(LI) Depute Associate Director

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Deputy Associate Director of Infection Prevention & Control

Salary: Band 8b (£76,888 - £82,251)

Job Type: Nursing and Midwifery

Location: NHS Lothian wide

Employment type: Permanent

Hours Per Week: 36hrs

Employer (NHS Board): NHS Lothian

Department: Infection Prevention and Control

About the organisation:

NHS Scotland is committed to valuing equality, diversity and inclusion within our workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. We aim to create a truly representative workforce where every employee is respected, supported and able to give their best.

NHS Lothian provides a comprehensive range of primary, community‑based and acute hospital services to the second‑largest residential population in Scotland (approximately 800,000 people). We are seeking an experienced and highly motivated Deputy Associate Director of Infection Prevention & Control (IPC) to provide senior clinical leadership across all NHS Lothian services.

The Role:

This is a senior clinical leadership role providing expert Infection Prevention & Control advice and direction across acute and community health services. Working closely with multidisciplinary teams, the post holder will play a pivotal role in shaping and delivering IPC strategy, policy and practice, supporting patient safety through the prevention and reduction of healthcare associated infection.

You will be accountable for providing authoritative IPC clinical advice and for making professional judgements that influence:

• Risk assessment and clinical management of patients with transmissible infections
• Infection surveillance, monitoring and reporting
• The maintenance and operation of healthcare facilities
• Education, training and development of staff across all disciplines
• Incident and outbreak management

The post holder will have overall responsibility for promoting and embedding best practice in Infection Prevention & Control across NHS Lothian.

You will hold direct line management responsibility for all substantive band 7 Geographical Leads staff, as well as clinical professional oversight of the wider IPC team (approximately 31 WTE). The postholder will provide senior professional oversight and educational support to the wider IPC nursing service. This role will also deputise for the Associate Director of Infection Prevention & Control when required.

About the postholder:

You will be a First Level Registered Nurse with a postgraduate qualification in Infection Prevention & Control, supported by significant and demonstrable experience in this specialist field. A portfolio of evidence demonstrating advanced IPC knowledge and leadership is essential.

You will bring:

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• The ability to work effectively across complex, multi‑disciplinary environments
• Evidence of ongoing professional development and commitment to continuous improvement

Travel across NHS Lothian sites is required, therefore a full, valid UK driving licence and access to a car is essential.

This is a permanent, full‑time post, working days Monday to Friday.

From 1 April 2026, the Agenda for Change full-time working week will reduce from 37 hours to 36 hours. Part-time working hours will be reduced on a pro-rata basis. A corresponding increase in the hourly rate will apply, ensuring that overall pay remains unchanged.

What we Offer:

As a valued employee of NHS Lothian, you can enjoy an extensive range of benefits including:

• Annual Leave - 35 days including public holidays
• Generous NHS pension scheme
• Annual incremental salary progression
• Paid sick leave increasing with length of service
• NHS discounts and more

Interested?

Full details about the role are provided in the attached Job Description & Person Specification.

Unless otherwise stated, the deadline for applications is 23:59 hours on the closing date. Please note, CVs will not be accepted.

For informal enquiries about this role, please contact: Lindsay Guthrie, Associate Director, Infection Prevention & Control on View phone number on apply.jobs.scot.nhs.uk.

Application Guidance:

To work in the United Kingdom, there is a legal requirement for an individual to demonstrate that they have the relevant permission to work in the country. This permission is, without exception, granted by the UK Visa and Immigrations Service. Further information on what NHS Scotland Boards are required to do to check this as well as what your responsibilities include can be found in the further information for this vacancy.

This post requires the post holder to have a PVG Scheme membership/record. If the post holder is not a current PVG member for the required regulatory group (i.e. child and/or adult) then an application will need to be made to Disclosure Scotland and deemed satisfactory before they can begin in post.

We will fully support disabled candidates, and candidates with long-term conditions or who are neurodivergent by making reasonable adjustments to our recruitment policy and practices.

To work in the United Kingdom, there is a legal requirement for an individual to demonstrate that they have the relevant permission to work in the country. This permission is, without exception, granted by the UK Visa and Immigrations Service. Further information on what NHS Scotland Boards are required to do to check this as well as what your responsibilities include can be found in the further information for this vacancy.

Please note: we anticipate a high level of interest in this position and may close the vacancy early once a sufficient amount of applications are received. Therefore, please make sure you complete and submit your application at an early stage.

This post requires the post holder to have a PVG Scheme membership/record. If the post holder is not a current PVG member for the required regulatory group (i.e. child and/or adult) then an application will need to be made to Disclosure Scotland and deemed satisfactory before they can begin in post.

Due to legislative changes from 1 April 2025, this post may require a different level of criminal records check done than is currently the case. If the post is assessed as a "regulated role", your appointment will be subject to joining the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme. If there is any change to what is currently required, this will be confirmed by either the Hiring Manager or the Recruitment Team. For more details on these changes please visit: Disclosure Scotland Changes .

We will fully support disabled candidates, and candidates with long-term conditions or who are neurodivergent by making reasonable adjustments to our recruitment policy and practices.