Job summary
Join Us
Do you work in research planning, approvals, set-up, or management and believe digital services can make these processes simpler, faster, and more connected? Are you excited by the idea of shaping tools that help researchers collaborate and deliver studies people can trust? If so, we want to hear from you.
About the Role
As a Product Owner, you'll lead agile teams to design and build digital products that support research regulation and approval systems across the UK. This role sits within our Research System Programme-a fast-paced, iterative digital transformation programme developing services that will replace legacy systems.
The programme aims to:
- Connect processes for health and social care research in the Uk
- Make the UK a great place to do research that people can trust
- Enable collaboration to plan, approve, set up, manage, and complete research.
You'll work closely with internal teams and external partners to ensure our services are inclusive, accessible, and impactful.
Main duties of the job
You'll be responsible for:
- Leading agile delivery teams.
- Translating user needs and business goals into deliverable outcomes.
- Driving continuous improvement and innovation across products.
- Building strong relationships with stakeholders across the research ecosystem.
Interviews expected to be held during week commencing 15 December 2025.
What You'll Bring
We're looking for someone with:
- Extensive knowledge of UK research regulation and health/social care research systems.
- Strong analytical, strategic planning, and communication skills.
- A collaborative mindset and ability to lead and coach others.
- Resilience and adaptability in a fast-paced agile environment.
- A commitment to inclusivity, accessibility, and continuous learning
Experience in agile product development would be an advantage, but onboarding and training will be provided.
Why Join Us?
Be part of a transformative programme shaping the future of UK health and social care research * Work in a supportive, collaborative environment with opportunities for professional growth.
About us
Working at the HRA, we are reminded daily of how important life is. As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for you, not just us and the work we do.
We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. We know from experience that different ideas, perspectives and backgrounds create a stronger, more creative workplace that helps us to deliver the best services. We welcome applications which represent the rich diversity of our community: age, disability, gender identity and expression, ethnicity, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation and other diverse characteristics, and we have policies in place to ensure that all applicants are treated fairly and consistently at every stage of the recruitment process.
When applying to work here, speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement - if it works for us, we will do our best to make it work for you.
Please note, if applying to our Manchester, Nottingham or Bristol locations, we are only able to offer the role as home based.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Approvals DirectorateThis role sits within the HRA Approvals Service directorate which consists of various teams that all work together to provide the appropriate approval for health research in England and, for some applications, across the UK.
This directorate is responsible for:
- Delivering HRA Approval
- Supporting the Confidentiality Advisory Group and advising on the use of confidential patient information without consent
- Working to refine the systems and processes researchers need to follow to ensure a swift, robust and simple experience
- Providing guidance to applicants
- Providing training
- Working collaboratively with external partners to improve the research environment
To find out more and to understand the full duties of the role, please refer to the job description attached.
In submitting your application with us, please note the following:
We currently do not accept applications via recruitment agencies.
We do not hold a sponsorship licence and are unable to offer employment under any sponsorship arrangement.
Where applicants fail to demonstrate how they meet any one of the essential criteria of the person specification, the application will not be shortlisted. You will be considered based only on the information in your application form. CVs will not be considered.
The HRA reserves the right to close this vacancy early should it receive a sufficient number of applications.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Approvals DirectorateThis role sits within the HRA Approvals Service directorate which consists of various teams that all work together to provide the appropriate approval for health research in England and, for some applications, across the UK.
This directorate is responsible for:
- Delivering HRA Approval
- Supporting the Confidentiality Advisory Group and advising on the use of confidential patient information without consent
- Working to refine the systems and processes researchers need to follow to ensure a swift, robust and simple experience
- Providing guidance to applicants
- Providing training
- Working collaboratively with external partners to improve the research environment
To find out more and to understand the full duties of the role, please refer to the job description attached.
In submitting your application with us, please note the following:
We currently do not accept applications via recruitment agencies.
We do not hold a sponsorship licence and are unable to offer employment under any sponsorship arrangement.
Where applicants fail to demonstrate how they meet any one of the essential criteria of the person specification, the application will not be shortlisted. You will be considered based only on the information in your application form. CVs will not be considered.
The HRA reserves the right to close this vacancy early should it receive a sufficient number of applications.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- An appropriate recognised management qualification equivalent to a degree qualification and/or significant relevant equivalent experience.
- Evidence of agile and/or product management training or certification
Desirable
- Evidence of continuous professional development / Post- graduate qualification in relevant discipline.
- Product Owner Certification from a recognised provider / CDDO service assessor training / Agile Certification from a recognised provider / Professional/ Accredited qualification in Change Management Certification.
Knowledge, skills and expertise
Essential
- An extensive specialist knowledge of research regulation and approval systems in the UK, including a working knowledge of key legislation
- Current, expert knowledge of UK ecosystem for health and social care research including NHS R&D, and NIHR structures and delivery processes
- The product lifecycle and how products in different stages of it benefit from different design and development approaches.
- Professional standards and practices relevant to digital public health services (e.g. NHS Service Manual, Government Service Standard & Manual, Technology Code of Practice).
Desirable
- Leading and coaching staff in ways of working, professional development and standards / Common technology standards - including software, security, privacy and accessibility standards / Contemporary organisational management practices / The wider private/public/third sector digital landscape - including public sector procurement and contracting frameworks or supplier management.
Experience
Essential
- Significant demonstrable experience and understanding of user-centered design, technology and data perspectives.
- Significant experience of working within digital products and projects / Experience of developing and maintaining a product roadmap which is fit for purpose and meets organisational requirement
Desirable
- User-centred service design practices and methodologies for public-facing, business-facing or internal services and applications / Able to identify areas for improvement in ways of working and product management practices across a service areas and suggest and implement appropriate solutions
Analytical and judgemental skills
Essential
- High level ability to understand and identify problems, analysing and helping to identify the appropriate solution. You can classify and prioritise problems, document their causes and implement remedies.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- An appropriate recognised management qualification equivalent to a degree qualification and/or significant relevant equivalent experience.
- Evidence of agile and/or product management training or certification
Desirable
- Evidence of continuous professional development / Post- graduate qualification in relevant discipline.
- Product Owner Certification from a recognised provider / CDDO service assessor training / Agile Certification from a recognised provider / Professional/ Accredited qualification in Change Management Certification.
Knowledge, skills and expertise
Essential
- An extensive specialist knowledge of research regulation and approval systems in the UK, including a working knowledge of key legislation
- Current, expert knowledge of UK ecosystem for health and social care research including NHS R&D, and NIHR structures and delivery processes
- The product lifecycle and how products in different stages of it benefit from different design and development approaches.
- Professional standards and practices relevant to digital public health services (e.g. NHS Service Manual, Government Service Standard & Manual, Technology Code of Practice).
Desirable
- Leading and coaching staff in ways of working, professional development and standards / Common technology standards - including software, security, privacy and accessibility standards / Contemporary organisational management practices / The wider private/public/third sector digital landscape - including public sector procurement and contracting frameworks or supplier management.
Experience
Essential
- Significant demonstrable experience and understanding of user-centered design, technology and data perspectives.
- Significant experience of working within digital products and projects / Experience of developing and maintaining a product roadmap which is fit for purpose and meets organisational requirement
Desirable
- User-centred service design practices and methodologies for public-facing, business-facing or internal services and applications / Able to identify areas for improvement in ways of working and product management practices across a service areas and suggest and implement appropriate solutions
Analytical and judgemental skills
Essential
- High level ability to understand and identify problems, analysing and helping to identify the appropriate solution. You can classify and prioritise problems, document their causes and implement remedies.
