Study Support Service Senior Manager

Job Overview As part of a highly collaborative national leadership community, you will work with colleagues across regions to strengthen the consistency, quality, and efficiency of research delivery. Locally, you will lead a supportive and ambitious team that values collaboration, creativity, and problem solving. We are committed to building strong partnerships with health and care organisations and making a tangible difference to research delivery. As Senior Manager, you will lead all local operational aspects of the Study Support Service, ensuring delivery of both pre-approval services (e.g. planning and placement, and national cost attribution tools) and post-approval services (portfolio oversight and on-request support). You will manage a multi‑disciplinary team of 12, including 5 Study Support Service Managers, providing strong leadership, clear direction, and support for professional development, while also contributing to national business planning and strategic priorities. The role requires a confident and innovative leader who can work autonomously, make sound judgements, and drive improvements in how services are delivered. You will work closely with health and care organisations across the whole of the East of England, collaborating with delivery leaders to troubleshoot challenges and build capacity and capability to deliver research. You will also act as the primary escalation point for complex issues requiring regional or national resolution. Examples of decisions you will make Determining the most effective allocation of team resources to meet service priorities. Deciding on the appropriate handling and escalation of complex study issues. Approving site delivery plans and making judgements on performance monitoring outcomes. This is a role for a proactive leader who can balance operational delivery with strategic influence, fostering innovation while ensuring high‑quality, consistent services. Key Leadership Responsibilities Act as a senior leader within the RDN, providing strategic direction and guidance. Work as part of a community of senior leaders across the national network, exercising shared leadership and promoting the consistency of experience across a nationally harmonised Study Support Service. Collaborate with Local Specialty and Settings Leadership to align operational activities with strategic objectives. Provide strategic support to research delivery sites, drawing on and contributing to national network intelligence. Manage the implementation and cascade of national strategic Study Support direction within the region and the local RRDN. Support the contribution to collective national business planning for the Study Support and Partner Liaison services. Contribute to reviewing, evaluating and approving research site delivery plans, and have delegated responsibility for periodically monitoring performance against those plans to ensure that RDN funding is being used appropriately and effectively. Contribute to business planning for the Study Support Service and Partner Liaison functions, ensuring effective implementation and reporting. Please refer to the Job Description for the full specification of responsibilities and requirements for this post. The Job Description, which includes a Person Specification, provides a full outline of responsibilities and requirements for this role. Please use your supporting statement to demonstrate how you meet the person specification. Visa and Immigration If you are wishing to apply for this role and would require sponsorship (this includes if you are already in a sponsored post and looking to change employer), you can determine the likelihood of obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship for this post by assessing your circumstances against criteria specified on the gov.uk website: https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/your-job. Travelling to work Staff parking is available onsite; however, this is limited during core working hours. We have more capacity in the evening and at weekends and can usually provide spaces during those hours. We look to allocate these spaces fairly. Our Travel Office have a set of criteria that staff must meet in order to qualify. If you qualify for a space, you may be placed on a waiting list if we are at full capacity. The NNUH is served by a number of public buses, and we offer generously discounted monthly passes with First Bus & Konect. The Costessey Park & Ride runs regularly each day from 06:30 (from P&R) to 20:45 (from NNUH) and this service is free for NHS staff. There is a regular Thickthorn P&R service as well which is free. Applications to the Travel Office are required for this service. We also have a discounted service from the airport P&R if you purchase a bundle. Please see Konect website for further details. The NNUH host multiple bicycle racks and a salary sacrifice scheme. We also benefit from a Beryl station onsite. If you work at another Trust site, please discuss travel and parking arrangements at interview. DBS If this post involves working with children or adults the application form will ask for information regarding previous convictions as you will be required to undertake a Criminal Record and Barring Check known as a DBS check. If you are a new employee or registering with the Staff Bank you will need to meet the cost of this unless your salary is less than point 9 of Afc. NHS Service Should you be appointed to the post we will need to establish any previous NHS service via the ESR IAT and we will accept the submission of your application as your agreement to this. UK Registration You will need to have current UK professional registration where this is a requirement of the role. Application Following candidate feedback and to reduce our dependency on paper, all our communication with you regarding your application will be by email so could you please check your e‑mails (and Spam) regularly. We value equality in our team and recruit from all sections of the community. We recognise there is a wealth of talent among people who have a disability and if you meet the minimum criteria detailed in the person specification and have a disability, you may wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme by indicating this in the relevant section on your application. We look forward to receiving your application and if you do not hear within the next four weeks this will usually mean that you have not been short‑listed. However, if you wish to confirm this please contact the person indicated on the advert. Flexibility Whilst every effort will be made to recruit to the post as it is advertised, there may be occasions where we consider alternative working patterns, such as part time working, or contract types, such as secondments, depending on circumstances. Should you wish to work in a different working pattern to that stated in our advertisement, please indicate this in the supporting statement to your application. About the East of England Regional RDN We are seeking an experienced and motivated senior leader to manage the Study Support Service at the East of England Regional RDN. This is a key leadership role, offering the opportunity to lead a diverse team and shape how research is delivered across the NHS and wider health and care system. You will be responsible for providing clear direction, inspiring your team, and ensuring services are delivered consistently to a high standard, while contributing to the strategic aims of the national Research Delivery Network. Our culture is open, respectful, and based on shared leadership – your expertise will be valued, and your ideas will be heard. In return, we offer flexible working, excellent development opportunities, and the chance to influence and lead at the heart of the NHS and NIHR research system. If you are motivated by making an impact, thrive on leading people, and want to shape the future of research delivery, this is the role for you. About Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital At NNUH it is our privilege to provide healthcare to over one million people across Norfolk and surrounding areas. Our vision is to ‘provide the best care for every patient’, and if this inspires you and you share our values, we really want you to join our team. NNUH is currently the busiest Trauma Unit in the East of England caring for almost 850 trauma patients annually many with complex care needs. We are enhancing our urgent and emergency care specialist services for patients with significant injuries as a result of trauma and have an ambition to become a Major Trauma Centre. Our values support our vision and guide the behaviour of everything we do, these are: People‑focused, Respect, Integrity, Dedication, Excellence. Benefits Flexible working hours Fast Track Staff Physiotherapy Service Multi Faith prayer room at NNUH Colney Lane site Discounted gym memberships Excellent pension scheme and annual leave entitlement Wagestream – access up to 40% of your pay as you earn it Free Park & Ride service direct to NNUH Colney Lane site Free 24‑hours confidential counselling support On‑site Nursery at NNUH Colney Lane On‑site cafes offering staff discounts at NNUH Colney Lane Support in career development Flexible staff bank Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars, Cycle to Work scheme and home electronics #J-18808-Ljbffr