Lead Nurse for Research (XR08)

NHS; Leeds; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 63,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in Leeds is seeking a Senior Nurse to join as a Band 8a Lead Nurse in clinical research. This 12-month fixed-term role involves providing leadership and implementing improvement plans in Early Phase studies. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in clinical research, strong leadership skills, and a commitment to service innovation, all while maintaining high standards of patient care.

Qualifications

• Significant experience of working within a clinical research setting at a senior level.
• Experience of managing staff and project management.
• In-depth specialist knowledge of clinical research nursing/midwifery.

Responsibilities

• Provide high-level support and professional leadership to the clinical research workforce.
• Work with senior leaders to drive the improvement agenda.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to achieve strategic objectives.

Skills

Strong leadership and line management experience

Expertise in clinical research

Chemotherapy competence

Commitment to service improvement

Education

Registered Nurse (level 1 or level 2)/ Midwife or HCPC registered AHP

Recognised Research/ Teaching qualification

Degree level

Demonstrable evidence of working at Masters degree level

Good Clinical Practice (GCP)

Job description

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an innovative and experienced Senior Nurse, Midwife, or Allied Health Professional to join the Research & Innovation CSU as a Band 8a Lead Nurse on a 12-month fixed-term contract or secondment.

This is a unique leadership role for someone with a passion for the operational delivery of clinical research. The successful candidate will lead and implement a targeted improvement plan for the NIHR Leeds Clinical Research Facility (CRF), with the primary aim of expanding Early Phase and Experimental Medicine research trials across our flagship 17 bed highrisk/high-intensity unit, which spans multiple specialties.

Working closely with colleagues and stakeholders, you will use the Leeds Improvement Method to drive performance improvement and strategically position the CRF ahead of the next NIHR funding bid. You will be responsible for providing strong, visible leadership and supporting both senior and unit-level staff in delivering the SMART objectives outlined by the NIHR, while maintaining the highest standards of patient care.

We are seeking an enthusiastic, highly organised, and self-motivated individual with:

Strong leadership and line management/ward leadership experience

Proven expertise in clinical research, particularly in Early Phase studies, including Advanced & Cellular Therapies, First-in-Human, and Vaccine research.

Chemotherapy competence

A commitment to service improvement and innovation

Main duties of the job

The post holder will provide high-level support and professional leadership to the clinical research workforce within the CRF at St Jamess Hospital. You will hold key management responsibilities and work in close collaboration with the Trusts CRF Leadership Team to drive forward the improvement agenda.

In partnership with senior leaders across Research & Innovation and Clinical Service Units, you will play a pivotal role in achieving our strategic objectives by developing and embedding high-quality systems, processes, and ways of working. Working alongside fellow Lead Nurses, you will provide visible leadership, facilitate change, and champion best practices to support the development and modernisation of the Trusts research delivery workforce.

A key part of your role will be to enhance awareness of research across the organisation and actively promote strategies that build research capacity within the non-medical workforce.

About us

Research is at the heart of our Trust. Leeds Teaching Hospitals is involved in research at all levels, developing and trialling new treatments for patients. We believe that being involved in cutting-edge research helps us provide better care to our patients.

Over the next 5 years, we aim to be the best Trust to deliver high-quality clinical research and to champion research amongst our staff. We also aim to support and grow our world-class clinical infrastructure and assets for research and innovation.

We have a very proactive Research Academy. It offers an extensive programme of education and training tailored to meet the needs of individuals, teams involved in clinical research delivery in Health and Social Care.

Our five Trust values are part of what make us different. They have been developed by our staff. They are:

- Patient-centred

- Collaborative

- Fair

- Accountable

- Empowered

Leeds Teaching Hospitals is committed to our process of redeploying 'at risk' members of our existing workforce to new roles. As such, all our job adverts are subject to this policy and we reserve the right to close, delay or remove adverts while this process is completed. If you do experience a delay in the shortlisting stage of the recruitment cycle, please bear with us while this process is completed, and contact the named contact if you have any questions.

Details Date posted

31 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£55,690 to £62,682 a year

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

C9298-DRI-0230

Job locations

St. James's University Hospital

Beckett Street

Leeds

LS9 7TF

Job description Job responsibilities

As an expert in research the Lead Nurse/Midwife/AHP will contribute to the development of the Trusts strategic approach to clinical research nursing/midwifery/AHP (CRN/M/AHP) and non-medical research delivery workforce development and will be responsible for its implementation.

Working with key stakeholders on a national, regional and local basis, the post holder will provide professional leadership, expertise and will lead the Trusts research delivery workforce modernisation projects arising from the Trusts Research and Innovation strategy and nursing and midwifery education, training and workforce strategies.

The post holder will have management responsibility for the Leeds Clinical Research Facility (LCRF) and other specific services relating to the research delivery workforce. The post holder will work closely with the Head of Nursing R&I and the Leeds Clinical Research Facility Manager to ensure Trust wide oversight of the workforce and support delivery of the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) and Department of Health (DoH) research targets.

Job description Job responsibilities

As an expert in research the Lead Nurse/Midwife/AHP will contribute to the development of the Trusts strategic approach to clinical research nursing/midwifery/AHP (CRN/M/AHP) and non-medical research delivery workforce development and will be responsible for its implementation.

Working with key stakeholders on a national, regional and local basis, the post holder will provide professional leadership, expertise and will lead the Trusts research delivery workforce modernisation projects arising from the Trusts Research and Innovation strategy and nursing and midwifery education, training and workforce strategies.

The post holder will have management responsibility for the Leeds Clinical Research Facility (LCRF) and other specific services relating to the research delivery workforce. The post holder will work closely with the Head of Nursing R&I and the Leeds Clinical Research Facility Manager to ensure Trust wide oversight of the workforce and support delivery of the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) and Department of Health (DoH) research targets.

Person Specification Skills & behaviours Essential

• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Appropriately assertive
• Strategic thinker
• Enthusiastic
• Flexible
• Compassionate
• Leadership skills
• Influencing & Negotiation
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to organise and prioritise own and others workload

Experience Essential

• Significant experience of working within a clinical research setting at a senior level
• Experience of managing staff
• Project Management
• Service Development
• In-depth specialist knowledge of clinical research nursing/midwifery
• Current issues in Healthcare research
• Strategies for deployment of research delivery services
• Evidence of management and leadership development
• Evidence of managing change
• Strategies for delivery of the NIHR High Level Objectives and Department of Health Performance in Initiating and Delivering Research (DH PID)

Desirable

• Experience of conducting own research
• Experience of incident investigation and root cause analysis
• Understanding of research
• Knowledge of national and local clinical academic/ research fellowship/training schemes

Qualifications Essential

• Registered Nurse (level 1 or level 2)/ Midwife or HCPC registered AHP
• Recognised Research/ Teaching qualification
• Degree level/ or working towards
• Demonstrable evidence of working at Masters degree level
• Good Clinical Practice (GCP)

Desirable

• Masters level qualification
• Evidence of a research qualification
• Leadership qualification
• Certificate in Clinical Research

Additional Requirements Essential

• Able to fulfil Occupational Health requirements for the post
• Clinical research training
• Willing to undergo training in relation to post
• Evidence of continued professional development

Person Specification Skills & behaviours Essential

• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Appropriately assertive
• Strategic thinker
• Enthusiastic
• Flexible
• Compassionate
• Leadership skills
• Influencing & Negotiation
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to organise and prioritise own and others workload

Experience Essential

• Significant experience of working within a clinical research setting at a senior level
• Experience of managing staff
• Project Management
• Service Development
• In-depth specialist knowledge of clinical research nursing/midwifery
• Current issues in Healthcare research
• Strategies for deployment of research delivery services
• Evidence of management and leadership development
• Evidence of managing change
• Strategies for delivery of the NIHR High Level Objectives and Department of Health Performance in Initiating and Delivering Research (DH PID)

Desirable

• Experience of conducting own research
• Experience of incident investigation and root cause analysis
• Understanding of research
• Knowledge of national and local clinical academic/ research fellowship/training schemes

Qualifications Essential

• Registered Nurse (level 1 or level 2)/ Midwife or HCPC registered AHP
• Recognised Research/ Teaching qualification
• Degree level/ or working towards
• Demonstrable evidence of working at Masters degree level
• Good Clinical Practice (GCP)

Desirable

• Masters level qualification
• Evidence of a research qualification
• Leadership qualification
• Certificate in Clinical Research

Additional Requirements Essential

• Able to fulfil Occupational Health requirements for the post
• Clinical research training
• Willing to undergo training in relation to post
• Evidence of continued professional development

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information 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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details Employer name

Leeds Teaching Hospitals

Address

St. James's University Hospital

Beckett Street

Leeds

LS9 7TF

Employer's website

https://www.leedsth.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details Employer name

Leeds Teaching Hospitals

Address

St. James's University Hospital

Beckett Street

Leeds

LS9 7TF

Employer's website

https://www.leedsth.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)