R&I Deputy Director - Delivery

Uhleicester; Leicester; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 92,000; Full time

Job summary

University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust is inviting applications for the R&I Deputy Director - Delivery to provide senior leadership for the Trust's research portfolio and ensure delivery to high standards of quality, performance, and regulatory compliance.

The role will oversee a portfolio of over 600 studies with significant activity and aims to activate commercial studies rapidly, aligning with NIHR targets.

Qualifications

• Degree with doctorate or equivalent; management qualification preferred.
• Formal training in program or change management (PRINCE2 or MSP).
• Extensive senior management experience (5+ years) in a large, complex research-intensive healthcare organisation.
• Experience managing large budgets, workforce planning, financial controls and resource optimisation at scale.
• Experience operating at or near board level or deputising at senior executive forums.

Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day R&I functions and provide line management to a team of senior managers.
• Work closely with the Leicester Joint Research Office and regional stakeholders to provide high-quality regulatory guidance and support to researchers.
• Performance monitoring of R&I activity and overseeing metrics for national and local reporting to drive continuous improvement.
• Develop and deliver a strategic plan embedding high-quality research across the Trust and promoting inclusive leadership.
• Engage with the wider Trust to ensure R&I requirements are considered in key decisions.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Data analytics

Regulatory & NHS policy

Budgeting & controls

Change management

Education

Doctorate or equivalent

Management qualification (ILM, MBA, leadership)

Tools

BI dashboards

Regulatory compliance tools

Job description

Go back University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust

R&I Deputy Director - Delivery

The closing date is 17 November 2026

The Research and Innovation (R&I) Deputy Director (Research Delivery) provides senior leadership and strategic oversight for the effective delivery of the Trust's research portfolio. The post holder is responsible for ensuring that research studies across all clinical divisions and specialties are delivered to the highest standards of quality, performance and regulatory compliance.

Working at Board and system level, the post holder ensures that the Trust meets national and local research performance targets, including National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) metrics, while optimising capacity and capability for research delivery and embedding research as a core element of patient care.

The role provides strategic leadership for the coordination of the research delivery workforce, infrastructure and partnerships, ensuring alignment with Trust strategy, IC priorities and national NIHR objectives. This senior position is essential in delivering the Trust's R&I strategy and supporting UHL's ambition to remain one of the UK's leading research-active organisations. The portfolio overseen includes more than 600 studies, over 12,000 annual recruits and a turnover of approximately £56M, set within a dynamic, highly regulated and internationally competitive environment.

The post holder will promote and sustain a positive research culture, supporting research leaders, clinical teams and partners to develop high-quality research activity.

Main duties of the job

They will act as deputy to the R&I Director, exercising a high level of autonomy, and will work closely with the R&I Deputy Head of Nursing and R&I Deputy Director Research (Operations) Working with the R&I Deputy Director they will allocate budget of up to £55M per annum. The post holder will also deputise for the R&I Deputy Director as required. A defining priority for this post is delivery of the national commercial research activation standard: leading Trust‑wide performance to 95% of commercial studies activated within 150 days, sustaining that performance, and preparing the organisation for the forthcoming 75‑day standard. To achieve this, the post holder will develop and performance‑manage service level agreements (SLAs) with corporate support services and lead the data and performance assurance infrastructure required to secure sustained improvement.

About us

Our new strategy, developed with the support and feedback of colleagues, patients, and partners, is our compass for the next seven years (2023-2030).

We have four primary goals:

• high-quality care for all,
• being a great place to work,
• partnerships for impact,
• research and education excellence

And we will embed health equality in all we do - taking active steps to reduce the avoidable differences in healthcare that some people face, working in partnership with communities.

Our strategy is underpinned by new values and we will work to ensure they are an everyday reality for all:

• we are compassionate,
• we are proud,
• we are inclusive, and
• we are one team

This is an exciting moment as we look to the future with clarity on what we already do well and where we need to focus our energies to make an even bigger difference for the people we serve.

About the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust:

Job responsibilities

The post-holder will be responsible for the day to day people and operational management of the Trusts R&I functions and for providing line management support to a team of senior managers. Working closely with University of Leicester partners in the Leicester Joint Research Office and with other stakeholders in the region will provide high quality regulatory guidance and support to researchers.

Performance monitoring of R&I activity and overseeing metrics for national and local reporting will be at the heart of the role, ensuring that that the Trust continues to build capacity and capability developing its performance and continuing to maintain excellent track record within the relevant standards.

The post-holder will work independently and take appropriate action when circumstances warrant, deputising for the R&I Deputy Director when required.

The post holder will develop and deliver a strategic plan that embeds high quality research throughout the Trust. They will demonstrate a leadership style that promotes and encourages inclusion in the research agenda from across the whole organisation, while helping and supporting research leaders and their teams by actively encouraging, initiating and developing UHL programmes of research, building of collaborative relationships with other partners.

The post holder will also engage with the wider Trust to ensure that R&I requirements are taken into account in key decisions.

Person Specification

Training & Qualifications

• Professional knowledge acquired through a degree, supplemented by specialist training to doctorate or equivalent or equivalent level of experience. A management qualification (ILM, MBA, PGCert Leadership) or equivalent experience.
• Formal training in program or change management (PRINCE2 or MSP)

Experience

• Extensive senior management experience (5+years) in a large, complex research-intensive healthcare organisation.
• In-depth knowledge of NHS policy as it relates to clinical research, performance frameworks, regulatory requirements and broader NHS strategic agenda
• Experience of managing large budgets, workforce planning, financial controls and resource optimisation at scale
• In-depth knowledge and experience in creating, managing, and developing teams of people.
• Experience operating at or near board level or deputising at senior executive forums
• Experience of working directly within research, innovation or strategic development programmes.

Analytical and Judgement skills

• Highly developed analytical skills with ability to interpret complex operational data, performance information, workforce metrics and financial reports to inform decision-making
• Able to make judgements in situations where information is incomplete, conflicting or rapidly changing.
• Evidence of using benchmarking, audit, research or evidence-based methods to drive improvement.
• Experience in advanced modelling, capacity planning tools, or digital analytics solutions

Skills

• Keyboard skills IT skills sufficient for high-level use of digital systems, dashboards and reporting tools.
• Demonstrable experience in workforce leadership including recruitment, performance management, organisational development and cultural transformation
• Advanced IT capability (data visualisation tools, BI dashboards, operational modelling platforms)

Planning and organisation skills

• Experience leading strategic and operational planning across large services, including risk management, capacity planning and performance recovery
• Ability to balance multiple priorities, manage high workloads and ensure delivery under tight deadlines.
• Experience leading compliance with regulatory standards

Other requirements specific to the role

• Demonstrable track record of delivering measurable performance improvement against national research delivery standards (e.g. commercial study set-up and activation metrics).
• Understanding of the drivers of research delivery performance in a large, multi-site NHS organisation.

Commitment to Trust Values and Behaviours

• Must be able to demonstrate behaviours consistent with the Trust's Values and Behaviours

Communication and relationship skills

• Advanced negotiation, influencing and persuasive skills with proven credibility among senior clinical and operational leaders
• Must be able to demonstrate compassionate leadership
• Evidence of leading staff engagement, resolving conflicts, and building high-performing teams
• Coaching or mentoring qualification

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

• Able to demonstrate a commitment to and understanding of the importance of treating all individuals with dignity and respect appropriate to their individual needs.
• All staff are expected to engage in compassionate and inclusive leadership in the provision of highquality care and interactions with others

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.

University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust

£79,504 to £91,609 a yearper annum / pro rota