Skill Maps, Hiring Leagues And Analysis

AI, Machine Learning & Data Science: Essential vs Desirable Skills

NHS job pack skill classification for AI, Machine Learning & Data Science is in progress. Check back next month.

The NHS Skills That Travel Furthest Across Career Domains

Presentation skills appear across 11 of 15 NHS digital domains, making it the single most portable skill in the workforce.

Mastering a handful of cross-cutting skills like communication, attention to detail and stakeholder management unlocks career pivots across the full breadth of NHS digital roles.

Project & Programme Management Hiring Across NHS: Where Demand Is Concentrated

Just 10 employers account for 135 of the 176 total project and programme management postings, with UK Health Security Agency leading at 19 vacancies.

Job seekers targeting project and programme management roles in March 2026 will find their strongest opportunities by focusing on national agencies and large foundation trusts, where the majority of vacancies are concentrated.

Core Delivery Skills Dominate Project and Programme Management Roles

63% of all classified skills in this domain are essential to secure a role.

Employers in this domain expect you to arrive with Project Management, Data Analysis, and Change Management already in place, leaving little room to learn fundamentals on the job. To strengthen your application, prioritise demonstrating Communication and Problem Solving through concrete examples from your clinical or operational work, as these appear consistently across the majority of job postings.

Data, Analytics & BI: SQL and Power BI dominate NHS job requirements in March 2026

Nearly half of all skills demanded in NHS Data and BI roles are marked as essential, with SQL, Power BI, and data modelling appearing most frequently.

What the skills data tells you about breaking into or moving up in NHS data and analytics roles.

NHS AI & Data Science Roles: Python and ML Pipelines Dominate the Skill Requirements

Band 7 is the most common entry point for NHS AI and data science roles, accounting for 6 of the 15 jobs analysed.

What the NHS is actually asking for when it hires for AI, machine learning and data science roles.

Applications & Systems Support: ITIL and Technical Troubleshooting Dominate NHS Job Requirements

Band 5 is the most common entry point, accounting for 10 of the 26 Applications and Systems Support roles analysed.

What the skills data tells you about breaking into or moving up in NHS applications support roles.

Business Analysis in the NHS: Requirements and Process Skills Dominate Job Packs

Band 7 is the most common hiring level for NHS Business Analysts, accounting for 18 of 46 roles analysed.

What 46 NHS Business Analyst job packs reveal about the skills employers are actually asking for.

Business Development & Partnerships: Relationship and Commercial Skills Dominate NHS Hiring

Band 7 is the most common hiring level in NHS Business Development, appearing in 4 of the 24 roles analysed.

What the skills data tells you about breaking into or moving up in NHS business development roles.

Change & Transformation: ADKAR and Prosci dominate the NHS skill map in March 2026

Band 7 is the most common level for NHS Change and Transformation roles, accounting for 30 of the 123 jobs analysed.

What 123 NHS job packs reveal about the skills, certifications and employers driving Change and Transformation hiring right now.

Clinical Governance & Audit: Band 7 Dominates a Skills-Heavy Market

8 of 18 Clinical Governance roles in this dataset sit at Band 7, making it the clear entry point for senior progression in this domain.

What the top 20 skills in Clinical Governance, Audit and Compliance roles tell you about where to focus your development.

Clinical Research & Trials: GCP and Trial Coordination Dominate NHS Skill Requirements

Band 6 and Band 7 roles account for 66 of the 144 Clinical Research jobs analysed, making mid-level trial coordination the clear hiring sweet spot.

What NHS employers are actually asking for when they hire in Clinical Research and Trials roles.

Clinical Safety (Digital Health): DCB Standards and Hazard Log Skills Dominate NHS Job Requirements

Over half of all skills recorded across clinical safety roles are flagged as essential, making this one of the least flexible domains for skills gaps.

What 112 NHS job packs reveal about the skills and qualifications employers actually want in digital clinical safety roles.

Clinical Systems & Applications: EPR Implementation and Go-Live Skills Dominate Job Requirements

Band 6 and Band 7 together account for 35 of the 82 Clinical Systems roles analysed, making mid-level the core hiring tier in this domain.

What 82 NHS job packs reveal about the skills you need to work in clinical systems roles across the NHS.

Communications & Engagement: Stakeholder and Content Skills Dominate NHS Job Requirements

Band 7 is the most recruited level in NHS Communications, accounting for 13 of the 49 roles analysed.

What 49 NHS Communications job packs reveal about the skills you need to progress or move in this domain.

NHS Cyber Security Roles: The Foundational Skills That Appear Across Every Band

Half of all NHS cyber security roles in this dataset sit at Band 7 or above, with Band 8A being the most common.

What the skills data from NHS cyber security job packs tells you about what hiring managers actually want.

Digital Transformation Skills Map: Strategy and Change Lead the Way in March 2026

Nearly half of all skills listed across NHS Digital Transformation roles are classified as essential, with strategy, service redesign and stakeholder engagement appearing most frequently.

What NHS Digital Transformation roles are actually asking for, based on real job pack data.

Early Careers Roles Reward Foundations: The Soft Skills Dominating NHS Apprenticeship and Fellowship Job Packs

All 20 of the most in-demand early careers skills are behavioural or foundational, with no technical certifications required across any of the 10 roles analysed.

What the skills data from NHS early careers roles tells you about what hiring managers actually want from new starters.

Education, Training & Workforce Development: The Skills NHS Employers Are Hiring For in March 2026

Band 6 and Band 7 roles account for more than half of all Education and Training jobs in the NHS jobs database, with 41 out of 80 posts sitting at those two grades.

A breakdown of the skills, bands, and employers driving hiring in NHS education and training roles right now.

Information Governance & Data Protection: The Skills NHS Employers Are Hiring For in 2026

Band 6 and Band 7 roles each account for 6 of the 33 IG jobs analysed, making mid-level the most active hiring zone in this domain.

A breakdown of the skills, certifications and job market data shaping IG careers across the NHS right now.

Leadership & Service Management: People and Performance Skills Dominate NHS Band 7 and 8A Roles

Band 7 and 8A roles account for 66 of the 163 leadership and service management jobs analysed, making mid-to-senior management the busiest tier in this domain.

What the skills data tells you about getting hired and moving up in NHS leadership and service management.

PMO & Project Support: Operational Skills Dominate, with Excel and Reporting at the Core

Over half of all PMO and Project Support skills identified across 254 NHS job packs are unclassified, meaning hiring managers rarely spell out what is essential versus nice-to-have.

What NHS job packs reveal about the skills hiring managers actually want in PMO and project support roles right now.

NHS Procurement & Contracts: Contract Management and Tender Skills Dominate Band 6–7 Roles

9 out of 20 NHS procurement roles analysed were at Band 7, making it the most common entry point for mid-career progression in this domain.

What the skills data from NHS procurement job packs tells you about where to focus your development.

NHS Product Management: The 20 Skills Appearing Most in Job Packs Right Now

Band 7 is the most common entry point for NHS Product Management roles, accounting for 6 of the 20 jobs analysed.

What the NHS actually asks for when it hires product managers, based on real job pack data.

Project & Programme Management: PRINCE2, Agile and Stakeholder Skills Dominate NHS Job Requirements

Band 7 is the most common entry point for NHS project and programme roles, accounting for 192 of 569 jobs analysed.

What 569 NHS job packs tell you about the skills and certifications that actually get Project & Programme Management professionals hired.

Public Health & Population Health: The Core Skills NHS Employers Are Hiring For

Data analysis, epidemiology and health inequalities analysis all appear in the top 20 skills across public health roles from Band 5 to Band 8B.

A breakdown of the skills appearing most in NHS public health job packs, from Band 5 to Band 8B.

Quality Improvement Roles: The Core Skills NHS Employers Are Hiring For

Band 8A is the most common grade for NHS Quality Improvement roles, accounting for 13 of the 32 jobs analysed.

What the skill demands across 32 NHS QI job packs tell you about what employers actually want.

NHS Software Development Roles: The Core Stack Employers Are Hiring For in 2026

Band 6 is the most common entry point for NHS software development roles, accounting for 13 of the 56 jobs analysed.

What the skills data from 56 NHS software engineering job packs tells you about what employers actually want.

Clinical Informatics & Decision Support: Clinical Workflow and Terminology Skills Dominate NHS Job Requirements

Band 7 accounts for more than half of all Clinical Informatics roles analysed, making it the clear entry point for serious career progression in this domain.

What the NHS is actually asking for when it hires in Clinical Informatics and Decision Support roles.