Standards Development Specialist
Permanent - Full Time £52,241 - £62,416 / yearJob Overview
About the team
The Standards Development team plays a vital role in how we protect the public. We develop and maintain the standards and guidance that regulate the education and practice of nurses, midwives and nursing associates across the UK.
Working at the heart of the Professional Practice Directorate, we bring together evidence, intelligence and stakeholder insight to ensure our standards and guidance are outcome-focused, legally robust and aligned with the evolving health and education landscape. We work collaboratively across the organisation and with external partners, including other strategic leaders, regulators, education bodies and service user groups, to ensure our standards reflect real-world practice and emerging risks.
This is a team that values thoughtful analysis, inclusive engagement and a strong sense of regulatory purpose.
Your role and impact
As a Standards Development Specialist, you will lead and shape the application of the methodology that underpins how we develop standards and guidance. Your work will directly influence how professionals are educated, how practice is regulated, and ultimately how the public is protected.
You will:
- Lead the development, review and evaluation of standards and guidance regulating the education and practice of nurses, midwives and nursing associates, ensuring they are evidence-based, outcome-focused and within our statutory powers
- Develop and maintain the policy and methodology for standards development, working closely with internal teams such as communications, registration and education quality assurance
- Gather and analyse evidence, intelligence and stakeholder insight to identify areas of risk and opportunities for regulatory intervention
- Analyse the impact of external health, education and policy drivers, translating these into implications for our standards and strategic priorities
- Produce high-quality briefings and papers for senior leaders and Council, providing expert advice on standards and policy matters
- Lead and support stakeholder engagement, managing enquiries and complex correspondence while identifying themes, risks and intelligence to share across the organisation
- Deliver standards development projects to time and budget, managing risks, monitoring progress and contributing to effective project and change management
- Promote understanding of our standards and provide expert guidance on their interpretation and application internally and externally
- Represent the Directorate and organisation at meetings and events, building strong, collaborative relationships with partners and stakeholders
Your work will help ensure our standards remain credible, proportionate and focused on what matters most — safe, effective care for the public.
What you’ll bring
You will combine regulatory or policy expertise with strong analytical skills and the ability to work confidently across complex stakeholder environments.
You will bring:
- Experience of developing professional, regulatory or practice standards, policy or guidance in a complex setting
- Experience of delivering complex, time-bound projects involving multiple stakeholders and competing priorities
- Experience of analysing legislation, policy or system-level drivers and assessing their impact on organisational work
Alongside this, you will demonstrate:
- Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, with the ability to interpret legislation, policy and evidence in a regulatory context
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including producing high-quality reports, briefings and presentations for senior audiences
- The ability to engage and influence a wide range of stakeholders, facilitating constructive discussions on complex or sensitive issues
- A clear commitment to public protection, regulatory integrity and inclusive, collaborative ways of working
If you are motivated by work that shapes professional practice at a national level and want to contribute to standards that make a real difference to public safety, we would love to hear from you.
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 working
- 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