The Christie NHS FT

Clinical Research Practitioner

The closing date is 01 January 2026

Job summary

Are you an innovative, outgoing, and self-motivated individual.

The teams manage the recruitment and support of patients enrolled onto Clinical Trials within the Observational Research team which covers Medical Oncology, Clinical Oncology, Supportive care, Radiotherapy Related Research and the PAN Tumour Research team which covers complex late-phase multi-cohort trials with a focus on tumour agnostic treatments. It is a varied portfolio of studies across several different cancer types.

We are seeking an enthusiastic, motivated, and experienced individual who will be responsible for assisting the research nurses, consultants and trial management team with the delivery of clinical research projects and clinical trials. We are looking for an individual who can demonstrate work experience in data management involving clinical trials, good understanding of clinical research, GCP and clinical trial governance. Strong candidates will have excellent organisation and communication skills, work well both in a team and using their own initiative.

Applicants should meet all the essential criteria on the job description as a minimum. We are looking for a candidate with good organisational and communication skills, with the ability to multi-task. Due to the vital nature of our work and the impact on patients and the research community, attention to detail is an essential skill.

Main duties of the job

The role will work across the clinical and administrative areas of the Observational and Pan Tumour Cancer Research team. This will require working in clinical areas under the supervision of clinical research nurses and working in administrative areas under the supervision of the trial coordinators and research managers.

The post-holder will provide support and training to new and existing clinical trials staff and clinical support for patients, within the boundaries of their own competence, and under the supervision and delegation of investigators and nurses. This will include tasks such as collecting biological samples, observations, data and quality of life questionnaires from trial participants. The administrative role will involve the management of a portfolio of clinical projects with support from other colleagues. This includes entering data from patient visits, responding to trial queries, completing trial-related records, filing key trial documents, assisting with invoicing, working with members of the core Research and Innovation team, liaising with pharmaceutical contacts, and assisting colleagues with other administrative tasks.

Post holders will be expected to participate fully in their personal development and review process in order to achieve the objectives for this post.

About us

The Christie is one of Europe's leading cancer centres, treating over 60,000 patients a year. We are based in Manchester and serve a population of 3.2 million across Greater Manchester & Cheshire, but as a national specialist around 15% patients are referred to us from other parts of the country. We provide radiotherapy through one of the largest radiotherapy departments in the world; chemotherapy on site and through 14 other hospitals; highly specialist surgery for complex and rare cancer; and a wide range of support and diagnostic services. We are also an international leader in research, with world first breakthroughs for over 100 years. We run one of the largest early clinical trial units in Europe with over 300 trials every year. Cancer research in Manchester, most of which is undertaken on the Christie site, has been officially ranked the best in the UK.

Date posted

22 December 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£31,049 to £37,796 a year per annum pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

413-101934-RI-MS

Job locations

Observational - Q01101

Manchester

M20 4BX

Job description

Job responsibilities

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The specific responsibilities will depend on the requirements of each team, but may include:

Management

Provide induction support and training to new and existing clinical trials staff, including development of training sessions and guidance documents.

Encourage the sharing of best practice and dissemination of information through regular structured meetings with all trials administration staff.

Assist with metric tracking for performance indicators including mandatory training requirements, divisional key performance indicators (i.e. time to recruiting first patient from NHS permission, patient recruitment to time and target), amendment timelines and divisional absences.

Clinical Research Co-ordination/ Data Management

Interview, recruit, take informed consent and support patients and carers in non-treatment clinical trials/studies. This involves educating patients on the trials involved, explaining the advantages and disadvantages of taking part in non-treatment trials, whilst remaining unbiased at all times. Assess patients as required by trial protocols.

Maintain adequate patient records and ensure all relevant information is documented in the patients medical and nursing notes.

Provide continuity of care for patients and their carers throughout the trial programme. Provide non-clinical advice and support as appropriate. Ensure the provision of optimal patient care by alerting appropriate clinical colleagues when referral to other members of the MDT may be required.

Act as a key point of contact with the R&D core team, study sponsors, clinical research organisations and specific research teams.

Co-ordinate feasibility activities for new studies under direction from Clinical research Nurse Team Leaders and Principal Investigators

Manage the set up and initiation of allocated clinical trials within assigned Clinicalresearch Teams.

Understand and deliver protocols in accordance with regulatory requirements

Financial management of study set-up costs and income recovery for assigned clinical trials in conjunction with the R&D Business Planning and Finance teams with oversight from the Clinical Research Nurse Team Leaders/ Senior Clinical Research Nurses.

Oversee maintenance of investigator site files and essential documentation in accordance with ICH-GCP and Trust Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure they are kept inspection ready at all times.

Assist with preparation for audit and inspections within assigned teams and implementation of action plans.

Understand the process for obtaining NHS permissions (R&D approval) for conducting clinical trials at site. As project lead, ensure permissions are in place prior to any patient recruitment.

Ensure all clinical trial activities are recorded in appropriate systems in a timely manner.

Awareness of trial specific, regional and national targets. Identify and implement strategies for recruiting patients to clinical trials ensuring that targets for patient recruitment are delivered.

Arrange and facilitate clinical trial related meetings.

Undertake general administrative tasks as delegated by managerial representatives from the R&D division to contribute to the smooth running of the patient recruitment teams.

Implement and coordinate reporting mechanisms to ensure that research staff complete and return proformas containing up-dated information on patients included in the study.

Oversee and complete case report forms and participate in monitoring visits as per sponsor requirements.

Ensure that data is available and up to date for any meetings related to the trial/ study, producing minutes as required.

Attend project related meetings, investigator meetings (abroad or teleconferences, as necessary) to convey the relevant information to the study team.

Attend disease-specific research team meetings to maintain an overview of team activity.

Ensure that all documents are archived in the appropriate way by following the Trusts archiving guidelines.

Clinical Service Responsibilities

Demonstrate awareness of divisional and trust strategic objectives including performance indicators and metrics.

Escalation of governance issues impacting on delivery of job purpose.

To act as a primary contact point for the clinical trial patients for define clinical trials and act as adviser to other health care professionals.

Participate in monitoring and audit activities within research team

PERSONAL AND PEOPLE DEVELOPMENT

Maintain professional development whilst evaluating own specialist knowledge with assistance from their assigned line manager to satisfy the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework.

Participate in and deliver Trust-wide education programmes and study days, regional and national meetings and research seminars as appropriate.

PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL EFFORT

Long periods of time spent using keyboard to input information and use of VDU for electronic communication.

Prolonged concentration is regularly required (e.g. when checking through trial documentation and entering data into spreadsheets).

Occasional exposure to distressed circumstances as trial patients are commonly suffering from terminal illnesses.

KEY VALUES

Demonstrates the agreed set of values and accountable for own attitude and behaviour