Director of Medical EducationNHS

Job summary

Reporting to the Chief Medical Officer, the Director of Medical Education provides strategic leadership for the design, delivery, and quality management of all Undergraduate and Postgraduate medical and dental education across the Trust, ensuring that the standards and objectives of the educational agreement between the Trust and the Postgraduate Dean are met.

The post holder provides professional advice and leadership to the Trust on matters relating to medical and dental education and is responsible for translating Trust values into daily educational practice. This ensures the Trust achieves its NHSE contractual agreements while actively leading workforce retention strategies.

With the Chief Medical Officer and DMD/Responsible Officer (+/- individual trainee's NHSE Responsible Officer) is accountable for any matters of concern about individual practitioner performance, fitness to practice include MHPS

Main duties of the job

You will provide visionary leadership to bridge the gap between high-quality clinical training and robust hospital operations. Your focus will be on transforming the educational culture, driving doctor retention, and delivering key national frameworks.

• Cultivate an Inclusive, Modern Culture: Lead the cultural transition to "Resident Doctor" terminology while actively promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion across all educator and learner networks.
• Champion the 10-Point Plan: Drive the local implementation of the NHSE Resident Doctor 10-Point Plan alongside modernising training via virtual reality, simulation, and digital learning ecosystems.
• Protect the Service-Training Balance: Align daily service demands with training needs, ensuring educational time and senior educator funding are strictly safeguarded and never sacrificed for rotas.
• Optimise the Onboarding & Rota Experience: Partner with Medical Staffing to target 90% compliance for work schedules (8 weeks out) and rotas (6 weeks out) while removing onboarding friction via regional training MoUs.
• Elevate SAS & Locally Employed Doctors: Expand structural career pathways, portfolio routes, and credentialing opportunities to ensure professional development and respect for all non-training tiers.
• Uphold Educational Governance: Ensure all clinical trainers meet and maintain GMC Standards, while proactively leading local preparations for external monitoring visits and annual GMC surveys.

Job description

• Strategic & Educational Leadership: Chair the Medical Education Committee, serve as the primary liaison with the NHSE Regional Team, and advocate for medical/dental training priorities at Trust Board level.
• Culture & Diversity Advocacy: Actively promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in education delivery, staff recruitment, and professional development across all clinical teams.
• Quality Assurance & GMC Compliance: Ensure all clinical trainers meet GMC Standards for Trainers, manage local preparation for external monitoring visits, and proactively action findings from annual GMC Trainee and Trainer surveys.
• Trainee & Pastoral Support: Oversee frameworks for workplace-based assessments, ensure every trainee has named clinical/educational supervisors, and provide robust pastoral support and career guidance.
• Performance & Risk Management: Collaborate with the Chief Medical Officer to identify, support, and manage underperforming practitioners and resolve training delivery challenges.
• Operational & Rota Collaboration: Partner with Medical Staffing and clinical teams to enhance the junior doctor experience, eliminate onboarding friction, and protect training time from service pressures.
• Centre & Budgetary Management: Oversee the operational delivery of the Postgraduate & Undergraduate Education Centre, supervise simulation facilities, and manage the medical and dental education tariff budget.

About us

North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust is a large, complex organisation serving a diverse population across multiple sites. We are committed to delivering high quality, safe and effective care, with a strong focus on continuous improvement and clinical leadership.

You will be joining a supportive and collaborative senior leadership community, working closely with clinical and corporate colleagues to address key priorities and challenges. This role offers a unique opportunity to make a rapid, visible difference at a critical time,improving care, strengthening standards, and embedding a positive, accountable culture.