Employer Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Pegasus House Town Sheffield Salary £91,342 - £105,337 Per annum pro rata for part time staff Salary period Yearly Closing 22/09/2025 23:59 Interview date 07/10/2025
UKNEQAS LI Scheme Director
NHS AfC: Band 8d
We are committed to helping our staff balance their work and home lives and ensure they feel supported, valued and appreciated so whilst you care for our patients and clients, we’ll take care of you. We offer many different ways of helping staff including career development opportunities, flexible working, good annual leave and pension schemes, health and wellbeing packages and financial support systems. Joining the Trust also allows you access to a number of saving options via our salary sacrifice schemes and a wide range of discount opportunities with retailers and service providers.
Job overview
UKNEQAS Leucocyte Immunophenotyping Service are seeking to secure a scheme director for this prestigious National and International EQA Provider.
Suitable candidates will have significant experience of managing and provision of ISO accredited EQA schemes and or have significant experience and be recognised as an expert in the fields of flow cytometry and/ or molecular haemato-oncology.
UK NEQAS LI is the world leader in its field and provides Immunophenotyping and molecular EQA to over 4500 laboratories worldwide from over 80 countries. It is an independent NHS service hosted by Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, located at Pegasus House, Glossop Road with associated laboratory facilities based within the South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Pathology service at the Sheffield Royal Hallamshire Hospital.
The service reports to the host trust through the South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Scientific Director.
The programmes that are operated are fully accredited to ISO 17043 standard.
There is an active R&D programme that includes developing leucocyte stabilisation techniques, evaluating new flow cytometric techniques and developing EQA programmes for clinical flow cytometry and molecular haemato-oncology.
Main duties of the job
In conjunction with the SYBP Scientific Director, the UKNEQAS Li Scientific Director is responsible for:
The operational, financial, HR and strategic management of and the delivery of all the highly specialist services provided by UK NEQAS LI.
Planning, directing and maintain the delivery of the current research and development programme for UK NEQAS LI.
Being accountable for the effective delivery of new and innovative external quality assessment programmes.
Providing professional direction, leadership and vision in the day-to-day operation of UK NEQAS LI.
Undertaking health technology assessment within the field of flow cytometry and molecular haemato-oncology in the UK and internationally.
directing the efficient running of the national and international activities of the UK NEQAS LI programmes.
Provide expert advice and guidance to other Clinicians and Scientific staff.
Liaise with external organisations to provide expert advice on appropriate technology/methodologies that ensure an efficient, high quality and cost-effective service.
Participating in the writing of EQA related international / national guidelines &/protocols.
Undertaking budgetary management of the UK NEQAS LI budget.
Applying for, and managing any external grant funding in relation to UKNEAQAS LI.
The post holder will work in accordance with the UK NEQAS Code of Practice and the Department of Health directive on the management of EQA schemes.
Working for our organisation
You will be working for an organisation which values and respects all of its staff and the community it serves. The Trust is a leader in the NHS and research sectors and provides excellent benefits for its employees. This includes commitments to professional development but also many policies to support employees in balancing their personal and professional lives.
Note the UKNEQAS LI service is hosted by Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust reporting through South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Pathology. The service therefore follows the Operational, Human Resources and Financial policies of the host organisation.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please view the attached Job Description and Person Specification documents for full details regarding this post.
When completing your application please ensure that you clearly demonstrate how you meet the role criteria.
Person specification
Qualifications
* FIBMS or MSc degree in a relevant Haematology or molecular biology related subject or significant experience in a national and international EQA provider or working at an advanced scientific level within an ISO 15189 accredited Haematology service
* PhD in a relevant subject or extensive relevant experience working at an expert scientific level within a national and international EQA provider.
* Registered as either a Biomedical scientist of Clinical scientist with the UK HCPC or other relevant international body.
* Evidence of membership of relevant professional body(ies),
* Peer review publications
Experience
* Have advanced theoretical and practical working knowledge of the subject of flowcytometry and/or molecular haemato-oncology and be considered sufficiently advanced to act as an international expert/advisor in the field to other national and international organisations
* Have a proven record of delivering a clinical technical service incorporating organisational change
* Have a proven record of the research and development of new and innovative external quality assessment programmes that are driven by clinical need
* Have a high level of expertise in one or more fields within External Quality Assessment (EQA) proven at national and international level
* Have proven negotiating skills that allow the timely and efficient delivery of the highly specialised services of External Quality Assessment (EQA) in cellular immunophenotyping and molecular haemato-oncology
* Have extensive post qualification experience with a significant level of experience in the field of external quality assessment in flow cytometry and/or molecular haemato-oncology and possess judgemental skills in evaluating: i. Highly complex scientific data that will have clinical impact and communicating / Interpreting / explaining such data to/for clinical staff, nursing and scientific staff ii. Complex scientific data and methodological practices/situations to assess the impact of laboratory investigations on patient treatment(s) and providing expert advice to allow service users to implement relevant corrective actions iii. Quality control/assessment data iv. Suitability of material for use in the EQA programmes v. Organisational and staffing Issues vi. Solving local technical/analytical problems vii. Solving national/international technical/analytical problems viii. Understanding the clinical significance of results
Skills and Knowledge
* Show knowledge and experience of human resource, health and safety risk matters and healthcare governance issues
* Be able to demonstrate an awareness of local and national legislation relating to implementation of clinical laboratory flow cytometry and molecular haemato-oncology services
* Be able to provide and receive highly complex, sensitive or contentious information when communicating with medical and scientific Staff, individuals outside the organisation at national, and particularly international level, and ability to deal with service users where appropriate
* Be able to demonstrate excellent budgetary management skills in order to deliver an efficient and effective Scientific service UK NEQAS
* Be able to direct and be responsible for the delivery of the highly specialist services provided by UK NEQAS LI
* Possess excellent organisational skills to plan the delivery of a high-quality service for the UK NEQAS LI EQA service
* Have excellent and proven skills in being able to undertake autonomous managerial decisions
* Have excellent and proven skills in teamwork
* Have good hand eye coordination to perform complex analytical tasks
* Have highly specialist knowledge that enables interpretation of a range of complex investigations such as: i. Leukaemia diagnosis, HIV monitoring and stem cell transplantation of patients ii. Interpretation of complex microscopic images iii. expert interpretation of flow cytometric analysis and/or molecular haemato-oncology in a variety of immune-haematological disorders iv. Statistical analysis of EQA data v. Extensive experience in the design, co-ordination and implementation of EQA programmes vi. Flow cytometry and/or molecular analysis techniques
* Ability to work for long periods under conditions requiring, physical, and intense mental and emotional effort that may ultimately be critical to patient care or quality assurance in laboratory testing
* Be able to demonstrate expert skills and achievements at international level relating to the discipline and have a proven track record in obtaining research grants
personal Qualities
* Be active in, and promote, Continuous Professional Development in other Staff and assess and monitor their progress
* Commitment to Good Laboratory Practice, UK NEQAS Code of Practice and the highest professional standards expected of a UK NEQAS Centre Director
* Have personal commitment, enthusiasm and professional drive to lead and innovate.
* Have honesty, integrity, and appreciation of ethical dilemmas
* Behave in accordance with legislation, policies and procedures designed to ensure governance and probity
* Demonstrate commitment to the NHS and Trust values, and have a patient focussed approach to service delivery.
* Strong but inclusive leadership style, promoting diversity and inclusion amongst the team
* Works well under pressure with respect to time and resources
* Fair, honest and consistent approach.
* Display tact and diplomacy.
PROUD Values
* Patients first - Ensure that the people we serve are at the heart of what we d
* Respectful - Be kind respectful, fair and value diversity
* Ownership - Celebrate successes, learn continuously and ensure the SYB Pathology Network continuously improves
* Unity - Work highly effectively in partnership with others
* Delivery - Be efficient, effective and accountable for your actions
Please note that in order to comply with the UK Government’s rules on Skilled Worker sponsorship, any applicants who do not meet the eligibility requirements or concessions on salary thresholds under the Skilled Worker visa will not be eligible to receive sponsorship from the Trust. Please keep this in mind when submitting your application. Further details on these concessions, and who qualifies for them, can be found here .
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The Trust is committed to its obligations in accordance with the Equality Act 2010, and we positively encourage applications from all sections of the community. Should you require any assistance in applying for the position please contact the General or Medical Human Resources Departments on the number identified on the NHS Jobs page for the organisation.
Job Share applicants are welcome for all full time posts unless indicated but cannot be guaranteed. In addition for Fixed Term Contracts, internal secondments may be considered, please seek the approval of your current line manager before applying for the position.
All employment with the Trust is subject to a number of NHS Employment Checks being met to a satisfactory standard including verification of identity, eligibility to work in the United Kingdom, references and qualifications in addition to professional registration, a disclosure and barring records check and occupational health check if these are deemed to be a requirement for the position to be undertaken.
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Employer certification / accreditation badges
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
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