NHS Lothian
254022 - Head of Equalities and Human Rights (SNEW)
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Post: Head of Equality and Human Rights
Location: Waverley Court, Edinburgh
Salary: AfC Band 8b 36 hours per week, permanent
Are you a strategic leader with a passion for advancing equality, diversity, inclusion and human rights? NHS Lothian is seeking an exceptional Head of Equality and Human Rights to provide expert leadership and drive meaningful change across our organisation and the wider Lothian health and care system.
This is a unique opportunity to influence policy, shape culture, and ensure equality and human rights are embedded in everything we do for our staff, patients and communities.
About The Role
As our senior specialist lead for Equality and Human Rights, you will advise the NHS Lothian Board and Corporate Management Team on all aspects of equality, diversity, inclusion, human rights and British Sign Language (BSL) duties. You will lead the development and delivery of strategic plans, governance arrangements and performance frameworks that support both statutory compliance and our ambition to create a truly inclusive organisation.
Working Across a Complex Healthcare Environment, You Will
- Lead NHS Lothian's equality and human rights strategy and programmes.
- Provide expert advice on equality legislation, human rights, inclusion and cultural transformation.
- Develop and oversee statutory reporting, performance monitoring and impact assessment processes.
- Build strong partnerships with executive leaders, clinical teams, staff networks, trade unions, community organisations and public sector partners.
- Represent NHS Lothian at national forums and influence the development of policy and best practice across Scotland.
- Lead and develop a small specialist team while influencing change across the wider system.
- Champion a Human Rights Based Approach and support meaningful engagement with diverse communities and colleagues.
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
About You
We are looking for an inspiring and collaborative leader who can operate confidently at a strategic level while maintaining a strong focus on inclusion, partnership and improvement.
Why Join Us?
At NHS Lothian, we are committed to creating a culture where everyone is valued, respected and able to thrive. This role offers the opportunity to make a lasting impact on the experiences of both our workforce and the communities we serve.
You will work with senior leaders across the organisation and partner organisations to ensure equality, dignity, compassion and human rights remain at the heart of healthcare delivery.
Join us and help shape a more inclusive, equitable and human rights-focused future for healthcare across Lothian
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
For further information and an informal discussion please contact or
NHS Scotland is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best. To this end, NHS Scotland welcomes applications from all sections of society. 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.
AI tools like ChatGPT or Copilot can be great for planning and preparing your application but your answers must be your own.
Show us the real you: Your application should reflect your skills, experience, and motivations authentically.
Use AI wisely: It’s fine to use AI for ideas or to check spelling and grammar, but don’t let it write your answers.
Why this matters: Applications that rely on AI-generated content may be withdrawn. By applying, you confirm your responses are based on your own knowledge and achievements.
Tip: Think of AI as a helper, not a substitute. We want to understand you, not an AI tool.
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills