Assistant Director, Education & Standards

About the NMC

Our vision is safe, effective and kind nursing and midwifery practice that improves everyone’s health and wellbeing. As the independent regulator of more than 841,000 nursing and midwifery professionals, we have an important role to play in making this a reality.

Our commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion: The NMC is an exciting organisation with the ambition to be the leading healthcare regulator. To achieve this, we are working in an agile way that offers great opportunities for people with diverse backgrounds. We are committed to being an inclusive employer and welcome applications from under-represented groups.

Be at the Forefront of Nursing and Midwifery Excellence:

Are you a visionary leader passionate about upholding the highest standards in healthcare education and practice? Do you thrive in a high-profile, complex environment, driving change and fostering collaboration? The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) invites you to join us as our Assistant Director, Education and Standards, playing a pivotal role in shaping the future of nursing and midwifery across the UK.

About the Team and What We Do: You will be a vital part of the Education and Standards Department, within the Professional Practice Directorate. Our team develops and assures education and practice standards, building and maintaining the highest proficiency and professionalism across the workforce to enhance public protection. We continuously engage with current research to provide informed professional leadership.

Your Role and Impact: As the operational lead for educational and practice standards, your leadership will directly influence strategies and initiatives delivering our vision. You will champion high standards, drive performance improvement, and ensure robust, evidence-based regulatory frameworks. Your work will significantly impact the quality of care delivered across the UK.

What You Will Do:

• Lead Strategic Development: Lead the development and review of education, conduct, and competence standards for nurses, midwives and nursing associates.
• Drive Quality Assurance: Lead the provision of a high-quality, cost-effective QA service for Approved Educational Institution (AEI) programmes.
• Build Key Relationships: Develop and maintain excellent external relationships as a corporate ambassador for the NMC.
• Inspire and Develop Teams: Provide professional leadership and development, fostering capability and expertise within your department.
• Influence and Collaborate: Lead high-quality consultation and stakeholder engagement, working with Corporate Communications to disseminate standards.
• Shape the Future: Contribute to the Senior Management Group, leading cross-cutting programmes and projects to implement our priorities.

Behaviours We Are Looking For:

• Leading with Purpose: You provide compelling and inspiring leadership, creating clarity and shared accountability.
• Achieving Results: You set stretching performance standards, holding yourself and others accountable for excellence.
• Collaborating and Including: You excel at breaking down silos and building trusted relationships to achieve shared goals.
• Impactful Decision-Making: You think critically and analytically, using complex data to draw sound conclusions.

Relevant Qualifications and Experience: Degree level education or equivalent, with professional qualification in education or education policy, or equivalent experience. Senior-level experience in a high-profile, complex environment, with a proven track record of building high-level relationships and implementing strategic plans.

Essential Skills: Detailed knowledge of health regulation. Highly developed communication and influencing skills. Excellent financial acumen.

Why Join Us: Joining the NMC means protecting the public by regulating nurses, midwives and nursing associates. You will be at the heart of our mission, contributing to the highest standards of care and professionalism. We offer a challenging yet rewarding environment where your leadership will make a significant difference. You will influence national policy and contribute to the ongoing development of critical healthcare standards. We also value professional development and offer a supportive environment for growth.

Benefits:

• 30 days annual leave
• Enhanced Pension Contributions via our attractive Pension Scheme – with a basic 8% employer contribution as standard which increases up to 14% with optional added Employee Contributions
• Life Insurance – 4 x current salary
• Hybrid/Flexible working policies
• Enhanced Maternity and Paternity Leave
• 24 Hours Employee Assistance Programme
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Perkbox membership
• Subsidised restaurant in our Portland Place office
• Season ticket loans

About Us: Our core role is to regulate. First, we promote high education and professional standards for nurses and midwives across the UK, and nursing associates in England. Second, we maintain the register of professionals eligible to practise. Third, we investigate concerns about nurses, midwives and nursing associates - something that affects a tiny minority of professionals each year. We believe in giving professionals the chance to address concerns, but we’ll always take action when needed.

To regulate well, we support our professions and the public. We create resources and guidance that are useful throughout people’s careers, helping them to deliver our standards in practice and address new challenges. We also support people involved in our investigations, and we’re increasing our visibility so people feel engaged and empowered to shape our work.

Regulating and supporting our professions allows us to influence health and social care. We share intelligence from our regulatory activities and work with our partners to support workforce planning and sector-wide decision making. We use our voice to speak up for a healthy and inclusive working environment for our professions.

Additional Information: Please note, if we receive a high level of applications, we may choose to close this advert early. We encourage you to complete your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. The role you are applying for is a flexible role, and whilst you will be posted initially to a team, this may require movement between teams as the flow of work dictates. You will of course understand that this flexible approach enables us to provide the best possible service to our registrants and reach the outcomes to our cases quickly and within a reasonable timeframe. This will not change your terms and conditions and will be discussed with you prior to you taking up the post.

Hybrid Working Policy: We are currently working to a policy of office attendance for two days per week with the rest of the time working from home. Before submitting your application, please ensure you are able to commit to working in one of our office locations twice per week. If you are applying for a part-time role, please pro-rata office attendance based on the number of days you would be working.

Our Pay Policy: It is expected that staff new to the NMC will ordinarily be appointed to the bottom of the relevant pay band. However, in exceptional circumstances, it may be possible to offer a salary above the bottom of the relevant pay band but we may request proof of current earnings. Please note that we offer an annual review of salaries and adopt a generous progressive pay approach. Further details of which are available on request.

Reasonable adjustments: We will provide reasonable adjustments to support disabled candidates throughout the recruitment process. Please let us know if you need any additional support to enable you to make an application with us.

Screening and vetting: All of our roles are subject to pre-employment checks. We are in the process of introducing a vetting policy, and it is possible that this role may become subject to DBS and further vetting checks in future.