Head of Healthcare Professions

Job summary

We are looking for an inspirational and collaborative leader who is passionate about developing research-active healthcare professionals. You will have: Registration as a healthcare professional with a recognised UK professional body. Extensive experience of working within the UK NHS. A strong track record in research, innovation, academic development or clinical leadership. Experience of building research capacity and supporting staff at different stages of their academic careers. Experience of securing research funding and supporting successful grant or fellowship applications. Excellent partnership-working skills, with the ability to collaborate across organisations and disciplines. Experience of mentoring, coaching and supervising healthcare professionals and researchers. An established research profile, including experience of leading or contributing to funded research. If you are passionate about advancing healthcare research, developing future clinical academics and influencing strategic change at scale, we would love to hear from you.

Main duties of the job

This is a unique opportunity for an experienced healthcare professional and research leader to join LTHT as Head of Healthcare Professions Academic Development (AFC grade 8D). As a member of the Research & Innovation (R&I) Senior Leadership Team, you will lead the strategic development of research, innovation and evidence-based practice across the Trust's healthcare professions workforce. Working closely with clinical leaders, universities and external partners, you will build research capacity, develop academic career pathways and help secure funding to support research growth. Alongside this leadership role, you will have the opportunity to maintain an active research portfolio and contribute to the delivery of high-quality clinical research that improves patient care.

About us

The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is committed to delivering the highest quality and safest treatment and care to every patient, every time. Our vision is to provide the highest quality specialist and integrated care. We will do this through delivery of our multi-year goals and strategic priorities, which you can read about on this page. Central to it all is The Leeds Way our values and behaviours that are at the heart of everything we do.

Details

• Date posted: 26 July 2026
• Pay scheme: Agenda for change
• Band: Band 8d
• Salary: £94,356 to £108,814 a year
• Contract: Permanent
• Working pattern: Full-time
• Reference number: 001060
• Job locations: St James’s University Hospital, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS9 7TF, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

For questions about this job, contact:

Name: Dr Denise Ross Position: Head of Healthcare Professions Academic Development Email: Denise.ross@nhs.net Phone number:

Job Summary

This is a unique opportunity for an experienced healthcare professional and research leader to join LTHT as Head of Healthcare Professions Academic Development (AFC grade 8D).

As a member of the Research & Innovation (R&I) Senior Leadership Team, you will lead the strategic development of research, innovation and evidence-based practice across the Trust's healthcare professions workforce. Working closely with clinical leaders, universities and external partners, you will build research capacity, develop academic career pathways and help secure funding to support research growth.

Alongside this leadership role, you will have the opportunity to maintain an active research portfolio and contribute to the delivery of high-quality clinical research that improves patient care.

Why you should join our Team

Research and innovation are central to LTHT's ambition to be one of the UK's leading research-active NHS organisations.

In this role, you will:

• Shape the future of healthcare professional research career pathways across the Trust.
• Influence strategy as part of the R&I Senior Leadership Team.
• Develop strong partnerships with universities, NIHR and other research organisations.
• Support healthcare professionals to access research, fellowship and funding opportunities.
• Lead programmes that build research capability, mentorship and academic career development.
• Continue to develop your own research profile while making a lasting impact on patient care and workforce development.

What you will bring to the role

We are looking for an inspirational and collaborative leader who is passionate about developing research-active healthcare professionals.

You will have:

• Registration as a healthcare professional with a recognised UK professional body.
• Extensive experience of working within the UK NHS.
• A strong track record in research, innovation, academic development or clinical leadership.
• Experience of building research capacity and supporting staff at different stages of their academic careers.
• Experience of securing research funding and supporting successful grant or fellowship applications.
• Excellent partnership-working skills, with the ability to collaborate across organisations and disciplines.
• Experience of mentoring, coaching and supervising healthcare professionals and researchers.
• An established research profile, including experience of leading or contributing to funded research.

If you are passionate about advancing healthcare research, developing future clinical academics and influencing strategic change at scale, we would love to hear from you.

About Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust

Our values are part of what make us different from other trusts, so we see this as a strength, as well as a responsibility. They have been developed by our staff and set out what they see as important to how we work. Our five values are:

Patient-centred Collaborative Fair Accountable Empowered

All our actions and endeavours will be guided and evaluated through these values

We’re committed to recruiting exceptional people to deliver outstanding services across Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and helping every colleague reach their full potential. We’re looking for a compassionate, inclusive, and collaborative leader who shares our values and can build strong partnerships. We warmly invite applications from people from a variety of backgrounds and sectors, and are especially keen to hear from individuals from a minority ethnic background. We’re dedicated to creating a diverse and inclusive environment where everyone feels valued, supported, and has a true sense of belonging, as we work together to deliver the best in healthcare to the people of Leeds and beyond.

To comply with UK Government regulations on Skilled Worker sponsorship, Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust is unable to provide sponsorship to applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria or the salary threshold concessions set out under the Skilled Worker visa route. Please take this into consideration before submitting your application. Full guidance on these concessions, including details of who may qualify, can be found here.

We reserve the right to close this advert early if we receive a high number of suitable applications.