Flexible Location: Based throughout Scotland, NES is a remote friendly employer supporting office and hybrid working. Frequent presence at the Glasgow and Edinburgh offices is a requirement of this role. 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 March 2027
**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 Armed Forces Talent Programme (AFTP) is a national programme which sits within NHS Education for Scotland and forms part of the Organisational Development, Leadership and Learning (ODLL) team, within the Workforce Directorate. The Armed Forces Talent Programme is working to ensure NHS Scotland - one of Europes largest employers - benefits from the talent, ability and experience of the Armed Forces community: those still serving or about to leave HM Armed Forces, veterans, Reservists, the cadet movement and the families supporting those who serve.
The Opportunity
We are looking for a Principal Lead to join our small, but highly talented and growing team to drive, shape and lead the Armed Forces Talent Programme. This important and purposeful programme will help contribute to solving some of the most complex workforce challenges in health and social care whilst also making NHS Scotland one of the best places for those from the Armed Forces community to work.
As the Principal Lead for the Armed Forces Talent Programme you will drive the delivery of an ambitious programme, shape the next steps and set the long term aspirations, whilst providing strategic leadership and direction, working collaboratively across multiple workstreams and liaising with stakeholders.
Do you want to support NHS Scotland’s workforce and the Armed Forces community?
Do you enjoy collaborating and problem solving with a wide and varied range of stakeholders?
Do you thrive in leading and growing successful and happy teams?
Do you enjoy the challenge of defining, designing and delivering novel and innovative solutions to complex problems?
Do you enjoy roles with purpose and impact at the heart of everything you do?
Working within the Armed Forces Talent Programme team you will have the opportunity to bring your background and experience of working in or with the Armed Forces to create, collaborate, challenge and contribute across multiple workstreams to effect real change within NES, and further afield.
Does this sound like you?
What We Love to See
Principal Leads need to offer a broad range of skills and experience, if you can offer some or all of these, we would love you to apply:
A background in and, or, understanding of the Armed Forces community and the skills, knowledge and experience they bring to the workforce
Proven experience leading and delivering complex workforce programmes
Ability to balance strategic outlook with focussed delivery
A self-starter with a high level of motivation and initiative
Ability to build highly effective working relationships internally and externally
A strong and effective communicator
Ability to lead and grow successful teams
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 Principal 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 Janice Gibson, Associate Director (ODLL) via janice.gibson3@nhs.scot
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.
Our recruitment process is currently 100% remote and if successful you would initially work remotely, working from our offices as operationally required.
All applicants who are shortlisted for interview will be contacted by e-mail.
Online interviews (including a presentation) will take place on Wednesday 7 & Thursday 8 August 2024. The presentation topic will be sent to candidates selected for interview.
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: EoS.ERRS@nhs.scot
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to
Disability Confident.
