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Job requirements
Essential
8 listedRequirements the employer expects applicants to meet.
- Experience
Senior experience delivering and managing parallel research, data or digital services within multidisciplinary teams.
- Experience
Experience managing end-to-end service delivery, including governance, technical delivery and customer-facing support.
- Experience
Experience translating researcher requirements into data, analytics or platform specifications and interpreting technical constraints
- Experience
Experience of real-world health and care data, SQL-based feasibility assessment, portfolio risk management and service improvement.
- Experience
Experience managing budgets and leading middle-grade and senior staff.
- Experience
Experience working with universities, pharmaceutical companies, contract research organisations and other external partners.
- Education/ qualifications
PRINCE2 qualification or equivalent experience managing complex projects
- Education/ qualifications
Evidence of post-qualification development in health economics, statistics or scientific writing
Desirable
2 listedAdditional qualities the employer would prefer.
- Experience
Experience participating in bids to secure external funding.
- Experience
Good understanding of national research infrastructure and funding priorities
Job overview
We are seeking an experienced Head of Service Delivery to lead the end-to-end London Secure Data Environment Research Service. The London SDE is a jointly owned resource for London, bringing together linked, de-identified health and care data in a secure environment to support discovery, service improvement and research for public benefit.
You will own the researcher journey from first enquiry and feasibility through governance, onboarding, data delivery, analysis support and study completion. Working across the NHS, universities, life sciences and technical partners, you will turn complex user needs into clear data, analytics and platform requirements—and translate technical constraints into practical advice.
This is a senior leadership role for someone who combines research-data expertise with outstanding delivery discipline. You will oversee a diverse portfolio, manage risks and resources, improve service standards, lead senior colleagues and build trusted relationships across London. You will champion strong governance, transparency and meaningful patient and public involvement.
You will bring substantial experience of complex research, data or digital services; confidence working with real-world health data, clinical informatics and feasibility assessment; and the ability to lead through ambiguity while keeping users, quality and public benefit at the centre.
Main duties of the job
- Provide senior ownership of the end-to-end London SDE Research Service, ensuring researchers, life sciences partners and NHS organisations receive a clear, consistent and responsive service.
- Translate service-user requirements for data, analytics and platform capability into clear technical requirements, and translate technical constraints into practical advice.
- Lead continuous improvement of service delivery methods, data advisory practice, researcher support standards and portfolio oversight.
- Maintain safe, governed access to linked, de-identified health and care data while strengthening transparency, public trust and patient and public involvement.
- Identify delivery risks and operational constraints, develop mitigations and ensure the service remains aligned to the London SDE business plan.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required.
For both overviews please view the Job Description attachment with the job advert.
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Head of Service Delivery with Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust in London, England. It is listed as a Band 8 Head of service role. The advertised salary is £88250.00 to £100355.00. The contract type is Fixed term: 2 years (until 31st December 2028). The application deadline is 28 Oct 2026.
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