Director of Education and Commercial Activity

Job overview

The Director of Education will provide visionary and strategic leadership for a single, integrated Trust-wide Education Directorate, bringing together education, training, and learning for all staff groups across University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust (UHP).

The post holder will develop and deliver the Trust Education Strategy, ensuring alignment to current and future service requirements, workforce plans, and quality and safety priorities.

This role will support how UHP grows, develops and retains its workforce by strengthening clinical and non-clinical capability through high-quality education, training and multi-professional development. This includes working with workforce colleagues to create coherent pathways, frameworks, faculty and educator development, supervision and coaching capacity, and accessible learning infrastructure that enables staff to progress and thrive.

The post holder will position UHP as a leading education and training provider regionally and nationally, strengthening partnerships, reputation and impact across the wider system.

Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as ‘Priority’ and 'At Risk' status including NHS at Risk staff throughout Devon who is able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.

Main duties of the job

• Provides clear strategic direction for education and associated commercial activity, positioning education as a core enabler of workforce sustainability, service quality and financial resilience across the Trust and wider system.
• Leads commercial activity in a way that is ethical, transparent and values-driven, balancing financial disciplines with staff wellbeing, inclusion and learner experience, and maintaining public trust in a regulated NHS education environment.
• Uses financial data, market insight and system intelligence to inform strategic decisions, prioritise investment, manage risk and shape a sustainable education and training portfolio.
• Builds and sustains productive relationships with universities, NHS organisations, system partners and commercial organisations to extend reach, share risk and maximise education opportunities for the Trust and Integrated Care System.
• Creates a high-performing education and leadership culture, developing capability, accountability and succession within teams, and ensuring staff are supported to innovate and deliver consistently high-quality outcomes.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

This is a highly significant director-level portfolio, with responsibility for a Trust-wide education economy of circa £40m per annum, including clinical and non-clinical education funding, apprenticeships, clinical placement income, commissioned programmes and commercial activity. The post holder will lead the commercial growth of the education and training portfolio, ensuring robust governance, quality assurance, and financial sustainability.

As a senior director within the Trust, the post holder will work autonomously and provide expert advice to the Chief Medical Officer and Executive Team on education, workforce development and education-related commercial strategy, translating strategic intent into operational delivery and measurable impact.

Please see separate JD and person spec for more details.