Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Apprenticeship and widening access co-ordinator

The closing date is 01 February 2026

Job summary

Step into a newly created Band 6 role to shape how apprenticeships and widening access work across the Trust.

This role sits within a developing area of Workforce & Organisational Development and plays a key part in supporting workforce growth, retention and talent development. The Apprenticeship & Widening Access Co-ordinator will lead on Trust-wide apprenticeship activity and ensure programmes are high quality, compliant and aligned to service and workforce priorities.

This opportunity is well suited to an internal candidate ready to step into greater responsibility, autonomy and influence. You will work across clinical and non-clinical services, with senior stakeholders and external partners, helping to build new ways of working and embed apprenticeships as a core workforce tool.

The post offers a development platform, with exposure to workforce planning, service development, data analysis and leadership, supporting future progression within Workforce, Organisational Development or wider corporate roles.

Please note this is a 2 year fixed term position.

Main duties of the job

You will coordinate the delivery and quality assurance of apprenticeship programmes across the Trust, acting as a key point of contact for apprentices, managers, training providers and internal stakeholders.

You will provide advice on apprenticeship standards, funding rules, eligibility and progression routes, analyse data on uptake, progress and levy spend, and support informed workforce planning and decision-making.

The role involves coordinating multiple programmes, ensuring key milestones and reporting deadlines are met, and adapting plans in response to service needs or national requirements. You will work with services to identify apprenticeship opportunities, support insight and widening access activity, and promote inclusive access to development pathways.

You will line manage staff, contribute to policy and process development, produce reports and dashboards, and work independently to resolve issues and improve delivery.

About us

Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is the UK's leading heart and lung hospital, delivering care to more than 50,000 patients a year in its new state-of-the-art hospital in Cambridge. We perform the most heart and/or lung transplants in the UK and carried out the UK's first successful heart transplant in 1979. It also offers emergency heart attack treatment, sleep centre care and is one of just five centres nationally for those in severe respiratory failure.

Based on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus the largest centre of medical research and health science in Europe the Trust is at the heart of treatments of the future. Royal Papworth became the first hospital trust in the country to be rated outstanding in all five areas assessed by the Care Quality Commission - a rating it still holds today. The Trust holds its values of compassion, excellence & collaboration at its core, and all colleagues joining the team are expected to uphold these in their day-to-day roles & interactions. Royal Papworth is proud of its diverse workforce and encourages people to embrace their individuality.

The Trust values difference and welcomes all applications irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy & maternity, race, religion & belief, sex and sexual orientation. Providing they meet the minimum post criteria, applicants with disabilities will be offered an interview.

For a street view tour: https://royalpapworth.nhs.uk/virtual-tour

Date posted

15 January 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

2 years

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

175-2526-WF1561

Job locations

Trustwide

Papworth Road

Cambridge Bio Medical Campus

Cambridge

CB2 0AY

Job description

Job responsibilities

On this page you will find a Role Profile which provides information about the hospital and full details about the role. We recommend that you review this and refer to it as you complete your application. Please include how you will meet the Trust Values Compassion, Excellence and Collaboration. If you would like more information about the role or working at Royal Papworth Hospital, please get in touch with the contact for this role.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Educated to degree level or equivalent experience in workforce development, education, HR or a related field.
Evidence of ongoing professional development relevant to apprenticeships, education or workforce planning to post graduate diploma level equivalent.
Specialist knowledge across range of topics including apprenticeships, education or workforce planning.

Experience

Essential

Experience of engaging with internal and external stakeholders from an array of backgrounds for professional needs.
Experience of managing complex programmes of work. including interpreting, analysing and planning from data to determine service delivery and direction.
Experience of leading and managing a team, in addition an ability to mentor and educate junior staff.
Specialist knowledge and application of relevant policies and procedures, underpinned by theory.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to be able to problem solve, use own initiative and plan, organise and prioritise own and others' workload.
Evidence of continuous professional development and a willingness to participate in further training and education.
Competent IT skills.

Additional Criteria

Essential

As well as being able to demonstrate examples of how they work in a way that is consistent with our values of compassion, excellence and collaboration the successful candidate will be able to clearly demonstrate a commitment to driving culture change through equality, diversity and inclusion.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Educated to degree level or equivalent experience in workforce development, education, HR or a related field.
Evidence of ongoing professional development relevant to apprenticeships, education or workforce planning to post graduate diploma level equivalent.
Specialist knowledge across range of topics including apprenticeships, education or workforce planning.

Experience

Essential

Experience of engaging with internal and external stakeholders from an array of backgrounds for professional needs.
Experience of managing complex programmes of work. including interpreting, analysing and planning from data to determine service delivery and direction.
Experience of leading and managing a team, in addition an ability to mentor and educate junior staff.
Specialist knowledge and application of relevant policies and procedures, underpinned by theory.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to be able to problem solve, use own initiative and plan, organise and prioritise own and others' workload.
Evidence of continuous professional development and a willingness to participate in further training and education.
Competent IT skills.

Additional Criteria

Essential

As well as being able to demonstrate examples of how they work in a way that is consistent with our values of compassion, excellence and collaboration the successful candidate will be able to clearly demonstrate a commitment to driving culture change through equality, diversity and inclusion.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

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

Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Trustwide

Papworth Road

Cambridge Bio Medical Campus

Cambridge

CB2 0AY

Employer's website

https://royalpapworth.nhs.uk/working-here (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Trustwide

Papworth Road

Cambridge Bio Medical Campus

Cambridge

CB2 0AY

Employer's website

https://royalpapworth.nhs.uk/working-here (Opens in a new tab)