Job Description

Company Description

Working as a partnership, both Isle of Wight NHS Trust and Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust have a shared vision for excellence in care for our patients and communities; with a set of strategic aims underpinning how we will achieve this.

The single corporate service is delivered across both organisations. You may be based at either IWT or PHU and individuals may be required to undertake business travel between sites. For leaders managing staff across multi-site locations, you will need to be visible and provide in person leadership. The arrangements and frequency will be agreed locally.

Job Description

This vacancy is open exclusively to internal applicants currently employed by Isle of Wight NHS Trust and Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust.

NHS Band 8a Salary: £57,528 - £64,750 per annum

Hours Per Week: Full time 37.5

Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract for 6 months

We are seeking an experienced, forward-thinking and collaborative leader to join our Learning, Education and Development team as Head of Practice Education on a 6 month secondment.

Are you a passionate and experienced healthcare professional with a commitment to developing the workforce of the future? We are seeking an inspirational and forward-thinking Head Of Practice Education to join our Learning, Education and Development team.

This is an exciting opportunity to provide visible professional leadership across practice education, supporting the delivery of high-quality learning experiences that positively influence patient care, workforce development and staff retention. Working closely with clinical teams, educators, Higher Education Institutions and system partners, you will play a key role in ensuring that education and training programmes meet both current service needs and future workforce ambitions.

As Matron for Practice Education, you will lead and support a team of practice educators, champion excellent learning environments, and drive innovative approaches to education, apprenticeships, preceptorship, professional development and career progression. You will work across professional boundaries to support recruitment, retention and workforce transformation, ensuring that staff and learners have access to high-quality educational opportunities that enable them to grow and succeed.

We are looking for a credible and inclusive leader with significant clinical and educational experience, excellent relationship-building skills and a proven ability to lead change. You will be passionate about developing people, influencing practice and creating a culture where learning, improvement and compassionate leadership thrive.

This role offers the opportunity to make a tangible impact on workforce development across the organisation while working with dedicated colleagues who are committed to delivering outstanding education and supporting the next generation of healthcare professionals.

Job Summery

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for practice education across the organisation, ensuring education provision aligns with service priorities and workforce requirements.
• Lead and manage Practice Education teams, providing visible professional leadership, direction, support and performance management.
• Support workforce development through the design and delivery of education, training, apprenticeships, preceptorship and career development pathways.
• Ensure the delivery of high-quality, safe and effective clinical placements for learners across non-medical professions, working in partnership with Higher Education Institutions and Further Education providers.
• Develop and maintain high-quality learning environments that promote excellence in education, learner experience and professional development.
• Support recruitment, retention, succession planning and talent management initiatives to develop a sustainable workforce fit for future service needs.
• Provide expert educational advice and support to the Professional and Clinical Education Team, Care Groups and wider organisational stakeholders.
• Lead and contribute to the development, implementation and evaluation of education programmes, ensuring alignment with local and national priorities.
• Monitor education quality, compliance and performance metrics, using data, audit and feedback to drive continuous improvement.
• Champion evidence-based practice, innovation, research and quality improvement activities that enhance patient care and workforce capability.
• Produce reports and present educational performance, workforce development activity and improvement initiatives at Trust forums and governance meetings.
• Foster collaborative relationships with clinical services, education providers and external partners to support workforce supply and professional development opportunities.
• Lead investigations and responses to complaints, incidents and concerns relating to education and learning environments, ensuring lessons are identified and embedded into practice.
• Represent the Deputy Director Education as required and contribute to Trust-wide strategic education, workforce and professional development initiatives

Interviews are planned for Thursday 22nd October

Please refer to the Job description for further information.

You may be based at either IWT or PHU and individuals may be required to undertake business travel between sites. For leaders managing staff across multi-site locations, you will need to be visible and provide in person leadership. The arrangements and frequency will be agreed locally.

Qualifications

Essential

• Applicants must hold current professional registration with the NMC or HCPC and possess relevant post-registration qualifications.
• A Master's degree (or evidence of working towards one),
• A recognised teaching qualification (PGCE, PGCME or equivalent),
• Candidates will also be able to demonstrate completion of leadership development programmes and significant experience in practice education, workforce development and leading teams within a complex healthcare environment.

Desirable

• Postgraduate qualification in education, leadership, management or workforce development.
• Fellowship or membership of a relevant education, leadership or professional body.
• We are particularly interested in candidates who can demonstrate experience of working collaboratively with Higher Education Institutions and external partners to develop and deliver high-quality education programmes.

Experience

Essential

• Substantial senior-level experience in practice education, clinical education or workforce development within a complex healthcare environment.
• Successful leadership of multidisciplinary or multi-professional education teams, including performance management, staff development and service improvement.
• Experience of developing and implementing education strategy, translating organisational and workforce priorities into measurable delivery plans.
• Experience of assuring the quality of learning environments, placements, supervision and assessment, including managing concerns and improvement actions.
• Experience of effective partnership working with Higher Education Institutions, Further Education providers, clinical services, professional bodies and external stakeholders.
• Experience of using data, audit, evaluation and learner feedback to monitor performance, manage risk and provide assurance.
• Experience of managing delegated resources or budgets and delivering value for money.

Desirable

• Experience of leading practice education across more than one organisation or site.
• Experience of apprenticeships, preceptorship, continuing professional development or career pathway development.
• Experience of education research, innovation or digital learning.

Additional Information

The health and wellbeing of our staff is at the forefront of everything we do. We are proud to be able to offer our staff some fantastic benefits including our on-site Nursery, access to our free Beach Hut for those long summer days, our on-site Wellness Centre including a gym and a swimming pool, access to our fantastic staff networks including LGBTQ, Race Equality and DisAbility, and awards ceremonies to recognise your achievements. We believe we can offer support to all of our staff when they need it the most.

We welcome the unique contributions that you can bring in terms of your education, opinions, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity and expression, nation of origin, age, languages spoken, veteran’s status, colour, religion, disability, sexual orientation, and beliefs.

For more information, please see our People and OD Strategy 2026