Research and Development Project Lead

Job overview

This post is fixed term for 24 months.

The Research & Development Project Lead will enable the planning, execution, and effective completion of clinical trials within the Trust, adhering to standards, timelines, and budgets, while also managing teams and stakeholders.

The role will be key in building and providing local expertise by horizon scanning and mapping the regional landscape for investment opportunities in clinical research appropriate to CPFT services.

They will support CPFT clinicians in seeking public and private collaborations for research enablement.

They will offer high research governance knowledge, and business intelligence to support the development, growth and delivery of clinical research activity across the Trust.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will assist with facilitation and development of the Trust’s R&D services through input to planning, negotiating contracts and service level agreements and assist with the production of business cases for investment.

The key purposes of the role will be:

• leading and monitoring the clinical research feasibility service by disseminating study feasibility requests from external stakeholders, identifying investigators and research groups with specific research interests to take on studies and ensuring expressions of interest are completed and submitted in a timely manner.
• leading the research governance function of the department.provide support to core R&D functions including delivery, budget management and contracts.

The post holder will work closely and collaboratively with investigators, senior research staff, study sponsors, research networks, professional R&D leads, clinical support staff and the Trust R&D Department to deliver an excellent standard of research and maintain a high profile.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities.

Lead the clinical research feasibility process by building and utilising expert local knowledge and working closely with the NIHR, Life Science Industry partners and external stakeholders including the Cambridge University Health Partnership (CUHP) to identify researchers for expressions of interest.

Be the lead person for research governance within the Trust. The post holder will be contributing to the development and implementation of robust research governance policies, standard operating procedures (SOPs) and sound contractual arrangements. The post holder will provide expertise and effective research governance support to the R&D department.

To support the CPFT research PPIE lead in facilitating and promoting effective patient and public involvement in research.

Advise on study set up & review of research capability & capacity, as required. Horizon scanning to identify new research opportunities across all Trust services and geography. Be the main point of contact for external stakeholders for study feasibility providing support to ensure studies are placed at CPFT

Work with commercial sponsors CROs, and academic institutions to build client relationships. Streamline and improve the efficiency, quality and responsiveness of the feasibility process to maximise researcher engagement and increase the volume of positive expressions of interest and site selection for the benefit of patients and CPFT.

Be a point of escalation for research teams, support departments and external stakeholders and support them to resolve challenges.