The closing date is 29 July 2026

Job summary
37.5 hours for 6 months - internal only

Join Us in Shaping the Future Workforce

Are you a passionate and experienced education leader committed to developing the healthcare workforce of tomorrow?

We are seeking an exceptional individual to lead our Practice Learning and Non-Medical Education and Training (NMET) agenda across the Trust. This is a strategically important role that will drive excellence in student placement quality, professional education, workforce development, and partnership working across a wide range of healthcare and academic organisations.

The post holder will provide visible leadership for undergraduate and pre-registration education programmes, ensuring that student learning experiences are of the highest quality and contribute directly to the delivery of safe, effective and compassionate care. Working at both strategic and operational levels, you will develop systems, processes and partnerships that enhance the quality, capacity and effectiveness of learning environments across all placement settings.

This role offers the opportunity to make a lasting impact on workforce development and patient care by influencing the education and support of future healthcare professionals.

If you are an experienced educational leader ready to shape the future workforce and drive excellence in practice learning, we would love to hear from you.

All employees of the Trust are strongly encouraged to have their up-to-date flu vaccination to protect staff and patients.

Main duties of the job
Key Responsibilities
You will:

• Lead the development, implementation and evaluation of NMET and practice learning strategies.
• Provide strategic leadership for undergraduate placements and student learning across the Trust.
• Manage NMET tariff funding and ensure robust financial planning, monitoring and reporting.
• Lead quality assurance and quality improvement programmes relating to student placements and educational provision.
• Manage and develop Practice Learning Facilitators, Practice Placement Educators and associated educational leads.
• Support business delivery units through educational performance reporting and quality dashboards.
• Develop innovative approaches to increase placement capacity and improve student experience.
• Ensure compliance with standards established by professional regulators, higher education institutions and NHS partners.
• Lead service reviews, needs assessments and educational improvement programmes.
• Contribute to workforce planning, commissioning and professional development initiatives.
• Build and maintain effective partnerships with universities, NHS organisations, commissioners and wider stakeholders.

About us
We are a specialist NHS Foundation Trust that provides community, mental health and learning disability services for the people of Barnsley, Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield. We also provide low and medium secure services and are the lead for the west Yorkshire secure provider collaborative.

Our mission is to help people reach their potential and live well in their communities, we do this by providing high-quality care in the right place at the right time. We employ staff in both clinical and non-clinical services who work hard to make a difference to the lives of service users, families and carers.

We encourage and welcome applications from all protected characteristic groups, we value diversity and want our workforce to be reflective of our communities.

Being a foundation Trust means were accountable to our members, who can have a say in how were run. Around 14,300 local people (including staff) are members of our Trust.

Join us and you will be one of over 4,500 staff committed to supporting and improving the mental, physical and social needs of the thousands of people we meet and help each year.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all colleagues and volunteers to share this commitment.

We do reserve to right to close vacancy before the advertised closing date if necessary, so please apply as soon as possible.

Details
Date posted: 15 July 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 8a
Salary: £57,528 to £64,750 a year
Contract: Secondment
Duration: 6 months
Working pattern: Full-time, Flexible working
Reference number: C9378-QA01493
Job locations: Fieldhead Hospital, Ouchthorpe Lane, Wakefield, WF13SP, United Kingdom

Job description
JOB SUMMARY
The post holder will lead and manage the achievement of key objectives in quality assurance and development of the undergraduate placement training programmes within the Trust through the management of a portfolio of all University student programmes.

Working at both strategic and operational levels, he/she will co-ordinate and lead programmes using and developing appropriate systems and processes to achieve agreed outcomes. He/she will work in collaboration with colleagues to ensure that student placements are of the highest quality and are central to all relevant NHS and partners commissioning activity and will ensure the development of student placement capacity within a range of organisations and settings.

The priorities include having responsibility for NMET tariff funds and managing a large annual budget provided by HEYH to provide, support and enhance the provision of student supervision and placement provision within the Trust.

The post holder will have the priority task of fully integrating the student information databases within the PPQA system and providing the best possible support and leadership to a team providing support for students and their supervisors, whilst learning on Trust departments and placements. In addition the post holder will support service delivery and clinical quality of all training areas within commissioned services.

KEY RESULT AREAS:

• Lead and contribute to the development, delivery and evaluation of programmes and projects
• Co-ordinate and participate in needs assessments and service reviews
• Develop and implement evidence based strategies and programmes
• Ensure financial implications of tariff are budgeted and effectively managed, measured and reported
• Lead a team of practice learning facilitators and Placement Educators and Unit managers/Educational Leads in managing learning environments within placements.
• Ensure quality management and assurance is completed and reported.
• Lead on the development of NMET Educational strategy.
• Design and develop strategies relevant to NMET work streams and programmes
• Contribute to effective commissioning (needs assessment, prioritising, planning, development, implementation and evaluation of services, programmes and interventions) for training and development outcomes across sectors and organisations, with a particular emphasis on increasing student experience quality.
• Providing placement and training/development advice, as appropriate within the NHS in SWYPFT and to partner agencies
• Managing successful change through evidence based approaches, including projects, change and performance management, ensuring, where appropriate, engagement of key stake holders throughout the process.
• Effectively manage the relevant programme resources, including work stream and project budgets and staff management responsibilities as appropriate to the programme portfolios.
• Ensuring knowledge of target audiences informs the design and commissioning of interventions
• Ensuring information and intelligence informs priorities, focus and appropriate activities.
• Provide BDUs with performance dashboards in relation to quality assurance of Practice Learning, and support trust remain compliant with relevant quality standards set by professional bodies, regulators and Health Education England.

Policy Development, Planning and Programme implementation

• Communicate on highly complex NMET and development issues to a range of audiences including health and non-health professionals, elected members and members of the public.
• Actively participate in a range of meetings and forums within the Trust and with external partners, including Clinical Commissioning groups and health education providers. Chair meetings for own lead programme areas of work.
• Promote the work of the trust placements and Nursing Directorate locally, regionally and nationally
• Provide specialist NMET pathway and development advice, support and leadership to commissioners and providers of services, as required.
• Develop, implement and deliver and NMET educational strategy.
• Provide highly specialised support and guidance to the development of strategies for improving placement education.
• Lead and support the development and delivery of training and professional development to increase the capacity and capability of the nursing and AHP workforce.

Communications and Relationship Management

• Manage complex relationships across a wide range of organisations, including CCG, LETBs, HEIs, HEYH, GP practices, NHS Trusts and other partners as appropriate.
• Write and present regular reports and updates, including complex data from multiple sources to a variety of audiences, including politicians and senior management and clinicians from partner organisations.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues in Yorkshire and across other parts of the region to share knowledge and expertise, establish best practice and identify opportunities for joint working.

Managerial Responsibilities

• Support the recruitment and training of staff and day-to-day management of PLF and Practice Placement Educator Team members.
• Ensure the effective Governance structures are in place for all programmes and projects
• Direct line management of mentor support programme, including 1:1 and team supervision.
• Cover for Assistant Director where appropriate
• Management of performance and attendance issues at PLF and PPE team

Financial responsibilities

• Manage delegated areas of Non-Medical Education Training budgets
• Identify and implement efficiency savings within programme areas as required.
• Manage on-going expenses of the team

Professional/clinical responsibilities

• Receive professional management and support from Assistant Director of Nursing
• Undertake professional development activities, including in-house training, conferences and workshops and other agreed activities as required, maintaining professional or other relevant competencies.
• Maintain NMC or other professional registration and accreditation.
• Provide professional leadership and supervision where appropriate.
• Provide support to staff training in NMET and related areas, maintaining links to education and training providers.
• Staff understand and maintain compliance with regulatory requirements set by professional bodies.

Communication with others
Executive Management Team, District directors, Clinical Leads, Practice Governance Coaches, Assistant Directors, Practice Learning Facilitators, Practice Placement Educators, Other trust departments, BDUs and Directorates and Quality Academy, Elected Members, Governance Leads, Service Providers, NHS England, HEYH, All regional participating HEIs, Voluntary and Community sector, Wider stakeholders and service users, All wards and departments including community placements

Trust Values:
The Trust is committed to ensuring the highest standards of care and treatment and expects that all staff treat people e.g, service users, their carers, relatives, friends, colleagues, visitors etc, with dignity and respect at all time. The post holder must at all times act in accordance with the Trusts Values:

We put the person first and in the centre
We know that families and carers matter
We are respectful, honest, open and transparent
We improve and aim to be outstanding
We are relevant today and ready for tomorrow

For full details of the role please see the supporting documents attached.

While this role meets the eligibility required for Skilled Worker sponsorship, due to the short-term nature of the contract, the Trust will not be offering sponsorship for this post.

We welcome applications from individuals who already have the right to work in the UK or are on a visa route that permits employment without sponsorship.

We are aware that an increasing number of applicants are using AI technology to generate responses on NHS Job application forms. We strongly discourage this and will conduct a thorough screening process before selecting candidates to progress to the next stage. If you are using AI to enhance your application, please disclose this in your NHS Jobs application form.

Person Specification
Special Knowledge/Skills
Essential

• Up to date knowledge of Non- medical education and training processes.
• Working knowledge of undergraduate training curricula.
• Knowledge of NMC/HEYH criteria and requirements.
• Demonstrable knowledge of changing policy, policy development and political awareness.
• Good understanding of current and emerging NHS policy and policies linked to wider organisations and agendas.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Excellent skills in management of change.
• Good analytical skills, ability to write excellent reports.
• Effective project management skills including project planning, risk assessment.
• Good IT skills in word processing, spread sheets, project management software, presentations and use of IT equipment.

Personal Attributes
Essential

• Demonstrable leadership qualities, including persuasion, negotiation, influence and conflict resolution skills to ensure performance is achieved.
• Evidence of the ability to manage relationships at all levels within a range of organisations.
• Proven ability to work across organisational boundaries, particularly NHS, Education establishments, social care, voluntary and independent sectors.
• Strong ability to work with others to deliver shared outcomes
• Comfortable working within complex agendas.
• Evidence of being able to think and work strategically.

Physical Attributes
Essential

• Ability to undertake the duties and demands of the post. A satisfactory sickness record over the previous 2 years (subject to the need to act with fairness and equality of opportunity, particularly where the sickness is related to a disability and/or pregnancy).

Qualifications
Essential

• Registered qualification in health care related profession eg Nursing, AHP etc.
• Educated to degree standard or equivalent.
• Post graduate diploma/ study at Masters level or demonstrable equivalent experience.
• Evidence of personal involvement in policy and strategic planning.

Experience
Essential

• Experience of achievement in project management.
• Experience in managing and developing staff.
• Experience of engaging with service users, the public and staff at all levels inside and outside the organisation.
• Experience in data collection and analysis of data.
• Experience of working in a politically sensitive environment.
• Experience of managing large budgets.
• Experience of working within an educator provider environment.
• Experience of managing multiple complex projects simultaneously.

Training
Essential

• Teaching and assessing qualification in clinical practice, relevant to professional qualification - or demonstrable equivalent experience.
• Management and leadership training.

Desirable

• Specialist training in project management.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details
Employer name: South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust
Address: Fieldhead Hospital, Ouchthorpe Lane, Wakefield, WF13SP, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.southwestyorkshire.nhs.uk

For questions about the job, contact:
Tim Mellard
tim.mellard@swyt.nhs.uk
07785592851