Job summary
This is a permanent role within the NHS England structure, offered at 5 PAs per week (20 hours), worked flexibly. A secondment from the successful applicant's host organisation may be considered.
The role of National Clinical Director of the UK Foundation Programme Office (UKFPO) is to lead the delivery of a wide range of functions, aligned to the remit of the UKFPO.
The UKFPO National Clinical Director is professionally and managerially accountable to the Medical Directors of the four UK nations. The role will provide clinical leadership for the UKFPO team and its Foundation programme application and allocation processes as well as its educational responsibilities. This includes the following processes (non-exhaustive list):
- Foundation allocation process two-year and F2 stand-alone training programmes across the UK
- Eligibility application process
- Development and production of the UK Foundation Programme Curriculum
- Promotion of the consistent delivery of the Foundation Programme across the UK
- Development and sharing of good practice to help raise the standards of training
- Chairing the UKFPO national committees for Foundation recruitment and education and working closely with their associated stakeholders (e.g. the MSC, BMA, GMC and AoMRC)
Main duties of the job
The ideal candidate will be an experienced clinician with a thorough understanding of education and training across the UK, and specifically of medical Foundation training. They will have strong leadership and communication skills and be able to work effectively as a member of a multi-professional team. Details are in the job description.
About us
Our work supports the NHS to deliver high quality services for patients and best value for taxpayers.
Our staff bring expertise across hundreds of specialisms -- including clinical, operational, commissioning, technology, data science, cyber security, software engineering, education, and commercial -- 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 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
Earlier this year, the Government announced that NHS England will gradually merge with the Department of Health and Social Care, leading to full integration. The aim is to create a smaller, more strategic centre that reduces duplication and eliminates 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 recruitment process.
Job description
Job responsibilities
You can find further details about the job, organisational structure, recruitment profile, expected outcomes and benefits information in the Job Description and other supporting documents.
Secondments
For applicants from within the NHS, secondment arrangements will be considered if appropriate, agreement should be obtained from their employer prior to submitting the application.
Please be aware that should you be successful in this position, you will be hired to the job title of National Clinical Director (UKFPO) and this job title is advertised to attract the right skills needed for the role.
Job description
Job responsibilities
You can find further details about the job, organisational structure, recruitment profile, expected outcomes and benefits information in the Job Description and other supporting documents.
Secondments
For applicants from within the NHS, secondment arrangements will be considered if appropriate, agreement should be obtained from their employer prior to submitting the application.
Please be aware that should you be successful in this position, you will be hired to the job title of National Clinical Director (UKFPO) and this job title is advertised to attract the right skills needed for the role.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to a degree level in a clinical or scientific discipline
- Postgraduate or management qualification, or equivalent experience
- Postgraduate education higher degree(s) and/or external recognition of senior educational expertise (e.g. Masters, MD, PhD in Education; FAcadMEd; SFHEA
- GMC registered medical practitioner with a current licence to practise
Experience
Essential
- Senior NHS leadership with strategic education leadership experience
- Current or previous Foundation programme senior leadership (e.g. Foundation School Director)
- Operating effectively in complex, politically sensitive environments
- Credible, experienced clinician respected across all professional groups
- Experience of working with statutory, regulatory, government or other health and education stakeholders
- Developing and applying evidence-informed policy and decision-making
- Understanding 4N health system dynamics, reform programmes, and use of data/financial levers to drive quality and productivity
Skills and abilities
Essential
- Building collaborative networks and partnerships within and beyond organisations
- Leading and motivating high-performing teams
- Navigating complexity, ambiguity and the NHS/health/social care/political landscape
- Advanced interpersonal skills: negotiation, conflict management, coaching, stakeholder engagement
- Assimilating complex information and making decisions in fast-moving, ambiguous environments
- Communicating complex messages effectively to diverse audiences including the media
- Strategic, systemic and creative thinking to achieve outcomes
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to a degree level in a clinical or scientific discipline
- Postgraduate or management qualification, or equivalent experience
- Postgraduate education higher degree(s) and/or external recognition of senior educational expertise (e.g. Masters, MD, PhD in Education; FAcadMEd; SFHEA
- GMC registered medical practitioner with a current licence to practise
Experience
Essential
- Senior NHS leadership with strategic education leadership experience
- Current or previous Foundation programme senior leadership (e.g. Foundation School Director)
- Operating effectively in complex, politically sensitive environments
- Credible, experienced clinician respected across all professional groups
- Experience of working with statutory, regulatory, government or other health and education stakeholders
- Developing and applying evidence-informed policy and decision-making
- Understanding 4N health system dynamics, reform programmes, and use of data/financial levers to drive quality and productivity
Skills and abilities
Essential
- Building collaborative networks and partnerships within and beyond organisations
- Leading and motivating high-performing teams
- Navigating complexity, ambiguity and the NHS/health/social care/political landscape
- Advanced interpersonal skills: negotiation, conflict management, coaching, stakeholder engagement
- Assimilating complex information and making decisions in fast-moving, ambiguous environments
- Communicating complex messages effectively to diverse audiences including the media
- Strategic, systemic and creative thinking to achieve outcomes
Additional information
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
