Head of Education Quality and Governance

Isle of Wight NHS Trust; Swindon; On-site; GBP 58,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Isle of Wight NHS Trust is seeking a strategic Head of Education Quality & Governance to lead the LEaD Department. This senior role oversees education quality, governance and assurance across the education portfolio for IWT and Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust, providing visible leadership for learners and educators.

You will establish a comprehensive education quality framework spanning undergraduate to CPD, drive assurance and improvement, and partner with regulators, education

Qualifications

• Applicants must hold current professional registration with the NMC or HCPC and possess relevant post-registration qualifications.
• Master's degree (or working towards one) and a recognised teaching qualification.
• Experience in practice education, workforce development and leading teams.
• Postgraduate qualification in education/leadership/workforce development.
• Fellowship or membership of a relevant education/leadership body.
• Quality improvement/leadership/project management qualification.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for education quality, governance and assurance within LEaD.
• Develop and evaluate the LEaD education quality strategy, framework, standards and improvement plan.
• Provide robust assurance to senior leadership and relevant committees.
• Build partnerships with universities, FE providers and regulators.
• Lead CPD delivery, NHS England returns and compliance with education standards.
• Ensure learning from safety events and feedback informs priorities and design.
• Drive systematic quality improvement using data and stakeholder feedback.

Skills

NMC/HCPC registration

Leadership

Education

Master's degree (or working towards one)

Teaching qualification (PGCE/PGCME or equivalent)

Leadership development programmes

Postgraduate qualification in education/leadership/workforce development

Fellowship or membership of a relevant education/leadership body

Quality improvement/leadership/project management qualification

Job description

Head of Education Quality and Governance

This vacancy is open exclusively to internal applicants currently employed by Isle of Wight NHS Trust and Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust.

NHS Band 8a Salary: £57,528 - £64,750 per annum

Hours Per Week: Full time 37.5

Contract Type: Permanent

Interviews Date: Monday 30th November 2026

We are seeking an experienced, forward-thinking and collaborative leader to join our Learning, Education and Development team as Head of Education Quality & Governance

Are you a passionate and experienced healthcare professional with a commitment to ensuring education quality and governance. We are seeking an inspirational and forward-thinking Head of Education Quality & Governance to join our Learning, Education and Development team.

The Head of Education Quality & Governance has a senior leadership role within the existing Learning, Education and Development (LEaD) Department, with professional responsibility for education quality, governance and assurance across the education portfolio delivered or coordinated by the department for Isle of Wight NHS Trust and Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust. The post holder will provide expert, visible and inclusive leadership to ensure that education and training is effective, evidence based, learner-centred and aligned with departmental priorities, organisational workforce requirements, regulatory standards and national education requirements.

Main duties of the job

You will establish and maintain a comprehensive education quality management framework covering undergraduate, pre-registration, postgraduate, apprenticeship, continuing professional development, clinical skills, simulation and statutory and mandatory learning. To lead assurance, audit, evaluation, risk management and improvement activity, translating intelligence from learners, educators, incidents, complaints, workforce data and external reviews into measurable improvement.

As a registered healthcare professional, you will provide expert professional advice on education quality and learner safety, maintaining credibility with clinical leaders, education providers, regulators and commissioners. To work across professional boundaries and will not replace the statutory accountability of professional leads, practice assessors, supervisors or employing managers.

We are looking for a credible and inclusive leader with significant clinical, educational and quality governance experience, excellent relationship-building skills and a proven ability to lead change. You will be passionate about developing people, influencing practice and creating a culture where learning, improvement and compassionate leadership thrive.

This role offers the opportunity to make a tangible impact on workforce development across the organisation while working with dedicated colleagues who are committed to delivering outstanding education and supporting the next generation of healthcare professionals.

About us

Working as a partnership, both Isle of Wight NHS Trust and Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust have a shared vision for excellence in care for our patients and communities; with a set of strategic aims underpinning how we will achieve this.

The single corporate service is delivered across both organisations. You may be based at either IWT or PHU and individuals may be required to undertake business travel between sites. For leaders managing staff across multi-site locations, you will need to be visible and provide in person leadership. The arrangements and frequency will be agreed locally.

Job responsibilities

You will provide strategic and operational leadership for education quality, governance and assurance within the Learning, Education and Development Department, supporting clinical and corporate services.

Develop, implement and evaluate the LEaD Departments education quality strategy, framework, standards and annual improvement plan, aligned with organisational priorities and requirements.

Provide robust assurance to the Director and Deputy Director of Education, site Education Governance Meetings and relevant workforce, quality and people committees.

Build effective partnerships with clinical care groups, universities, further education providers, NHS England, professional regulators and regional education networks.

Lead and oversee continuing professional development (CPD), NHS England returns, and compliance with Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) education requirements. Provide line management for the ALERT Business Team, PHT VEC team and IWT site-based Education Business and Quality Team. Administrative support will be provided by the Education Business and Quality Team.

Ensure learning from patient safety events, complaints, claims, audits, external reviews and examples of excellence is reflected in education priorities and programme design.

Lead a systematic approach to quality improvement across the education portfolio, applying recognised improvement methodologies, using data and stakeholder feedback to test change, evaluate impact and ensure successful improvements are sustained and spread.

You may be based at either IWT or PHU and individuals may be required to undertake business travel between sites. For leaders managing staff across multi-site locations, you will need to be visible and provide in person leadership. The arrangements and frequency will be agreed locally.

Please refer to the attached Job Description for full details.

Qualifications

• Applicants must hold current professional registration with the NMC or HCPC and possess relevant post-registration qualifications.
• A Master's degree (or evidence of working towards one),
• A recognised teaching qualification (PGCE, PGCME or equivalent),
• Candidates will also be able to demonstrate completion of leadership development programmes and significant experience in practice education, workforce development and leading teams within a complex healthcare environment.
• Postgraduate qualification in education, leadership, management or workforce development.
• Fellowship or membership of a relevant education, leadership or professional body.
• Quality improvement, coaching, leadership or project/programme management qualification.

Experience

• Substantial senior-level experience in practice education, clinical education, education governance, quality improvement or workforce development within a complex healthcare environment.
• Successful leadership of multidisciplinary or multi-professional education teams, including performance management, staff development and service improvement.
• Experience of developing and implementing education strategy, translating organisational and workforce priorities into measurable delivery plans.
• Experience of assuring the quality of learning environments, placements, supervision and assessment, including managing concerns and improvement actions.
• Experience of effective partnership working with Higher Education Institutions, Further Education providers, clinical services, professional bodies and external stakeholders.
• Experience of using data, audit, evaluation and learner feedback to monitor performance, manage risk and provide assurance.
• Experience of managing delegated resources or budgets and delivering value for money.
• Experience in a large acute NHS Trust.
• Experience of external regulatory or NHS England education quality review.
• Experience across more than one professional education pathway.
• Experience of managing delegated budgets and procurement.
• Experience of education research, innovation or digital learning.

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.