Job overview

We are looking to recruit a Research Operational Lead (ROL) for 1 year to cover maternity leave of the current post-holder. The post-holder will join our research operational team working alongside a Research Operational Lead with the management of the Senior Research Operational Managers (SROMs) across Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT), primarily to support and develop areas of strategic importance in the current climate. The role will take lead responsibility for the grant activity across MFT and associated studies and will be the Operational Lead of the new Childrens Health Research Institute. Our aim is to align our Research ambitions to the highly specialist clinical services that we offer across MFT. We want to further engage with our local community and offer research opportunities to all. We are looking for an ambitious senior manager who can make an impact for the benefit of our patients by working with colleagues across the Greater Manchester Ecosystem to  

The Trust is committed to working together to improve the health and quality of life of our diverse communities. One of the five pillars of the MFT strategy is to deliver world class research and innovation that improves peoples lives. The Trust is highly committed to embedding research and innovation into its core business and to be able to offer patients the potential to be recruited to appropriate research studies (as per the NHS Constitution).

Main duties of the job

The research operational delivery teams led by the ROLs across MFT, support grant applications, oversee project approvals, manage finances to maintain and build capacity for research delivery, work to deliver against national metrics for sponsored and hosted studies.

The ROLs troubleshoot issues across MFT working with appropriate colleagues to find a resolution so we can deliver research efficiently and for the benefit of our patients.

Within R&I we’re keen to support and develop our staff and have a robust education and training programme to standardise the delivery and outputs. We recognise the value in nurturing and enabling our workforce.

This work involves close and frequent interaction with other internal stakeholders such as the Research Office, NIHR infrastructure colleagues, clinical services across the Trust, Clinical Group senior leadership teams and external bodies such as the University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University, contract research organisations and commercial companies.

We need a senior manager who can focus on detail as well as the wider context to ensure that our high standards in health research are maintained and we continue to progress in the range of services we provide.  Please also refer to the Person Specification to confirm the essential and desirable knowledge and skills required for this post.

Working for our organisation

MFT is one of the largest NHS Trust In England with a turnover of  over £3bn & is on a different scale than most other NHS Trusts. We’re creating an exceptional integrated health & social care system for the 1 million patients who rely on our services every year.

Bringing together 10 hospitals & community services from across Manchester, Trafford & beyond, we champion collaborative working & transformation, encouraging our 30,000 workforce to pursue their most ambitious goals. We set standards that other Trusts seek to emulate so you’ll benefit from a scale of opportunity that is nothing short of extraordinary.

We’ve also created a digitally enabled organisation to improve clinical quality, patient & staff experience, operational effectiveness & driving research, and innovation through the introduction of Hive; our Electronic Patient Record system which launched in September 2022.

We’re proud to be a major academic Research Centre & Education provider, providing you with a robust infrastructure to encourage and facilitate high-quality research programmes. What’s more, we’re excited to be embarking on our Green Plan which sets out how MFT continues to play its part in making healthcare more sustainable.

At MFT, we create and foster a culture of inclusion and belonging, provide equal opportunities for career development that are fair, open, and transparent, protecting your health and wellbeing and shaping the future of our organisation together.