Research & Development Transformation Project Lead

Job overview

Research & Development Transformation Project Lead

• hours per week (Condensed and Reduced hours negotiable)

Fixed term for 12 months

Salary: £49,387 - £56,515 per annum

Closing Date: Thursday 28th May 2026

Interview Date: TBC

**This post may close early due to high numbers of applications, so you are advised to apply promptly. **

All correspondence for this vacancy will be sent by email; please check your account regularly including your Junk and SPAM areas.

A great and friendly place to work, so bring your passion, commitment and expertise and enjoy the opportunities to make a difference every day.

We welcome applications from the Armed Forces Community – get in touch to find out more

#JoinTeamEliot

• The Research Transformation Project Lead will lead and deliver a portfolio of time‑limited transformation projects within Research & Development, supporting the improvement of research systems, processes, and delivery across the Trust. The post holder will apply project and change management expertise to deliver agreed outcomes to time, cost, and quality standards.
• The role involves working collaboratively with R&D teams, clinical services, and key stakeholders to implement change, manage risks, and ensure alignment with Trust and national research priorities. The post holder will support service redesign, performance improvement, and sustainability, contributing to a culture of innovation and continuous improvement within Research & Development.

Main duties of the job

• The Research Transformation Project Lead will lead the delivery of a 12‑month, cross‑Trust transformation programme to reduce delays in study set‑up across George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust and South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust. The post holder will map and analyse end‑to‑end study set‑up pathways, identify duplication and bottlenecks, and support the elimination or reduction of delays from approval to first participant first visit, strengthening performance against the national 150‑day standard.
• Working autonomously across both organisations, the post holder will harmonise R&D processes, developing shared SOPs, templates, workflows and an integrated approvals model. They will coordinate inputs from R&D, clinical services and corporate support departments including Pharmacy, Radiology, Pathology, Information Governance, Contracts, Finance and Digital/IT.
• The role will establish robust project governance, develop a cross‑Trust digital performance dashboard, and provide regular assurance reporting to senior leaders. The post holder will also support workforce capability, engagement and communication, delivering joint workshops and improvement resources, and produce a scalable model to support future expansion of joint research operations.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The Research Transformation Project Lead will lead a time‑limited, non‑clinical transformation programme to improve the efficiency, consistency and speed of study set‑up across George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust (GEH) and South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust (SWFT). The post holder will apply recognised project and change management methodologies to harmonise Research & Development (R&D) processes, reduce delays, and support compliance with national performance standards, including the 150‑day study set‑up target.

The role spans two acute Trusts, multiple clinical specialties and support services, requiring autonomous working, senior‑level engagement and strong organisational skills. The post holder will support the development of a joint research operating model and prepare both organisations for future expansion of collaborative research delivery.

Project Leadership and Delivery

• Lead the end‑to‑end delivery of the Research Harmonisation and Study Set‑up Transformation Project across GEH and SWFT.
• Develop and maintain detailed project plans, milestones, risk and issue logs (RAID), dependency maps and benefits realisation plans.
• Establish robust and proportionate project governance and provide regular progress, risk and assurance reports to senior leadership, R&D Committees and programme boards.
• Where required, provide day‑to‑day direction to project support staff or secondees to ensure delivery of agreed outputs.

Process Mapping, Redesign and Harmonisation

• Map and analyse end‑to‑end study set‑up pathways across both Trusts, including approvals, governance, contracting, costing, capacity and capability checks.
• Identify duplication, variation, inefficiencies and bottlenecks contributing to delays from approval to first participant first visit (FPFV).
• Support the reduction of Stage 2 and Stage 3 timelines to improve performance against national standards.
• Develop and implement harmonised SOPs, templates, workflows and process maps to support a consistent cross‑Trust operating model.

Digital Tools, Data and Reporting

• Design, develop and maintain a cross‑Trust digital dashboard to track study set‑up timelines, KPIs, bottlenecks and performance trends.
• Collate and analyse complex quantitative and qualitative data to inform decision‑making and service improvement.
• Improve data quality, reporting and transparency for internal governance and external performance reporting (e.g. NIHR).

Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration

• Build and maintain effective working relationships with R&D teams, clinical services, and support departments including Pharmacy, Radiology, Pathology, Information Governance, Contracts, Finance and Digital/IT.
• Facilitate workshops, working groups and co‑design sessions to support engagement, testing and adoption of new processes.
• Act as a central point of coordination for cross‑Trust communication relating to the transformation programme.

Workforce Capability and Communication

• Support workforce development through joint training sessions, workshops and improvement resources.
• Develop a Principal Investigator (PI) support pack and practical guidance to support timely study set‑up.
• Promote a culture of collaboration, shared learning and continuous improvement across both organisations.

Governance, Compliance and Assurance

• Ensure all harmonised processes align with NIHR, HRA, UK Policy Framework, GCP, GDPR and Trust governance requirements.
• Work with corporate teams to ensure redesigned pathways are compliant, safe and sustainable.
• Support preparation for audits, inspections or external reviews where required.

Scalability and Sustainability

• Produce a “scale‑up pack” enabling aligned processes and tools to be adopted by other Foundation Group partners or NHS Trusts.
• Plan and support structured handover to embed new processes into business‑as‑usual arrangements with clear ownership.

For a full comprehensive list of main responsibilities and duties, please kindly refer to job description and personal specification attached.