Associate Director for Research and Improvement

Job summary

The Medical/Dental Associate Director for Research and Improvement will provide senior clinical leadership to advance research excellence and continuous improvement across Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Trust. Working alongside the Director of Research & Improvement, the postholder will shape and deliver a strategic vision that aligns with organisational priorities, population health needs, and national policy. This consultant-level role will champion inclusive, equitable research practices, expand participation from underserved communities, and strengthen partnerships with academic institutions, industry, and community organisations. Responsibilities include overseeing governance and delivery of research portfolios, ensuring compliance with regulatory frameworks, embedding findings into clinical practice, and supporting service transformation. The role will mentor clinicians in research methodology, grant writing, and career development, while fostering patient and public involvement throughout the research lifecycle. The postholder will also drive capacity building, promote digital innovation and AI in research, and lead the Research & Improvement Team to achieve high performance. With accountability to the Executive Chief Medical Officer, this fixed-term appointment (2 PAs, with potential job share) offers the opportunity to combine leadership with ongoing clinical or academic commitments, positioning HIOWH as a national leader in community and mental health research.

Main duties of the job

The Medical/Dental Associate Director for Research & Improvement will provide senior clinical professional leadership to drive research excellence and continuous improvement across Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Trust (HIOWH), with a focus on mental health, community, and primary care services. This consultant-level role will work in partnership with the Director for Research & Improvement to lead the development and implementation of a strategic vision for research and improvement, ensuring alignment with organisational priorities, population health needs, and national policy.

The postholder will work collaboratively across the Integrated Care System (ICS), and academic partners.

The role will particularly support divisional medical and dental research leads and medical academics across the organisation. A key success metric will be the expansion of research and improvement capacity and activity across clinical divisions, with a particular emphasis on increasing participation from underserved and diverse patient populations.

This post is structured to allow for potential job share, and to enable the postholder to maintain clinical or academic commitments alongside their leadership role:

*1 day/week dedicated to Research & Improvement leadership

*Remaining time may be spent:

-Delivering clinical care within HIOW services (mental health, community, or primary care), or

-Holding an academic post

About us

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a newly established organisation, bringing together expertise from across mental health, learning disabilities, community, and physical health services. We are dedicated to delivering compassionate, high-quality, and accessible care to the diverse communities of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

With over 13,000 dedicated staff working across more than 300 sites, we place patients and staff at the centre of everything we do. Our goal is to create an integrated healthcare system that improves accessibility and ensures more consistent care for patients. By working together, we aim to improve patient outcomes, drive innovation, and meet the unique needs of the populations we serve.

Our Trust unites services from Southern Health, Solent NHS Trust, Isle of Wight NHS Trusts community and mental health teams, as well as Hampshire CAMHS, originally part of Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. This transformation enables us to deliver more seamless care across the region, ensuring that patients receive the right support, in the right place, at the right time.

Join us as we embark on this exciting journey to shape the future of healthcare across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. We are deeply committed to our CARE values of compassion, accountability, respect, and excellence, and offer outstanding opportunities for career development, training, and collaborative working.

Employer details

Employer name

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Tatchbury Mount

Calmore

Southampton

Hampshire

SO40 2RZ

Employer's website

https://hiowhealthcare.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

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Employer details

Employer name

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Tatchbury Mount

Calmore

Southampton

Hampshire

SO40 2RZ

Employer's website

https://hiowhealthcare.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

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