Head of Research Delivery & Support for Wider Care Settings

Head of Research Delivery & Support for Wider Care Settings The Head of Research Delivery & Support for Wider Care Settings for NIHRYorkshire and Humber (Y&H) Regional Research Delivery Network (RRDN) is a critical member of the Y&H RRDN Management Team who takes a lead on supporting the delivery NIHR Portfolio research in non-hospital (wider care) settings across Y&H.

This is an exciting and influential position that will enable the successful candidate to use their detailed knowledge of the research pathway and understanding of wider health and care settings to effectively support the delivery of research in the Y&H region and thereby support the NIHR to drive life-changing research for the health and wealth of our society.

Expected Shortlisting Date

24/03/2026

Planned Interview Date

08/04/2026

Main duties of the job The Head of Research Delivery & Support for Wider Care Settings for NIHR Yorkshire and Humber (Y&H) Regional Research Delivery Network (RRDN) will use their detailed knowledge of the research pathway in wider care settings to ensure Y&H RRDN provide effective support to those wider care settings. They also have responsibility for the effective deployment of Y&H RRDN Agile Research Delivery Team into all settings to support and grow the delivery of research across the region. Working with their peers across England this role will ensure the functions we provide are nationally consistent and help increase research delivery capacity and capability.

About us The NIHR Yorkshire and Humber (Y&H) Regional Research Delivery Network (RRDN) is one of 12 RRDNs across the whole of England who work alongside the NIHR Research Delivery Coordinating Centre (RDNCC) and together are known as the NIHR RDN. The NIHR RDN enables the health and care system to attract, optimise and deliver research across England and has 3 primary purposes: (1) enabling research delivery across England; (2) investing in capacity and capability for delivering the RDN Portfolio; (3) supporting the implementation of national policy.

This role is therefore part of regional and national team that support the vision for the UK to be a global leader in the delivery of high-quality research that is inclusive, accessible, and improves health and care.

Leeds Teaching Hospitals is committed to our process of redeploying 'at risk' members of our existing workforce to new roles. As such, all our job adverts are subject to this policy and we reserve the right to close, delay or remove adverts while this process is completed. If you do experience a delay in the shortlisting stage of the recruitment cycle, please bear with us while this process is completed, and contact the named contact if you have any questions.

Job responsibilities Assisting in the identification of sites and Principal Investigators, making the best use of clinical data combined with an understanding of the Key responsibilities for this role include fostering and nurturing productive relationships with regional partners including both commercial and non-commercial study teams/sponsors, research site delivery personnel, and senior research leadership within Delivery Organisations. This role will lead dedicated teams in the provision of these services, ensuring seamless coordination with other services/functions within the regional network and across the national network. This includes collaborating closely with Regional Specialty and Setting Leads to support the delivery of regional and national projects. In addition to regional duties, the postholder will collaborate with senior counterparts from other RDN regions and the national RDN team to innovate and evolve services, aligning them more closely with the changing needs of the system.

This role will line-manage the senior manager of the Agile Research Delivery team and direct the agile team's resources to meet strategic needs. This may be complemented by additional line management and/or supervision of the clinical or care elements of the senior manager's role. Line management of staff members will include undertaking staff reviews to identify training and development needs, and establishing how those needs will be met, and managing performance against agreed objectives. The postholder will ensure the same review processes take place for all staff within the defined function via appropriate line management arrangements and that skills and capabilities exist to meet current and future business needs.

STRATEGICLEADERSHIP Act as a senior leader within the RDN, providing strategic direction and guidance

Work as part of a community of senior leaders across the national network, exercising shared leadership and promoting the consistency of experience across a nationally harmonised Agile Research Delivery Teams and study support services for out of hospital settings

Co-develop and lead on national projects as required

Collaborate with National and RRDN Specialty and Settings Leaders to align regional operational activities with national strategic objectives

Offer strategic leadership to research delivery sites, contributing to strategic planning (including the development of three-year strategies) and proactively tackling operational challenges as an active partner

Lead the implementation and cascade of a range of national strategic directives within the region and the local RRDN, reporting on local learnings, successes and challenges

BUSINESSPLANNING Contribute to collective national business planning for the Agile Research Delivery (all settings) and Study Support and Partner Liaison services for out of hospital settings

Contribute to coordinating, reviewing, evaluating and approving research site delivery plans, and have delegated responsibility for periodically performance monitoring against those plans to ensure that RDN funding is being used appropriately and effectively

Lead on regional business planning for the Agile Research Delivery Team and Study Support Service, ensuring effective implementation and reporting

INFORMATION & ADMINISTRATION Understand and interpret highly complex information, data and situations to inform plans and make decisions. This may include communicating and presenting to a variety of audiences and the facilitation of collaborative discussions

Provide leadership and support for the implementation of Information Governance best practice within the Agile Research Delivery Team and Study Support Service

Be responsible for the implementation and effectiveness of the processes that ensure data integrity within relevant RDN systems, enabling the identification of potential concerns and patterns and supporting RDN customers and partners in resolving issues.

Promote the use of digital innovation and effective Business Intelligence across all the Agile Research Delivery Team and Study Support Service functions, working closely with the Data and Analytics Senior Manager to build both the team's and stakeholders' capabilities in these areas

Have oversight of the activities that support study sponsors, funders and investigators to access data to enable them to effectively manage the delivery of their studies in out of hospital settings

Lead on the oversight and effectiveness of the Agile Research Delivery Team and Study Support Service across all specialities and settings to proactively identify potential issues and opportunities, working as an active partner to resolve and action follow-up activity

Contribute to the Strategic oversight of the RDN Portfolio, including:

Undertaking strategic portfolio oversight activities to identify opportunities and challenges within the capacity and capability of the research system to deliver future research. This will include ensuring regional specialties, settings and localities meet the agreed definition of a balanced portfolio

Supporting portfolio oversight activities undertaken on the current portfolio as requested

Identifying and addressing impact on health inequalities at all stages of research delivery

OPERATIONALMANAGEMENT Oversee the regional implementation of the Agile Research Delivery Team, ensuring its effectiveness and alignment with regional and national objectives

Contribute to the regional implementation of the Study Support Service, ensuring its effectiveness and alignment with regional and national objectives, with a particular focus on supporting research in out of hospital settings

Contribute to the regional implementation of the Study Support Service, working as part of a national network, to support with:

Developing and sharing regional intelligence to inform site and PI identification, eligibility and clinical data to ensure effective planning, placement and performance monitoring (on request) of studies

Addressing inequalities to inform placement of studies

Undertaking eligibility reviews

Providing health or care intelligence to the on request study performance service and the Active National Delivery service

Supporting funders and sponsors in study design to optimise deliverability, including providing early feedback on protocols

Advising on study deliverability and undertaking deliverability assessments when requested, including giving consideration to equitable patient access/areas of high patient need

Work closely with Setting Leads to ensure there is robust strategy for delivery in the primary care, community and residential care settings

Manage programmes and projects within the remit of the Agile Research Delivery Team and Study Support Service. This may include national projects, the oversight of local programmes of work . click apply for full job details