Specialist Lead

NHS Scotland; Remote; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A national health board in the UK seeks a Specialist Lead to oversee leadership development and talent management within the health and social care sector. The role involves leading programs to enhance leadership skills, collaborating with various stakeholders, and contributing to a diverse and inclusive workforce. The ideal candidate should have expertise in leadership development and proven experience in managing complex programs. Opportunities for flexible working and a supportive work environment are offered.

Benefits

Flexibility in work patterns

NHS pension scheme

Annual leave and public holidays

NHS discounts

Qualifications

• Expertise in leadership development and talent management within health, social care, or the public sector.
• Ability to lead and deliver innovative leadership programs.
• Experience managing budgets and resources effectively.

Responsibilities

• Lead delivery of leadership development and talent management activities.
• Design, develop, and evaluate leadership development programs.
• Build relationships with Scottish Government and stakeholders.

Skills

Leadership development

Talent management

Stakeholder engagement

Program design

Change management

Job description

Flexible Location

NES is a remote‑friendly employer with staff based throughout Scotland. We support office‑based and hybrid working arrangements. We welcome conversations about alternative working patterns — please get in touch during the application process to discuss.

Work Pattern

Permanent, Monday to Friday Time, 37 hours per week

Eligibility

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 role of the People and Culture Directorate is wide‑ranging and exciting. We not only enable NES to attract, recruit, support, train, develop, reward and recognise its own workforce, but also play a significant role in employing doctors and dentists in training across Scotland. Furthermore, we support recruitment of medical and dental trainees and other vocational groups for the whole of Scotland’s health sector. We support the management of change, providing organisational consultancy. We also play an active part in the organisation’s commitment to fulfilling its equality and diversity responsibilities, not just to its own staff but throughout all the activities of the organisation.

Nationally the People and Culture Directorate acts as a key strategic partner to Scottish Government in the delivery of national talent, leadership and management, quality improvement, and learning and development ambitions. We also provide information, advice, educational solutions and support to the wider NHS through links with Health Boards, care providers and the Scottish Government. This post is within one of our national programmes of work, Leading to Change.

Leading to Change

Leading to Change was initiated by the Health Workforce Directorate of the Scottish Government. The programme sets out an ambition to develop leadership capability at all levels in the workforce and create leaders who are inspirational and empowering, inclusive, promote well‑being and understand that people are the most significant asset for creating positive change.

https://www.nes.scot.nhs.uk/our-work/leading-to-change/

One of the key drivers of this work is the need to create a diverse, inclusive and values driven workforce that reflects the diversity in Scotland’s communities – including socio‑economic, ethnicity, gender and disability. This role will act as a subject matter expert in the leadership development and talent management field leading various high‑profile interventions that will support the development of leadership at all levels.

The Opportunity

This role is an exciting opportunity to lead aspects of the delivery of the leadership development and talent management activities within the Leading to Change team. The team is tasked with delivering national leadership development programmes and resources to support Scotland's health and social care workforce.

We are looking for a Specialist Lead to join our talented team to build on work undertaken to date and continue to design, develop, deliver and evaluate leadership development programmes and interventions with a focus on cultural change. This will require building on already established and effective relationships with Scottish Government and stakeholders across the wider health and social care system.

Do you want to help develop our leaders at all levels, and improve the everyday lives of health and social care colleagues as well as people who use services?

Do you enjoy rising to the challenge in a fast paced, complex and political environment?

Do you want to play a key role in changing the way we think about the health and social care workforce and the care and service it provides?

Do you want to use your knowledge, skills and experience to lead the development of a range of leadership and talent management interventions for the health and social care workforce?

Do you want to deliver and evaluate the effectiveness of different leadership and talent management activities for the health and social care workforce?

Qualifications

• Bring expertise in leadership development and talent management within health, social care, or the public sector.
• Apply insight into workforce challenges and shape strategies that make a real impact.
• Thrive in change, supporting others and adapting effectively in fast‑moving environments.
• Demonstrate strength in self‑management, prioritisation, analysis and sound decision‑making.
• Build and sustain relationships with stakeholders at all levels to drive collaboration.
• Lead and deliver innovative leadership and cultural development programmes.
• Design and implement education and training programmes and resources in leadership and talent management.
• Provide leadership in multidisciplinary teams and influence across complex systems.
• Manage budgets and resources effectively to ensure successful programme delivery.
• Communicate with impact, preparing reports, interpreting policy and presenting to large audiences.
• 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

• 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 Leadership Development or Organisational Development 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 have questions, check out our comprehensive FAQ slide pack which covers the typical questions we receive. For any further queries contact us at our mailbox.

Next Steps

All applicants who are shortlisted for interview will be contacted by e‑mail.

In person OR online interviews (online Teams interview and presentation) will take place on 18 February 2026.

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.

• Please be advised that if you are successful in being offered the role following the recruitment process, you will be expected to attend the office prior to your start date to complete face‑to‑face pre‑employment checks. If you require any adjustments to support this, please let us know.
• To work in the United Kingdom, there is a legal requirement for an individual to demonstrate that they have the relevant permission to work in the country. This permission is, without exception, granted by the UK Visa and Immigrations Service.

As part of the pre‑employment checks for a preferred candidate, NHS Scotland Boards will check your entitlement to work in the UK. It can be evidenced through a number of routes including specific types of visa as well as EU settled and pre‑settled status. To find out more about these routes of permission, please refer to the GOV.UK website.

For specific types of post, if you do not have the necessary eligibility to work in the UK, it might be possible (though not guaranteed) to secure sponsorship via a UK Skilled Worker/Health & Care Worker Visa. However, this is only possible if the employer is a licensed Sponsor, and if the post does not fall below the current minimum salary threshold or ‘going rate’. Further information on these criteria can be found here.

It is ESSENTIAL that you have checked that you either already have an appropriate right to work in the UK or that the post would be eligible to be sponsored BEFORE submitting your application form.

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]