Research Manager - Infrastructure

The NIHR is funded through the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and was established to create a health research system in which the NHS supports outstanding individuals, working in world-class facilities, conducting leading-edge research focused on the needs of patients and the public.

The NIHR Research Infrastructure provides a platform to enable research by creating an environment where early stage and applied research can thrive. Our Research Infrastructure consists of research expertise, specialist facilities, a research delivery workforce and support services. The NIHR invests more than £606 million a year of infrastructure funding through a number of different five-year infrastructure funding schemes.

Job Description

We are looking for a dynamic and experienced Research Manager to support the commissioning and management of a high profile National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) portfolio of clinical and applied health research infrastructure funding schemes.

Reporting to a Senior Research Manager, the role will cover the full end-to-end process of research management, from launching new calls for applications through to the active monitoring of funded awards. You will become the knowledge holder in a funding area e.g. experimental or applied health research.

The position also offers the opportunity for important collaborations with the UK government, academia, industry and the clinical community. You will liaise with internal and external stakeholders, and provide our community of researchers with support and advice.

We are looking for someone with a broad perspective of academia, funding, project management and health related policy. You should be confident interacting with your peers and the external scientific community; able to demonstrate critical thinking, and an ability to influence and build productive relationships.

Key Responsibilities :

• Commissioning Research Infrastructure: Delivering new and renewed funding schemes for NIHR: Working across internal and external teams to develop end-to-end processes to support funding calls e.g. developing guidance, FAQs, selection criteria, organise and support funding committees and overseeing the contracting process for funded applications.
• Contract monitoring and annual reporting: manage any contractual requests/changes required during the lifetime of the award; requests for information (e.g. Parliamentary Questions or FOI requests), and review and feedback on annual progress reports to provide assurance on research progress against goals, governance and management of the award.
• Secretariat for directors fora and activities: Developing an annual programme of meetings to support the networking and collaboration of scheme Directors. This involves organising meeting agenda, developing content for papers e.g. data analysis, drafting reports, presentations and briefing documents.
• Flexible support to team and community: conduct additional administration tasks and provide a high level of support across the team at peak work times

Qualifications & Experience

Required Criteria:

• A Masters or PhD degree in biomedical or health sciences research
• Experience of working in a research funding environment
• Research management experience in the NHS or HEIs or clinical trial/study

Desirable Criteria:

• Current knowledge of the UK’s health and care research and policy landscape
• Experience in the research/grants management
• Experience in stakeholder management within and across multiple organisations

Why work for us

Join our team and you’ll be working with an exceptional organisation who manage high quality health and care research for the benefit of patients and the public. NIHR is one of the UK’s largest funders of health and care research.

Salary & Benefits

• £39,200 PA
• Bonus - subject to company performance
• 25 days annual leave, plus public holidays (UK)
• Enhanced contributory pension scheme
• Life Insurance
• Benenden Healthcare
• Season Ticket Loan
• Laptop, IT equipment and remote IT support

NB: This is a 12 month fixed-term contract

This is an office-based, hybrid role with an expectation for all employees to attend our offices a minimum of 4 days a month, usually worked as 1 day per week, and may increase, subject to team requirements.

To Apply

If you are interested in working with us and feel you have the appropriate background and skills, please apply with your CV, (with the cover letter attached in the same document), outlining your suitability for the role and highlighting your experience against the required criteria.

Application deadline is 14 October, but early applications are encouraged as interviews will be held on a rolling basis.