Education Specialist

Royal College of Physicians of Ireland · Corner House, MD · 1 mo ago

Full-time

About the role

The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (RCPI) is seeking an Education Specialist to design, develop, and continuously improve RCPI’s postgraduate training programmes. Reporting to the Education Manager, this role leads curriculum, assessment, examinations, and educational transformation initiatives aligned with Medical Council standards and international best practice. The Education Specialist operates with a high degree of autonomy, shaping RCPI institutional and faculty approaches to education, influencing national and international stakeholders, and ensuring RCPI remains at the forefront of postgraduate medical education.

Key Duties

Strategic Curriculum Leadership - Lead the design, implementation, and ongoing development of postgraduate curricula, including national, international training programmes and fellowship programmes. Define and implement competency-based approaches to education and training and lead curriculum transformation. Develop and oversee curriculum frameworks, blueprints, and standards linking learning outcomes, training exposures, assessment, and progression. Lead specialty and cross-specialty curriculum reform initiatives, including international development.
Assessment Strategy & Design - Lead the design and implementation of RCPI’s assessment strategy, ensuring alignment with regulatory standards and best practice. Oversee professional examinations including item development, question writing, standard setting, performance analysis, and quality assurance of assessments. Design and implement innovative assessment approaches, including digital and workplace-based methods. Provide expert advice to governance and exam boards on assessment design, grading and decision-making.
Programme & System Leadership - Lead major strategic education initiatives and programmes. Take full ownership of programme development, from concept through pilot to operational delivery. Lead the design and development of education systems and platforms (e.g. ePortfolio), including long-term improvement planning. Define and implement processes, frameworks, and models that are adopted across RCPI programmes.
Senior Stakeholder Engagement & Influence - Engage and influence senior clinical stakeholders, faculties, training bodies, and regulatory organisations. Lead Postgraduate Training bodies, governance forums, and strategic working groups where required. Build consensus and drive decision-making on complex and sensitive educational issues. Represent RCPI in national and international education forums, as appropriate.
Faculty Development & Educational Leadership - Lead the design and delivery of faculty development initiatives, including assessment, curriculum, and education design workshops. Act as a subject matter expert in education, advising colleagues and stakeholders across the organisation. Mentor and support education team members and contribute to capability development within the function.
Quality Assurance & Regulatory Leadership - Engage with faculties around Medical Council accreditation processes, including preparation of submissions and responses. Monitor and interpret emerging national and international regulatory requirements and translate these into practice. Embed quality assurance and continuous improvement mechanisms across RCPI training programmes.

Requirements

Professional Knowledge and Experience - Postgraduate qualification in Education, Health Professions Education, Psychology, or a related discipline. Significant experience (typically 4-5+ years) in education design, curriculum development, and assessment. Demonstrated experience of leading strategic education initiatives or programmes. Deep understanding of quality assurance, regulatory frameworks, and assessment methodologies.
Desirable - Experience in postgraduate medical or health professions education. Experience in competency based curriculum design, ePortfolio systems, or digital education innovation.
Essential: Analysis & Communication Skills - Ability to engage and influence senior stakeholders in complex environments. Strong analytical capability, including the ability to interpret data and inform strategic decision-making. Excellent communication skills, with experience producing high-level reports, papers, and presentations.
Desirable: Experience in quantitative/qualitative research and data analysis.
Leadership, Autonomy & Delivery - Proven ability to lead complex programmes and strategic initiatives independently. Demonstrated experience in designing new processes, systems, or frameworks. Ability to operate effectively with high levels of autonomy, ambiguity, and organisational complexity. Capacity to manage multiple high-impact workstreams simultaneously.

Competencies

Planning and Organising - Ability to plan and organise complex projects and initiatives.
Stakeholder Engagement and Relationship Management - Effective stakeholder engagement and relationship management skills.
Results Orientation - Focus on achieving results and meeting objectives.
Leadership - Ability to lead and inspire others towards shared goals.

Why us?

Leave - 21 days annual leave with an additional 3-4 college days as well as long service leave to all employees.
Wellbeing - An Employee Assistance Programme with Spectrum Life is available to all staff members as well as annual flu vaccine.
Flexible Hybrid working model - The RCPI offer a flexible 35-hour-a-week hybrid working model for all employees from their start date, giving staff the autonomy to work from home combined with time spent onsite.
Pension - A defined contribution pension scheme of 1.5% Employee contribution and RCPI contribution from commencement date with an increase after 18 months.
Flexible Benefit - Pro-rata €1,500 annual flexible benefit upon completion of a successful probationary period.
Life Assurance - 4 times your annual salary.
Learning & Development - We offer CPD options including study leave and access to our internal LMS Training system.
Diversity and Inclusion - RCPI recognises the importance of equality, diversity, and inclusion. We were recently awarded a Silver accreditation from Investors in Diversity. We are an open and inclusive organisation that celebrates and welcomes diversity. We lead initiatives that support, promote and demonstrate a culture of mutual respect, inclusivity, and diversity, as outlined in our Diversity and Inclusion policy.