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Job Title


National Clinical Director UK Foundation Programme Office (UKFPO)


Company : NHS England


Location : London, England


Created : 2026-02-20


Job Type : Full Time


Job Description

National Clinical Director UK Foundation Programme Office (UKFPO) This is a permanent role within the NHS England structure, offered at 5 PAs per week (20 hours), worked flexibly. A secondment from the successful applicant's host organisation may be considered.The role of National Clinical Director of the UK Foundation Programme Office (UKFPO) is to lead the delivery of a wide range of functions, aligned to the remit of the UKFPO.The UKFPO National Clinical Director is professionally and managerially accountable to the Medical Directors of the four UK nations. The role will provide clinical leadership for the UKFPO team and its Foundation programme application and allocation processes as well as its educational responsibilities. This includes the following processes (non-exhaustive list):Foundation allocation process two-year and F2 stand-alone training programmes across the UKEligibility application processDevelopment and production of the UK Foundation Programme CurriculumPromotion of the consistent delivery of the Foundation Programme across the UKDevelopment and sharing of good practice to help raise the standards of trainingChairing the UKFPO national committees for Foundation recruitment and education and working closely with their associated stakeholders (e.g. the MSC, BMA, GMC and AoMRC)Main duties of the job The ideal candidate will be an experienced clinician with a thorough understanding of education and training across the UK, and specifically of medical Foundation training. They will have strong leadership and communication skills and be able to work effectively as a member of a multi-professional team. Details are in the job description.About us Our work supports the NHS to deliver high quality services for patients and best value for taxpayers.Our staff bring expertise across hundreds of specialisms -- including clinical, operational, commissioning, technology, data science, cyber security, software engineering, education, and commercial -- enabling us to design and deliver high-quality NHS services.We lead the NHS in England by:Enabling local systems and providers to improve the health of their people and patients and reduce health inequalitiesMaking the NHS a great place to work, where our people can make a difference and achieve their potentialWorking collaboratively to ensure our healthcare workforce has the right knowledge, skills, values and behaviours to deliver accessible, compassionate careOptimising the use of digital technology, research, and innovationEarlier this year, the Government announced that NHS England will gradually merge with the Department of Health and Social Care, leading to full integration. The aim is to create a smaller, more strategic centre that reduces duplication and eliminates waste.If successful at interview, we will initiate an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) via the Electronic Staff Record (ESR). This retrieves key data from your current or previous NHS employer to support onboarding, including competency status, Continuous Service Dates (CSD), and annual leave entitlement. You may opt out at any stage of the recruitment process.Job responsibilities You can find further details about the job, organisational structure, recruitment profile, expected outcomes and benefits information in the Job Description and other supporting documents.Person Specification QualificationsEducated to a degree level in a clinical or scientific disciplinePostgraduate or management qualification, or equivalent experiencePostgraduate education higher degree(s) and/or external recognition of senior educational expertise (e.g. Masters, MD, PhD in Education; FAcadMEd; SFHEA)GMC registered medical practitioner with a current licence to practiseExperienceSenior NHS leadership with strategic education leadership experienceCurrent or previous Foundation programme senior leadership (e.g. Foundation School Director)Operating effectively in complex, politically sensitive environmentsCredible, experienced clinician respected across all professional groupsExperience of working with statutory, regulatory, government or other health and education stakeholdersDeveloping and applying evidence-informed policy and decision-makingUnderstanding 4N health system dynamics, reform programmes, and use of data/financial levers to drive quality and productivitySkills and abilitiesBuilding collaborative networks and partnerships within and beyond organisationsLeading and motivating high-performing teamsNavigating complexity, ambiguity and the NHS/health/social care/political landscapeAdvanced interpersonal skills: negotiation, conflict management, coaching, stakeholder engagementAssimilating complex information and making decisions in fast-moving, ambiguous environmentsCommunicating complex messages effectively to diverse audiences including the mediaStrategic, systemic and creative thinking to achieve outcomesDeputy Director, Education and Delivery, WT&EDepending on experience, in line with sessional payments#J-18808-Ljbffr