NHS Workforce Programme Secretariat Lead and Senior Policy Manager, Clinical Education and Training

In DHSC, we are proud of our purpose - to enable everyone to live more independent, healthier lives for longer. To achieve this, and create a great place to work, we have four values: we are inclusive, we constantly improve, we challenge, and we are agile. If this sounds like an environment you would like to work in, we would love to hear from you.

We are advertising a Grade 7 role within the NHS Workforce Directorate, which is part of the Secondary Care and Integration Group in DHSC. The NHS workforce is at the heart of ensuring the NHS can deliver the services the country needs. It is a high-profile policy area that receives considerable interest from ministers and senior officials, the public and the media. This is an exciting opportunity to work on ensuring the NHS workforce is able to meet the long-term strategic challenges it will be facing in the coming years, and ensuring we have a workforce of the right size, make-up and skills to meet future demand.

The role is based in the NHS Workforce Supply branch. The branch is responsible for the domestic supply of healthcare professionals into the NHS and oversees an annual budget of around £5 bn. The branch plays a key role in putting the NHS staffing on a long-term and sustainable footing and improving patient care through development and delivery of long-term workforce plans. Delivering these plans includes driving unprecedented increases in the number of healthcare professionals that we train, widening access to healthcare careers, for example by increasing the number of apprenticeship opportunities, as well as delivering ambitious reforms to the way staff are trained.

You will lead on coordination, governance and any secretariat for NHS Long Term Workforce Planning. The team coordinates activity across the directorate, and department on the long term workforce planning bringing together the narrative, issues and risks, to ensure effective strategy and corporate governance. This role will be primarily focused on supporting a strategic and coherent approach across the directorate, department, arm's length bodies and government, to support the delivery of long-term workforce plans.

You will have substantial discrete responsibilities, but with up to 25% of your time likely to be focussed on wider work across the branch, to support capacity and capability in a very busy work area, and to enrich the experience of the postholders.

You will work closely with a range of stakeholders including NHS England, the Department for Education, HM Treasury, No.10, as well as professional regulators and partners like UCAS, to deliver and track the delivery of long term workforce commitments and policy initiatives relating to the education and training of clinical professions.

The roles will involve engagement with a wide range of stakeholders including from DHSC and NHS England, and other government departments. The main responsibilities of the roles could include:

• Develop and maintain robust governance in and across organisations to ensure assurance and delivery of any long-term workforce plans.


• Lead any Secretariat functions for NHS long term workforce planning (likely including a ministerially-chaired board).


• Lead on DHSC's engagement with the NHSE's long term workforce planning programme office ensuring strong join up and providing advice to Ministers on matters relating to the programme.


• Keep abreast of strategic and delivery issues, ensure strategic join up across policy areas and potentially lead on deep dives into specific topics or issues.


Your normal place of work will be your contractual primary workplace, usually either London or Leeds. Within DHSC we offer non-contractual hybrid working. The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time spent in the office, enabling in person interaction and collaboration and enhancing team working, learning, and support.

You will be asked to express a location preference during the application process. Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas and some travel may be required across the DHSC estate.

Opportunities for some working from home may be available; other flexible working options may be discussed with the hiring manager in line with individual circumstances and business need.