UK Dementia Trials Network Project Coordinator

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Sheffield; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a UK Dementia Trials Network Project Coordinator to support the Sheffield Centre’s dementia trial portfolio and ensure efficient set‑up, governance and management of complex studies. The post will also help expand UKDTN activities to other regions and collaborate with the BRC and NIHR partners.

The role is fixed‑term until August 2029, with NHS benefits and opportunities for professional development within a pioneering dementia

Qualifications

• Degree level in health/biomedical sciences or equivalent.
• Current GCP accreditation.
• MSc in health/biomedical science/neuroscience or related subject.

Responsibilities

• Support delivery and governance of a growing dementia trials portfolio.
• Coordinate submissions and regulatory approvals for UKDTN studies.
• Track expenditure, invoicing, contracting and annual progress reporting.
• Work with NIHR Sheffield BRC and expand to new regions in the North of England and Scotland.
• Produce study promotional/administrative materials and respond to queries.
• Ensure studies run in accordance with regulatory requirements and maintain quality metrics.

Skills

GCP accreditation

Education

Degree level in Health/Biomedical Sciences/Neuroscience or equivalent

MSc in Health-related/Biomedical Science/Neuroscience

Job description

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

UK Dementia Trials Network Project Coordinator

The closing date is 19 November 2026

This post is supported by UK Dementia Trials Network, a programme funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research.

The UK DTN Project Coordinator will support the delivery and success of the UK DTN Sheffield Centre, which is hosted within STH NHS FT, in partnership with the NIHR Sheffield BRC, and was established to improve dementia health outcomes in a region of the UK with lower-than-average life expectancy and stark health inequalities. Their vision is to provide a patient facing, innovative and expert dementia research workforce, working across boundaries to transform the dementia research landscape; acting as advocates to promote accessible and inclusive clinical research opportunities for people living with dementia.

Aims of the UK DTN:

For UK to be the go-to place for early phase trials.Increase access to early phase trials in equitable manner.Join up/strengthen current early phase trial infrastructure.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will support the delivery and success of the UKDTN Sheffield Centre by ensuring the efficient set‑up, governance and management of a growing, complex portfolio in dementia. They will act as a central support for further leveraging of income from external awards.

This post will also support the expansion into other regions of the North of England and Scotland transferring experience to new sites and helping those sites to establish independence.

As part of their overall job duties, the successful applicant will work with the BRC's Clinical Trials team to: enable Chief or Principal Investigators to complete submissions for regulatory approval for UKDTN and BRC dementia studies; and that the studies run in accordance with all applicable regulatory requirements.

The post holder will also be responsible for the production of study promotional/administrative material, answering of queries and resolving any technical or administrative barriers to participation.

Other key responsibilities will involve supporting operational projects and processes to ensure the delivery of UKDTN milestones and support its sustainability and growth. Example activities include tracking of expenditure/invoicing, assisting with contracting and annual progress reporting.

About us

You will be working for an organisation which values and respects all of its staff and the community it serves. The Trust is a leader in the NHS and research sectors and provides excellent benefits for its employees. This includes commitments to professional development but also many policies to support employees in balancing their personal and professional lives.

This vacancy is advertised on a fixed term contract basis for a period until August 2029 due to the post being externally funded. The fixed term contract status of the post holder will be reviewed in accordance with the Trust's legal obligations regarding fixed term contracts taking into consideration the ongoing source of the external funding and the requirement for the post to be maintained.

Please note all existing NHS staff will only be considered on a secondment basis. This must first be agreed with your current line manager.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level in Health/ Biomedical Sciences/ Neuroscience related subject or equivalent experience in a clinical research environment.
• Current GCP accreditation
• MSc in Health related/ Biomedical Science/ Neuroscience related subject

Experience

• Extensive experience of clinical research in the NHS, Academic or commercial environment
• Experience of project design, management and evaluation
• Experience of the submission and approval process for set up of clinical trials
• Extensive experience managing clinical research performance metrics
• Experience of co‑ordinating multiple projects at any one time
• Experience of working independently and as part of a team
• Experience of working collaboratively with internal and external partners
• Experience of working in a fast paced, adaptable environment
• Experience of process innovation and other service improvement initiatives
• Experience of developing Standard Operating Procedures, Policies and Procedures

Skills and Knowledge

• Knowledge of research processes and research methods applicable to health setting
• Knowledge of Department of Health& Social Care/NIHR research strategy
• Knowledge of research legislation including research governance, ICH GCP, Medicines for Human use (Clinical Trials) Regulations, Data Protection, Human Tissue Act, Mental Capacity Act
• Knowledge of the national research agenda for dementia
• Knowledge of patient and public involvement initiatives
• Knowledge, experience and maintenance of quality assurance systems
• Ability to maintain timely, highly complex and accurate information sources and databases
• Excellent organisational skills and an ability to prioritise an unpredictable workload with frequent disruption
• Understanding and commitment to the need for confidentiality
• Knowledge of research funding sources, especially NIHR
• Ability to manage a diverse workload and to meet set deadlines on own initiative and without close supervision
• Ability to work independently, without supervision and to self‑motivate
• Ability to produce high quality performance reports for various stakeholders and presentation skills
• Ability to analyse and communicate to the UKDTN complex data from various sources to enable continuous quality and delivery efficiencies
• Demonstrable self‑awareness, an understanding of impact on others and an ability to manage self and maintain professional conduct in difficult and challenging situations
• Extensive experience of PC applications such as Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Microsoft Project Manager and Access, using skills at an advanced level of expertise
• Excellent attention to detail, whilst maintaining the ability to see the bigger picture
• Proactive in fulfilling needs of researchers
• Evidence of report writing and presentation skills.

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.

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

£39,959 to £48,117 a yearper annum pro rata for part time staff