"Senior Research Manager"

We’re looking for a Senior Research Manager to join the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Coordinating Centre in Southampton. This is a senior-level position where you can make a real difference to the funding of Health and Care research.

Who are we?

The NIHR funds, enables and delivers world-leading health and social care research that improves people's health and wellbeing and promotes economic growth. We are also a major funder of applied health research in low and middle-income countries. Further information can be found at: www.nihr.ac.uk. You are encouraged to review our operational priorities and watch this introductory video.

What will you be doing?

As a Senior Research Manager, you won’t conduct research directly, but you will ensure it happens successfully. You’ll lead key elements of the research management lifecycle, such as identifying priority research areas, managing the funding process, supporting researchers, overseeing delivery, and ensuring dissemination of impactful results. Your role will sit within one of our teams to drive our commissioning, application and monitoring functions, depending on your skills and experience. However, flexibility is key as you may move across functions as priorities evolve. Whichever team you work in, you’ll provide leadership, drive improvements, influence strategy, and ensure the delivery of high-quality, evidence-driven research.

Key responsibilities include:

• Providing strategic leadership across a research management function
• Building and maintaining strong partnerships with senior stakeholders including the Department of Health and Social Care, research organisations, charities, and academic institutions
• Leading teams, managing resources, and delivering against operational and strategic goals
• Interpreting and using complex data and research insights to shape decision-making
• Identifying and embedding continuous improvements in processes, systems and ways of working

Who are we looking for?

You’ll be a confident and strategic leader with a passion for research that improves lives. With experience managing complex projects or programmes ideally in health, social care, research or policy you’ll bring deep professional knowledge and a proactive, collaborative approach. You’ll also be comfortable working across multiple teams, balancing priorities and building strong, trusted relationships with senior colleagues and external stakeholders.

You’ll bring:

• Proven strategic and operational management experience in a complex setting
• Excellent analytical, communication and stakeholder engagement skills
• A demonstrable ability to make decisions and work autonomously
• Strong leadership and team management capabilities
• Experience in critical interpretation of complex information to guide evidence-based decisions
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams through change, fostering adaptability, resilience and continuous improvement in times of uncertainty

Why join us?

Our people are at the heart of what we do. To look after them we offer: A generous benefits package (see full details here), Hybrid working (typically 20% office-based), A culture of wellbeing and support—we’ve proudly been signatories of, and working, to the 6 standards of Mental Health at work commitment since 2019, A commitment to personal development, with opportunities for growth. The role is offered at 35 hours per week, but we will consider part time (minimum of 28 hours). Please indicate any preference on your application. For internal staff we will consider offering this role on a secondment basis. To learn more about working in our teams visit our website, or check out the video below: For an informal conversation, contact: hei-peopleservices@soton.ac.uk