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Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

About

Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT) was formed on 1 April 2017 following the merger of North Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (NEP) and South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (SEPT).

Since then, EPUT has grown from strength to strength, providing many community health, mental health and learning disability services to support more than 3.2 million people living across Luton and Bedfordshire, Essex and Suffolk.

We are a large employer in the East of England with more than 5,500 staff working across more than 200 sites. We also provide services in people’s home and community settings.

Our Vision

“To be the leading health and wellbeing service in the provision of mental health and community care”.

Our Purpose

“We care for people every day. What we do together, matters”.

Our Values

We Care
We Learn
We Empower

Our strategic objectives

We will deliver safe, high quality integrated care services.
We will enable each other to be the best that we can.
We will work together with our partners to make our services better.
We will help our communities to thrive.

Find out more about the services we offer in our service directory

Contact

Address: Trust Head Office; The Lodge; The Chase; Wickford; Essex; SS11 7XX
Contact Number: 01375 364513

Find out more

Jobs Website

Open

Ref: 364-A-9944 Vacancy ID: 7920422

Senior Research Manager

Accepting applications until: 30-Apr-2026 23:59

Vacancy status: Open

Accepting applications until: 30-Apr-2026 23:59

Location

Site: St Margaret's Hospital, Epping
Town: Epping
Postcode: CM16 6TN
Major / Minor Region: Essex

Contract type & working pattern

Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Expectation of attendance on site at least three days per week)

Salary

Salary: £66,582 - £77,368 per annum plus HCA
Salary period: Yearly
Grade: (Band 8b)

Specialty

Main area: Research Delivery

Interview date: 14/05/2026

Our Trust cares for more than 100,000 patients at any one time across our community health, mental health and learning disability services across Essex and parts of Bedfordshire and Suffolk.

We want you to be part of our journey of transformation, where our patients and their families are at the heart of everything we do and to achieve our vision to be the leading health and wellbeing service in the provision of mental health and community care.

You’ll be part of a Trust where you will be supported to be your authentic self and be the best you can be, where we will help you to grow, develop and thrive.

The Trust is recognised by the University of Essex and is a top provider of apprenticeships for people looking to be an assistant practitioner, senior health care support worker (CAP). Our trailblazing CAP apprenticeship won a national HSJ Award.

We are also recognised as a Veteran Aware Trust and holder of gold accreditation from the Ministry of Defence Employment Recognition Scheme. Our services are highlighted as an exemplar of good practice, producing the best care for more than 3.500 armed forces veterans in the past seven years.

We have been shortlisted and won national awards. We are an inclusive organisation and Level 3 Disability Confident Leader Trust.

We are constantly innovating and looking for new ways to deliver care, such as using technology to enhance patient care and working with partners to launch new services such as the Basildon Mental Health Urgent Care Department, virtual hospitals and falls response cars.

Join us and you’ll do the best work of your life – and make a difference to other people’s lives. What we do together, matters.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

ROLE SUMMARY

The Senior Research Manager is responsible for the strategic management and development of Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust’s (EPUT) clinical research activity. They work closely with the (clinical) Head of Research in engaging key clinicians and stakeholders to promote, secure and implement national and local research strategies and plans which will see EPUT recognised locally and nationally as a provider of the highest quality of care driven by evidence and a research culture.

The Senior Research Manager plays a leadership role in the delivery of EPUT’s Research Strategy, overseeing the delivery of both NIHR portfolio and commercial research, ensuring rapid set up of studies, recruitment to target and development of a strong commercial pipeline

The Senior Research Manager will drive improvements and provide highly specialist advice for direct patient care through delivery of research that provides access to novel treatment and techniques into sustainable practice. They will work to embed research delivery alongside direct patient care by working with clinical multidisciplinary teams and implementing a new Target Operating Model for research. They will line patient-facing staff and support them to fulfil their duties.

The Senior Research Manager will lead the development of bids and applications for strategic funding from a variety of sources, working at pace and using their influence across corporate finance, procurement and legal teams to generate support for income generation.

The Senior Research Manager is expected to develop and maintain a robust operational long term plans for Research at EPUT, including leadership of the Research & Innovation Team, working in accordance with current clinical research regulations and frameworks, including but not limited to the Health Research Authority (HRA) approval, Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) Regulations and Research Support Services Framework (RSSF).

The Senior Research Manager will be expected to work in partnership and collaborate with other departments at EPUT to develop staff and services, overseeing and advising on service evaluation and academic research projects.

The post holder is required to communicate highly complex, sensitive and contentious information to senior clinical leaders, external sponsors, commissioners and executive committees, requiring advanced negotiation, influencing and reassurance skills in the context of disagreement, competing priorities or performance shortfalls.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Operational leadership and team management

Operational responsibility for management and governance of research activity across the Trust

Operational leadership of the Research Delivery team, including leading regular team meetings on site and line management responsibility of Band 7 and Band 6 staff

Responsibility for recruitment, training, development and performance of all research staff

Developing and establishing systems for the management of research involving EPUT

Develop and initiate research opportunities and experience within the Trust by fostering a research culture, including regular in person interactions with clinical teams across sites

Ensuring that research taking place in the Trust is actively promoted, both internally and externally.

Developing and maintaining the EPUT study feasibility process to meet the requirements of applicable laws and regulations.

Conducting effective feasibility checks on new studies and ensuring that appropriate assessment and approvals are in place before commencement of research within EPUT, with appropriate involvement of other services (i.e. pharmacy, psychology, operational delivery).

Maintaining a record of all research being conducted within EPUT

Maintaining a record of all service evaluations being conducted within EPUT

Manage EPUT research sponsorship obligations under HRA guidance including implementation of GCP in conduct of trials

Develop, implement and monitor R&I policies and procedures to govern conduct and management of commercial and non-commercial research in accordance with relevant regulations and policies

Ensuring the Research & Innovation department and research within the Trust operates in line with national standards and Trust policies including data protection, health and safety requirements, monitoring of misconduct and fraud and financial probity.

Supporting the health, safety, dignity and well-being of patients involved in research through monitoring of ongoing studies ensuring policy and procedural adherence including reporting requirements in accordance with Trust Policy and Procedure.

Strategic development and delivery

Leadership contribution to the long-term delivery of the Trust’s Research & Innovation strategies, including working with the Director of Strategy, Transformation and Research on refreshing these strategies at the appropriate time to ensure they are implemented Trust wide.

Lead and take responsibility for the delivery of the Trust’s Research & Innovation Strategies alongside ensuring the implementation plan is regularly reviewed and monitored on an ongoing basis, analysing and presenting multi-year trends in performance and delivery

Proactively identify risks to the delivery of the Trust’s Research strategy and vision and put sustainable plans in place to address these

Providing specialist advice to the Director of Strategy, Transformation and Research, as well as other senior leaders, on all matters relating to formal research, and their implications for service delivery and development for patient care

Proactively identify a strong pipeline of NIHR portfolio and commercial research studies and develop trusting relationships with clinical teams to support delivery and recruitment, in line with NIHR and Trust KPIs

Analyse the implication of national initiatives and local developments on the delivery of the strategy and the service and present options and solutions for implementation in response

Lead the development and delivery of plans to procure and operationalise new capital assets including a mobile research unit and portable scanner

Make the case for investment in ring-fenced clinical space for research as a key enabler of interventional and commercial trials.

Financial management & income generation

Act as the budget holder for all research budgets including generation and management of commercial income, non-NIHR research and NIHR projects

Managing the allocation of annual grants from NIHR and seeking alternative sources of income to maximise value for money and financial sustainability of research at EPUT

Lead horizon scanning for funding opportunities and lead the development of strategic funding bids, working in partnership with other corporate departments across EPUT

Ensuring that adequate payment is obtained for participation in commercial clinical research, which is not subsidised by the NHS, and that such payment flows to departments supporting the study

In relation to commercial research, in partnership with the finance department: costing commercial research studies, in line with the National Contract Value Review Interactive Costing Tool (NCVR iCT) negotiating contracts, developing and establishing systems to ensure financial probity

Lead cost recover, invoicing, training of payments from all income sources, maintaining accurate records

External relations

Negotiate and manage research partnership agreements and contracts with academic and commercial institutions ensuring accountabilities and responsibilities are documented and met

Develop partnerships with commercial companies to position EPUT for selection as a trial site, ensuring rapid and safe set up with support from the Director of Pharmacy and (clinical) Head of Research

Championing partnership with people with lived experience in the design and delivery of research and innovation projects

Representing the Trust’s research interest to external organisations, both locally and regionally, in academic healthcare and commercial sectors

Representing the Trust as a member of the East of England Regional Research Delivery Network (NIHR RDN)

Arranging for written agreements to be put in place where required for studies involving an external partner, funder and/or sponsor, including agreements with universities or other employers in relation to student supervision and arrangements for sub-contracting.

Important note: please ensure that as part of your application, you include professional references with business contact information covering your last three years of employment history. We are unable to accept personal or character references.

As a newly appointed employee, you are responsible for incurring the cost of your initial DBS check relevant to your post; the amount will be deducted from your first salary with the Trust.

Our Trust is an Equal Opportunities Employer. We particularly welcome applications from people with experience of using mental health services. We also hold the Disability two tick symbol and have made the pledge to commit to employing more people with learning disabilities, we encourage people with a disability to apply. If you require this application form in another format i.e. Braille or audio tape etc, please contact the Recruitment Department on 01375 364513 or email [email protected] and we can arrange for this to be dispatched to you.

The Trust has the right to expire vacancies prior to the closing date if they so wish. The Trust makes every attempt to contact all applicants and we strongly advise that you check the email account which is registered with NHS Jobs regularly, we would advise however due to the high number of applications we receive that if you have not heard from us within three weeks of the closing date your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults, and expect all staff to undertake this commitment. Applicants will be subject to robust safer recruitment processes.

Important Notice: Recently the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2021 (the Regulations) which amended on 22 July 2021 and come into force on 11 November 2021 that anyone directly employed to work in a Care Home or who are required as part of their role to be deployed to a CQC registered care home are required to have had both their COVID vaccinations, unless they are exempt. This is therefore a requirement of this role and will form part of our pre-employment checks.

Please note - staff who are formally at risk within the organisation will be given priority in securing alternative employment. Should it come to light that a post being advertised by the Trust is considered ‘suitable alternative employment’ to an individual who is at risk, the recruiting manager will be advised and the post will be withdrawn from NHS Jobs.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Applications for this role should be written by the applicant. If artificial intelligence (AI) programmes are used then the application may be rejected due to this document being an important part of the assessment process. This does not prevent applicants seeking appropriate support with applications should they need to for the purposes of any declared disability.

Applicant requirements

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

Postgraduate degree in a relevant field (e.g., health research, management) or equivalent senior-level experience.
Evidence of Good Clinical Practice (GCP) training
Leadership or management qualification (or equivalent experience)
Advanced in-depth knowledge of UK clinical research governance, including HRA approval, Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) Regulations, and RSSF.
Comprehensive understanding of NIHR portfolio and commercial research processes
Advanced in-depth understanding of national research policy, funding streams, and strategic priorities
Requires highly specialist knowledge of clinical research legislation, governance and delivery, acquired through postgraduate study and extensive experience, to act as the Trust’s senior expert advisor.

Desirable criteria

Formal training in research design, statistical analysis, or health economics.

Skills

Essential criteria

Proven track record of strategic leadership in research management within health sector.
Experience in developing and delivering research strategies and operational plans
Demonstrable success in income generation, including bid writing and securing external funding.
Strong financial management skills, including budget holding and cost recovery.
Experience managing multi-disciplinary teams and driving performance
Strong people management and team leadership skills

Desirable criteria

Experience of managing commercial research contracts and partnerships

Documents

Further details / informal visits contact

Name: Anna Bokobza
Job title: Director of Strategy
Email address: [email protected]
Telephone number: 07903946108
Additional information: Informal conversations are welcome following the shortlisting stage from 6 May onwards