Job summary
The New Hospital Programme is more than building hospitals, it's a once in a generation opportunity to shape the future of healthcare in England. We're delivering over 40 new hospitals that will be modern, sustainable and built around the needs of patients and staff.
We're looking for people who care about purpose, who thrive in complex environments and who want to help deliver change at scale for future generations.
Main duties of the job
Are you ready to help design the hospitals of tomorrow? As Chief Engineer you will lead in shaping the future of healthcare through design, engineering excellence and innovative delivery. This is no standard engineering role, you'll sit at the heart of the Hospital 2.0, defining and delivering a design & engineering strategy, as well as overseeing our delivery partner (HDP).
Key responsibilities include:
- Shaping and implementing the Design & Engineering strategy for Hospital 2.0.
- Driving seamless collaboration between HDPs and internal teams through clear interfaces and ways of working through task order model.
- Overseeing the creation of innovative Reference Designs that meet national standards and future healthcare needs.
- Steering the governance and acceptance process for Hospital 2.0 designs.
- Providing engineering expertise and support to solve design and technical challenges with ability to communicate complex designs to non-engineering audiences.
About us
The NHS England board have set out the top-level purpose for the new organisation to lead the NHS in England to deliver high-quality services for all, which will inform the detailed design work and we will achieve this purpose 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.
If you would like to know more or require further information, please visithttps://www.england.nhs.uk/.
Colleagues with a contractual office base are expected to spend, on average, at least 40% of their time working in-person.
Staff recruited from outside the NHS will usually be appointed at the bottom of the pay band.
If you are successful at interview, we will run an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) in the Electronic Staff Record system (ESR). This transfer gathers valuable information from a previous or current NHS employer to support the onboarding process, including; statutory and mandatory competency status, Continuous Service Dates (CSD), and annual leave entitlement. You will have the opportunity throughout the recruitment process to inform us if you do not consent.
Job description
Job responsibilities
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.
Please note that the grade for this post is ESM 1.
For more information on the NHP programme
Closing date: 31July 2025
Interview dates: TBC
Due to ongoing organisational change and developments, aspects of this role may be subject to change.
By applying for this position, you acknowledge and understand that NHS England is currently undergoing a consultation process to finalise its structure, which may impact this role.
Job description
Job responsibilities
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.
Please note that the grade for this post is ESM 1.
For more information on the NHP programme
Closing date: 31July 2025
Interview dates: TBC
Due to ongoing organisational change and developments, aspects of this role may be subject to change.
By applying for this position, you acknowledge and understand that NHS England is currently undergoing a consultation process to finalise its structure, which may impact this role.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- A bachelor's degree or master's degree in architecture, engineering, construction management, or a related field is typically required
Desirable
- Membership in professional organisations or associations related to architecture, engineering, or healthcare facility design and construction would be beneficial. For example, membership in the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) or the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB)
- Professional accreditation or registration with a relevant architectural or engineering body
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Extensive experience in the design and construction of facilities (ideally in healthcare) with a focus on developing Reference Designs and standard components, along with a strong understanding of testing and piloting these designs to inform best practices and support continuous improvement
- Comprehensive knowledge of national and international healthcare facility design standards, guidelines, and best practices, combined with a strong understanding of spatial design principles and their application in creating effective healthcare environments
- Knowledge of modular construction processes and the ability to ensure that design specifications align with constructability requirements
- Experience in reviewing and aligning design solutions with clinical briefs and standards
- Knowledge of whole-life design principles, sustainability, digital, low carbon initiatives, and emerging building design standards in the healthcare sector
- Proficiency in Building Information Modeling (BIM) and its application in checking integration, coherence, and constructability of designs
- Expertise in governance and decision-making
Skills, Capabilities & Attributes
Essential
- Strong leadership and project management skills to oversee the development and implementation of Reference Designs and standard components, coordinate testing and piloting activities, manage timelines, and ensure successful delivery of outcomes
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills to engage with a variety of stakeholders.
- Analytical and problem-solving skills to assess the effectiveness of the national Reference Design in meeting transformational briefs, spatial requirements, and standards.
- Strategic thinking and decision-making abilities to define non-clinical standards, master planning, and test fit guardrails for schemes.
- Attention to detail to review and check design specifications, spatial layouts, and compliance with clinical and non-clinical standards
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- A bachelor's degree or master's degree in architecture, engineering, construction management, or a related field is typically required
Desirable
- Membership in professional organisations or associations related to architecture, engineering, or healthcare facility design and construction would be beneficial. For example, membership in the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) or the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB)
- Professional accreditation or registration with a relevant architectural or engineering body
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Extensive experience in the design and construction of facilities (ideally in healthcare) with a focus on developing Reference Designs and standard components, along with a strong understanding of testing and piloting these designs to inform best practices and support continuous improvement
- Comprehensive knowledge of national and international healthcare facility design standards, guidelines, and best practices, combined with a strong understanding of spatial design principles and their application in creating effective healthcare environments
- Knowledge of modular construction processes and the ability to ensure that design specifications align with constructability requirements
- Experience in reviewing and aligning design solutions with clinical briefs and standards
- Knowledge of whole-life design principles, sustainability, digital, low carbon initiatives, and emerging building design standards in the healthcare sector
- Proficiency in Building Information Modeling (BIM) and its application in checking integration, coherence, and constructability of designs
- Expertise in governance and decision-making
Skills, Capabilities & Attributes
Essential
- Strong leadership and project management skills to oversee the development and implementation of Reference Designs and standard components, coordinate testing and piloting activities, manage timelines, and ensure successful delivery of outcomes
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills to engage with a variety of stakeholders.
- Analytical and problem-solving skills to assess the effectiveness of the national Reference Design in meeting transformational briefs, spatial requirements, and standards.
- Strategic thinking and decision-making abilities to define non-clinical standards, master planning, and test fit guardrails for schemes.
- Attention to detail to review and check design specifications, spatial layouts, and compliance with clinical and non-clinical standards
