Education Specialist

The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland is a postgraduate medical training college dedicatedto ensuring that doctors have the skills toprovide patients with the best possible care. Founded in 1654, the college supports doctors to enhance their skills, competencies, and professionalism throughout their working lives.

Through its Faculties and Institutes, The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, offers medical training programmes, examinations, diplomas, and educational courses to equip doctors with the skills and knowledge they need to care for patients and run safe and efficient healthcare systems. It also offers a range of educational diplomas and courses for learners in the wider healthcare sector.

Guided by its mission "to train, educate and continuously develop doctors for current and future world health needs," the College supports a global community of more than 15,000 Members and Fellows in over 90 countries through six specialist Faculties and Institutes.

The Training Education & Lifelong Learning Department spans Basic and Higher Specialist Training, international fellowship programmes, and membership examinations - altogether covering the education design and development needs of >30 plus specialty pathways and the flagship MRCPI examinations.

These programmes and assessments ensure our doctors are equipped with the knowledge, skills and professionalism to deliver the highest standards of patient care.

Position:

Role: Education Specialist

Reporting to: Education Manager

Contact: Permanent

Salary: €57,000

Closing date: Wednesday 28 May 2025 at 17:00

Post Summary

RCPI is seeking an Education Specialist to support the educational development and quality improvement of RCPI's postgraduate training programmes. Reporting to the Education Manager you will support the design and development of RCPI's postgraduate training programmes, the education and learning supports which underpin training and RCPI's membership examinations, ensuing RCPI training programmes are aligned to Medical Council standards and European training requirements.

Working closely with national clinical leads, specialist training committees and trainee representatives, you will drive continuous quality enhancement, lead curriculum, education and assessment initiatives that position RCPI at the forefront of postgraduate medical education. This role offers the opportunity to make a direct impact on patient safety and physician competence across Ireland and beyond.

Key Duties

Curriculum Development

• Facilitate the review, update, development, and maintenance of curricula, including assessment methods, for RCPI postgraduate training programmes, international programmes and fellowship programmes.
• Produce and maintain curriculum blueprints which link learning outcomes to training exposures, teaching, workplace-based assessment and examinations.
• Support the team in the development of outcome-based training curricula for higher specialist training, potentially lead specialty specific projects depending on experience
• Support the review and maintenance of the curriculum archive
  
  

Assessment and exams

• Plan and manage the design, item development, grading and quality assurance of RCPI examinations.
• Participate in question writing and standard-setting meetings to ensure defensible pass-fail decisions.
• Use basic data analysis skills to generate statistical and narrative reports on item, paper and cohort performance and advise governance committees on opportunities for quality enhancement.
  
  

Stakeholder Engagement & Faculty Development

• Facilitate governance committee meetings, support clinical leads and internal stakeholders to secure consensus on areas of curriculum, education and assessment as they relate to postgraduate training and assessments.
• Design and deliver development workshops across RCPI's faculty, trainer and examiner network.
  
  

Project Support

• Manage small medical education projects including internal reviews, programme reviews, examination review and development.
• Support tasks related to key cross College projects such as RCPI digital strategy and Medical Council accreditation.
• Support team members in larger strategic projects.
• Facilitate feedback workshops specific to assigned projects.
  
  

Quality Assurance

• Coordinate evidence and submissions for Irish Medical Council accreditation cycles
• Monitor emerging regulatory requirements and trends in postgraduate medical training and education
  
  

Requirements:

Requirements

Professional Knowledge and Experience

Essential:

• Postgraduate qualification in Education, Psychology, Healthcare or related discipline.
• ≥ 3 years' experience in an education role
• Experiential knowledge and sound understanding of education development, assessments, quality assurance and statistics
  
  

Desirable:

• Background in health professions education or healthcare services.
• Experience with medical curricula, e-portfolio or medical assessment.
• Published of conference-presented research in an area related to the role.
  
  

Analysis & Communication Skills

Essential:

• Proven ability to build and maintain effective relationships with diverse stakeholder groups.
• Ability to analyse & synthesise data and to generate reports with meaningful insights.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce high-quality reports, updates, and presentations tailored to different audiences.
• High level of information-literacy and document-design skills (O365 suite etc)
  
  

Desirable:

• Quantitative and qualitative research skills and experience
• Working knowledge of SPSS or equivalent statistical software.
• Working knowledge of data visualisation tools
  
  

Workload & Project Management

Essential:

• Capacity to work at a strategic level, undertake research and problem solve
• Demonstrate an ability to independently produce plans and processes
• Ability to handle a varied and diverse workload to meet deadlines
• Ability to work flexibly and with being comfortable with ambiguity and change
• Flexibility to undertake limited travel (national and international)
  
  

Desirable:

• Demonstrated application of risk-management and quality-improvement principles
• Familiarity with Quality Assurance standards
  
  

Competencies:

• Task and Project Management
• Problem-solving and Decision-making
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Critical thinking
• Research / Analytical Skills
  
  

Other information:

Why work with us

At the RCPI we value our employees and believe our talented team is the foundation of the Colleges success. That is why we aim to provide them with support and a range of benefits and services to create a work-life balance that suits you.:

Leave: We offer 21 days annual leave with an additional 3-4 college days as well as long service leave to all employees. We also provide support for staff with Maternity, Sick, Parents, and Parental leave.

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 3.33% Employee contribution and 6.66% RCPI contribution is offered to every employee upon completion of probationary period.

Flexible Benefit: Pro-rata €1,000 annual flexible benefit upon completion of a successful probatory period.

Life Assurance: 4 times your annual salary.

Learning & Development: We offer CPD options including study leave and unlimited access to LinkedIn Learning.

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.

The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland is an inclusive employer and in line with our policies you are invited to disclose any reasonable accommodations you require for applying, interviewing or working with RCPI. Please be assured this information will be treated as confidential and not used for the purpose of selection. If you have any queries, please contact Suzann Donnelly at suzanndonnelly@rcpi.ie.
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