University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust

Agile Research Delivery Team Clinical Manager

The closing date is 12 February 2026

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen to be part of our East Midlands RRDN flexible workforce, as the Agile Research Delivery Team (ARDT) Clinical Manager for the North region ( Derbyshire, Lincolnshire and cover when required Nottinghamshire) The ARDT Clinical Manager leads a multi-professional team to deliver National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Research Delivery Network (RDN) Portfolio studies across various settings. This role involves managing regionally based, flexible, multidisciplinary staff to support the delivery of NIHR RDN portfolio studies in diverse specialties and settings. The manager is responsible for the planning, development, and implementation of the NIHR RDN portfolio, focusing on the health and social care issues of the regional population. The post has a dual function, managing and leading either research delivery and/or research support for wider care settings, dependent on regional need, including delegation, supervision, education, support, and appraisals. This role also involves working closely with different professions from organizations involved in health and care research and is integral to the Agile Research Delivery Team. The Team Manager is responsible for delivering the NIHR ENRICH Network and providing study support for social and wider care settings, working closely with other ARDT Managers and reporting to the ARDT Senior Manager.

Main duties of the job

The Agile Research Delivery Team Clinical Manager provides strategic leadership, operational management, and financial oversight for a multi-professional team delivering NIHR RDN Portfolio studies. Key responsibilities include leading the local ENRICH network, managing staff deployment and performance, overseeing project planning and delivery, ensuring compliance with regulations, and fostering continuous improvement in research delivery. The role requires strong communication, stakeholder management, and a focus on patient and public involvement in research.

About us

Our new strategy, developed with the support and feedback of colleagues, patients, and partners, is our compass for the next seven years (2023-2030).

We have four primary goals:

  • high-quality care for all,
  • being a great place to work,
  • partnerships for impact, and
  • research and education excellence

And we will embed health equality in all we do - taking active steps to reduce the avoidable differences in healthcare that some people face, working in partnership with communities.

Our strategy is underpinned by new values and we will work to ensure they are an everyday reality for all:

  • we are compassionate,
  • we are proud,
  • we are inclusive, and
  • we are one team

This is an exciting moment as we look to the future with clarity on what we already do well and where we need to focus our energies to make an even bigger difference for the people we serve.

About the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust:

https://www.uhleicester.nhs.uk

Details

Date posted

29 January 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£47,810 to £54,710 a year

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

24 months

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time

Reference number

358-7740753-COR

Job locations

Curie Court

Queens Medical Centre

Nottingham

NG7 2FT


Job description

Job responsibilities

Strategic Leadership:

  • Lead and coordinate the delivery and long-term development of the local ENRICH network.
  • Promote a consistent, coordinated approach to Agile Research Delivery and new ways to increase research capacity.
  • Act as a visible leader, role model, and RDN ambassador.

Business Planning:

  • Contribute to Agile Research Delivery Team aspects of RRDN business planning and management.
  • Assist with relevant RRDN reports and the planning and delivery of the Agile Research Delivery Team research portfolio.
  • Plan, coordinate, and promote the NIHR RDN portfolio, including resource management and monitoring.

Operational Management:

  • Provide operational management and leadership for a team of regionally based, flexible, multi-disciplinary staff supporting NIHR RDN portfolio studies across various health and care settings.
  • Manage either the research delivery team or research support for wider care settings, depending on regional need.
  • Work with the RRDN team to manage local feasibility assessments and reviews for studies, including identifying potential sites/investigators, assessing resources, and setting recruitment goals.
  • Lead in key areas and specific ENRICH projects.
  • Plan, manage, adjust, and deliver a broad range of complex projects, involving multiple agencies and individuals, to tight deadlines.
  • Communicate confidently through public speaking, influencing, relationship management, and presentations.
  • Ensure patient, carer, and public impact on research delivery, including through digital tools like "Be Part of Research" and "Join Dementia Research."
  • Regularly monitor and review the workload of the team to ensure it is manageable and that there is a reasonable delegation of work.

Service Improvement & Development:

  • Actively engage in continuous improvement across the RRDN and promote real-time feedback into the system.
  • Contribute to local and national policy development related to the Agile Research Delivery Service, providing regional leadership for consistent interpretation and implementation.

Life Sciences Industry:

  • Actively support the management and delivery of the Agile Research Delivery Team's regional contribution to studies of national importance, including those part of the Active National Delivery Service.
  • Champion RDN Life Science Industry research and its importance and contribution to NHS and social care.

Financial Management Responsibilities:

  • Responsible for the Agile Research Delivery Team budget within the designated location/hub.
  • Support the Agile Research Delivery Senior Team Manager in overseeing the effective financial management of any budget allocated to the Service and associated functions.

Continuous Improvement:

  • Foster a culture of continuous improvement and wellbeing, encouraging innovation.
  • Promote the RDN as a learning organization that uses staff knowledge and skills for improvement and contributes to service improvement programmes.
  • Support national training programmes led by the NIHR RDN Coordinating Centre as required.

Communication & Stakeholder Management (NHS and Non-NHS):

  • Provide customer-focused expertise and experience to enhance research delivery.
  • Work with RRDN Stakeholder and Engagement colleagues to contribute to building visible relationships with research-naive sites and settings, enabling reach and facilitating equity of access.
  • Undertake presentations to staff and stakeholder groups

Specialist Responsibilities:

  • Frequent travel around the RRDN geographical area.
  • Work within Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and adhere to the organisations policies and procedures.

(Please refer to the job description/person specification for further details on the role)

Job description

Job responsibilities

Strategic Leadership:

  • Lead and coordinate the delivery and long-term development of the local ENRICH network.
  • Promote a consistent, coordinated approach to Agile Research Delivery and new ways to increase research capacity.
  • Act as a visible leader, role model, and RDN ambassador.

Business Planning:

  • Contribute to Agile Research Delivery Team aspects of RRDN business planning and management.
  • Assist with relevant RRDN reports and the planning and delivery of the Agile Research Delivery Team research portfolio.
  • Plan, coordinate, and promote the NIHR RDN portfolio, including resource management and monitoring.

Operational Management:

  • Provide operational management and leadership for a team of regionally based, flexible, multi-disciplinary staff supporting NIHR RDN portfolio studies across various health and care settings.
  • Manage either the research delivery team or research support for wider care settings, depending on regional need.
  • Work with the RRDN team to manage local feasibility assessments and reviews for studies, including identifying potential sites/investigators, assessing resources, and setting recruitment goals.
  • Lead in key areas and specific ENRICH projects.
  • Plan, manage, adjust, and deliver a broad range of complex projects, involving multiple agencies and individuals, to tight deadlines.
  • Communicate confidently through public speaking, influencing, relationship management, and presentations.
  • Ensure patient, carer, and public impact on research delivery, including through digital tools like "Be Part of Research" and "Join Dementia Research."
  • Regularly monitor and review the workload of the team to ensure it is manageable and that there is a reasonable delegation of work.

Service Improvement & Development:

  • Actively engage in continuous improvement across the RRDN and promote real-time feedback into the system.
  • Contribute to local and national policy development related to the Agile Research Delivery Service, providing regional leadership for consistent interpretation and implementation.

Life Sciences Industry:

  • Actively support the management and delivery of the Agile Research Delivery Team's regional contribution to studies of national importance, including those part of the Active National Delivery Service.
  • Champion RDN Life Science Industry research and its importance and contribution to NHS and social care.

Financial Management Responsibilities:

  • Responsible for the Agile Research Delivery Team budget within the designated location/hub.
  • Support the Agile Research Delivery Senior Team Manager in overseeing the effective financial management of any budget allocated to the Service and associated functions.

Continuous Improvement:

  • Foster a culture of continuous improvement and wellbeing, encouraging innovation.
  • Promote the RDN as a learning organization that uses staff knowledge and skills for improvement and contributes to service improvement programmes.
  • Support national training programmes led by the NIHR RDN Coordinating Centre as required.

Communication & Stakeholder Management (NHS and Non-NHS):

  • Provide customer-focused expertise and experience to enhance research delivery.
  • Work with RRDN Stakeholder and Engagement colleagues to contribute to building visible relationships with research-naive sites and settings, enabling reach and facilitating equity of access.
  • Undertake presentations to staff and stakeholder groups

Specialist Responsibilities:

  • Frequent travel around the RRDN geographical area.
  • Work within Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and adhere to the organisations policies and procedures.

(Please refer to the job description/person specification for further details on the role)

Person Specification

Education and Qualifications

Essential

  • Educated to or working towards postgraduate degree level in a science or health related discipline or in another field with experience of research trials or equivalent experience/training
  • Evidence of ongoing professional development.
  • Qualification (or working towards) in leadership and management
  • Registered Nurse or Midwife on relevant part of the professional registration

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

  • Effective leadership skills with experience of line management of staff, including appraisals, in a health or care setting.
  • Effective leadership skills with experience of line management of staff, including appraisals, in a health or care setting.
  • Significant knowledge of the governance and legislative frameworks for conducting clinical research studies, including UK Policy Framework for Health and Care Research, UK Clinical Trials Regulations and Good Clinical Practice
  • Significant knowledge and experience of the clinical trial and health and care research lifecycle including experience of the set up of clinical research studies in a health and care setting
  • Extensive or significant experience of the care of patients/participants enrolled in research studies
  • Understanding of personal accountability
  • Knowledge and experience of data interpretation, verification and reporting to local and national centres.

Skills and Abilities

Essential

  • Good IT skills, particularly in use of Web applications, Google Workspace applications and MS Office applications
  • Excellent planning and organisational skills
  • Excellent relationship management, interpersonal and communication skills
  • Ability to work autonomously and to motivate self and others
  • Ability to plan and coordinate multidisciplinary activities associated with the management of research study(ies) including, where relevant, work allocation, deployment, and supervision of staff to ensure smooth running of the research study(ies).
  • Excellent attention to detail
  • Ability to travel for work
  • Current driving licence

Value and personal qualities

Essential

  • A confident and experienced leader and manager in a health care setting
  • Team player
  • Adaptable/flexible approach to work
  • Integrity
  • Organised with excellent attention to detail
  • Ability to work calmly, effectively and independently under pressure
  • Desire to maintain competence level through continuous learning
Person Specification

Education and Qualifications

Essential

  • Educated to or working towards postgraduate degree level in a science or health related discipline or in another field with experience of research trials or equivalent experience/training
  • Evidence of ongoing professional development.
  • Qualification (or working towards) in leadership and management
  • Registered Nurse or Midwife on relevant part of the professional registration

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

  • Effective leadership skills with experience of line management of staff, including appraisals, in a health or care setting.
  • Effective leadership skills with experience of line management of staff, including appraisals, in a health or care setting.
  • Significant knowledge of the governance and legislative frameworks for conducting clinical research studies, including UK Policy Framework for Health and Care Research, UK Clinical Trials Regulations and Good Clinical Practice
  • Significant knowledge and experience of the clinical trial and health and care research lifecycle including experience of the set up of clinical research studies in a health and care setting
  • Extensive or significant experience of the care of patients/participants enrolled in research studies
  • Understanding of personal accountability
  • Knowledge and experience of data interpretation, verification and reporting to local and national centres.

Skills and Abilities

Essential

  • Good IT skills, particularly in use of Web applications, Google Workspace applications and MS Office applications
  • Excellent planning and organisational skills
  • Excellent relationship management, interpersonal and communication skills
  • Ability to work autonomously and to motivate self and others
  • Ability to plan and coordinate multidisciplinary activities associated with the management of research study(ies) including, where relevant, work allocation, deployment, and supervision of staff to ensure smooth running of the research study(ies).
  • Excellent attention to detail
  • Ability to travel for work
  • Current driving licence

Value and personal qualities

Essential

  • A confident and experienced leader and manager in a health care setting
  • Team player
  • Adaptable/flexible approach to work
  • Integrity
  • Organised with excellent attention to detail
  • Ability to work calmly, effectively and independently under pressure
  • Desire to maintain competence level through continuous learning

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust

Address

Curie Court

Queens Medical Centre

Nottingham

NG7 2FT


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust

Address

Curie Court

Queens Medical Centre

Nottingham

NG7 2FT


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Agile Research Delivery Team Senior Manager

Alison Raynor

alison.raynor@nihr.ac.uk

07970270652

Details

Date posted

29 January 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£47,810 to £54,710 a year

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

24 months

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time

Reference number

358-7740753-COR

Job locations

Curie Court

Queens Medical Centre

Nottingham

NG7 2FT


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

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