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Job requirements
Requirements from the employer’s person specification. These describe the role, not your personal match.
Essential
22 listedRequirements the employer expects applicants to meet.
- Qualifications
HCPC registration as a Biomedical Scientist (or other appropriate Healthcare Science registration)
- Qualifications
Master’s Degree or equivalent Postgraduate qualification, or equivalent demonstrable expertise in pathology leadership.
- Qualifications
Significant specialist knowledge acquired through postgraduate study and extensive experience across pathology services.
- Qualifications
Evidence of sustained CPD and senior professional leadership development
- Skills & Abilities
Highly developed leadership, influencing and negotiation skills.
- Skills & Abilities
Exceptional communication, influencing and negotiation skills.
- Skills & Abilities
Highly developed analytical and numerical skills.
- Skills & Abilities
Highly developed project and programme management skills.
- Skills & Abilities
Proven ability to provide strategic scientific and technical leadership across pathology services.
- Skills & Abilities
Proven ability to translate strategic objectives into measurable benefits and outcomes.
- Skills & Abilities
Proven ability to present highly complex and contentious matters confidently to Trust Board and Executive Committees.
- Skills & Abilities
Proven ability to provide strategic leadership for education, workforce capability and professional sustainability.
- Knowledge & experience
Demonstrable extensive senior experience within multi-specialty pathology and 24/7 services.
- Knowledge & experience
Demonstrable experience providing directorate-wide professional leadership and authority across multiple pathology disciplines.
- Knowledge & experience
Demonstrable experience leading complex transformation programmes and organisational change.
- Knowledge & experience
Demonstrable experience providing professional and technical leadership.
- Knowledge & experience
Demonstrable experience leading education, workforce development and succession planning strategies.
- Knowledge & experience
Demonstrable experience shaping organisational strategy and delivering strategic plans.
- Knowledge & experience
Demonstrable experience presenting complex strategic matters directly to Boards and Executive Committees.
- Knowledge & experience
Demonstrable experience delivering benefits realisation from large-scale transformation programmes.
- Knowledge & experience
Extensive demonstrable experience in advanced laboratory technology, digital solutions, and complex analytical platforms.
- Knowledge & experience
Expert understanding of UKAS, ISO 15189, and regulatory frameworks.
Desirable
9 listedAdditional qualities the employer would prefer.
- Qualifications
Fellowship of the Institute of Biomedical Science (FIBMS) or equivalent
- Qualifications
Formal leadership or management qualification
- Qualifications
Qualification or training in quality management, audit or investigation methodologies
- Qualifications
Demonstrable experience in business development, commercial negotiations, or partnership building
- Qualifications
Involvement in research, innovation networks, or industry collaborations.
- Qualifications
Demonstrable coaching experience/qualifications
- Knowledge & experience
Demonstrable experience working within pathology networks or system-wide collaborations
- Knowledge & experience
Demonstrable experience supporting research, innovation or academic partnerships
- Knowledge & experience
Demonstrable experience of Lean, Six Sigma or equivalent continuous improvement methodologies.
Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and visionary Healthcare Science leader to join University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust as our Pathology Professional, Technical and Transformational Lead.
Working as part of the senior Pathology leadership triumvirate alongside the Directorate Clinical Director and Directorate Manager, you will provide strategic professional, technical and transformational leadership across our multi-site pathology service. You will act as the senior professional authority for Healthcare Science within Pathology, helping shape the future direction of services whilst ensuring the highest standards of scientific practice, quality, innovation and patient care.
This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of pathology services across Plymouth and the wider healthcare system. You will work alongside ambitious clinical and operational leaders to deliver transformational change, improve patient outcomes and develop a sustainable workforce for the future.
***Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as ‘Priority’ and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon who are able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.***
Main duties of the job
The Pathology Professional, Technical and Transformational Lead provides directorate-wide professional, technical, strategic and transformational leadership for Biomedical Science and the wider Healthcare Science workforce across Pathology.
Working as part of the Directorate senior leadership triumvirate alongside the Directorate Clinical Director and Directorate Manager, the postholder provides professional and scientific leadership, expert advice and assurance across all pathology services, ensuring high standards of scientific practice, technical excellence, workforce capability and transformational delivery.
The postholder contributes to the development of, and leads the professional, technical and transformation components of, the long-term strategic direction of pathology services, ensuring professional standards, technical developments and transformation programmes support Directorate, Trust and system-wide objectives.
Acting as the Directorate's senior professional authority across all pathology disciplines, the postholder provides strategic leadership for professional standards, quality management, clinical governance, workforce capability, education and training and line management of the Pathology Education, Training and Research Lead.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
- Directorate-wide professional, technical and transformational leadership across multi-site and 24/7 pathology services.
- Senior professional authority across all pathology disciplines, providing strategic leadership and assurance for standards of scientific practice, professional quality and governance and workforce capability.
- Senior technical authority for laboratory standards and accreditation, diagnostic technologies, digital systems, automation, innovation and future service capability.
- Strategic responsibility for the development and delivery of pathology transformation programmes and major change initiatives.
- Strategic leadership of education, training and professional development across pathology services, including line management responsibility for the Pathology Education, Training and Research Lead.
- Support pathology business planning, strategic service development, productivity improvement and long-term service sustainability.
- Responsibility for developing and delivering digital transformation, technical modernisation and quality management system transformation programmes.
- Responsibility for establishing and delivering benefits realisation frameworks arising from transformation programmes and service developments.
- Provide professional leadership and expert contribution to quality governance, risk management, patient safety and regulatory compliance across pathology services.
- Responsibility for complex programme delivery, resource planning, business case development and investment proposals.
- Responsibility for identifying and developing collaborative, commercial and partnership opportunities that improve service resilience, innovation and value for money.
- Responsibility for presenting highly complex professional, technical and transformational matters directly to Trust Board, Executive Committees and senior decision-making forums.
- Representation of Pathology at Trust, regional, network and system level, contributing to the development of professional standards, workforce sustainability and service transformation.
- Lead efforts to reduce unwarranted variation, promoting standardisation and integration and driving continuous improvement across pathology services.
- Lead the development of technical and productivity measures and indicators to support improvements in quality, efficiency, workforce capability and patient outcomes, working in partnership with the Directorate Manager.
For further information please see attached job description
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post will require a submission for Disclosure to be made to check for any unspent criminal convictions.
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Pathology Professional, Technical and Transformational Lead with University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust in Plymouth, England. It is listed as a Band 8 Transformation manager role. The advertised salary is £79,504 - £91,609 per annum. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 17 Sep 2026.
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