316 Head of training and development jobs

About the Role

We are looking for a motivated, capable and experienced individual to join our dynamic Policy and Public Affairs Team. The postholder will play a key role in developing credible, evidence‑based policy proposals and influencing UK governments, NHS organisations and other relevant bodies to adopt them.

Key tasks and responsibilities include (but are not limited to):

• Collating and analysing existing qualitative and quantitative research to generate policy proposals and facilitate their implementation.
• Conducting and/or commissioning new research, such as survey work or interviews, to fill evidence gaps where necessary in support of policy and influencing work.
• Proposing and implementing influencing plans related to policy work, including meeting stakeholders and developing influencing materials.
• Preparing and drafting responses to consultations and reports relevant to the work of Centre for Perioperative Care (CPOC) and the College, ensuring responses are evidence-based and in line with on-going policy work and strategy.
• Developing effective and impactful briefings for meetings, events and engagements where necessary; ensuring that information is presented in concise, clear and accurate information.

About You

To succeed in this role, you will be highly organised and able to deliver high-quality work at pace while effectively managing competing priorities. You will be eager to learn and confident in building strong, collaborative relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.

You will have demonstrable experience of developing credible, deliverable and evidence-based policy proposals, alongside experience of conducting and collating quantitative and/or qualitative research to support policy development. You will also be able to demonstrate your ability to use research and evidence to effectively influence senior stakeholders.

A good understanding of current UK health policy and the wider health policy environment is essential.

You will need to be educated to degree level or have equivalent relevant experience.

The Package 

This is a full-time, permanent position with a competitive employee benefits package, which includes (but is not limited to): 

• 26 days of annual leave, plus bank holiday 
• 1 additional paid day of leave for the purpose of celebrating your birthday 
• Healthcare support through Benenden Health 
• Up to 12% pension contribution 
• Hybrid and flexible working 
• Wellbeing hour once a week 
• Cycle to work and employee discounts schemes 
• Training and development opportunities 
• Access to Mental Health First Aiders and Employee Assistance Programmes 

How to Apply

In your cover letter please address clearly how your experience meets the essential (and, if possible, desirable) criteria in the job description in no more than 600 words. We ask that you complete this exercise independently, using your own knowledge and experience, without the use of AI tools.

Please note that the closing date may be brought forward should we receive a high volume of suitable applications.

Due to the volume of applications received, we are unable to provide individual feedback to external candidates. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted following the closing date.

Applicants must have the right to work in the UK and be resident in the UK at the time of application.

No agencies please.

About the College

The Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA) is the professional body responsible for the specialty throughout the UK. We are the third largest medical royal college in the UK by membership. With a combined membership of more than 24,000 Fellows and Members, we ensure the quality of patient care by safeguarding standards in the three specialties of anaesthesia, intensive care and pain medicine.

At RCoA equality, diversity and inclusion is an integral part of our culture so it is important to us that this is reflected in everything that we do. We welcome applications from all individuals irrespective of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion or belief, disability, marital status, or parental responsibilities to ensure we actively embrace an inclusive and representative culture that encourages, supports and celebrates our differences.

What We Want to Achieve

We want to see an NHS that delivers good outcomes for patients and makes the best use of available resources. Our current main priorities are:

1) Optimising the surgical pathway. Anaesthetists don’t just work in the operating theatres they are often involved with the care patients receive before and after their operations – known as ‘perioperative care’. Good perioperative care can prevent surgical cancellations, complications, and unnecessarily long hospital stays. To this end, we host the Centre for Perioperative Care (CPOC). CPOC advocates policies such as ‘prehabilitation’ to ensure that patients arrive in hospital on the day of their surgery in the healthiest state possible – so their operation can go ahead without problems, and they can recover quickly. We are doggedly pushing for such polices to be adopted.

2) Supporting the anaesthetic workforce. Most operations require an anaesthetist in order to take place, but each of the four UK nations faces a chronic shortage of anaesthetists. We are determined to see this changed.