Head of Research Governance & Integrity - Research Strategy and Services - 105668 - Grade 9

University of Birmingham; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 57,000 - 67,000; Full time

Job description

Research Strategy and Services

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £57,422 to £66,537 with potential progression once in post to £86,760

Grade: 9

Full Time, Permanent

Closing date: 7th May 2025

Our offer to you

People are at the heart of what we are and do. The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years, and we are equally proud to be recognised as a leading global university. We want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond, support them to succeed, and celebrate their success.

We are committed to helping the people who work here to develop through our sector-leading Birmingham Professional programme which provides all professional services staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full potential. With almost 5,000 professional services jobs in a wide range of functions in Edgbaston and in our campus in Dubai, there are plenty of opportunities for you to be able to develop your career at the University.

We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation, and debate. We warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we are, and how we work.

Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees and to the success of the University and, depending on the role, we offer a variety of flexible working arrangements. We therefore welcome discussions on all forms of flexible working. In addition, you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 days paid holiday a year, one paid day a year for volunteering, occupational sick pay, and a pension scheme. We also have three high-quality subsidised day nurseries.

The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston and there are excellent transport links to our beautiful campus, including main bus routes and a train station on site. On campus we have a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool, shops, places to eat and drink, our own art gallery, museum and botanical gardens.

Find out more about the benefits of working for the University of Birmingham

Background

The University of Birmingham is a global institution at the heart of an ambitious, diverse city. We are dedicated to delivering world-changing research and providing an exceptional education to our students. Our Professional Services staff play a vital role in enabling these ambitions by supporting our research community with expertise, innovation, and dedication.

The Research Strategy & Services Division (RSSD) is at the forefront of delivering the University’s ambitious research goals. Within RSSD, the Research Ethics, Governance & Integrity team ensures that our research meets the highest standards of integrity, ethics, and compliance with regulatory requirements. The team fosters a culture where good research practice is embedded across the University, enabling our researchers to work with confidence and credibility in an increasingly complex regulatory landscape.

We are committed to creating an inclusive and positive working environment where all colleagues can thrive. The Research Strategy & Services Division is a collaborative and forward-thinking team that values expertise, innovation, and partnership. As Head of Research Governance & Integrity, you will play a key role in shaping the future of research at Birmingham, supporting world-class research while ensuring the highest standards of integrity and governance.

Role Summary

Reporting to the Deputy Director, RSSD, and working alongside our Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor, the Head of Research Governance & Integrity provides leadership in research governance, integrity, and ethics across the University, and leads a team of seven professional staff who work collaboratively with academic and professional services colleagues from across the University to ensure that governance and ethics processes are streamlined, effective, and responsive to the needs of our academic community, funders, and regulators.

The role is key in developing and implementing policies that ensure compliance with external regulations and internal standards. The post holder will drive best practices in research conduct, oversee institutional processes for ethical review and sponsorship, and support the University’s response to allegations of research misconduct.

This role is about more than compliance – it is about embedding a culture of integrity across the research community, enabling research excellence, and ensuring that researchers have the support they need to navigate governance requirements efficiently and effectively.

The Head of Research Governance & Integrity will work in close partnership with the Chairs of our Clinical Trials Oversight Committee (CTOC), Human Tissue Oversight Committee (HTOC), and our Ethics Committees, and the Directors of our Trials Units, acting as a trusted advisor and supporting the embedding of policies and good practice.

Main Duties

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership
  • Lead the University’s approach to research governance, ethics, and integrity, ensuring alignment with the University’s Research Code of Practice, the Concordat to Support Research Integrity, and sector best practices.
  • Develop and implement policies to support good research conduct and compliance with regulatory frameworks, including clinical trials regulations, the Human Tissue Act, and UK Research Integrity policies.
  • Foster a culture of research integrity by promoting awareness, delivering training, and engaging with academic and professional services colleagues to embed good practice across the University.
• Governance & Compliance
  • Oversee the University's processes for ethical review, ensuring they are efficient, transparent, and researcher-friendly.
  • Act as the University’s Sponsor Representative and lead contact for research governance matters, liaising with funders, regulatory bodies, and external partners.
  • Support the University to maintain compliance with relevant research governance frameworks, including the UK Policy Framework for Health and Social Care Research and Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) Regulations and Medical Device Regulations.
  • Provide support to, and institutional oversight of, regulatory inspections, and internal and external audits relating to the delivery of clinical research at the University.
  • Support the team in the efficient management of applications for sponsorship and ethical reviews ensuring timely approvals and clear guidance for researchers.
  • Engage with colleagues in the University’s Clinical Trials Units and in insurance to ensure appropriate cover is in place for sponsored studies.
• Managing Research Misconduct & Institutional Integrity
  • Act as the University’s Named Contact for handling allegations of research misconduct, ensuring cases are managed with discretion, fairness, and adherence to sector-wide standards.
  • Provide advice to senior leadership on research misconduct cases, ensuring appropriate resolution and supporting continuous improvement in research practices.
• Leadership & Team Development
  • Lead and develop the Research Ethics, Governance & Integrity team, ensuring they are equipped with the knowledge and skills to support the University’s research community effectively.
  • Foster a collaborative, service-focused culture within the team, working effectively with the College teams and RSSD College Hub teams on the effective management of e.g. clinical agreements and ensuring that researchers receive high-quality support tailored to their needs.
  • Build strong relationships across the University and externally, ensuring that the University remains at the forefront of best practices in research governance.
• Sector Engagement & Continuous Improvement
  • Develop and maintain strong external networks, including with regulatory bodies, funders, and peer institutions, to ensure that Birmingham is well-connected and proactive in its approach to research governance.
  • Work closely with key research partners, including University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, to align governance frameworks and facilitate collaborative research.
  • Lead initiatives to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of research governance and ethics processes, ensuring that they are researcher-centric, proportionate, and risk-based.

Person Specification

Essential:

• Educated to degree level (or equivalent experience in research governance, compliance, or related fields).
• Strong understanding of UK and international research governance frameworks, including NHS Research Governance, Clinical Trials and Device Regulations, the Human Tissue Act, and research ethics policies.
• Significant experience of leading governance and compliance functions within a complex research environment.
• Experience of handling conduct investigations with professionalism and discretion.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to influence senior academic and professional services colleagues.
• Experience in leading a team and fostering a culture of continuous improvement and professional development.
• Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to balance compliance requirements with the need to support a vibrant and ambitious research culture.

Desirable:

• A research degree or experience in a research-intensive environment.
• Experience of working with clinical research governance in a higher education or NHS setting.
• Strong external networks within the Russell Group and regulatory bodies.

Informal enquiries to Louise Staffell, email: [e-mail]

View our staff values and behaviours here

We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone on our website.