Clinical Academic Training Office - Academic Clinical Director

About the University of Sunderland 

The University of Sunderland offers life-changing opportunities for 27,500 students across its campuses in Sunderland, London, Hong Kong, and through global partnerships with learning institutions in 19 countries. We're proud to be a top 30 UK university (Guardian University Guide 2024), with top-quality facilities, inclusive culture, and our vibrant, ever-changing city.

The University of Sunderland is in an exciting phase of its development with a new vision and redefined strategic ambitions designed to take advantage of the ever-changing higher education landscape at home and overseas. 

Sunderland Medical School was one of only five new Medical Schools established to address the regional imbalance of medical education places across England and to widen access to ensure that the profession reflects the communities it serves.  At full capacity we will have a cohort of 585 Medical Students.

With a track record of excellence in health education spanning almost 100 years, the University is well placed to contribute to the expansion of medical training and help to address the chronic shortage in some medical specialties including general practice in the Northeast. We have a significant focus on widening access and a recently successful National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) bid to establish our Clinical Academic Training Office (CATO).

Our CATO will support the delivery of clinical academic medicine including both research and educational activity of our undergraduate and postgraduate students and staff, working with NHS England Education, local hospital trusts and wider NIHR infrastructure.

About the role

As our Clinical Academic Director of the CATO you will work closely with the Head of School, CATO Manager and administrative staff and Clinical and Academic colleagues across the programme, oversee the different functions of the CATO and staffing, ensure development and successful delivery of CATO KPIs and objectives, maintain relationships with external partners and internal support services, and maintain sustainable external funding support options.

Please note this is a fixed-term contract for 18-months.

What you can bring 

The candidate will have significant experience of supporting applications for external funding, project development and delivery, and external engagement.

What we can offer you 

Our University is not just a place of academic excellence, but also a community that embraces inclusivity and support. We value our staff and offer a rewarding package that goes beyond just salary. At the University of Sunderland, we prioritise not only your professional growth but also your happiness and well-being.

Enjoy a generous annual leave entitlement of 36 days, along with an additional 5 closure days over the Christmas break and 8 Bank Holidays. Enrolment into our pension scheme, ensuring your financial security for the future. Access to our “My Lifestyle Benefits Platform”, where you can enjoy online discounts at hundreds of retailers every day. Plus, take advantage of exclusive schemes that allow you to purchase a new car, bike, or technology at a discounted rate. Your health and well-being are important to us. That's why we provide access to discounted private medical insurance, health cash plans, and guidance on financial well-being.Maintaining an active lifestyle is made easy with discounted membership for CitySpace Fitness, our state-of-the-art facility for sports and social activities. 

Equality, diversity & inclusion 

We strongly believe that an inclusive university, where a diverse range of individuals feel valued and have equal opportunity to get into work and reach their potential, is good for our staff, students, university, and society.

Our work on equality, diversity and inclusivity has never been more important. We believe inclusivity is an essential value at the heart of what we do, and we want all our staff to be part of that journey with us.

Our recent staff survey conducted in 2023 showed that 97% of our staff believed that we were committed to achieving an inclusive university.

The closing date for applications is Sunday 25th January 2026 (23.59 GMT).

Please note that applications are only accepted via the University of Sunderland's job portal, we do not accept CVs as part of the process.

For any further information, please contact Professor Scott Wilkes, Head of the School of Medicine 

[email protected] 

Closing Date: 25 Jan 2026

Team: Academic