Director of Learning and Workforce Development: Sponsorship Available

EasyInfoBlog.com LLC; West of England; Hybrid; GBP 113,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a senior leader to shape the future workforce and skills strategy as Director of Learning and Workforce Development. You will lead education, apprenticeships, and career pathways, aligning learning with changing patient needs and system transformation.

You will report to the Chief People and Culture Officer and influence executive-level decisions, manage large budgets, and drive workforce transformation across complex partnerships.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree level or equivalent experience.
• Education/CIPD qualification or equivalent experience.
• Evidence of continuing professional development and application in practice.
• Senior leadership experience in a large, complex organisation with education teams.
• Experience leading workforce development and organisational transformation programmes.
• Experience of strategic planning and delivery of innovative career pathways.
• Experience reporting to Executive and Board-level committees.
• Experience managing large budgets and financial resources.
• Experience leading complex change programmes and unifying teams.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement BFT’s future workforce and skills strategy.
• Lead education, apprenticeships, learning and development, and career pathways.
• Shape roles, skills and learning pathways in response to changing patient needs.
• Build partnerships with academics, clinicians and external stakeholders.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Stakeholder engagement

People management

Budget management

Reporting to board/executives

Change management

Communication skills

Influence and negotiation

Programme management

Education

Master’s degree or equivalent

Education/CIPD qualification

CPD and professional development

Tools

Microsoft Office (Copilot)

Job description

Job Title:
Agency: Bristol NHS Foundation Trust
Location: Bristol, United Kingdom
Salary/Rate: 112,782 to 129,783 £ / Year

Are you an experienced senior leader ready to shape the future workforce of Bristol NHS Foundation Trust? As Director of Learning and Workforce Development, you will lead a broad, high-profile portfolio at the heart of our organisation’s transformation. You will help create outstanding learning and career opportunities for our people, strengthen workforce capability and support new ways of delivering care. This is an opportunity to influence strategy at executive and system level, build strong partnerships and make a lasting difference to our workforce and the patients we serve.

Main duties of the job

Reporting to the Chief People and Culture Officer, you will develop and implement BFT’s future workforce and skills strategy, ensuring we have the capacity and capability needed for the decade ahead. You will lead education, apprenticeships, learning and development, career pathways, workforce transformation and education governance. Working with clinical, operational, system and education partners, you will shape roles, skills and learning pathways that respond to changing patient needs, technological advances and new models of care. You will be a credible and visible leader who can build trust, influence at executive and system level, lead large-scale change and champion inclusion.

Person Specification

Qualifications, Experience, Knowledge & Skills, Personal Qualities

• Educated to Master’s degree level or equivalent experience (A)
• Education/CIPD qualification or equivalent experience (A)
• Evidence of continuing professional development and application in practice (A)
• Senior leadership experience in a large, complex organisation, including management of multidisciplinary education teams (A, I)
• Significant experience leading workforce development and organisational transformation programmes (A, I)
• Experience of strategic planning and delivery of innovative career pathways (A, I)
• Experience of reporting and providing assurance to Executive and Board-level committees (A, I)
• Significant experience managing large budgets and financial resources (A, I)
• Experience of leading complex change programmes and unifying teams (A, I)
• Experience of working in partnership with academics, clinicians and external stakeholders (A, I)
• Experience representing a large organisation externally and influencing senior stakeholders (A, I)
• Knowledge of education quality assurance methodologies and improvement approaches (A, I)
• High-level knowledge of education, workforce and health/social care policy (A, I)
• Understanding of workforce career structures and education agendas (A, I)
• Excellent influencing, negotiation and stakeholder engagement skills (A, I)
• Ability to analyse complex financial and management information (A, I)
• Skilled in leading high-performing teams (A, I)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills (A, I)
• Ability to produce Board-level reports and presentations (A, I)
• Strong organisational, planning and programme management skills (A, I)
• Knowledge and application of Microsoft Office applications, including Copilot (A)
• Strategic thinker with the ability to shape future direction (A, I)
• Inspirational and compassionate leader (A, I)
• Strong influencing and negotiation skills (A, I)
• Ability to work effectively in highly complex environments (A, I)
• Resilient and able to deliver under pressure (A, I)
• Ability to prioritise, make decisions and provide clear leadership (A, I)
• Knowledge and understanding of key NHS issues and policy drivers (A, I)

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled Worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information, visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab) .

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab) .

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Closing Date: 5 October 2026