Senior Sonography Lead

NHS; Reading; Remote; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare organization is seeking a Senior Sonography Lead to develop a sustainable workforce supply of sonographers. This remote role involves coordinating education and training across various healthcare networks. The ideal candidate will have a master's degree in clinical education, leadership experience, and a strong record in healthcare training and service delivery.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in healthcare education and training.
• Outstanding professional record in both clinical practice and education.
• Experience in managing complex initiatives in high-pressure environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of a sustainable workforce supply of sonographers.
• Coordinate training programs across healthcare networks.
• Evaluate stakeholder needs and recommend changes as required.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Sonography expertise

Education

Masters Level in clinical education or leadership

Registration with the Health and Care Professions Council

Job description

Overview

NHSE England is recruiting a Senior Sonography Lead for a fixed term basis for the South East Imaging Training Academy. The post will be home based, working remotely. The post holder will sit within the NHSE South East Cancer and Diagnostics Programme team and will be instrumental in leading the ongoing development and implementation of sonography workstreams within the South East Imaging Training Academy.

The purpose of the Senior Sonography Lead, working in partnership with the Academy Clinical Co-Leads, is to provide subject matter expertise, leading the development of a sustainable workforce supply pipeline of sonographers to the south east region, including direct entry, apprenticeships, and postgraduate training.

The successful candidate will be passionate about the delivery and management of Sonography education and training in the South East. They will promote and strengthen the practice of lifelong learning along the professional development continuum from qualification to retirement. They will show an understanding of the important contribution made by all members of the multi-professional health care team, including support staff as well as clinicians.

Main duties of the job

As a member of the core leadership team, the post holder will be responsible for:

• Providing professional Sonography expertise.
• Leading the development of a sustainable workforce supply pipeline of sonographers to the south east region, including direct entry, apprenticeships, and postgraduate training.
• Working with imaging networks, community diagnostic centres (CDCs), NHS Trusts, and HEIs to determine what education and training is needed in order to meet Sonography service requirements across the south east, and to co-ordinate appropriate multidisciplinary education utilising the SE Imaging Training Academy simulation equipment across all hub sites.
• Defining current processes, facilitating discussions and advising colleagues as to how best practice might be adopted relating to the supply and upskilling of Sonographers in the south east.
• Leading all Sonography/Ultrasound workstreams already in place within the SE ITA and advising/guiding the core leadership team on delivery to meet nationally set Sonography objectives for 2025/26.

About us

The NHS England board have set out the top-level purpose for the new organisation to lead the NHS in England to deliver high-quality services for all, which will inform the detailed design work and we will achieve this purpose by:

• Enabling local systems and providers to improve the health of their people and patients and reduce health inequalities.
• Making the NHS a great place to work, where our people can make a difference and achieve their potential.
• Working collaboratively to ensure our healthcare workforce has the right knowledge, skills, values and behaviours to deliver accessible, compassionate care.
• Optimising the use of digital technology, research, and innovation.

If you would like to know more or require further information, please visit https://www.england.nhs.uk/.

Colleagues with a contractual office base are expected to spend, on average, at least 40% of their time working in-person.

Staff recruited from outside the NHS will usually be appointed at the bottom of the pay band.

If you are successful at interview, we will run an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) in the Electronic Staff Record system (ESR). This transfer gathers valuable information from a previous or current NHS employer to support the onboarding process, including statutory and mandatory competency status, Continuous Service Dates (CSD), and annual leave entitlement. You will have the opportunity throughout the recruitment process to inform us if you do not consent.

Job responsibilities

The key areas of responsibility include:

• Sonography workforce subject matter expert for external stakeholders, leading delivery of workstreams as appropriate.
• Developing long-term, strategic delivery plans for assigned programmes of work in partnership with stakeholders.
• Accurate evaluation of stakeholder needs from a range of qualitative and quantitative data sources (e.g., imaging network workforce strategies, ICB operating plans, education commissioning data), and recommending improvement or changes because of comprehensive and timely reviews of Sonography education and training across the south east.
• Ensuring programmes of work are aligned to and successfully deliver regional strategic objectives, KPIs and regulatory compliance.
• Production of reports on progress against plan, for internal assurance for Boards and Committees as required.
• Supporting the Imaging Training Academy Leads to develop innovative approaches to Sonography education and training.
• Ensuring that objectives are met within budget and proportionate contribution to budget savings when required.
• Using Sonography workforce knowledge to inform local team and regional priorities and delivery planning.

You can find further details about the role, including key responsibilities and accountabilities, alongside the organisational structure and person specification in the attached Job Description and other supporting documents.

Job description and person specification

Qualifications and Training

• Registration with the Health and Care Professions Council and active registration or licence to practice.
• Outstanding professional record, both clinically and in education and training.
• Masters Level or equivalent level of experience in clinical education or leadership within a relevant field.

Values & Behaviours

• Operates in a highly political and sensitive environment with strong leadership and communication skills.
• Acts in a way that is compliant with Standing Orders and Standing Financial Instructions and the NHS Management Code of Conduct in the discharge of this responsibility.
• Communicates complex concepts and subject matter clearly, adapting approach for different audiences and avoiding jargon.
• Commitment to the promotion of equality and diversity in the workforce by operating in accordance with NHSE policy, good practice and support of the equalities agenda.
• Promotes innovation, organisational learning, and the sharing of best practice.

Knowledge and Experience

• Extensive knowledge of specialist areas [Sonography, Ultrasound and non-obstetric Ultrasound; education and training as well as service delivery], acquired through post graduate diploma or equivalent experience or training plus further specialist knowledge or experience to master's level equivalent.
• Knowledge of healthcare education and training policy and systems.
• Experience of developing and implementing programmes to support the delivery of the aims and objectives, including multi-professional training opportunities and inclusion of the wider workforce. For example, introducing new ways of working across imaging education and training pathways, identifying, and developing solutions.
• Experience of managing and delivering a number of complex initiatives simultaneously in rapidly evolving, political and high-pressure environments including effective risk management.
• Adapts plans to account changes in government policy, system needs, technological advances, and evaluation of a range of performance data.

Skills & Abilities

• Communicates complex concepts and subject matter clearly, adapting approach for different audiences and avoiding jargon.
• Able to effectively manage a complex, competing and rapidly evolving set of work priorities.
• Ability to communicate with clinical, academic and all levels of staff effectively and sensitively, for example where major changes are required to harmonise delivery of education programmes e.g., immersive/intensive training opportunities or where development of new infrastructure is required e.g., quality support systems, to improve service and learner experience.
• Constantly strive for value for money and greater efficiency in the use of resource.
• Understanding of the developments of Integrated Care Boards, Imaging Networks, and Community Diagnostic Centres and their relationship with imaging training academies, the NHS Long Term Plan, and the NHS People Plan.

Values & Behaviours

• Commitment to the promotion of equality and diversity in the workforce by operating in accordance with NHSE policy, good practice and support of the equalities agenda.