Associate Director of Research, Development & Discovery
University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust
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Job summary
University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust seeks an Associate Director of Research, Development & Discovery to lead an expanding R&D portfolio, including clinical trials and infrastructure. You will shape strategy, oversee budget stewardship and ensure compliant, patient-centered research services with strong external partnerships.
Working with universities and NIHR, you will foster an inclusive culture, drive strategic priorities and advance organisational discovery across
Qualifications
- Master’s degree or equivalent in a relevant field.
- Up-to-date GCP or equivalent research governance training.
- Significant senior leadership experience within the NHS or comparable healthcare.
- Proven experience leading research, innovation, and clinical trials.
- Experience in developing strategic research partnerships with NIHR, universities, industry.
- Financial management across research income streams (NIHR, commercial, grant).
- Experience developing multidisciplinary research capability and culture.
Responsibilities
- Provide strategic and operational leadership for UHDB’s R&D portfolio.
- Oversee R&D governance, funding stewardship and reporting requirements.
- Engage externally with NIHR, universities and industry partners.
- Drive innovation, organisational discovery and workforce capability across divisions.
Skills
Education
Job description
University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust
The closing date is 25 November 2026
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
Closing date: 25 November 2026
Interview date: 11 December 2026
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.
The postholder holds senior responsibility for Trustwide 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 longterm strategic direction, and ensuring UHDB maintains a credible national reputation as a provider of worldclass research, innovation and clinical trials.
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 AIgenerated 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.
Your application (for shortlisting purposes) is assessed based on the Person Specification in the job advert (below).
- 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.
- 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, ICC 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.
- 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.
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.
University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust
Royal Derby Hospital
Derby
DE22 3NE
United Kingdom
https://www.uhdb.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)
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