Quality & Safety Assurance Lead

Job details

• Job reference: 250412
• Salary: Band 8A (£65,125 - £70,303)
• Job closing date: 17/06/2026
• Job Type: Administrative Services
• Location: NHS Lothian
• Employment type: Permanent
• Hours Per Week: 36
• Job posted date: 03/06/2026
• Employer (NHS Board): NHS Lothian
• Department: Quality Directorate

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VACANCY: QUALITY & SAFETY ASSURANCE LEAD

NHS Lothian Quality Directorate

GRADE: Band 8A

HOURS: 36 hrs / week

BASE: NHS Lothian – Waverley Court / required to travel between sites

CONTRACT: Permanent

Join Us as our Quality & Safety Assurance Lead and support delivery of our Quality Strategy.

This role leads the development of a joined-up approach to quality management, strengthening assurance, improvement and risk management to support safe, effective and person-centred care.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead and shape how quality and risk are managed across NHS Lothian.

In this key role, you will:

• Develop robust processes, guidance and reporting systems that embed quality management into everyday practice
• Strengthen and promote effective risk management approaches across the organisation
• Empower teams with practical tools and techniques to foster a culture of learning, continuous improvement and person‑centred care
• Lead, mentor and develop a diverse and dynamic Quality Directorate team
• Build strong relationships and work collaboratively across the organisation and with key partners

Are you the person for this role?

This role would suit someone who is driven to make a real difference to the quality and safety of care within NHS Lothian. You’ll bring strong expertise in quality, risk and adverse event management, alongside the confidence to use data and insight to influence improvement at all levels. With proven programme leadership experience, you’ll be comfortable leading and motivating teams, managing complex programmes, and working collaboratively to deliver change.

You’ll be educated to Master’s level, ideally in risk management, quality assurance / quality improvement or a related area, or have equivalent experience.

We need someone with a solid experience working within the NHS and a good understanding of healthcare quality, governance and assurance.

For informal inquiries, please contact: jill.gillies@nhs.scot Associate Director of Quality, NHS Lothian

Interviews are proposed to be held week commencing 29th June 2026

Candidates should provide original and authentic responses to all questions within the application form. The use of artificial intelligence (AI), automated tools, or other third-party assistance to generate, draft, or significantly modify responses is strongly discouraged. By submitting your application, you confirm that all answers are your own work, reflect your personal knowledge, skills and experience, and have not been solely produced or altered by AI or similar technologies. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in your application being withdrawn from the application process.

Join us in making a lasting impact on the quality of care in NHS Lothian

To work in the United Kingdom, there is a legal requirement for an individual to demonstrate that they have the relevant permission to work in the country. This permission is, without exception, granted by the UK Visa and Immigrations Service. Further information on what NHS Scotland Boards are required to do to check this as well as what your responsibilities include can be found in the further information for this vacancy.

Please note: we anticipate a high level of interest in this position and may close the vacancy early once a sufficient amount of applications are received. Therefore, please make sure you complete and submit your application at an early stage.

We will fully support disabled candidates, and candidates with long-term conditions or who are neurodivergent by making reasonable adjustments to our recruitment policy and practices.