Deputy Programme Manager

NHS; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare foundation in Birmingham is seeking a Deputy Programme Manager to support clinical trial programmes. This role focuses on improving research efficiency and collaboration, requiring strong project management and stakeholder engagement. Candidates should possess a Master's degree and experience in line management and change processes. The position offers opportunities for professional growth and the chance to shape future clinical trials in the region.

Benefits

Flexible working hours

Home or remote working opportunities

Professional development

Qualifications

• Experience in line and change management.
• Knowledge of clinical trial processes and regulations.
• Strong project-management skills.

Responsibilities

• Support development and delivery of high profile clinical trial programmes.
• Manage relevant programmes to improve research setup times.
• Collaborate with partner organizations and senior leaders.

Skills

Project management

Change management

Stakeholder engagement

Analytical skills

Education

Educated to Masters level or equivalent

Project Management Qualification

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Go back Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust

Deputy Programme Manager

The closing date is 06 January 2026

The Deputy Programme Manager will provide day to day support to the Programme Manager, providing business and managerial support informing programme objectives and supporting successful management and delivery of these.

A diverse role, working across a broad geography to increase research and decrease study setup times, making the West Midlands an attractive place to deliver clinical trials. This will involve working across a variety of disciplines including research governance/management, communications, workforce training, healthcare data, digital transformation, supporting working with community groups.

Supporting across a variety of programmes which currently include:

• and, Central & North West Midlands Commercial Research Delivery Centre

Main duties of the job

This role offers an exciting opportunity to support the development and delivery of high profile clinical trial programmes, focusing on key projects that drive regional impact. The postholder will be develop and impleement initiatives that enable fast-track clinical trial set-up and delivery of academic and commercial studies, requiring strong knowledge of the national landscape and relevant frameworks will be essential for success in this role. You will also support management of an NIHR infrastructure programme.

The position provides a dynamic environment with close collaboration across partner organisations and senior leaders. The postholder will share expertise and best practice, driving process innovation and optimisation across the region, acting as a change champion.

Candidates should have experience in line and change management, a solid understanding of clinical trial processes, and awareness of the inherent challenges and barriers. Strong project-management skills, political awareness, and the ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders are essential, along with a flexible, solution-oriented approach.

In return, the role offers significant professional development, including regional and national representation, and opportunities to lead or contribute to reports and presentations - an excellent chance to shape the future of clinical trials and advance your career.

About us

Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust is the first of its type in the UK. Our Trust was formed in February 2017 to drive forward our commitment to provide the highest quality, world-class physical and mental health care for our women, children and families. Uniting our hospitals means more seamless care; more investment to make greater advances in our specialist treatment and world-leading neo-natal and fetal work. Importantly, it also gives us a greater voice in shaping the future of family-centred care.

Birmingham Children's Hospital is a UK leading specialist paediatric centre with an international reputation in several areas.

Birmingham Women's Hospital is one of two dedicated women's hospitals in the UK, with the busiest single site maternity unit, delivering more than 8,200 babies a year offering a full range of gynaecological, maternity and neonatal care.

Forward Thinking Birmingham (FTB) Mental Health Services are a unique, innovative community and inpatient mental health partnership. Alongside partners FTB offers care pathways of mental health assessment and treatment for young people aged 0-25 years old.

Our Trust is committed to creating the best place to work. We believe in promoting and enhancing inclusion, diversity and equality and encourage applications from all areas of the community, who meet the criteria for the role, regardless of age, gender identity, disability, race, religion or sexual orientation.

Job responsibilities

Please refer to the attached job description and person specification to view the full details for this opportunity at Birmingham Womens and Childrens NHS Foundation Trust.

When completing your application, please ensure you have evidenced how you meet the job description and person specification to include transferable experience, qualifications, skills along with professional registration details (if applicable).

Occasionally we receive a large number of applications for our roles and when that happens we sometimes bring the closing date forward, so please apply promptly to avoid disappointment.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Educated to Masters level or equivalent
• Further academic/ personal development and/ or ongoing professional development
• Understanding of range of a wide range of research and corporate management processes within the NHS and/or University setting
• Project Management Qualification

Professional/Managerial/Specialist Knowledge

• To provide leadership and take line management responsibility (direct and delegated) of all relevant staff members
• To ensure staff working with the CRDC are fully engaged in this process.
• Where required deputise for the Director and Deputy Directors of the CDRC.
• To co-ordinate the work of administrative staff associated with the CDRC ensuring that delivery dates are met
• Resolve complex issues in terms of impact on cost, time, quality and competing demands with other team members that can be resolved without significant impact on service provision or require additional funding
• Delegate to administrative and junior staff where appropriate
• Knowledge of mandatory regulations such as The Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) Regulations and Good Clinical Practice
• IT Skills in use of Word, Excel e-mail, power point and Patient Administration systems

Knowledge & Nature of Experience

• Professional knowledge plus additional specialist, management knowledge acquired through training and experience to masters level or equivalent
• Evidence of managing service/organisational change
• Evidence of experience in risk management and service improvement.
• Evidence of developing team / others
• Operational and strategic awareness
• Knowledge of change Management and impacts on Financial Management
• Knowledge of computerised management information systems to improve operational performance
• Knowledge of mandatory regulations such as The Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) Regulations
• Knowledge of quality control, assurance and audit
• Knowledge of Clinical Governance & Risk management
• Thorough understanding of ICT issues and its application within the NHS
• Have a thorough understanding of current issues relating to the NHS
• Evidence of innovation in managerial and service terms.

Analytical and Judgement Skills

• IT Skills in use of Word, Excel e-mail, power point and Patient Administration systems
• Experience of being a budget holder or/responsible for budget setting for a department/service
• Analytical ability - proven analysis of business performance information, ability to make decision on meeting business targets, highlighting performance information including complex facts and/or situations which requires analysis and interpretation, ability to investigate and resolve issues(e.g. disciplinary issues) Negotiation, coaching, facilitation and leadership skills.
• Communication with ability to receive sensitive and provide complex information with ability to persuade, motivate and negotiate. Material may sometimes be contentious. Ability to undertake presentations to large groups of staff or members of the public.
• Planning and organising complex activities, sometimes with a degree of uncertainty, which require formulation, adjustment and co-ordination with other professionals within the organisation.
• Able to work on your own initiative and with teams within broad occupational policies establishing interpretation and providing guidance
• Ability to lead a team with proven credibility and authority
• Ability to balance priorities on a daily basis in a demanding environment and achieve demanding delivery targets
• Ability to manage conflict
• Problem solve through innovation and new ways of working
• Ability to present reports in a format that is easily understood by others.
• Ability to understand the strategic overview whilst giving due attention to detail
• Ability to identify opportunities, analyse options and develop creative solutions
• Be able to write reports and formulate policies
• Understanding of change management techniques
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Be able to manage all aspects of work including managing performance and developing plans

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.

Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust

Full-time,Job share,Flexible working,Home or remote working,Compressed hours,Term time hours,Annualised hours