Senior Specialist Lead

NHS National Services Scotland; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

NHS Scotland is seeking a Senior Specialist Lead to enhance early speech, language, and communication in children. This role involves collaboration across various sectors to develop effective programs for the health and social care workforce. Applicants should have a background in speech therapy, exceptional leadership skills, and the ability to work with multiple stakeholders. This fixed-term role promises a flexible work arrangement and numerous employee benefits.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Generous NHS pension scheme

Annual incremental salary progression

27 days annual leave plus public holidays

NHS discounts and more

Qualifications

• Registered Speech and Language Therapist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
• Experience in working with multiple stakeholders in complex systems.
• Ability to develop impactful programme outputs and guidance.

Responsibilities

• Drive collaboration on children's early speech, language and communication development.
• Develop and implement education and training programs.
• Build relationships across the early years system to improve outcomes.

Skills

Collaboration

Leadership

Influence

Education

Master's degree in Speech and Language Therapy

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 31^st March 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.

The Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professionals (NMAHP) Directorate works to support the education, training and continuing professional development of nurses, midwives, allied health professionals, health and social care chaplains and healthcare support workers. The Directorate is also responsible for providing education, training and workforce development across wider professional groups and disciplines, often in partnership with other agencies, to support key policy drivers

The Opportunity

This is an exciting opportunity to join a dynamic and innovative team delivering education and training for the health and social care workforce across Scotland. Commissioned by the Early Learning and Childcare Division in Scottish Government’s Directorate for Children and Families, the Senior Specialist Leads will drive collaboration on children’s early speech, language and communication development across early years settings, making connections between early learning and childcare and health services.

Do you enjoy collaborating with stakeholders to co-develop innovative solutions?

Do you promote the importance of early interactions from pre-birth, for parents, carers and the early years workforce?

Do you build relationships across the early years system to improve outcomes for children?

Do you want to support and drive the implementation of the Early Years Speech, Language and Communication Action Plan?

Do you want to share your experience, knowledge and skills to benefit others and influence early language and communication activity at a national and local level?

Working within the Women, Children, Young People and Families team you will have the opportunity to bring your unique skills and experience, collaborating with other sectors and stakeholders.>

Does this sound like you?

What We Love to See

Senior Specialist Leads offer a broad range of skills and experience, if you can offer some or all of these, we’d love you to apply:

• Registered Speech and Language Therapist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), Master’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Experience in successfully working across complex systems and environments with multiple stakeholders, including early learning and childcare, voluntary sector and child health services.
• Experience in designing and developing high quality, impactful programme outputs including reports, improvement resources and best practice guidance to support programme aims
• Highly effective leader with proven experience of national working and an ability to influence system-wide decision making.
• 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 Senior Specialist Lead 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 Clare McGuire, Head of Programme, [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 (including a presentation) will take place on Thursday 31^st July 2025. The presentation topic will be sent to candidates selected for interview.

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.

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]