Job summary
- Main area
- Research Programme
- Grade
- Band 8c
- Contract
- 24 months (Fixed term/ secondment ending 31 August 2027. Full Time or Part Time/ Flexible working hours may be considered.)
- Hours
- Full time
- Part time
- Flexible working
- Job ref
- 180-RD-255175
- Employer
- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Flat 63/64, Elsworth House
- Town
- Hills Road, Cambridge
- Salary
- £74,290 - £85,601 Per annum pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 20/07/2025 23:59
- Interview date
- 30/07/2025
Employer heading
Cambridge NeuroWorks Programme Lead
Band 8c
Job overview
Lead a nationally significant programme accelerating neurotechnology innovation
Cambridge University Health Partners (CUHP) is seeking a highly capable and motivated individual to lead Cambridge NeuroWorks – a major new initiative focused on advancing breakthrough neurotechnologies for conditions such as depression, dementia, chronic pain, epilepsy, and neurological injury.
Backed by the UK government's Advanced Research + Invention Agency (ARIA) and delivered in partnership with an exceptional consortium of academic, clinical, and innovation partners, Cambridge NeuroWorks will support original thinkers from across the UK in developing scalable technologies to transform care for disorders of the nervous system.
CUHP brings together NHS organisations, academic institutions, and industry in Cambridge to improve health outcomes. Through Cambridge NeuroWorks, CUHP will support the design and delivery of an ambitious programme that provides funding, space, and tailored support to promising neurotechnology ventures, positioning the UK as a global leader in this field.
This role is based in Cambridge, with hybrid working available. A minimum of two days per week in person is required, involving occasional travel, including to other partner sites in Cambridge and to ARIA offices in London, as needed.
While this is advertised as a full-time post, we welcome applications from those wishing to work part-time or flexibly, where arrangements are compatible with the needs of the role.
Main duties of the job
As Programme Lead, you will play a pivotal role in shaping and delivering the Cambridge NeuroWorks programme. You will:
Work with senior leaders from across the NeuroWorks consortium, ARIA, and national partners to guide successful delivery of the programme.
Rapidly implement and evolve a robust, credible programme plan in close collaboration with partners.
Coordinate workstreams, manage interdependencies, track progress, and ensure the programme delivers on its stated benefits.
Develop strategies for engaging commercial and philanthropic partners, identifying collaborative opportunities and potential sponsorships aligned with the programme’s mission.
Report progress to CUHP, ARIA, and relevant governance groups, ensuring accountability and alignment with strategic goals.
For further details, please contact CUHP Managing Director: [email protected]
Working for our organisation
Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust comprises Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge. With over 13,000 staff and over 1100 beds the priorities of the Trust focus on a quality service which is all about people – patients, staff and partners. Recognised as providing ‘outstanding’ care to our patients and rated ‘Good’ overall by the Care Quality Commissioner, is testament to the skill and dedication of the people who work here. CUH’s values – Together - Safe, Kind, Excellent – are at the heart of patient care, defining the way all staff work and behave. The Trust provides accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge, together with specialist services, dealing with rare or complex conditions for a regional, national and international population.
CUH is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where we can all be ourselves. We value our differences and fully advocate and support an inclusive working environment where every individual can fulfil their potential. We want to ensure our people are truly representative of all the communities that we serve. We welcome applications for all positions in the organisation irrespective of people’s age, disability, ethnicity, race, nationality, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity status or social economic background.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.
Please note: Internal applicants on permanent contracts can only apply for this post as a secondment and must have the approval of your current line manager before applying. If you are internal applicant currently on a fixed term contract you are able to apply for this as a fixed term position.
This vacancy will close at midnight on 20th July 2025.
Interviews are due to be held on 30th and 31st July 2025.
Benefits to you
At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.
On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only café, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.
CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times.
Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.
We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Educated to Masters level or demonstrable equivalent level of knowledge
- Evidence of Project Management training
- Evidence of continuous professional development
Desirable criteria
- Managing Successful Programmes/ Prince2 Practitioner (or equivalent experience)
- Postgraduate research qualification, e.g. PhD, or clinical qualification
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Extensive knowledge of how to manage large scale complex programmes and projects at a senior management level using recognised methodology (e.g. Prince 2) and tracking and monitoring their implementation
- Knowledge of how to identify and manage risks, issues and dependencies
- Extensive knowledge of change management with proven negotiating and influencing knowledge both internally and externally and at all levels
- Knowledge of Government business cases processes
- Knowledge of budgeting and resource allocation.
- Knowledge of benefits realisation
Desirable criteria
- Knowledge of public sector funding compliance, including ARIA’s publicly available grant terms, UK GDPR, UK Subsidy Act, and other legal and regulatory frameworks relevant to research and innovation partnerships
Experience
Essential criteria
- Demonstrable experience of working at management level within a large research organisation, University or industry
- Experience of taking a strategic and analytical approach to assess areas of strength, identify competitive advantage and develop propositions that are commercially attractive
- Experience of identifying, initiating and maintaining project and partnership activity with industry and maximising relations with relevant parties and services (from inception to completion through to alliance management).
- A successful track record of preparing and supporting substantial investment funding business cases or research proposals
- Extensive experience of managing large scale complex programmes and projects at a senior management level using recognised methodology (e.g. Prince 2), including use of service improvement techniques, and tracking and monitoring their implementation.
- Experience of the identification and management of risks, issues and dependencies, including planning for long-term programme sustainability and managing continuity or contingency planning processes
- Experience of benefits realisation
- Experience of developing performance indicators to monitor project and programme delivery within a complex multi-stakeholder programme
- Extensive experience of change management with proven negotiating and influencing skills both internally and externally and at all levels.
- Evidence of leadership experience / ability to lead, motivate staff and contribute to the wider team
- Evidence of working with multi-disciplinary staff across diverse professional organisations to specify solutions to support the successful delivery of projects across boundaries and affecting significant change.
- Experience of managing project budgets; knowledge of budgeting and resource allocation
- Evidence of continuous personal and professional development
- Experience in embedding EDI into programme design and delivery.
Desirable criteria
- Considerable experience of training, mentoring, coaching particularly in project and programme management
Skills
Essential criteria
- Exceptional leadership, interpersonal and communication skills including facilitation, and obtaining, providing and presenting information.
- Ability to manage a multifaceted, complex project / programme to time.
- Ability to communicate highly complex and sensitive information with exceptional verbal and written communication skills to a wide range of audiences; meticulous attention to detail
- Ability to think clearly, solve or pre-empt problems, reach decisions, prioritise and recommend appropriate action through the assessment and presentation of relevant and complex information in an accessible form.
- Ability translates strategic direction into deliverable, measurable outcomes and engage others in strategy and planning.
- Ability to build positive relationships, influence senior colleagues and other stakeholders, including on highly sensitive and complex matters;
- Expert negotiation and diplomacy skills
- Ability to inspire confidence and trust, command respect and create a sense of community in the team
- Ability to represent the programme at local, regional and national forums
- Ability to adapt during periods of change
- Ability to work autonomously, managing and prioritising workload and working under own initiative
- Understanding of information governance
- Advanced knowledge of ICT (including Word, PowerPoint and Excel) and project management tools, particularly proficiency in administering Microsoft 365 (including Teams, SharePoint, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Planner, and Lists), Slack, and Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Drive, etc.).
Desirable criteria
- Proven ability to manage collaboration platforms and troubleshoot technical issues across diverse user bases and across Microsoft Tenants in a multiorganisation environment.
- Strong capability in managing digital workspaces, permissions, and secure data sharing protocols.
Additional requirements
Essential criteria
- Methodical, organised, analytical with problem solving capabilities.
- Highly motivated and resourceful.
- Able to learn rapidly, and take in a wide range of information, distilling out the key points into clear succinct well-argued documents.
- Able to maintain high standards of diplomacy and understands the principle of confidentiality.
- Accepts responsibility and accountability for own work and can define the responsibilities of others.
- Able to manage competing demands and produce high quality work to tight deadlines
- Able to establish positive relationships and mutual respect with people at all levels
- Ability to contribute effectively
- A clear communicator with excellent written, analytical and presentation skills
- Demonstrates empathy and concerns for others
- Shows respect for others’ feelings, views and circumstances.
- Can demonstrate a flexible approach.
- Has realistic knowledge of personal strengths and areas for development
- Learn from mistakes and ask for support where necessary.
- The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of safe, kind, excellent.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
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Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Araminta Ledger
- Job title
- Managing Director
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07720078106
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