King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Research & Development (R&D) Operational Manager

The closing date is 15 September 2025

Job summary

The Research & Development office at King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is looking for an enthusiastic, motivated and independent individual to join our team as a R&D Operational Manager. The post holder will be responsible for the delivery of R&D governance review and approval within the Trust. They will act as the Kings College Hospital Research Governance Lead, ensuring the organisation meets their legal and regulatory obligations in order to create and maintain a high quality compliant research base. A key role is to ensure that research is facilitated and approved efficiently and rapidly in line with NIHR objectives for study set-up. As the Trust looks to increase research activity and offer more opportunities for our patients, this role will play a key role in ensuring robust governance processes are maintained while engaging and assisting researchers to set-up and deliver studies.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will lead on research governance and provision of NHS permission for studies to be undertaken within King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. They will be responsible for developing and implementing local systems to enable the assurances of capacity and capability of the Trust undertaking research projects. Applicants will be expected to have the following:

  • Extensive experience of research governance management in the NHS, academia or pharmaceutical industry
  • An excellent understanding and extensive experience of research governance and other relevant regulations relating to clinical research
  • Experience of line management and leading a team
The post is offered on a full time basis with a permanent substantive contract.

About us

King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK's largest and busiest teaching Trusts with a turnover of c£1 billion, 1.5 million patient contacts a year and more than 15,000 staff based across South East London.

The Trust provides a full range of local and specialist services across its five sites. The trust-wide strategy of Strong Roots, Global Reach is our Vision to be BOLD, Brilliant people, Outstanding care, Leaders in Research, Innovation and Education, Diversity, Equality and Inclusion at the heart of everything we do. By being person-centred, digitally-enabled, and focused on sustainability, we aim to take Team King's to another level.

We are at a pivotal point in our history and we require individuals who are ready to join a highly professional team and make a real, lasting difference to our patients and our people.

King's is committed to delivering Sustainable Healthcare for All via our Green Plan. In line with national Greener NHS ambitions, we have set net zero carbon targets of 2040 for our NHS Carbon Footprint and 2045 for our NHS Carbon Footprint Plus. Everyone's contribution is required in order to meet the goals set out in our Green Plan and we encourage all staff to work responsibly, minimising their contributions to the Trust's carbon emissions, waste and pollution wherever possible.

Details

Date posted

01 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£64,156 to £71,148 a year Inclusive of HCAS Per Annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

213-CORP-7430695

Job locations

R&D Office - Coldharbour Works

245A Coldharbour Lane

Brixton

SW9 8RR


Job description

Job responsibilities

  • Provide expert advice to the Trust regarding research governance, relevant local and national research approvals and research requirements.
  • Liaison with key staff at KCH to provide expert advice and guidance and training around all aspects of research governance and management of research.
  • Develop policies and standard operating procedures around the governance approval systems and national legislation.
  • Liaise with the South London Clinical Research Network Team in order to facilitate new CRN initiatives and deliver on high level network objectives.
  • Responsible for the accurate submission of Trust research data for the Department of Health benchmarks related to Performance in Initiating and Delivering Clinical Research.
  • Manage the day to day running of the R&D Department.

Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for further details of the main responsibilities of the role.

Job description

Job responsibilities

  • Provide expert advice to the Trust regarding research governance, relevant local and national research approvals and research requirements.
  • Liaison with key staff at KCH to provide expert advice and guidance and training around all aspects of research governance and management of research.
  • Develop policies and standard operating procedures around the governance approval systems and national legislation.
  • Liaise with the South London Clinical Research Network Team in order to facilitate new CRN initiatives and deliver on high level network objectives.
  • Responsible for the accurate submission of Trust research data for the Department of Health benchmarks related to Performance in Initiating and Delivering Clinical Research.
  • Manage the day to day running of the R&D Department.

Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for further details of the main responsibilities of the role.

Person Specification

Education & Qualification

Essential

  • Relevant degree/ professional qualification or equivalent experience.
  • Masters level qualification or equivalent experience

Knowledge & Experience

Essential

  • An excellent understanding and extensive experience of research governance and other relevant regulations relating to clinical research.
  • In depth knowledge of non-commercial funding and application processes for clinical research
  • In depth knowledge of the workings of external organisations and authorities relating to clinical research and clinical trials in the NHS and academia
  • Strong and demonstrable interpersonal skills with an ability to communicate with a diverse range of contacts, both internal and external to the organisation.
  • Highly effective change management skills

Desirable

  • Knowledge of different funding streams that exist to support NHS based research.
  • An understanding of commercial research in the NHS and academia.
  • Database skills.

Skills & Competencies

Essential

  • Experience of line management and leading a team.
  • Ability to prioritise & organise own workload and that of a team
  • Ability to motivate members of staff at all levels and demonstrate strong leadership skills.
  • Ability to work efficiently alone & as a member of a multi-professional team.
Person Specification

Education & Qualification

Essential

  • Relevant degree/ professional qualification or equivalent experience.
  • Masters level qualification or equivalent experience

Knowledge & Experience

Essential

  • An excellent understanding and extensive experience of research governance and other relevant regulations relating to clinical research.
  • In depth knowledge of non-commercial funding and application processes for clinical research
  • In depth knowledge of the workings of external organisations and authorities relating to clinical research and clinical trials in the NHS and academia
  • Strong and demonstrable interpersonal skills with an ability to communicate with a diverse range of contacts, both internal and external to the organisation.
  • Highly effective change management skills

Desirable

  • Knowledge of different funding streams that exist to support NHS based research.
  • An understanding of commercial research in the NHS and academia.
  • Database skills.

Skills & Competencies

Essential

  • Experience of line management and leading a team.
  • Ability to prioritise & organise own workload and that of a team
  • Ability to motivate members of staff at all levels and demonstrate strong leadership skills.
  • Ability to work efficiently alone & as a member of a multi-professional team.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Additional information

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Address

R&D Office - Coldharbour Works

245A Coldharbour Lane

Brixton

SW9 8RR


Employer's website

https://www.kch.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Address

R&D Office - Coldharbour Works

245A Coldharbour Lane

Brixton

SW9 8RR


Employer's website

https://www.kch.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

R&D Director

Ann-Marie Murtagh

annmariemurtagh@nhs.net

07809284567

Details

Date posted

01 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£64,156 to £71,148 a year Inclusive of HCAS Per Annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

213-CORP-7430695

Job locations

R&D Office - Coldharbour Works

245A Coldharbour Lane

Brixton

SW9 8RR


Supporting documents

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