Job summary
- Main area
- Surgery
- Grade
- NHS Medical & Dental: Consultant
- Contract
- Secondment: 3 years (Until 31-05-2028)
- Hours
- Part time - 2 sessions per week (8 hours)
- Job ref
- 990-WTE-14069-E
- Employer
- NHS England
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Stella House
- Town
- Newcastle upon Tyne
- Salary
- In line with HoS sessional payments
- Closing
- 27/04/2025 23:59
Employer heading

Head of School for Surgery
NHS Medical & Dental: Consultant
Our Organisation
The NHS is building a culture that is positive, compassionate and inclusive – and we all have our part to play.
As employers we are committed to protecting and promoting the physical and mental health and wellbeing of all our colleagues. This underpins our values as set out in the NHS Constitution and supports us to be an Employer of Choice, while helping our colleagues to deliver high quality services for our patients and communities.
As a flexible employer, we want to support you to work in a way that is best for the NHS, our patients and you. Talk to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement whether that’s a job share, part time, hybrid working or another flexible pattern. In addition, although the role advertised may have a ‘home’ office base indicated, we remain committed to supporting flexibility around workplace locations. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.
Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen within NHS England North East and North Cumbria office for the position of Head of School of Surgery. Reporting to the Deputy Dean for Specialty Training and Postgraduate Dean, the role is responsible for the training and education of 100+ resident doctors in training in Surgery.
The School of Surgery aims to bring Royal College contacts, NHSE NE staff, LET staff and trusts together to ensure the effective organisation and delivery of Postgraduate Medical Education in Surgery for the North East and North Cumbria.
Expected Start date: 1st June 2025
Hours per week: 2 PAs per week
Remuneration: £24,000 per annum (fixed rate).
Main duties of the job
The Head of School is professionally and managerially accountable to the Postgraduate Dean. The Head of School will focus upon improvement of learner supervision, assessment and experience, engagement of faculty and ensuring effective educational outcomes, both now and in the future. The role is evolving and will also focus on whole workforce transformation and developing multi-professional links mas well as innovative ways of curriculum delivery and workforce well-being strategies.
To support the Postgraduate Dean, Heads of Schools work across the spectrum of health and where relevant, social care, within the context of a team, so that the provision of education reflects changing service models. This will deliver an integrated workforce comprising individuals from a spectrum of professional and other backgrounds.
Working for our organisation
The NHS England board have set out the top-level purpose for the new organisation to lead the NHS in England to deliver high-quality services for all, which will inform the detailed design work and we will achieve this purpose by:
- Enabling local systems and providers to improve the health of their people and patients and reduce health inequalities.
- Making the NHS a great place to work, where our people can make a difference and achieve their potential.
- Working collaboratively to ensure our healthcare workforce has the right knowledge, skills, values and behaviours to deliver accessible, compassionate care
- Optimising the use of digital technology, research, and innovation
- Delivering value for money.
If you would like to know more or require further information, please visit https://www.england.nhs.uk/.
Colleagues with a contractual office base are expected to spend, on average, at least 40% of their time working in-person.
If you are successful at interview, we will run an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) in the Electronic Staff Record system (ESR). This transfer gathers valuable information from a previous or current NHS employer to support the onboarding process, including; statutory and mandatory competency status, Continuous Service Dates (CSD), and annual leave entitlement. You will have the opportunity throughout the recruitment process to inform us if you do not consent.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
You can find further details about the role, including key responsibilities and accountabilities, alongside the organisational structure and person specification in the attached Job Description and other supporting documents.
Secondments
Applicants from within the NHS will be offered on a secondment basis only, agreement should be obtained from their employer prior to submitting the application.
If you are interested in this role and would like to find out more, please contact Dr Richard Bellamy, Deputy Dean for Specialty Training ([email protected]). Tel no: 0191 275 4620
Interviews for this post will take place virtually via teams in the afternoon of Monday 28th April 2025.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Primary clinical healthcare qualification
- Membership/Fellowship of a College, Faculty, professional association and/or regulatory body
- Attendance at courses aimed to support educational development (example: educator courses, Train the trainer, etc)
Skills & Abilities
Essential criteria
- Demonstrable leadership skills and an ability to influence and motivate others
- A strong sense of vision and ability to innovate
- Politically astute with an ability to sensitively manage complexity and uncertainty
- Ability to problem solve and maintain objectivity
- Strong interpersonal, communication, written and presentation skills
- Ability to quickly establish personal and professional credibility with colleagues and other key stakeholders
- Excellent organisational and time management skills
- Committed to own personal development and an ability to support others to develop and progress
Behaviours & Values
Essential criteria
- A transformation leadership style
- Ability to make decisions autonomously when required on difficult issues
- Management of transformation and change
- Sensitivity, tolerance and acceptance of criticism
- Perform all duties in a manner that supports and promotes NHSE commitment to equal opportunities
- Conduct all duties in a manner that safeguards the health and safety of yourself and your colleagues, trainees and staff. Note the special responsibility as a manager for assessing and minimising risks to staff.
- A continuing quest for personal and professional development
- An academic interest in training and education across primary and secondary care
Knowledge & Experience
Essential criteria
- Considerable experience of working with learners or doctors in training in an educational context
- Experience of clinical and educational leadership and innovation, including managing a multi-professional team
- Demonstrable track record of delivery in service and education
- Understanding of developments involving the relevant Colleges/Faculties, professional bodies, related NHS organisations and regulatory bodies
- Understanding of the workforce transformation agenda
- Trained and experienced in recruitment, selection and Equality and Diversity in the last 3 years
- Active involvement in, and up to date with, appraisal processes
- Knowledge of the NHS, its structures and processes, including an understanding of healthcare/multi-professional workforce matters
- Applicants who are doctors require a Licence to Practise
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Julie Khan
- Job title
- Senior Business Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 0191 275 4742
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