Director of Standards

Salary: Grade 8, £65,000-90,000. Appointments will generally be made at £87,000, depending on skills and experience. For internal applicants, salary will be determined in accordance with the RCP pay and reward policy.

Working arrangements: 35 hours per week, with standard working hours between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. The RCP operates a hybrid working model, with staff spending a minimum of six days each month in the office. The role may be based at either our London or Liverpool site.

Purpose and scope

The Royal College of Physicians is recruiting a Director of Standards to provide strategic leadership for our invited reviews, accreditation and clinical audit portfolio.

This is a significant senior leadership opportunity for an experienced healthcare standards professional who can combine credibility with strong strategic, financial and organisational leadership. Working within the Professional Development business unit, you will shape a coherent, high-impact standards portfolio that strengthens clinical practice, supports service improvement and provides trusted external assurance.

As Director of Standards, you will be accountable for the strategic leadership, quality, performance, growth and sustainable delivery of the RCP’s standards programmes.

You will lead the teams responsible for invited reviews, accreditation and clinical audit, ensuring that programmes are independent, methodologically robust, clinically credible, inclusive and financially sustainable. Working closely with clinical leaders, fellows, members, patients, healthcare organisations, commissioners, regulators and funders, you will turn evidence and insight into assurance, learning and better care.

The role will make an important contribution to the RCP’s 2026–30 strategy, particularly our ambitions to set the highest standards, improve health and healthcare, and build organisational resilience and responsible growth.

Key responsibilities

You will:

• lead the development and delivery of the standards strategy and operational plans, aligned with the RCP’s strategy, charitable purpose and financial plans
• shape a coherent, high-quality portfolio covering invited reviews, accreditation and clinical audit
• ensure programmes are clinically credible, evidence-informed, methodologically robust, inclusive and focused on patient benefit
• provide senior oversight of programme governance, quality assurance, information governance, risk, contracts and delivery performance
• lead financial planning, budget management, contract performance and the responsible development of commissioned and commercial opportunities
• use data, insight, stakeholder feedback and programme outcomes to improve quality, impact and portfolio performance
• build influential relationships with clinical leaders, specialist societies, NHS organisations, commissioners, regulators, funders, patients and professional bodies
• represent the RCP credibly on matters relating to clinical standards, assurance, service quality and improvement
• lead and develop the standards teams, creating a positive, inclusive and accountable culture
• contribute to the wider leadership, performance and strategic development of the Professional Development business unit and the RCP.

About you

You will be an experienced senior leader with a strong understanding of clinical standards, healthcare quality, assurance, accreditation, clinical audit or service review. You will have successfully led a substantial department, portfolio or function through strategic development, organisational change and performance improvement.

You will bring:

• substantial senior leadership experience in clinical standards, healthcare quality, accreditation, clinical audit, assurance, service review, professional bodies, healthcare, charity or commissioned programme settings
• experience of developing and delivering complex programmes involving senior clinicians, healthcare organisations, commissioners, regulators, funders or expert contributors
• strong financial and commercial leadership, including budget management, income generation, business planning, contract management and resource prioritisation
• experience of quality assurance, governance, evaluation, compliance and risk management in complex programmes or services
• the ability to build credibility and influence with senior clinicians, committees, commissioners, regulators, partners, patient representatives and professional networks
• experience of using data, evidence, insight and performance information to inform decisions and improve quality and impact
• successful senior-level people leadership, including setting direction, managing performance and leading teams through change
• excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex and sensitive issues clearly
• sound judgement, political awareness and confidence operating in a complex stakeholder environment with competing priorities and reputational risks
• a clear commitment to equality, diversity, inclusion and accessibility.

For further information about the role, please view the job description and person specification.

Working at the RCP comes with a range of benefits designed to ensure that you feel valued and supported in your role. These include:

• 29 days’ annual leave, plus bank holidays
• health cash plan
• group personal pension plan with a 7% employer contribution
• interest‑free season ticket loan
• life assurance
• annual pay award
• employee assistance programme
• occupational health support
• professional training and development opportunities
• enhanced maternity and paternity pay
• staff discounts, including cinema tickets and a range of high‑street brands.

About the RCP

The Royal College of Physicians is a rewarding and friendly place to work with an incredible history, dating back to our foundation in 1518. We are a professional membership body for physicians – doctors who work in hospitals – with around 40,000 members in the UK and around the world working to improve patient care and reduce illness. Our activities focus on educating, improving and influencing for better health and care.

Shortlisted candidates will be notified by: 6November 2026

Interview date: 13 November 2026

The RCP positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, transgender status, religion or belief, marital status or pregnancy and maternity.

The RCP is all about our people – our members, staff, volunteers and leaders. We educate, influence and collaborate to improve health and healthcare for everyone and know we can only do this by being inclusive, encouraging and celebrating diverse perspectives. Welcoming into our community people who represent the 21st‑century medical workforce and the diverse population of patients we serve is a priority for us.

Who we are

The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) is a rewarding and friendly place to work with an incredible history, dating back to our foundation in 1518 by King Henry VIII. We are a professional membership body for physicians – doctors who work in hospitals – with over 40,000 members in the UK and around the world working to improve patient care and reduce illness. Our activities focus on educating, improving and influencing for better health and care.

The benefits

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annual leave

Mental health activities
and sessions

Health cash plan and employee discounts

Our people

• RCP President

"I am passionate about supporting our current and next generation of physicians with an aim to improve patient care for all. Our strategic mission is educating, improving and influencing health care design and delivery".

“As a working mum, the RCP has gone above and beyond in helping me to achieve a work life balance. I have never been made to feel that I have to make a choice between work and family life.”

• Executive Director of People and Culture

"Working at the RCP, my team and I have undertaken significant projects and initiatives that have shaped our workplace culture and HR strategies".

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