An exceptional opportunity has arisen for an inspirational and strategic leader to join Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust as Director of Education for the Learning Academy.
This is a high-profile appointment with responsibility for leading the strategic and operational delivery of education, training and development across GOSH and beyond. At the heart of GOSH’s Trust Strategy, Together We Power Care, is a commitment to advance care for children and young people with rare and complex conditions so they can fulfil their potential. Education is central to that ambition: through GOSH ConnectED, the Learning Academy develops the expertise of those who care for children today and helps shape the system for tomorrow.
The Academy embeds the lived experiences of children, young people and families into learning; advances robust educational governance; and harnesses digital tools and emerging technologies to prepare staff for the future delivery of paediatric care.
In addition to delivering high-quality learning for GOSH colleagues, the Learning Academy works in partnership with universities, NHS organisations and global collaborators to extend specialist expertise, support care closer to home, and improve outcomes for babies, children and young people locally, nationally and internationally
As Director of Education of the Learning Academy, you will provide visible, credible and strategic leadership for one of the Trust’s most important enablers of clinical excellence, workforce capability and system impact.
Reporting to the Chief Nurse, you will lead the next phase of the Learning Academy’s development, ensuring its offer is ambitious, financially sustainable, and fully aligned to the Trust’s wider strategic priorities. You will shape and deliver a high-quality education, training and development portfolio that supports our people at GOSH, strengthens specialist paediatric capability across the wider NHS, and extends our influence through national and international partnerships.
This is a significant leadership role requiring you to operate confidently across strategy, operations, quality, people leadership and external engagement. You will work closely with clinical, academic and corporate colleagues to develop innovative and inclusive learning approaches, embed robust educational governance, strengthen evaluation and impact, and harness digital and technology-enhanced learning to meet the needs of a modern specialist workforce. You will also build and sustain strong relationships with universities, professional bodies, commercial and charitable partners, and healthcare organisations across local, national and global systems, ensuring the Learning Academy continues to grow its reputation, reach and contribution to better outcomes for children and young people.
We are committed to recruiting the best person for the job through a fair, open and consistent process that is free from bias and discrimination.
We are working towards becoming an anti-racist organisation. This means creating a workplace where every colleague feels seen, heard and valued, and where racism in any form has no place. Our anti-racism commitment is backed by action through our Anti-Racism Statement and action plan, developed in collaboration with our REACH staff network.
We actively challenge discrimination, dismantle barriers and embed equity across all aspects of our workforce, including recruitment, progression and development. All applicants will receive equal consideration regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, religion or belief, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, health condition or employment history.
We particularly welcome applications from ethnically diverse communities, people with disabilities or long-term health conditions, and LGBTQ+ community members. We are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer, a member of the Business Disability Forum, and a Stonewall Diversity Champion.
Our staff networks, including REACH, PRIDE, ENABLED and Women’s Networks, are active and executive supported. These employee-led networks play a vital role in shaping an inclusive culture at GOSH and are open to all colleagues.
Together, we are building a culture where inclusion is not optional - it is essential.
You will be an accomplished senior leader with a strong track record of shaping and delivering strategic education, workforce development or organisational learning agendas within a complex healthcare, academic or public service environment. You will bring credibility as a senior leader, with the ability to influence across professional boundaries, build trusted relationships internally and externally, and translate vision into delivery. You will be highly skilled in leading multi-disciplinary teams, developing high-performing cultures, and driving innovation, improvement and change at pace while maintaining a clear focus on quality, inclusion and impact.
Most importantly, you will share our ambition to improve outcomes for babies, children and young people with rare and complex conditions through education that is inclusive, evidence-informed and future-focused. You will bring strategic judgement, emotional intelligence and personal resilience, alongside a collaborative and values-driven leadership style. Whether your background is in the NHS, higher education, healthcare learning, or another relevant sector, you will be excited by the opportunity to lead at the intersection of education, workforce transformation, innovation and child health, and to help position GOSH as a leader in paediatric learning nationally and internationally
The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. For both documents please view the attachment/s below.
Applications close at 12:00pm on 17 July 2026.
The recruitment process for all admin and clerical roles at Bands 2-4 will be a two stage recruitment process whereby shortlisted candidates will undertake an online literacy, numeracy, ICT and typing test. Only those candidates who pass the competency test will proceed to a formal interview.
The closing date given is a guide only. There may be some occasions where we have to close a vacancy once sufficient applications have been received. It is therefore advisable that you submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
Only those candidates who clearly demonstrate how they meet the person specification criteria for this post will be shortlisted. Please note that where high volumes of applicants have been received, additional criteria may on occasion be used to determine the final shortlist.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website .
We are an accredited Living Wage Employer.
