Associate Director of Research, Development & Discovery

UHDB; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 94,000 - 109,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working options

Employee assistance programme

Discounted gym membership

Onsite fitness classes

Car schemes

Job summary

UHDB is seeking an Associate Director of Research, Development & Discovery at Royal Derby Hospital. The role leads the Trust’s research, development and innovation functions, shaping strategy and ensuring compliant, high‑quality research across multiple divisions.

You will collaborate with academia, NIHR infrastructure and industry partners to drive discovery and patient‑centred services. Reporting to senior leadership, you will oversee multi‑million‑pound income streams, manage data and

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or equivalent in a relevant field (e.g., health management, research leadership).
• Evidence of continuing professional development in leadership or governance.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for the full R&D portfolio.
• Oversee NIHR infrastructure funding, commercial and grant income.
• Ensure high-quality, compliant, patient-centred research services.
• Engage with universities, industry and NIHR infrastructure partners.
• Lead the Research & Development Department and workforce capability.

Skills

Cross-functional leadership

Leadership

Education

Masters degree or equivalent

Job description

Associate Director of Research, Development & Discovery

Band 8d

Main area Corporate Grade Band 8d Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week Job ref 320-SNR-0265

Site Royal Derby Hospital Town Derby Salary £94,356 - £108,814 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 25/11/2026 23:59 Interview date 11/12/2027

As a trusted organisation at the heart of our communities, we recognise the important role we can play in supporting the public, patients, our own people and local partners in achieving the best of health for the local population and the communities in which they live by providing Exceptional Care Together.

Our fundamental Values of Compassion, Openness and Excellence underpin how we intend to work as a Trust and the associated behaviours are becoming embedded in all aspects of how we work.

With over 14,000 members of staff, you can expect huge variety and new opportunities every day! Our staff go above and beyond and take pride in caring for our patients.

University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust are fully committed to promoting inclusion, equality, diversity and human rights in employment and delivery of its services. The Trust is committed to providing an environment where all employees, patients, carers and visitors experience equality of opportunity by means of understanding and appreciating the value of diversity.

As a Trust we promote an inclusive environment and welcome applications from a diverse pool of talent and backgrounds. All individuals are valued and given every opportunity to succeed based on merit.

The Trust actively encourages applications from members of our Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities. These groups are under-represented in our organisation, and it’s important to us that our workforce reflects the diversity of our communities as much as possible.

Armed Forces and Disability Confident guaranteed interview scheme

To further support the pledges in the Armed Forces Covenant and to make a positive contribution to support ex-armed forces personnel (veterans) make the transition to civilian life, the Trust has introduced a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for veterans who meets the essential criteria set out in the person specification, to help them overcome barriers to find civilian employment. The scheme will operate for all external recruitment.

The Trust is a Disability Confident Employer and committed to both employing and retaining people with disabilities. This commitment is to guarantee an interview for any candidate that has disclosed a disability under the Equality Act 2010 and who meets the essential criteria set out in the person specification. Reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010 will be considered upon request.

if you are blind or visually impaired and require application material in an alternative format- such as Braille, large print, audio or accessible electronic formats or you require support/adjustments with your application please contact the recruitment team on 01332 788466

The Trust is proud to be a signatory of the Care Leavers Covenant and is committed to supporting care-experienced people into employment.

Applicants who identify as a care leaver and who meet the essential criteria for the role, as detailed in the person specification, will be guaranteed an interview.

If you wish to be considered under this scheme, please indicate this within your application.

Here’s more about the role and what we’re looking for;

Job overview

The Associate Director of Research, Development & Discovery is a key senior leadership role within UHDB, providing vision, direction and corporate leadership for the development of a high ‑ performing research, innovation and organisational discovery culture. The postholder leads the Trust’s research, development and innovation functions, including operational leadership of the Research & Development Department, ensuring the delivery of high ‑ quality, compliant and patient ‑ centred research services that meet and exceed the expectations of regulators, commissioners and national bodies.

Working at the interface with the University of Nottingham, other Higher Education Institutions, partner Trusts, NIHR infrastructure, and industry collaborators, the Associate Director plays a pivotal role in shaping and delivering the UHDB Research & Development Strategy. The postholder is responsible for creating the organisational conditions in which professional discovery, inclusive research participation, evidence ‑ led improvement and research ‑ active clinical services can thrive across all professions and Divisions.

The Associate Director provides leadership for research, innovation, organisational discovery and workforce capability.

Main duties of the job

The Associate Director of Research, Development & Discovery holds Trust‑wide responsibility for the full Research & Development portfolio, providing strategic and operational leadership across a rapidly expanding research portfolio, with increasing volumes of active clinical trials, externally funded projects, and applications for major research infrastructure.

The Associate Director is responsible for multi‑million‑pound R&D income streams, including NIHR infrastructure funding, commercial research income, grant income and charitable funds. The postholder oversees significant digital, data and research infrastructure including EDGE, electronic data capture systems and the Study Intensity Tool, ensuring that the Trust maintains high‑quality, compliant and efficient research systems. The breadth, scale and external visibility of the portfolio require the Associate Director to exercise substantial autonomy, advanced leadership, and considerable influence across the research ecosystem, ensuring UHDB maintains a credible national reputation as a provider of world‑class research and innovation.

Interview date: 11 December 2026

Working for our organisation

As a trusted organisation at the heart of our communities, we recognise the important role we can play in supporting the public, patients, our own people and local partners in achieving the best of health for the local population and the communities in which they live by providing Exceptional Care Together

Our fundamental Values of Compassion, Openness and Excellence continue to shape how we work as a Trust, and the associated behaviours are well embedded across our services and teams.

In return we will offer:

• Development opportunities, both professional and leadership development
• On-going support from recruitment to when you join our team and beyond.
• Staff benefits including employee assistance programme, discounted gym membership, onsite fitness classes, car schemes

Key Facts:

• We see on average 4810 OP appointments a day.
• We are the 4th busiest Trauma & Orthopaedic outpatients department in England – an average of 2077 per week.
• An average of 1115 patients are seen in A&E across our network every day – 3rd largest in the country.
• Our hospitals admit an average of 195 emergency patients daily.
• Last year we undertook almost 33,700 planned surgical operations in our 57 operating theatres.
• We are one of only 7 Trusts nationally with more than 50 operating theatres.
• We carry out more than 140 elective procedures each working day.
• UHDB is a research active University Hospital with a large and varied portfolio of clinical trials and research opportunities for all staff.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The postholder holds senior responsibility for Trust ‑ wide research governance, the development and stewardship of R&D financial resources, oversight of research performance, and the development of applications for major R&D infrastructure, including NIHR bids and national reporting requirements. The role requires substantial external engagement at local, regional and national levels, and demands exceptional strategic leadership, partnership building, communication and negotiating skills.

Operating with a high degree of autonomy and authority, the Associate Director is expected to act independently within minimal guidelines, setting organisational standards, shaping long ‑ term strategic direction, and ensuring UHDB maintains a credible national reputation as a provider of world ‑ class research, innovation and clinical trials.

Please see attached Job description and Person Specification. You will need to register if you do not already have an account.

UHDB is committed to fair and transparent recruitment. We welcome authentic applications that reflect your own skills, experience and motivations for the role. While we understand that candidates may use AI tools for grammar, formatting or accessibility purposes, applications that appear to be substantially AI‑generated may be subject to additional review. If this applies to your submission, we will let you know and may ask for clarification. Please ensure your application accurately represents your experience and is written in your own words.

Following the recent update on UK immigration policy for those on a Health and Care Visa or Skilled Worker Visa, we may be unable to provide sponsorship.

Your application (for shortlisting purposes) is assessed based on the Person Specification in the job advert (below).

Person specification

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or equivalent experience in a relevant field, e.g. health management, research leadership, biomedical or social science.
• Evidence of continuing professional development in leadership, research governance or improvement, including up-to-date GCP or equivalent research governance training.

Experience

• Significant senior leadership experience within the NHS or a comparable complex healthcare environment, including strategic decision-making and cross-organisational working.
• Proven experience of leading research, innovation, clinical trials or major improvement programmes within a complex healthcare environment.
• Extensive experience of managing complex research governance, including regulatory compliance, sponsor responsibilities and audit readiness.
• Experience of developing strategic research partnerships with organisations such as NIHR, universities, industry, CIC partners or other research stakeholders.
• Demonstrable experience of financial management/stewardship across research income streams, including NIHR, commercial and/or grant funding.
• Experience of developing multidisciplinary research capability, including staff development and supporting organisational culture change.

Skills

• Ability to work effectively across clinical, academic and corporate interfaces and with senior stakeholders.
• Knowledge of UK research governance and regulatory frameworks, including HRA, MHRA, GCP and the UK Policy Framework for Health and Social Care Research.

Our Trust aims to provide the highest quality care to patients within Derbyshire and South East Staffordshire and we want the very best people to work with us.

Follow us on Twitter @UHDBTrust or find us on Facebook & LinkedIn - UHDB Trust

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

If we receive a high number of applications for this position, we reserve the right to withdraw the post before the closing date, therefore it is advisable that you apply as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

At UHDB, we offer different ways to work flexibly to each and every one of our colleagues, many of whom already work flexibly at all sites of the Trust.

For our roles we are open to discussing the possibility of part-time/ reduced hours/ compressed hours/ flexible start and finish times/ fixed/flexible shifts/annualised hours/ term time hours/ hybrid working – working partly in the trust/partly at home.

Why don’t you talk to us at interview about the flexibility you would like to explore and what it means to you, and we will discuss what’s possible for the job and team, and the opportunities we might be able to create together.

We can’t promise to give you exactly what you want, but we do promise to work with you to look at all the available options.

Most of our posts are subject to a DBS check, however having a criminal record will not necessarily bar you from obtaining a position. Please be aware that all new employees starting work with us will be charged for the cost of their DBS check, if it is required for their role.

All correspondence relating to your application will be sent to you via our trac.system account. Please ensure that you regularly check your emails; this includes junk/spam, as your security settings may not recognise the sender.

Anyone from outside of the UK (excluding from the Republic of Ireland) will need permission from UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) to work in the UK and may also need entry clearance before travelling here.

UKVI is responsible for managing migration. To obtain a visa or entry clearance, you will need to meet certain requirements and demonstrate you have the right the work in the UK via:

• the points-based immigration system
• the EU settlement scheme
• eVisa

During the course of its employment activities, University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust collects, stores and processes personal information about prospective, current and former staff.

Our Privacy Notice includes applicants, employees (and former employees), workers (including agency, casual, honorary and contracted staff), volunteers, trainees and those carrying out work experience – please refer to our Privacy Notice available on our Trust website: https://www.uhdb.nhs.uk/information-governance

UHDB is committed to fair and transparent recruitment. We welcome authentic applications that reflect your own skills, experience and motivations for the role. While we understand that candidates may use AI tools for grammar, formatting or accessibility purposes, applications that appear to be substantially AI‑generated may be subject to additional review. If this applies to your submission, we will let you know and may ask for clarification. Please ensure your application accurately represents your experience and is written in your own words.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Name Gis Robinson Job title Executive Chief Medical Officer Email address [e-mail] Telephone number 01332 785077 Additional information

Please email to arrange a conversation

If you have problems applying, contact

Address Recruitment Centre
Training Centre, Rehab Block, Level 3
Royal Derby Hospital
Uttoxeter Road
Derby
Derbyshire
DE22 3NE
Telephone Recruitment: 01332 788466