Job summary
The
Research Inclusion Lead will drive the strategy, design, delivery and
monitoring of inclusive research and clinical trial participation across our
research portfolio, in support of the UKs ambition to accelerate and scale
world-class clinical trials and ensure equity of access, representation and
benefit across diverse populations.
This role will be critical in helping
deliver the UK Life Sciences Sector Plans commitment to strengthening the UKs
clinical trials ecosystem, reduce set-up times, and ensuring patients from all
communities can access and benefit from innovation.
Experience
working in the life sciences sector and/or clinical operations and drug
development is a plus.
Please note the job description is subject to banding
review.
Expected Shortlisting
Date
02/04/2026
Planned Interview
Date
13/04/2026
Main duties of the job
The
postholder will work closely with the NIHR Director, the Assistant Director
of Research Inclusion and the Lifesciences Industry Director to identify,
champion, and implement national strategic developments that strengthen
equity, diversity, and participation in life sciences and clinical research
across the UK.
- Be responsible for ensuring that inclusion, diversity, and
equity are systematically integrated into national feasibility reviews, site
selection decisions, recruitment strategies, and performance monitoring
across both commercial and academic portfolios.
- Play a key role in delivering
the NIHR Life Sciences Industry Plan, embedding inclusive research throughout
the new NIHR commercial and non-commercial trials pathway, and providing
leadership, advice, and support across NIHR portfolios.
- Provide expert input
across NIHR, working closely with the Department of Health and Social Care
(Science, Research and Evidence Directorate) and NIHR Coordinating Centres to
ensure that health inequalities considerations underpin the delivery of all
aspects of NIHR business.
About us
The
National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has a mission to
improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. The NIHR plays
a pivotal role in attracting, training and supporting the best researchers
and complements the additional NIHR investment in world-class research
facilities and a skilled research workforce.
This
role is hosted by the Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust (LTHT) and delivers the
work of the NIHR, leading on policy, strategy and delivery in respect of
academic training in England and working closely with other NIHR centres and
the Science Research and Evidence (SRE) Directorate at the Department of
Health and Social Care (DHSC).
Leeds
Teaching Hospitals is committed to our process of redeploying 'at risk'
members of our existing workforce to new roles. As such, all our job adverts
are subject to this policy and we reserve the right to close, delay or remove
adverts while this process is completed. If you do experience a delay in the
shortlisting stage of the recruitment cycle, please bear with us while this
process is completed, and contact the named contact if you have any
questions.
Job description
Job responsibilities
PRINCIPAL
DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
General
- Embed inclusion, diversity and
equity into the design and delivery of clinical trials (commercial, academic,
non-interventional)
- Lead delivery of the Commercial
Research inclusion Workstream, ensuring alignment with the NIHR Research
Inclusion Strategy and the Life Sciences Industry Plan.
- Ensure trial design, recruitment
and retention plans target under-represented groups and align with
populations served.
- Manage the delivery of a
substantial portfolio, which will be monitored by a range of Key Performance
Indicators and overseen by the NIHRs Research Inclusion Programme Board.
- As a member of the NIHR Research
Inclusion Team, manage the process for identifying new resources for an
ongoing programme.
- Deliver the RI strategy aligned
with national ambitions (e.g. under the Life Sciences Sector Plan) and NIHRs
strategy
- Work across the organisation and
with external stakeholders (NHS Trusts, regulators, funders, industry) to
remove barriers to participation, deliver best practice in inclusive research
and, coordinate and ensure we have a fit for purpose approach to collecting
and monitoring the diversity of research participants.
- Provide national leadership for the
Commercial Research Inclusion Workstream, ensuring close alignment with
feasibility standards, national templates, KAM engagement and CRDC
performance frameworks.
- Line management and/or matrixed
management of staff from time to time
Monitoring,
Data and Reporting
- Lead the development of national
data standards and reporting mechanisms to track participation,
representation, attrition and equity of benefit.
- Ensure inclusion data is integrated
into the Industry Hub dashboard and contributes to sponsor-facing
transparency and accountability.
- Provide regular assurance to NIHR
senior leadership, DHSC, and the Industry Hub governance structures on
performance, risks and progress.
Communication
and Engagement
- Collaborate with the NIHR
communications team to embed programmes of work into NIHRs culture and
processes
- Work with the NIHR Director of
Inclusion (People and Research) and Assistant Director - Research Inclusion
to ensure that the Life Sciences sector plan is clearly embedded within
NIHRs Research Inclusion Strategy, action plan and programme governance.
- Articulate the national vision for
Research Inclusion across the NIHR, NHS, industry sponsors and regulatory
partners.
- Prepare reports and papers for
strategic and policy meetings for publication.
- Liaise with other national
programme teams, wider NIHR and Department of Health and Social Care staff,
other key funders of health and social care research and the academic
community as necessary.
- Engage with internal and external
stakeholders, to monitor projects that align with NIHRs under-served
programme activities.
- Deliver presentations to national
stakeholder groups and relevant conferences
- Act as a representative for NIHR
Academy and NIHR more widely at national meetings, workshops, and
conferences, often having to defend NIHRs position in a public setting
- Develop briefings requested from
Ministers offices and other government departments; responses to
Parliamentary Questions, and Select Committees
Job description
Job responsibilities
PRINCIPAL
DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
General
- Embed inclusion, diversity and
equity into the design and delivery of clinical trials (commercial, academic,
non-interventional)
- Lead delivery of the Commercial
Research inclusion Workstream, ensuring alignment with the NIHR Research
Inclusion Strategy and the Life Sciences Industry Plan.
- Ensure trial design, recruitment
and retention plans target under-represented groups and align with
populations served.
- Manage the delivery of a
substantial portfolio, which will be monitored by a range of Key Performance
Indicators and overseen by the NIHRs Research Inclusion Programme Board.
- As a member of the NIHR Research
Inclusion Team, manage the process for identifying new resources for an
ongoing programme.
- Deliver the RI strategy aligned
with national ambitions (e.g. under the Life Sciences Sector Plan) and NIHRs
strategy
- Work across the organisation and
with external stakeholders (NHS Trusts, regulators, funders, industry) to
remove barriers to participation, deliver best practice in inclusive research
and, coordinate and ensure we have a fit for purpose approach to collecting
and monitoring the diversity of research participants.
- Provide national leadership for the
Commercial Research Inclusion Workstream, ensuring close alignment with
feasibility standards, national templates, KAM engagement and CRDC
performance frameworks.
- Line management and/or matrixed
management of staff from time to time
Monitoring,
Data and Reporting
- Lead the development of national
data standards and reporting mechanisms to track participation,
representation, attrition and equity of benefit.
- Ensure inclusion data is integrated
into the Industry Hub dashboard and contributes to sponsor-facing
transparency and accountability.
- Provide regular assurance to NIHR
senior leadership, DHSC, and the Industry Hub governance structures on
performance, risks and progress.
Communication
and Engagement
- Collaborate with the NIHR
communications team to embed programmes of work into NIHRs culture and
processes
- Work with the NIHR Director of
Inclusion (People and Research) and Assistant Director - Research Inclusion
to ensure that the Life Sciences sector plan is clearly embedded within
NIHRs Research Inclusion Strategy, action plan and programme governance.
- Articulate the national vision for
Research Inclusion across the NIHR, NHS, industry sponsors and regulatory
partners.
- Prepare reports and papers for
strategic and policy meetings for publication.
- Liaise with other national
programme teams, wider NIHR and Department of Health and Social Care staff,
other key funders of health and social care research and the academic
community as necessary.
- Engage with internal and external
stakeholders, to monitor projects that align with NIHRs under-served
programme activities.
- Deliver presentations to national
stakeholder groups and relevant conferences
- Act as a representative for NIHR
Academy and NIHR more widely at national meetings, workshops, and
conferences, often having to defend NIHRs position in a public setting
- Develop briefings requested from
Ministers offices and other government departments; responses to
Parliamentary Questions, and Select Committees
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Significant experience working within the UK clinical research ecosystem (NIHR, NHS research delivery, life sciences industry or regulatory bodies)
- Deep understanding of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion in clinical trials, including inclusive design, recruitment, retention and patient-facing materials.
- Familiarity with inclusive trial design
- An understanding of the Governments strategy for health and care research in England
- A high-level understanding of the inequalities that exist and the barriers affecting under-represented groups in health and care research
- Experience of working strategically across a range of priorities, connecting agendas, and influencing culture, system, and behaviour change.
- Knowledge, skills and/or experience of the health and care setting and workforce
- Experience working in diversity & inclusion at a senior level in a complex work environment
- Demonstrable experience of providing specialist advice, support, and guidance on a range of highly complex and sensitive issues, to key decision makers within the organisation preferably EDI focused
- Experience of influencing others without direct authority, to achieve solutions
- Line management experience, including objective setting objective setting; performance management and staff development
Desirable
- Experience working directly with the commercial life sciences sector, pharma, biotech, or CROs.
- Evidence of working to reduce inequalities in health and care research
- Delivering EDI presentations to groups
- Experience working with equality data inside or outside the NHS, e.g., WRES, WDES; Gender Pay Gap
- Postgraduate research and/or research management experience post higher degree and at a senior level
- Experience delivering cross-sector inclusion frameworks or system-level inclusion approaches
- Experience and credibility as an inclusion practitioner
- Experience representing organisations at national or strategic forums
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree level with either a masters degree or equivalent level experience
- Evidence of significant CPD in Inclusion and or health inequalities
- Evidence of post qualifying and continuing professional development in leadership
Desirable
- PhD in a health or life-science discipline
- CIPD qualified or equivalent experience
- Project Management at Prince Foundation level or equivalent
- Training in health inequalities, inclusion, community engagement or patient involvement
Skills & Behaviours
Essential
- Leading by example
- Thinking strategically - demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across organisational boundaries.
- Commitment to equity, inclusion and reducing health inequalities.
- Giving purpose and direction which includes involving people in deciding what needs to be done
- Proactive, innovative and improvement-focused
- Identifying opportunities and approaches to achieve goals and improve results
- Ability to establish an effective network of relationships with people across the organisation and externally who have different roles and perspectives
- Ability to provide strategic leadership and influence senior stakeholders across diverse organisations
- Strong analytical skills, able to interpret demographic data, performance metrics and population-level inequalities.
- An ability to provide and receive highly complex information and communicate it in an easily accessible format to various stakeholders
- Skilled in change management and building culture, capability and confidence across large organisations
- Excellent written communications skills with the ability to produce committee reports as required
- Resourceful programme manager, capable of quickly taking control
- Familiarity with the Google platform
Desirable
- Standard keyboard skills
- Familiarity with Microsoft Office
- There may be a requirement to work occasional evenings
- Able to travel around the country
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Significant experience working within the UK clinical research ecosystem (NIHR, NHS research delivery, life sciences industry or regulatory bodies)
- Deep understanding of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion in clinical trials, including inclusive design, recruitment, retention and patient-facing materials.
- Familiarity with inclusive trial design
- An understanding of the Governments strategy for health and care research in England
- A high-level understanding of the inequalities that exist and the barriers affecting under-represented groups in health and care research
- Experience of working strategically across a range of priorities, connecting agendas, and influencing culture, system, and behaviour change.
- Knowledge, skills and/or experience of the health and care setting and workforce
- Experience working in diversity & inclusion at a senior level in a complex work environment
- Demonstrable experience of providing specialist advice, support, and guidance on a range of highly complex and sensitive issues, to key decision makers within the organisation preferably EDI focused
- Experience of influencing others without direct authority, to achieve solutions
- Line management experience, including objective setting objective setting; performance management and staff development
Desirable
- Experience working directly with the commercial life sciences sector, pharma, biotech, or CROs.
- Evidence of working to reduce inequalities in health and care research
- Delivering EDI presentations to groups
- Experience working with equality data inside or outside the NHS, e.g., WRES, WDES; Gender Pay Gap
- Postgraduate research and/or research management experience post higher degree and at a senior level
- Experience delivering cross-sector inclusion frameworks or system-level inclusion approaches
- Experience and credibility as an inclusion practitioner
- Experience representing organisations at national or strategic forums
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree level with either a masters degree or equivalent level experience
- Evidence of significant CPD in Inclusion and or health inequalities
- Evidence of post qualifying and continuing professional development in leadership
Desirable
- PhD in a health or life-science discipline
- CIPD qualified or equivalent experience
- Project Management at Prince Foundation level or equivalent
- Training in health inequalities, inclusion, community engagement or patient involvement
Skills & Behaviours
Essential
- Leading by example
- Thinking strategically - demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across organisational boundaries.
- Commitment to equity, inclusion and reducing health inequalities.
- Giving purpose and direction which includes involving people in deciding what needs to be done
- Proactive, innovative and improvement-focused
- Identifying opportunities and approaches to achieve goals and improve results
- Ability to establish an effective network of relationships with people across the organisation and externally who have different roles and perspectives
- Ability to provide strategic leadership and influence senior stakeholders across diverse organisations
- Strong analytical skills, able to interpret demographic data, performance metrics and population-level inequalities.
- An ability to provide and receive highly complex information and communicate it in an easily accessible format to various stakeholders
- Skilled in change management and building culture, capability and confidence across large organisations
- Excellent written communications skills with the ability to produce committee reports as required
- Resourceful programme manager, capable of quickly taking control
- Familiarity with the Google platform
Desirable
- Standard keyboard skills
- Familiarity with Microsoft Office
- There may be a requirement to work occasional evenings
- Able to travel around the country
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
