Specialist Lead – Knowledge Management & Discovery
New Yesterday
Work Pattern: Fixed Term,Full Time, 37 hours per week
Fixed-term or Secondment** For 6 months from 1st October 2025 until 31st March 2026
- For NHS applicants, an NHS secondment will be offered in the first instance. For non-NHS applicants, a fixed-term or secondment would be considered.
Who We Are
NHS Education for Scotland (NES) is the national health board with statutory responsibilities to effect sustainable change through workforce development, education and training across the health and social care system in Scotland, while working at UK level with partner organisations.
NHS Scotland Academy, Learning and Innovation is a recently formed (2023) directorate within NES to support the development of learning and innovation within the organisation which will have system-wide impact on the development of the health and social care workforce. Uniquely, the Director works across the executive teams of two national health boards: NES and NHS Golden Jubilee to lead the development, implementation, and ongoing management of NHS Scotland Academy.
The role of the NHS Scotland Academy, Learning and Innovation (NHSSA, LI) Directorate is wide-ranging and exciting. The Directorate was formed to support the development of learning and innovation within the organisation which will have system-wide impact on the development of the health and social care workforce.>
The Opportunity
The Knowledge Management and Discovery (KMD) Business Unit manages access to resources to inform practice and learning for the health and social care workforce.
The business unit supports both the management and use of the resources hosted on The Knowledge Network a national digital library and Turas Learn a learning management system for NES and other organisations.
We are looking for a Specialist Lead to oversee the infrastructure and content management of our national digital library The Knowledge Network https://www.knowledge.scot.nhs.uk which supports health and social care staff across Scotland.
Do you want to improve access to evidence and research to support both practice and professional development of health and social care staff?
Do you enjoy working at pace and being adaptive to an ever-changing environment?
Do you want to play a key role in supporting change in the exciting and progressive area of digital library services?
Do you thrive working in partnership and collaborating with a wide range of people?
Do you have proven diagnostic, problem-solving and data analysis skills gained through working with a variety of library systems?
Working within the Knowledge Management and Discovery Business Unit, you will have the opportunity to bring your unique skills and experience to the table, collaborating across multiple workstreams to effect real change within NES, and further afield within the wider library services community.>
Does this sound like you?
What We Love To See
Specialist Leads offer a broad range of skills and experience, if you can offer some or all of these, we’d love you to apply:
- Highly effective communicator who knows how to make complex, technical information and language engaging for diverse stakeholders
- Proven experience in leading and motivating teams, particularly through change
- Experience of working with a broad range of partners in health and social care settings
- Experience supporting the delivery and enhancement of digital library services and resources
- Experience in working with library systems, including library management and discovery platforms such as Alma and Primo
- Awareness of emerging technologies and trends and their potential impact on the delivery of digital library services
- Demonstrate honesty, integrity, care and compassion when dealing with others, utilising tact and persuasion skills when necessary
- Ability to work on own initiative, to organise and prioritise own workloads, to meet strict deadlines
As a valued employee of NHS Scotland, you can enjoy an extensive range of benefits including:
- Life-work balance - with opportunities for flexible working and hybrid working
- Generous NHS pension scheme
- Annual incremental salary progression (up to the maximum of the salary band) plus annual NHS salary scale review
- Annual Leave - 27 Days pro rata increasing in line with service plus 8 days pro rata public holiday
- NHS discounts and more
Developing a successful national service for Scotland is impossible without ensuring we consider the diverse needs, perspectives and backgrounds of everyone in Scotland in our work.
We are focused on hiring the very best talent available for NES, and actively encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds and aim to ensure everyone is treated fairly, with respect and has a positive recruitment experience – regardless of the outcome.
It’s not essential to be in a Specialist Lead role right now. You may be returning from a career break (e.g. maternity, paternity, caring for others) or returning after working in another field. Your experiences elsewhere can bring a fresh perspective to our work.
If you are considering applying and feel it would be helpful to discuss this initially, please contact derek.boyle@nhs.scot
Next Steps
- NHS candidates will be considered firstly on a secondment basis, and so are strongly encouraged to discuss this with their current NHS employer at the earliest opportunity, ideally prior to application.
In person OR online interviews (including a presentation) will take place on 21st and 22nd August 2025. The presentation topic will be sent to candidates selected for interview.
For further information please refer to the Job Information Pack below.
Unless otherwise stated the deadline for applications is 23:59 hours on the closing date. Please note, CVs will not be accepted.
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.
As part of the pre-employment checks for a preferred candidate, NHS Scotland Boards will check your entitlement to work in the UK. It can be evidenced through a number of routes including specific types of visa as well as EU settled and pre-settled status. To find out more about these routes of permission, please refer to the GOV.UK websitehere.
For specific types of post, if you do not have the necessary eligibility to work in the UK, it might be possible (though not guaranteed) to secure sponsorship via a UK Skilled Worker/Health & Care Worker Visa. However, this is only possible if the employer is a licenced Sponsor, and if the post does not fall below the current minimum salary threshold or ‘going rate’. Further information on these criteria can be foundhere.
It is ESSENTIAL that you have checked that you either already have an appropriate right to work in the UK or that the post would be eligible to be sponsoredBEFORE submitting your application form.
If you have any queries regarding the NHS Scotland National Recruitment Portal or the recruitment process, please don't hesitate to contact our recruitment partners, the East Region Recruitment Service, at: EoS.ERRS@nhs.scot #J-18808-Ljbffr
- Location:
- Tan Office Green, England, United Kingdom
- Salary:
- £60,000 - £80,000
- Job Type:
- FullTime
- Category:
- Management & Operations
