Business Partner – Organisational Development, Leadership and Learning

NHS Scotland; England; Hybrid; GBP 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A national health board is seeking a Business Partner for OD, Leadership, and Learning to enhance workforce development across NHS Scotland. The ideal candidate will drive strategic learning initiatives, work closely with senior leaders, and implement innovative solutions aimed at improving organisational performance. You’ll have the opportunity to shape how people learn and lead within a dynamic environment.

Benefits

Flexible working opportunities

Generous NHS pension scheme

Annual salary progression

27 Days annual leave plus public holidays

Qualifications

• Experience in Learning and Development or related fields.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently and manage time effectively.

Responsibilities

• Drive education and workforce initiatives at NES.
• Develop and implement training programs for NHS staff.
• Work collaboratively with leadership on strategic projects.

Skills

Education and leadership initiatives

Performance management

Relationship building

Change management

Workforce support strategies

Education

Degree in relevant discipline

Job description

Flexible Location

Based throughout Scotland, NES is a remote friendly employer supporting office and hybrid working. We’re happy to talk about how you want to work.

Work Pattern

Fixed Term, Full Time, 37 hours per week

Fixed-term or Secondment

Two roles, one Permanent and one Fixed term until March 31st with potential extension

• For NHS applicants, an NHS secondment will be offered in the first instance. For non-NHS applicants, a fixed-term or secondment would be considered.

You must have eligibility and entitlement to work in the UK which is required to be maintained throughout your period of employment.

Who We Are

NHS Education for Scotland (NES) is the national health board with statutory responsibilities to effect sustainable change through workforce development, education and training across the health and social care system in Scotland, while working at UK level with partner organisations.

The Workforce Directorate works at a national level to support the delivery of NES’s strategic plan and is a key partner to the delivery of Scottish Government priorities for the health and social care workforce. It also provides a comprehensive People and Organisational Development strategy and service for the people who work for NES and externally to NHSScotland in the recruitment of medical and dental trainees and other vocational trainee groups. This role sits in the HR Function within the Workforce Directorate.

The Opportunity

We are looking for an enthusiastic and self‑motivated individual to be part of our talented and highly versatile team, based at our NES offices in Edinburgh or Glasgow.

Are you passionate about developing people, driving change, and shaping the future of learning and leadership? Do you thrive in fast‑paced, ever‑evolving environments where you can influence and improve ways of working? If so, this Business Partner – OD, Leadership, and Learning role could be the perfect fit for you!

We’re looking for an enthusiastic, self‑motivated professional to join our talented and highly versatile team, based at our NES offices in Edinburgh or Glasgow. This is a fantastic opportunity to play a key role in delivering strategic Learning & Development (L&D), Organisational Development (OD), and leadership initiatives that support NHS Scotland’s workforce.

In this dynamic and hands‑on role, you’ll work closely with senior leaders, directorates, and internal and external stakeholders to embed innovative learning solutions, leadership development, and workforce support strategies. You’ll contribute to wellbeing initiatives, management development programmes, and new ways of working, ensuring NES continues to evolve as a learning organisation.

This role offers challenge, variety, and the chance to make a real impact. If you’re excited by the idea of shaping how people learn, lead, and grow within NHS Scotland, we’d love to hear from you!

Do you thrive in fast‑paced, ever‑evolving environments where you can drive change?

Do you enjoy developing people and shaping the future of learning and leadership?

Do you have a passion for influencing and improving ways of working?

Do you excel at building strong relationships and working collaboratively with stakeholders?

Do you want to make a real impact on workforce development in NHS Scotland?

Working within the Internal Learning & Development team you will have the opportunity to implement real change and be part of developing the workforce within NHS Scotland’s specialist educational board.

Does this sound like you?

What We Love To See

• Bring Your Expertise – Drive education, leadership, and workforce initiatives that make NES a true learning organisation.
• Shape Success – Help embed performance management, engagement, and learning strategies across NES.
• Grow Our Workforce – Support talent retention and attraction through career pathways and skills development.
• Empower Leaders – Deliver leadership resources like the NES Line Managers Handbook and learning networks.
• Support Learning – Enhance PDPPR processes to ensure meaningful performance conversations and career growth.
• Drive Change – Support hybrid working, wellbeing, and digital learning initiatives to evolve how we work.
• Create Impact – Design and deliver practical, evidence‑based solutions to workforce challenges.
• Demonstrate honesty, integrity, care and compassion when dealing with others, utilising tact and persuasion skills when necessary.
• Ability to work on own initiative, to organise and prioritise own workloads, to meet strict deadlines.

Benefits Which Matter

• Life‑work balance - with opportunities for flexible working and hybrid working
• Generous NHS pension scheme
• Annual incremental salary progression (up to the maximum of the salary band) plus annual NHS salary scale review
• Annual Leave - 27 Days increasing in line with service plus 8 days public holiday
• NHS discounts and more

Diversity and Inclusion

Developing a successful national service for Scotland is impossible without ensuring we consider the diverse needs, perspectives and backgrounds of everyone in Scotland in our work.

We are focused on hiring the very best talent available for NES, and actively encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds and aim to ensure everyone is treated fairly, with respect and has a positive recruitment experience – regardless of the outcome.

It’s not essential to be in Business Partner role right now. You may be returning from a career break (e.g. maternity, paternity, caring for others) or returning after working in another field. Your experiences elsewhere can bring a fresh perspective to our work.

If you are considering applying and feel it would be helpful to discuss this initially, please contact Stuart Caulfield – Senior Specialist Lead (Internal Learning & Development) – [e-mail]

Next Steps

• NHS candidates will be considered firstly on a secondment basis, and so are strongly encouraged to discuss this with their current NHS employer at the earliest opportunity, ideally prior to application.

Our recruitment process is currently 100% remote and if successful you would initially work remotely, working from our offices as operationally required.

All applicants who are shortlisted for interview will be contacted by e‑mail.

Online interviews (including a presentation) will take place on December 11th to 16th 2025. The presentation topic will be sent to candidates selected for interview.

For further information please refer to the Job Information Pack below. Unless otherwise stated the deadline for applications is 23:59 hours on the. Please note, CVs will not be accepted.

• Please be advised that if you are successful in being offered the role following the recruitment process, you will be expected to attend the office prior to your start date to complete face‑to‑face pre‑employment checks. If you require any adjustments to support this, please let us know.
• To work in the United Kingdom, there is a legal requirement for an individual to demonstrate that they have the relevant permission to work in the country. This permission is, without exception, granted by the UK Visa and Immigration Service.

As part of the pre‑employment checks for a preferred candidate, NHS Scotland Boards will check your entitlement to work in the UK. It can be evidenced through a number of routes including specific types of visa as well as EU settled and pre‑settled status. To find out more about these routes of permission, please refer to the GOV.UK website.

For specific types of post, if you do not have the necessary eligibility to work in the UK, it might be possible (though not guaranteed) to secure sponsorship via a UK Skilled Worker/Health & Care Worker Visa. However, this is only possible if the employer is a licensed Sponsor, and if the post does not fall below the current minimum salary threshold or ‘going rate’. Further information on these criteria can be found.

It is ESSENTIAL that you have checked that you either already have an appropriate right to work in the UK or that the post would be eligible to be sponsored BEFORE submitting your application form.

If you have any queries regarding the NHS Scotland National Recruitment Portal or the recruitment process, please don't hesitate to contact our recruitment partners, the East Region Recruitment Service, at: [e-mail]