Assistant Director, Quality Assurance Monitoring and Improvement

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Employer:
General Medical Council
Location:
London or Manchester
Salary:
£130,000 - £140,000
Closing Date - Strictly:
5pm, Friday 24 July 2026
Job Ref:
GSe133742

Recruitment timetable

Closing Date - Strictly
5pm, Friday 24 July 2026
Longlist Meeting
Friday 7 August 2026
Preliminary Interviews With GatenbySanderson
w/c Monday 10 August 2026
Shortlist Meeting
Friday 21 August 2026
Staff Engagement/Psychometric Testing
Between Monday 24 August and Tuesday 1 September 2026
Final Panel Interview
Tuesday 8 September 2026

Description

The General Medical Council (GMC) is the independent regulator of doctors, physician associates and anaesthesia associates across the UK. Our purpose is to support safe, high-quality patient care and we play a unique role in shaping the future of healthcare by setting the standards for education, training and professional practice, and by working collaboratively with healthcare professionals, educators and partners. We are a values-led organisation, committed to fairness, transparency, integrity, collaboration and excellence, and to creating an inclusive environment where talented people can make a real difference.

We are seeking an exceptional Assistant Director to lead our Quality Assurance, Monitoring and Improvement function within the Education and Standards Directorate. As part of the directorate senior leadership team, this is a highly influential leadership role, shaping how we ensure that education and training across the UK meets the highest standards. Leading a diverse team of c.40, you will provide strategic direction to a significant portfolio, overseeing the quality assurance monitoring of medical schools, postgraduate training and education providers, as well as the delivery and development of the UK Medical Licensing Assessment. You will work closely with senior colleagues and external partners and drive a risk-based, intelligence-led approach that supports continuous improvement and innovation in healthcare education, ultimately helping to ensure that future professionals are equipped to deliver safe and effective care.

We are looking for a strategic and accomplished who leader with substantial experience in quality assurance, accreditation or regulation, gained within a complex environment, ideally in healthcare or education. You will bring a strong track record of shaping and delivering strategy, providing assurance at board and executive level, and working effectively with a wide range of senior stakeholders. Your expertise will include applying data and insight to identify risk, drive improvement and inform decision-making, alongside experience of leading large, multidisciplinary teams and managing significant operational and financial responsibilities. A deep understanding of governance, accountability and regulatory frameworks, combined with the ability to navigate the wider healthcare and policy landscape, will be essential.

This role calls for an inspiring and inclusive leader with outstanding interpersonal and communication skills. You will bring credibility, resilience and the ability to influence at the most senior levels, building trusted relationships across diverse stakeholders and partners. Passionate about improvement and collaboration, you will champion a culture where people feel empowered to speak up, innovate and excel. You will embody our values, bringing energy and vision and demonstrating integrity, fairness and a genuine commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, while creating an environment in which colleagues can thrive and deliver their best work.

We particularly encourage and welcome applications to this role from women, black and minority ethnic candidates and disabled applicants as part of our commitment to address under-representation in our senior leadership.

You will benefit from being part of an organisation that is genuinely committed to its people with several excellent benefits including 30 days holidays per year, a defined contribution pension scheme with a generous employer contribution of 15%, and hybrid and flexible working. 

For more information please please click the Continue link below to download the information pack. If you have any questions, once you have read this pack, please contact duncan.ewart@gatenbysanderson.com.

To view the job description and person specification, please scroll to the bottom of the page, tick to agree to the privacy policy, then click 'Continue to full details'.

How to Apply

To apply, please submit the following:

  • A CV (no longer than three pages) setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.
  • A Supporting Statement (no longer than two pages), explaining why you want this role and giving detailed and specific examples of achievements in line with the Essential and Desirable criteria in the Person Specification.
  • A completed Diversity Questionnaire, this will appear on screen as part of the online application process. We’re committed to implementing and monitoring our equality and diversity policies with the aim of recruiting, retaining and promoting staff regardless of their age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion and belief, sex and sexual orientation. If you do not wish to provide a declaration on any of the particular characteristics, you will have the option to select 'prefer not to say', but this information is very important to the GMC as we seek to build an organisation and develop policies that reflect our society. Any information you provide is confidential and will not be used during the selection process or to inform decision making.
  • The names and contact details for two referees who can comment on your ability to fulfil this appointment. Please note, we will not contact your referees, without your prior approval.

Disability Confident

We are committed to inclusive employment and particularly welcome disabled people and people with long term conditions to apply for all roles with us. We are a Disability Confident employer so offer an interview to all applicants with a disability who provide evidence of meeting the agreed cut-off mark on the essential criteria set out in the person specification.

If you wish to apply under this scheme, please indicate this when prompted on the GatenbySanderson website.

We can make adjustments to the recruitment process, such as altering interview arrangements, and send documents and correspondence in a different format. Please email Emma.Clark@gatenbysanderson.com to discuss any requirements you have.

All applications will be acknowledged immediately. If you do not receive and immediate acknowledgement or if you experience any difficulty in submitting your online application, please check your spam and then contact Emma.Clark@gatenbysanderson.com before the deadline for applications.

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