Senior Clinical Research Nurse | The Christie NHS Foundation Trust

The Christie NHS Foundation Trust; Manchester; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare provider in Manchester is seeking a Senior Clinical Research Nurse to join the Rare Tumours research team. The role involves coordinating patient pathways to clinical trials, leading a group of research nurses, and ensuring adherence to clinical protocols. Candidates should have a strong background in oncology, excellent organisational skills, and experience in clinical research. We are looking for a dedicated professional to enhance our established research team with a focus on delivering high-quality cancer care.

Qualifications

• Experience as a clinical research nurse.
• Strong knowledgebase in oncology.
• Ability to manage and lead a team of research nurses.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate patient pathways through clinical trials.
• Lead and manage research nurses.
• Oversee regulatory approvals for clinical trials.

Skills

Organisational skills

Time management

Leadership

Knowledge in oncology

Education

Nursing qualification

Job description

Overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen within the Research and Innovation Division at The Christie. We are looking to appoint a Senior Clinical Research Nurse to the Rare Tumours research delivery team within The Christie NHS Foundation Trust. This post presents an opportunity to join an established research team with a varied portfolio of clinical trials as a Senior Clinical Research Nurse (sCRN). The team is responsible for a varied portfolio of academic and commercial clinical trials for patients with neurological cancers, sarcoma and trials involving teenagers and young adults. The successful candidate will coordinate the patient’s pathway through an agreed portfolio of clinical trials across these disease groups.

A background in oncology and experience as a clinical research nurse are essential. The successful candidate will have excellent organisational, time management and leadership skills to be the key contact for patients and wider MDTs who are being considered for clinical trials. The sCRN will lead and manage a group of research nurses with support from the Clinical Research Matron, ensuring research is conducted within a multiregulated clinical research environment and safeguarding patient wellbeing.

Clinical Research Co-ordination

• Work autonomously in all areas of practice relating to clinical research.
• Understand and deliver care in accordance with regulatory approved clinical research protocols.
• Oversee the process for obtaining NHS permissions (R&D approval) for clinical trials within team. As project lead, ensure permissions are in place prior to any patient recruitment.
• Undertake feasibility and risk assessments of clinical trial protocols in conjunction with Team Leader, Principal Investigator and Senior Clinical Trials Co-Ordinator.
• Ensure all clinical trial activities are recorded in appropriate systems in a timely manner.
• Awareness of trial-specific, regional, and national targets.
• Initiate new recruitment strategies for recruiting patients to clinical trials including engagement with the research network.
• In conjunction with Team Leader, lead on the delegation of all trial-related activities to research team members (clinical and administrative) and ensure compliance with SOPs and ICH/GCP.
• Work with the team leader and sponsor companies in the preparation and negotiation of financial contracts for individual trials.
• Arrange and facilitate clinical trial related meetings.
• In conjunction with Team Leader, oversee appropriate financial remunerations for clinical trial activity.

Clinical Service and Professional Responsibilities

• Assimilation of highly complex information relating to clinical trials and communication to patients at a level appropriate to their understanding. Ensure highly sensitive information is communicated to patients, relatives, and carers regarding prognosis.
• Responsible for the development, implementation, and review of specialist care pathways in conjunction with appropriate personnel.
• Demonstration of expert knowledge in specialist area to maintain clinical excellence.
• Set up processes/patient pathways in conjunction with appropriate personnel from specialist research areas to promote a cost-effective timely service for individual protocols (shared care pathways, specialist clinics, etc.).
• Support Team Leader in delivering divisional and trust strategic objectives including performance indicators and metrics.
• Escalation of governance issues impacting on delivery of job purpose.
• To act as a primary contact point for the clinical trial patients and act as adviser to other health care professionals.
• Responsibility for maintenance and development of professional knowledge and practice by attending mandatory and specialist training (e.g., GCP) in accordance with local policy.
• Ensuring care delivery standards in accordance with trial protocol, local policy, NMC Code of Practice Conduct and current best practice.
• Development and maintenance of a high-quality service by overseeing the safe administration of all licensed and unlicensed medicinal products within the context of a clinical trial, overseeing assessment and evaluation of treatment toxicities and initiation of appropriate intervention, and contributing to development of specialist Standard Operating Procedures and guidelines.
• Provide education and support for non-research staff in the delivery of protocol driven treatment for all patients.
• Participate in monitoring and audit activities within the research team.
• To carry out non-medical prescribing within the scope of professional practice and in accordance with local policies and procedures and national legislation (optional and depending on clinical service needs).

Personal Education, Training and Development

• Maintain professional development whilst evaluating own specialist knowledge and practice through a process of appraisal and personal development planning.
• Promote the role of the clinical research nurse as an integral part of the healthcare system.
• Increase and maintain awareness of current advances in cancer treatments, research and nursing practice thereby maintaining the highest standard of care for patients with cancer and implementing evidence-based care by continuing professional development.
• Participation in trust-wide education programs and study days.
• Obtain clinical supervision as appropriate.
• Keep up to date with departmental, Trust, UK and EU developments for the management of clinical research ensuring timely, effective implementation of changes.
• Attendance at team and divisional meetings.

Staff Management and Development

• In conjunction with the team leader, provide induction, continued supervision and management of the research teams.
• Ensure all members of the research nurse team undergo regular appraisal and support appropriate training and development opportunities in line with role requirements.
• Lead on the development of specialist study days within own research team.
• Provide specialist education and training in relation to clinical trials to all key stakeholders.
• Disseminate information by attendance and/or presentations at local, national and international conferences/meetings.
• Be responsible for the development of members of the research team.

EU DIRECTIVE ICH/GCP

All personnel involved in clinical research have a responsibility to ensure that clinical trials are conducted in accordance with the EU Directive and ICH/GCP.

Note: This advert closes on Thursday 18 Dec 2025