Lead Safety Engineer- Digital Clinical Safety and Risk

Job summary
In this role, you will play a critical part in ensuring the safety assurance of health IT systems developed for use across the NHS. You will be responsible for identifying, assessing, and managing risks associated with digital health technologies, ensuring they meet rigorous safety standards throughout their lifecycle, from design and development through to deployment and operational use.

You will demonstrate a strong understanding of safety management principles, clinical risk management, and assurance methodologies. Your work will involve close collaboration with technical and clinical teams within NHS England, as well as providing expert safety advice and guidance to external suppliers and healthcare organisations.

As a key member of the Clinical Safety Group, you will contribute to the development and continuous improvement of safety processes, documentation, and governance. You will be expected to influence stakeholders, resolve safety-related conflicts, and communicate risks and mitigations clearly and effectively.

You must be a confident communicator, capable of working independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team. The role requires 40% in office attendance and occasional travel to support safety meetings and stakeholder engagement.

Please note the official job title is Lead Safety Engineer

Main duties of the job

• Conduct clinical safety assessments and undertake clinical safety analyses using a broad selection of appropriate techniques. This can be found under key accountabilities in JD
• Facilitate and deliver Clinical Risk Management training. This can be found under key accountabilities in JD
• Develop relationships with suppliers and/or customers while planning and conducting clinical risk management activities for a release. This can be found under key accountabilities in JD

About us
Our work supports the NHS to deliver high quality services for patients and best value for taxpayers.

Our staff bring expertise across hundreds of specialisms -- including clinical, operational, commissioning, technology, data science, cyber security, software engineering, education, and commercial -- enabling us to design and deliver high-quality NHS services.

We lead the NHS in England by:

• Enabling local systems and providers to improve the health of their people and patients and reduce health inequalities
• Making the NHS a great place to work, where our people can make a difference and achieve their potential
• Working collaboratively to ensure our healthcare workforce has the right knowledge, skills, values and behaviours to deliver accessible, compassionate care
• Optimising the use of digital technology, research, and innovation
• Delivering value for money

Earlier this year, the Government announced that NHS England will gradually merge with the Department of Health and Social Care, leading to full integration. The aim is to create a smaller, more strategic centre that reduces duplication and eliminates waste.

If successful at interview, we will initiate an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) via the Electronic Staff Record (ESR). This retrieves key data from your current or previous NHS employer to support onboarding, including competency status, Continuous Service Dates (CSD), and annual leave entitlement. You may opt out at any stage of the recruitment process.

Details
Date posted: 22 July 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 8a
Salary: £57,528 to £64,750 a year
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time, Job share, Flexible working
Reference number: 990-TDD-CL-EC3538-E
Job locations: Wellington Place, Leeds, LS1 4AP, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

• Conduct clinical safety assessments and undertake clinical safety analyses using a broad selection of appropriate techniques.
• Facilitate and deliver Clinical Risk Management training
• Develop relationships with suppliers and/or customers while planning and conducting clinical risk management activities for a release.
• Act in a way that is compliant with Standing Orders and Standing Financial Instructions in the discharge of budget management responsibilities, monitor expenditure on a regular basis.
• Budget holder for assigned function/team, budget setting with the Head of Department. Responsible for ongoing monitoring of expenditure against budget and ensuring the appropriate documentation is available for scrutiny.
• Staff recruited from outside the NHS will usually be appointed at the bottom of the pay band.
• You can find further details about the role, including key responsibilities and accountabilities, alongside the organisational structure and person specification in the attached Job Description and other supporting documents.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Educated to masters level or equivalent level of experience of working at a senior level in specialist area
• ISEB/ISTQB Software Testing Foundation Certificate (Certified or Agile Tester) or equivalent recognised qualification and equivalent level of experience

Desirable

• BCS Intermediate Certificate in Software Testing
• ISEB/ISTQB Software Testing Practitioners Certificate/Certified Tester Advanced Level, or equivalent recognised testing qualification

Skills
Essential

• Able to facilitate and deliver Clinical Risk Management training
• Able to develop relationships with suppliers and stakeholders through Clinical Risk Management in accordance with regulations.
• Able to initiate and document a Clinical Risk Management plan which clearly articulates the safety requirements, policies and personnel

Knowledge and Experience
Essential

• Knowledge of how to conduct clinical safety assessments and undertake clinical safety analyses using a broad selection of appropriate techniques
• Understanding of the concepts of technical, business and clinical risk management, including clinical safety impacts
• Experience of safety incident management through the effectiveness of new/existing controls and the likelihood of patient harm

Desirable

• Have an appreciation of the relationship between the Department of Health and individual provider and commissioning organisations.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details
Employer name: NHS England
Address: Wellington Place, Leeds, LS1 4AP, United Kingdom
Employer's website: Apply through our website

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact:
Safety Engineering Manager
Mike Anderson
View email address on meeveem.com