DFD Service Development and Improvement Manager

NHS National Services Scotland; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A national health organization in the UK seeks a Service Development and Improvement Manager to lead transformation in digital health services. This role involves shaping development strategies, collaborating with national partners, and enhancing service delivery. Ideal candidates will have a strong background in service improvement and stakeholder engagement. Join us to make a meaningful impact on health services across Scotland.

Benefits

Generous NHS pension scheme

Annual leave of 27 days plus public holidays

Opportunities for flexible working

Qualifications

• Proven track record in leading service improvement across complex systems.
• Experience applying improvement methodologies to real-world service challenges.
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills across diverse combinations of interests.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and continuous improvement of digital health and care services.
• Shape service development strategies that align with national priorities.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to co-design service models.
• Monitor service performance and lead data-informed decision-making.

Skills

Strategic awareness

Delivery-focused

Coaching teams

Agile methodologies

Navigation of ambiguity

Stakeholder engagement

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** (Until 30th June 2026)

**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.

NHS Education for Scotland (NES) plays a critical role in supporting NHS Scotland Boards to have the right people, in the right place at the right time through education, training and workforce development. People are the lifeblood of the NHS and NES is right at the heart of ensuring a future supply.

We’re also central to delivering digital solutions which enable improvement in service to the people of Scotland and support our workforce to deliver it. Our organisation is full of talented, committed, specialists across health and care disciplines, backed up by excellent support functions. We are highly collegiate, innovative and delivery focussed.

The function of NES Technology Service is to develop and lead programmes of work and services that support both the corporate functions that allow NES to work and deliver its strategic objectives and to deliver against Scotland's Digital Health and Care Strategy, Data Strategy and other key Health and Care strategies.

NES Technology Service (NTS) has been formed with the specific objective of consolidating NES’ information-based expertise into a professional, focused centre for information and technical excellence.

It has created a strategic programme for the transformation of digital based services to allow NES to continue to be a leading digital organisation in Scottish Health and Social Care, digital by default and fully aligned with the Scottish Government’s data and technology strategies.

These responsibilities relate to the core functions of NES in the following areas:

· Design, development, and operation of a technical environment and commensurate digital services to all NHS Scotland, Scottish Government and Care Sector stakeholders

· Support and development of fit for purpose technology systems and services to allow delivery of national strategic outcomes

· Communication, support, and leadership in all digital and technology disciplines

· Impact assessment of new technology services and systems

· Research and development as appropriate

The Opportunity

Are you ready to lead service transformation at scale? The Digital Front Door Programme (DFD) is seeking a dynamic Service Development and Improvement Manager to shape how national digital health and care services are designed, delivered, and continuously improved through the Digital Front Door.

This is an opportunity to work at the heart of national digital health programmes, collaborating with NHS Boards, Scottish Government, and a wide range of partners to drive meaningful change in how services meet the needs of citizens and staff.

We’re looking for someone who is:

• Strategically aware and delivery-focused, with a strong track record in leading service improvement across complex systems.

• Skilled in working across organisational boundaries to align priorities and deliver value.

• Confident in coaching teams and partners to adopt new ways of working and embed continuous improvement.

• Experienced in applying Agile, Lean Agile, or other improvement methodologies to real-world service challenges.

• Comfortable navigating ambiguity and making decisions that shape national programmes.

• Passionate about digital transformation and committed to improving outcomes for people and communities.

• Aligned with our values of collaboration, integrity, and innovation.

Working within the Service Development Workstream you will:

• Lead the design and continuous improvement of digital health and care services delivered through the Digital Front Door.

• Shape service development strategies that align with national priorities and user needs.

• Collaborate with stakeholders across NHS Boards, Scottish Government, and partner organisations to co-design scalable service models.

• Apply improvement methodologies to optimise service delivery and user experience.

• Manage service pipelines, ensuring prioritisation and resource allocation supports high-impact outcomes.

• Coach delivery teams and partners to embed service improvement practices and build capability.

• Monitor service performance and lead data-informed decision-making to drive improvements.

• Represent the workstream at national forums, contributing to policy development and strategic planning.

• Ensure governance, assurance, and compliance standards are met across service development activities.

• Contribute to budget planning and resource management within the workstream.

Does this sound like you?

What We Love to See

A Service Development and Improvement Manager needs to offer a broad range of skills and experience, if you can offer some or all of these, we’d love you to apply:

• Experience applying improvement methodologies to drive meaningful service change

• Experience building and managing service pipelines and aligning resources to deliver high-impact outcomes

• Skilled in producing high-quality guidance, reports, and improvement resources

• Experience contributing to policy development or shaping strategic service frameworks

• Strong stakeholder engagement and alignment skills across diverse combinations of interests

• A good understanding of the health and social care landscape, including digital transformation priorities

• 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

As a valued employee of NHS Scotland, you can enjoy an extensive range of benefits including:

• 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 a Service Development or Service Improvement Management 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 Scott Henderson, Head of Service – DFD Service 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.

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

In person OR online interviews will take place on 15th August 2025.

For further information please refer to the Job Information Pack below.

Unless otherwise stated the deadline for applications is 23:59 hours on the closing date. Please note, CVs will not be accepted.

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 Immigrations Service.

As part of the pre-employment checks for a preferred candidate, NHS Scotland Boards willcheck 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 websitehere.

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 licenced Sponsor, and if the post does not fall below the current minimum salary threshold or ‘going rate’. Further information on these criteria can be foundhere.

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 sponsoredBEFOREsubmitting 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]