Programme Lead for Experimental Medicine

Job Description

We are looking to recruit an experienced, inquisitive and motivating manager to provide leadership to a team managing a portfolio of high profile National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) experimental medicine research infrastructure funding schemes. 

Job Purpose
The Programme Lead will provide leadership for the end-to-end grants and research management of NIHR’s experimental medicine research infrastructure portfolio, which includes the flagship Biomedical Research Centres, the Clinical Research Facilities, the Commercial Research Delivery Centres, the HealthTech Research Centres and others. The postholder will lead work to drive the evolution of the experimental medicine portfolio and shape its future direction. In addition, they will play a key role in NIHR’s interaction with the experimental medicine community and will work closely with senior colleagues from the Department of Health and Social Care.

The Programme Lead will report to the Assistant Director of Research Infrastructure, will have responsibility for the activities of a team of Senior Research Managers and Research Managers, and will work closely with the broader Infrastructure team.

Key Accountabilities:

• Lead the delivery and strategic development of the experimental medicine research infrastructure portfolio:

  • Portfolio development: Develop and maintain expert knowledge of the funded portfolio in order to identify gaps or opportunities for greater impact and to build robust cases for new activities.

  • Strategic direction for existing funding schemes: Oversee the delivery of scheme reviews and evaluations for your portfolio to develop recommendations for the next funding calls.

  • Working across the health and care research landscape: Represent the schemes and portfolio in discussions with colleagues from DHSC, NIHR and beyond to ensure synergies are identified and can be capitalised on. Contribute to activities to raise the visibility of the awards within academic, clinical, public and government fora.

  • Commissioning of research: Provide management oversight of the delivery of new funding competitions, development of application guidance notes, the organisation of international panel meetings, the production of minutes and provision of feedback to applicants.

  • Development of new funding calls: Respond to ad hoc requests from DHSC/NIHR to develop and deliver new priority funding calls, mobilising resources to develop an appropriate assessment mechanism and suitable monitoring processes.

  • Contract management and annual reporting: Support the team to process contractual requests/changes required during the  lifetime of an award and requests for information (e.g. Parliamentary Questions, FOI requests or  briefings for ministers). Monitor award progress through an annual reporting process and together with the Assistant Director, sign off on award holder feedback and monitor risk management.

• Team Management and Support: Guide the development of the individuals within your  team to allow them to reach their potential. Co-ordinate and delegate activities within your team and work together with the Assistant Director and Programme Lead for Applied Health Infrastructure to share learning and ensure consistency across the broader infrastructure team.  Support efficient ways of working whilst maintaining attention to detail and delivery to deadlines.

• Stakeholder engagement: Deliver productive relationships with key stakeholders including Infrastructure Centre Directors. Work with the Directors to develop and support the implementation of collaborative working between individual awards and schemes. Oversee the co-production of strategically relevant agenda for Infrastructure Centre Directors’ meetings and other fora to keep NIHR researchers abreast of the latest initiatives and policies. 

• Flexible support to team:  provide a high level of support across the infrastructure team and NIHR, engaging on projects and working groups as required. 

Line Management:

• This post will be responsible for a team of six, with direct line management of three team members. 

Qualifications

Required Knowledge, Experience and Technical Skills:

To be successful in this role you will have:

• A PhD degree (or equivalent) in biomedical or health sciences research (or significant equivalent sector experience) 
• Significant relevant experience of managing research funding in a clinical, academic, industrial, funding agency or charity setting 
• Experience of line management, staff development and planning and monitoring of workloads
• Excellent project planning and management skills; able to prioritise and manage multiple tasks, working to challenging targets and deadlines
• The ability to demonstrate an understanding in the strategic issues in health and care research funding and policy, especially within experimental medicine
• Strategic thinker able to interpret complex information while having a clear view of the “big picture”
• The ability to employ creative approaches to effectively communicate complex information to individuals and groups from a range of different backgrounds and different seniority levels
• Committed team player with an ability to build effective working relationships

Desirable Criteria:

• Understanding of research impact and how monitor and measure it