Job vacancy: Innovation Lead, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield

Job summary

Main area: Innovation
Grade: NHS AfC: Band 8a
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref: 190-0420-DIR

Employer: Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type: NHS
Site: Royal Hallamshire Hospital
Town: Sheffield
Salary: £53,755 - £60,504 per annum pro rata for part time staff
Salary period: Yearly
Closing: 19/06/2025 23:59

Innovation Lead

NHS AfC: Band 8a

We are committed to helping our staff balance their work and home lives and ensure they feel supported, valued and appreciated so whilst you care for our patients and clients, we’ll take care of you. We offer many different ways of helping staff including career development opportunities, flexible working, good annual leave and pension schemes , health and wellbeing packages and financial support systems. Joining the Trust also allows you access to a number of saving options via our salary sacrifice schemes and a wide range of discount opportunities with retailers and service providers.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please view the attached Job Description and Person Specification documents for full details regarding this post.

When completing your application please ensure that you clearly demonstrate how you meet the role criteria.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

Educated to Masters level or with equivalent post-graduate health-related research and innovation experience.

Experience

Essential criteria

Understanding of intellectual property rights and of the value that can be assigned to IP
Knowledge/experience in innovation process support, technology appraisal (functionality, USPs etc.), market opportunity assessment for novel products/services and at least basic aspects of intellectual property protection, management, and commercialisation
Experience of leading operational activities in a specific area/functional unit and/or acting as a point of escalation
Significant experience of developing high quality, customer focused services, contributing to their strategic direction
Significant experience of working in partnership and building strong links with managers at all levels both within the organisation and with external partners, providing expert advice to inform decision making e.g. developing consortia for funding bids, managing on-going R&D relationships on behalf of the Trust
Experience of writing, reviewing and disseminating policies including IP and related commercial activities.
Experience of working with colleagues to inform commercialisation sections of external funding proposals
Significant experience of leading effectively in an environment of complex regulations and procedures (e.g. patents and intellectual property; confidentiality agreements and similar; funding guidance and contracts)
Significant experience of providing expert advice and guidance to senior managers and internal/ external stakeholders to inform complex decision making
Experience of carrying out a range of highly complex administration activities
Experience of developing, organising, supporting and delivering events/ projects/training
Experience of staff supervision/mentoring
Management experience in the NHS, academic or commercial environment

Desirable criteria

Experience of commercialisation project management and practical use of intellectual property between parties, including undertaking due diligence and negotiating terms
Experience and track record of processes for registering and protecting intellectual property including UK and international patent protection

Further Training

Essential criteria

Knowledge of innovation funding sources
Proven highly effective organisational and planning skills
Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office software, especially Word, Excel and Power Point

Special Skills/Aptitudes

Essential criteria

Experience of committee servicing, including note taking and follow up actions
Highly organised, with the ability to develop long term strategic plans
Ability to work independently
Demonstrable attention to detail
Excellent written communication skills
Proven ability to develop effective working relationships with staff at all levels
Proactive in fulfilling needs of researchers

Candidates are advised to read the attached guidance on using AI technology. When you complete your application, you are required to declare that the information in your application form is true and complete. The personal statement is exactly that; personal.

When selecting to apply via NHS Jobs, you will be redirected to our preferred recruitment system called Trac. You will be asked to create and submit your application via the Trac recruitment system.

You will not be able to track the progress of your application or receive messages through the NHS Jobs website, and furthermore, as an employer, we will not be able to respond to any e-mails sent to us via the NHS Jobs website. All communications should be sent via your Trac system account.

If you are offered employment at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals your information will be transferred from the Trac recruitment system into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system. In addition, in submitting an application form, you authorise our Trust to confirm any previous NHS service details via the ESR IAT process should you be appointed.

Please note, all communication regarding your application will be made via email sent via the Trac recruitment system, please ensure you check your junk/spam folders as emails are sometimes filtered there.

The Trust is committed to its obligations in accordance with the Equality Act 2010, and we positively encourage applications from all sections of the community. Should you require any assistance in applying for the position please contact the General or Medical Human Resources Departments on the number identified on the NHS Jobs page for the organisation.

Job Share applicants are welcome for all full time posts unless indicated but cannot be guaranteed. In addition for Fixed Term Contracts, internal secondments may be considered, please seek the approval of your current line manager before applying for the position.

All employment with the Trust is subject to a number of NHS Employment Checks being met to a satisfactory standard including verification of identity, eligibility to work in the United Kingdom, references and qualifications in addition to professional registration, a disclosure and barring records check and occupational health check if these are deemed to be a requirement for the position to be undertaken.

For more information about our organisation and the opportunities available, please visit our website and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.