Job summary
- Main area
- Emergency Medicine
- Grade
- Head of School (HoS)
- Contract
- 3 years (Secondment only for current NHS employees until 30 September 2029)
- Hours
- Part time
- Job share
- Flexible working
- Job ref
- 990-SE-EC6358-E
- Employer
- NHS England
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Explorer House
- Town
- Southampton
- Salary
- In line with HoS sessional payments
- Closing
- 12/11/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Head of School for Emergency Medicine - Wsx
Head of School (HoS)
Our Organisation
We share the core values set out in the NHS Constitution, which all colleagues are expected to demonstrate.
We support you to work in a way that is best for the NHS, our patients and you and your colleagues. 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.
As part of our commitment to improving patient safety and maintaining safe and trusted services, all successful candidates will be subject to Baseline Personnel Security Screening (BPSS), which includes a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. By submitting your application, you are confirming your agreement to these checks being undertaken as part of the recruitment process.
Anyone who has received a voluntary or compulsory redundancy payment from NHS England since the start of the 2026/27 financial year is not eligible to apply.
Job overview
NHSE is looking to make an interim appointment to the Head of School for Emergency Medicine in Wessex. The post would be an ideal opportunity for a Training Programme Director aiming to further develop their educational portfolio.
Please note: The post is offered on a contract for services basis and all candidates are reminded that if they are successful, they are responsible for securing written agreement from their Trust for release from clinical work for the specified number of PAs.
Main duties of the job
The Head of School of Emergency Medicine is professionally and managerially accountable to the Postgraduate 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 mas well as innovative ways of curriculum delivery and workforce well-being strategies.
The Head of School will be expected to meet the challenges of leading the School and Education Providers to deliver the changing curricular in an evolving service landscape.
To support the Postgraduate Dean, Heads of School work across the spectrum of health and where relevant, social care, within the context of a team, so that the provision of education reflects changing service models. This will deliver an integrated workforce comprising individuals from a spectrum of professional and other backgrounds.
Working for our organisation
NHS England has a wide range of statutory functions, responsibilities and regulatory powers. These are focused on supporting the wider NHS to deliver high quality care, as well as doing those things that are best done once for the whole NHS.
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.
In March 2025, the Government announced that NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care will increasingly merge functions, ultimately leading to NHS England being fully integrated into the department.
If you currently work within the NHS and 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 our offices.
We cannot offer visa sponsorship for any vacancies.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
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
Behaviours and Values
Essential criteria
- A transformation leadership style
- Ability to make decisions autonomously when required on difficult issues
- Management of transformation and change
- Sensitivity, tolerance and acceptance of criticism
- An academic interest in training and education across primary and secondary care
Desirable criteria
- Perform all duties in a manner that supports and promotes NHSE commitment to equal opportunities
- Conduct all duties in a manner that safeguards the health and safety of yourself and your colleagues, trainees and staff. Note the special responsibility as a manager for assessing and minimising risks to staff.
- A continuing quest for personal and professional development
Skills and Abilities
Essential criteria
- Demonstrable leadership skills and an ability to influence and motivate others
- A strong sense of vision and ability to innovate
- Politically astute with an ability to sensitively manage complexity and uncertainty
- Strong interpersonal, communication, written and presentation skills
- Ability to quickly establish personal and professional credibility with colleagues and other key stakeholders
- Excellent organisational and time management skills
Desirable criteria
- Ability to problem solve and maintain objectivity
- Committed to own personal development and an ability to support others to develop and progress
Experience and Knowledge
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
- Demonstrable track record of delivery in service and education
- Understanding of developments involving the relevant Colleges/Faculties, professional bodies, related NHS organisations and regulatory bodies
- Understanding of the workforce transformation agenda
Desirable criteria
- Trained and experienced in recruitment, selection and Equality and Diversity in the last 3 years
- Active involvement in, and up to date with, appraisal processes
- Knowledge of the NHS, its structures and processes, including an understanding of healthcare/multi-professional workforce matters
Qualifications and Training
Essential criteria
- Primary clinical healthcare qualification
- Membership/Fellowship of a College, Faculty, professional association and/or regulatory body
Desirable criteria
- Attendance at courses aimed to support educational development (example: educator courses, Train the trainer, etc)
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Lee Gray
- Job title
- Medicine Head of School
- Email address
- [email protected]
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