Quality Improvement Lead

Yorkshire Ambulance Service; Newton Hill; On-site; GBP 49,000 - 57,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

27 days annual leave

NHS Discounts

Car lease and salary sacrifice

Job summary

Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust is seeking a Band 7 Quality Improvement Lead on a fixed-term maternity cover. The role focuses on leading two improvement workstreams to reduce ambulance unavailability and improve start‑of‑shift processes, using QI methods and data analysis to drive measurable improvements.

The post involves teaching and mentoring within the QI team, governance and collaboration with frontline services, and representing the Trust regionally and nationally where appropriate.

Qualifications

• Advanced knowledge of Quality Improvement methodologies and tools.
• Strong leadership and people-management skills.
• Experience leading complex change and improvement programmes.

Responsibilities

• Lead and deliver quality improvement programmes across the Trust to improve patient care and outcomes.
• Embed a culture of continuous improvement by collaborating with teams and partners.
• Use data and measurement to inform decisions, track progress and demonstrate impact.

Skills

Quality Improvement

Leadership

Data analysis

Education

Masters degree or equivalent

Tools

QI tools

Job description

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Main area Quality Improvement Grade Band 7 Contract Fixed term: 9 months (Until 12 September) Hours 37.5 hours per week (Full time 37.5 hours per week) Job ref 174-QIL-011026

Site Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust (working in all areas of Yorkshire) Town Wakefield Salary £49,387 - £56,515 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 18/10/2026 23:59

Job overview

An opportunity has arisen to join Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS) as a Band 7 Quality Improvement (QI) Lead, providing maternity cover within the QI team.

During this maternity cover, the post holder’s primary focus will be to lead two operational improvement workstreams: reducing avoidable ambulance unavailability and improving start-of-shift processes. These workstreams will explore the factors affecting ambulance availability and support crews to be ready to respond to patients as quickly and safely as possible.

Working closely with frontline operational teams, Emergency Operations Centres, Fleet, AVP and corporate colleagues, the post holder will use QI methods, data analysis and staff engagement to understand current processes, identify variation, test changes and evaluate their impact. They will be responsible for progressing delivery, addressing barriers and supporting teams to sustain improvements.

Alongside these priority workstreams, the post holder will contribute to the wider delivery of the Trust’s QI Enabling Plan, supporting improvements in patient care, staff experience, and service outcomes. This will include delivering QI training, coaching and mentorship, supporting other improvement priorities, and providing leadership and line management within the QI team.

We are looking for a visible, approachable and supportive leader who can build strong relationships, make complex information easy to understand and help teams turn ideas into practical, measurable improvements. The post holder will work with colleagues, patients and partners to shape change, share learning and build improvement capability across the Trust.

The role will also contribute to governance and assurance, providing clear evidence of progress, risks and impact, and ensuring improvement work remains aligned with organisational priorities. There may also be opportunities to represent the Trust regionally and nationally.

Main duties of the job

Some of the main duties of the Quality Improvement Lead include:

• Lead and support the design, delivery and evaluation of Quality Improvement (QI) programmes across the Trust, ensuring a clear focus on improving patient care, experience and outcomes.
• Play a key role in embedding a culture of continuous improvement, working collaboratively with teams, services and partners to identify opportunities for change and support the implementation of new ways of working.
• Use data and measurement for improvement to inform decision‑making, track progress and demonstrate the impact of improvement activity.
• Develop and deliver QI training and education programmes, building improvement capability across the organisation and supporting staff at all levels to apply QI methods in practice.
• Provide leadership, coaching and mentorship to individuals and teams, including line management of Quality Improvement Facilitators and supporting their development.
• Build effective relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, influencing and engaging teams to support the successful delivery and spread of improvement work.
• Translate complex systems, data and concepts into clear, practical approaches that support understanding and engagement across different audiences.
• Identify and share learning and best practice, supporting innovation and the spread of effective improvement approaches across the Trust.
• Contribute to governance and assurance processes, providing evidence of progress and ensuring improvement work aligns with organisational priorities and regulatory requirements.
• Represent the Trust in internal and external forums, contributing to regional and national improvement networks and sharing learning beyond the organisation.

Working for our organisation

Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS) NHS Trust geographically covers nearly 6,000 square miles of varied terrain, from isolated moors and dales to urban areas, coastline and inner cities.

We serve a population of over five million people across Yorkshire and the Humber and strive to ensure that patients receive the right response to their care needs as quickly as possible, wherever they live.

We employ more than 7,100 staff, who together with over 1,300 volunteers, enable us to provide a vital 24-hour, seven‑days‑a‑week, emergency and healthcare service.

Our ambition is to be an employer of choice, and we are continuously working across our partnership to improve our collective offer to staff in areas like health and wellbeing, benefits and flexible working incl. hybrid working.

Benefits:

• Flexible working including part‑time hours, job shares and flexible hours, agile working (role dependent)
• 27 days annual leave, increasing to 33 with service.
• Contributory Pension.
• NHS Discounts including shops, restaurants, gyms etc.
• Car lease and other salary sacrifice schemes.
• Dedicated employee assistance and counselling service.
• Opportunities for research participation, career progression and ongoing development.
• Well respected, committed and supported staff networks for our workforce.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Key responsibilities:

• Lead and deliver quality improvement programmes, supporting the design, implementation and evaluation of change across the Trust
• Embed a culture of continuous improvement by working collaboratively with teams, services and partners to identify and act on opportunities for improvement
• Use data, measurement and analysis to inform decision‑making, track progress and demonstrate impact
• Develop and deliver QI training and education to build improvement capability across staff at all levels
• Provide leadership, line management, coaching and mentorship within the QI team and more widely across the organisation
• Build and maintain effective relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, influencing and engaging others to support improvement activity
• Translate complex data, systems and concepts into clear and practical approaches to support understanding and delivery
• Identify, share and spread learning and best practice to support innovation and service improvement
• Contribute to governance, assurance and reporting processes, ensuring improvement work aligns with organisational priorities
• Support the development of policies, processes and systems that strengthen quality improvement across the Trust

Person specification:

• Highly developed specialist knowledge of Quality Improvement methodology and tools
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex data, identify insights and support decision‑making
• Proven experience of leading and delivering complex change and improvement programmes
• Experience of using measurement for improvement to demonstrate impact
• Skilled in influencing, engaging and building relationships across a range of stakeholders
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain complex ideas clearly to different audiences
• Experience of delivering training, education, coaching and mentoring to individuals and groups
• Ability to manage competing priorities and work effectively both independently and as part of a team
• Experience of handling sensitive or challenging conversations and situations with professionalism
• Strong leadership skills with a commitment to developing others and promoting a positive team culture

Skills

• Highly developed specialist knowledge in Quality Improvement methodologies
• High level of leadership, communications (verbal and written) and interpersonal skills.
• Highly developed motivational and influencing skills
• Able to work unsupervised and as part of a team

Qualifications

• Educated to Masters level or equivalent experience
• Specialist knowledge of QI methodology for example, green belt lean six sigma or other equivalent qualification.

Experience

• Experience of managing and delivering quality improvement projects
• Evidence of dealing with difficult conversations and contentious information
• Extensive experience of leading complex change and delivering agreed outcomes

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Name Craig Reynolds Job title Senior Quality Improvement Lead Email address [e-mail] Additional information

Please email [e-mail] to arrange for an informal discussion to learn more about the role.