply pipeline of sonographers to the south east region, including direct entry, apprenticeships, and postgraduate training.
- Working with imaging networks, community diagnostic centres [CDCs], NHS Trusts, and HEIs to determine what education and training is needed in order to meet Sonography service requirements across the south east, and to co-ordinate appropriate multidisciplinary education utilising the SE Imaging Training Academy simulation equipment across all hub sites.
- Defining current processes, facilitate discussions and advise colleagues as to how best practice might be adopted relating to the supply and upskilling of Sonographers in the south east.
- Leading all Sonography/Ultrasound workstreams already in place within the SE ITA and advise/guide the core leadership team on delivery to meet nationally set Sonography objectives for 2025/26.
Working for our organisation
The NHS England board have set out the top-level purpose for the new organisation to lead the NHS in England to deliver high-quality services for all, which will inform the detailed design work and we will achieve this purpose 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 our people can make a difference and achieve their potential.
- 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.
If you would like to know more or require further information, please visit https://www.england.nhs.uk/.
Colleagues with a contractual office base are expected to spend, on average, at least 40% of their time working in-person.
Staff recruited from outside the NHS will usually be appointed at the bottom of the pay band.
If you are successful at interview, we will run an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) in the Electronic Staff Record system (ESR). This transfer gathers valuable information from a previous or current NHS employer to support the onboarding process, including; statutory and mandatory competency status, Continuous Service Dates (CSD), and annual leave entitlement. You will have the opportunity throughout the recruitment process to inform us if you do not consent.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The key areas of responsibility include:
- Sonography workforce ‘subject matter expert’ for external stakeholders, leading delivery of workstreams as appropriate.
- developing long-term, strategic delivery plans for assigned programmes of work in partnership with stakeholders.
- Accurate evaluation of stakeholder needs from a range of qualitative and quantitative data sources (e.g., imaging network workforce strategies, ICB operating plans, education commissioning data], and recommending improvement or changes because of comprehensive and timely reviews of Sonography education and training across the south east
- ensuring programmes of work are aligned to and successfully deliver regional strategic objectives, KPIs and regulatory compliance
- production of reports on progress against plan, for internal assurance for Boards and Committees as required.
- Supporting the Imaging Training Academy Leads to develop innovative approaches to Sonography education and training
- Ensuring that objectives are met within budget and proportionate contribution to budget savings when required.
- using Sonography workforce knowledge to inform local team and regional priorities and delivery planning
You can find further details about the role, including key responsibilities and accountabilities, alongside the organisational structure and person specification 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 and Training
Essential criteria
- Registration with the Health and Care Professions Council and active registration or licence to practice. [E]
- Outstanding professional record, both clinically and in education and training [E].
Desirable criteria
- Masters Level or equivalent level of experience in clinical education or leadership within a relevant field [D].
Values & Behaviours
Essential criteria
- Operates in a highly political and sensitive environment with strong leadership and communication skills.[E]
- Acts in a way that is compliant with Standing Orders and Standing Financial Instructions and the NHS Management Code of Conduct in the discharge of this responsibility [E]
- Communicates complex concepts and subject matter clearly, adapting approach for different audiences and avoiding jargon [E].
- Commitment to the promotion of equality and diversity in the workforce by operating in accordance with NHSE policy, good practice and support of the equalities agenda.
Desirable criteria
- Promotes innovation, organisational learning, and the sharing of best practice [D]
Knowledge and Experience
Essential criteria
- Extensive knowledge of specialist areas [Sonography, Ultrasound and non-obstetric Ultrasound; education and training as well as service delivery], acquired through post graduate diploma or equivalent experience or training plus further specialist knowledge or experience to master’s level equivalent [E
- Knowledge of healthcare education and training policy and systems. [E]
Desirable criteria
- Experience of developing and implementing programmes to support the delivery of the aims and objectives, including multi-professional training opportunities and inclusion of the wider workforce. For example, introducing new ways of working across imaging education and training pathways, identifying, and developing solutions. [D]
- Experience of managing and delivering a number of complex initiatives simultaneously in rapidly evolving, political and high-pressure environments including effective risk management. [D]
- Adapts plans to account changes in government policy, system needs, technological advances, and evaluation of a range of performance data. [D]
Skills & Abilities
Essential criteria
- Communicates complex concepts and subject matter clearly, adapting approach for different audiences and avoiding jargon.[E]
- Able to effectively manage a complex, competing and rapidly evolving set of work priorities.
Desirable criteria
- Ability to communicate with clinical, academic and all levels of staff effectively and sensitively, for example where major changes are required to harmonise delivery of education programmes e.g., immersive/intensive training opportunities or where development of new infrastructure is required e.g., quality support systems, to improve service and learner experience
- Constantly strive for value for money and greater efficiency in the use of resource D]
- Understanding of the developments of Integrated Care Boards, Imaging Networks, and Community Diagnostic Centres and their relationship with imaging training academies, the NHS Long Term Plan, and the NHS People Plan. [D]
Values & Behaviours
Essential criteria
- Commitment to the promotion of equality and diversity in the workforce by operating in accordance with NHSE policy, good practice and support of the equalities agenda.[E] interview
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Tessa Candy
- Job title
- Programme Manager & Workforce Specialist
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Additional information
Tony Newman Sanders, Academy Clinical Lead, [email protected]
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