Research & Innovation Manager

FHFT Education Academy; Frimley; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 72,000; Full time

Job summary

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an experienced and motivated Research & Innovation Manager to provide senior operational leadership for our Research & Innovation service. This is an exciting opportunity to play a pivotal role in supporting the delivery of high-quality research, driving innovation, and ensuring excellence in research governance across our Trust.

With responsibility for governance, performance, policy development and inspection readiness, you will lead a

Qualifications

• University degree in Life Science or Clinical Sciences / healthcare related field and relevant professional qualification.
• ICH-GCP Certification.
• PhD or equivalent professional experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide operational leadership across the Research & Innovation service.
• Monitor performance against NIHR and local objectives and metrics.
• Advise on research governance, regulatory compliance and approvals.
• Develop and implement policies and SOPs to support compliant research delivery.
• Coordinate inspection readiness and responses to external reviews.
• Lead on operational reporting, data quality and continuous service improvement.
• Contribute to workforce planning and leadership of a multidisciplinary team.
• Support budgeting and resource planning for the research portfolio.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Governance expertise

Regulatory compliance

Data integrity

Education

Life Science / Clinical Sciences degree

ICH-GCP Certification

PhD or equivalent experience

Job description

Shape the future of research and innovation across one of the NHS's leading research-active Trusts.

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an experienced and motivated Research & Innovation (R&I) Manager to provide senior operational leadership for our Research & Innovation service. This is an exciting opportunity to play a pivotal role in supporting the delivery of high-quality research, driving innovation, and ensuring excellence in research governance across our Trust.

Working closely with the Associate Medical Director for Research & Innovation, Head of Research & Innovation, Lead Research Nurse and Quality Assurance Manager, you will help deliver the Trust's research strategy, strengthen research infrastructure, and ensure compliance with national research standards and regulatory requirements.

Main duties of the job

As Research & Innovation Manager, you will provide operational leadership across a diverse and growing research portfolio, ensuring effective service delivery, robust governance arrangements, strong performance management, and continuous quality improvement.

You will:

• Lead the day-to-day management and development of the Research & Innovation service.
• Monitor and drive performance against NIHR and local research objectives and metrics.
• Provide expert advice on research governance, regulatory compliance and research approvals.
• Develop and implement policies, standard operating procedures and systems that support safe, efficient and compliant research delivery.
• Support inspection readiness and coordinate responses to external inspections and reviews.
• Lead on operational performance reporting, data quality and continuous service improvement.
• Contribute to workforce planning, staff development and the leadership of a high-performing multidisciplinary team.
• Support the financial sustainability of the research portfolio through effective costing, income management and resource planning.

Working for our organisation

Visa Sponsorship:
This position is not eligible for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Applicants must already hold the right to work in the UK for the full duration of the contract.

Why Join Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust?

At Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, our people are at the heart of everything we do.

As a Disability Confident Employer and recipient of the Gold Award in the Armed Forces Employer Recognition Scheme, we actively champion equality, diversity and inclusion, creating opportunities for people from all backgrounds to build rewarding careers within the NHS.

We also recognise the importance of a healthy work-life balance. By supporting flexible working arrangements wherever possible, we enable our colleagues to balance their professional and personal commitments while continuing to deliver outstanding care to our patients. Whether flexibility means adjusted hours, part-time working, hybrid arrangements or alternative working patterns, we work in partnership with our staff to meet both individual and service needs.

Join Us
Whether you're at the start of your career or looking for your next challenge, Frimley Health offers the opportunity to be part of a inclusive, forward-thinking organisation that is committed to excellence, innovation and compassionate care. Together, we can shape the future of healthcare and make a real difference to the lives of the communities we serve.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for further details on working for Frimley Health Foundation Trust

Qualifications

• Relevant university degree in Life Science or Clinical Sciences/ Health care related professional qualification or equivalent level.
• ICH-GCP Certification
• PhD or equivalent professional experience

Experience

• Significant experience in a management role in either NHS or academic research environment.
• Extensive experience of research governance management in the NHS, academia or pharmaceutical industry.
• Extensive knowledge of research project lifecycle from set up to archiving
• Experience of working with research contracts and legal agreements, in particular the review, drafting and amendment of such agreements

Skills & Knowledge

• An excellent understanding and extensive experience of research governance and other relevant regulations relating to clinical research including, but not limited to, UK Framework for Health and Social Care research Human Tissue Act, ICH-GCP, Data Protection/GDPR, MHRA
• In depth knowledge of non-commercial funding and application processes for clinical research.
• An understanding of commercial research in the NHS and academia

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust (FHFT) is proud of its strong reputation, record of achievement and ambition for the future. We serve a population of over 900,000 people across Berkshire, Hampshire, Surrey and South Buckinghamshire, and remain committed to improving the health and wellbeing of our communities.

Our new organisational strategy – FHFT 2030 – sets out our ambition to be the best place to receive care and the best place to work in the NHS. Underpinned by our Trust values – Committed to Excellence, Working Together, Facing the Future, and being a modern, compassionate, Healthcare Organisation – we are creating a culture where our people can thrive and patients always come first.

We continue to invest heavily in our services and facilities. This includes the development of a new hospital at Frimley Park, major expansion of diagnostics and inpatient capacity, and the continued transformation of services across our sites. We have already delivered a brand-new £100m state-of-the-art Heatherwood Hospital, a £49m Emergency Assessment Centre at Wexham Park, and a £10m upgrade to maternity services.

We are also committed to sustainability and the NHS Net Zero ambition. Our new hospital and estate developments are being designed to be environmentally responsible, energy efficient, and future-proofed, featuring on-site renewables energy and intelligent energy systems. Through our green plan, we are embedding sustainable practices across all areas of care and operations, ensuring we reduce our environmental impact while improving population health and wellbeing. Our staff are key to helps us deliver on our ambition and to ensure sustainability is a core component of care delivery and our operations.

Alongside estates’ investments, we are embedding a strong focus on digital innovation and quality improvement. Our electronic patient record (Epic), launched in 2024, is already enabling safer, more connected, and more effective care for patients, while giving staff the tools they need to do their best work. Our electronic patient record also supports safe and effective digitised care pathways, savings time and carbon, whilst delivering excellent quality of care.

Everything we do is guided by our values, shaping how we care for patients, support colleagues, and build a sustainable future for healthcare together.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Application numbers

This vacancy may close early if it receives a high number of applications. We would advise that you complete and submit your application in good time to avoid disappointment.