Interventional Research Pathway ManagerNHS

Job summary

CRDC Sussex is transforming commercial clinical trial delivery across Sussex, making research more accessible, efficient, and inclusive. Working with NHS organisations, primary care, community providers, diagnostic services, research teams, and commercial sponsors, we are streamlining study set-up processes and improving access to innovative research opportunities.

As the Interventional Research Pathway Manager, you will lead the development and implementation of efficient study set-up pathways that enable commercial clinical trials to open faster and more consistently across the region. You will work with a wide range of stakeholders to identify and address operational challenges, improve collaboration, and support the achievement of national research performance targets.

Commercial trials require coordination across multiple services, including pharmacy, imaging, pathology, governance, and clinical teams. You will help remove barriers to study activation by developing sustainable processes that support high-quality research delivery.

Key responsibilities include leading service improvement initiatives, investigating delays and compliance issues, developing implementation plans and risk registers, monitoring progress against objectives, and promoting research capability across Sussex.

Main duties of the job

Lead service improvement initiatives to streamline and enhance the delivery of commercial clinical trials across Sussex. Using project management and continuous improvement methodologies, the role focuses on reducing variation, improving efficiency, and supporting the development of consistent study set-up pathways. Key responsibilities include investigating delays, compliance issues, and operational challenges that impact research delivery, working collaboratively with stakeholders to identify solutions and improve performance.

The post holder will develop and maintain implementation plans, risk registers, and progress reporting mechanisms to support the achievement of CRDC objectives and national research set-up targets. Working closely with NHS Trusts, community providers, research teams, and commercial partners, they will help coordinate efforts across organisations and ensure effective communication and collaboration.

A significant aspect of the role involves promoting research capability and encouraging the adoption of best practice across Sussex. This includes supporting training initiatives, sharing knowledge, and helping organisations build the skills required to deliver high-quality commercial research.

Job description

Main duties and responsibilitiesWork collaboratively with clinicians, managers, and external partners to deliver transformative and cost-effective changes which are fit for purpose and affordable. Maintain a clear understanding of how the services that support research delivery operate and the challenges they face in approving requests to support research within the required timeframe. To work with service managers to define optimal study set up pathways and supporting processes that are deliverable, sustainable, and meet national research delivery metrics. Develop and implement policy and SOPs in relation to agreed research pathways, both across departments within UHSussex, and in other health and care organisations across Sussex (for example other Trusts, General Practice) Support research leads in setting standards and providing quality assurance of research support services across the system to reduce variation in set-up timelines and drive efficiency of clinical trial delivery. Drive, track, record, and share progress in delivering the NIHR commercial research delivery targets. Work with other key senior managers to monitor compliance to agreed pathways, investigate breaches, escalate as appropriate and make required adjustments. Support the implementation of integrated services and pathway specific access to rapid diagnostic services locally through collaborative work across the Surrey and Sussex system and promote a sense of collective responsibility across partners Maximise research training across the system, by directing the identification and mapping of research training needs across all Sussex health care organisations and departments, ensuring equitable access to high-quality development opportunities. Respond quickly and appropriately to concerns regarding barriers to meeting government research set up metrics escalated by colleagues within the scope of the role, with a proactive and problem-solving approach to resolution of issues. Create a detailed work plan for the creation of pathways to increase the speed of research set up, with clear objectives, defined outputs and supporting action logs and risk logs for CRDC Management team sign off. Lead on the implementation of lean methodology and standardisation. Communication Agree mechanism and format for progress updates to CRDC Management team, CRDC Steering Group and research delivery service managers. Demonstrated ability to influence, persuade, and motivate internal and external staff to drive process innovation, service development, and collaborative working across the Trust and wider system partners. Ability to challenge approaches where they are sub optimal and adopt a motivational and persuasive communication style to ensure secure an improved approach is adopted. Demonstrated proficiency in converting complex metrics and protocol requirements into actionable operational plans, driving service efficiency and data-informed decision-making both within the Trust and across external partner organisations. Communicates effectively with regional and national NIHR infrastructure, including other Commercial Research Delivery Centres, the CRDC UK Network, and the South East Regional Research Delivery Network, to share learning, align processes, and support coordinated digital research deliver. Work closely with clinical and governance teams within UHSussex and research delivery teams to ensure processes are collaborative and all parties are informed. Contribute to formal reports as required by UHSussex Research and Innovation and CRDC Sussex utilising necessary software/ tools and working closely.Service delivery and improvement Build collaborative relationships with senior stakeholders, including executive leaders and clinicians, to drive change.People management and developmentThe post holder will have line management responsibilities as the CRDC team grows, and will work closely with the Deputy Head of Research(Governance & Performance Manager) and the CRDC Lead Nurse and Business Manager to support the training of Research Governance staff within various research delivery settings to study set up pathways. Act as a coach/mentor to support staff in improvement methodology and the implementation of change. Establish effective systems, processes, and ways of working for a new, cross organisational service, supporting staff to work flexibly and collaboratively across Sussex. Identify learning and development needs within the team and across partner organisations, coordinating access to appropriate training and resources. Ability to respond quickly and effectively to concerns escalated by colleagues within the scope of the role and adopts a problem-solving approach to tasks. Act as a role model by promoting a positive, inclusive, and supportive culture aligned with UHSussex values, encouraging continuous learning, innovation, and reflective practice. Support staff wellbeing and workload management, ensuring safe, sustainable working practices in a complex and evolving digital research environment.Patient care delivery Ensure that all digital research processes uphold the highest standards of patient safety, confidentiality, and dignity, aligning with UHSussex values and the organisations commitment to putting patients first. Promote robust governance across all research data pathways, ensuring that patient information is handled lawfully, ethically, and transparently. Where possible enables research delivery for a study at multiple locations to reduce research participants requirements to travel. Learning and development Attend mandatory training updates as required. Undertake training as necessary in line with the development of the post and as agreed with the line manager as part of the personal development process. Achieve and demonstrate agreed standards of personal and professional development within agreed timescales. Identify own learning needs and jointly plan training requirements with your line manager. Participate in the Trusts appraisal process to discuss how your role will help deliver the best possible care to our patients and help to deliver any changes in service. Promote a culture of continuous learning and reflective practice within the Commercial Research Delivery Centre, encouraging innovation, curiosity, and shared problem solving

About us

Working for our organisation

At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always deliver Excellent Care Everywhere, as shown in our Outstanding for Caring CQC rating. Your uniqueness and experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of staff networks to help break down barriers, and can offer abuddy to help new members settle in. We're proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 3) and a Veteran Aware Trust.

Candidate Pack

This vacancy is advertised as a time-limited opportunity is expected to be undertaken on a secondment basis. Before applying, employees must discuss the opportunity with their current line manager to confirm whether they may be released from their substantive role if successful. Release to undertake a secondment is not an automatic entitlement and must be agreed by all relevant parties: the employee, their current line manager, and the recruiting line manager.