Business Change Manager (NHS AfC: Band 7) - Administration - Health Research Authority

The HRA is a dynamic organisation, delivering excellent services through its committees, simplifying the health research process and championing research in the NHS. We hope that you are as enthused by our vision, our plans and our operations as we are.

Main area Administration Grade NHS AfC: Band 7 Contract Fixed term: 20 months (Until 30 April 2027\’) Hours

• Full time
• Flexible working
• Home or remote working
• Compressed hours

37.5 hours per week (Until 30/04/2027) Job ref 980-HRA7308431-B

Site Newcastle Town Newcastle Salary £47,810 – £54,710 Per Annum Salary period Yearly Closing 27/07/2025 23:59

The HRA is a Non Departmental Public Body with the remit to protect and promote the interests of patients and the public in health and social care research. We do this by supporting and promoting a robust and efficient regulatory and governance framework in the UK. We provide the Research Ethics Service (RES), Confidentiality Advice function, assessments and assurances on behalf of the NHS, and learning, guidance and advice for the research community. Our ambition is to make the UK a great place to do research, where more money invested in research goes into carrying out relevant, good quality research.

Our purpose is to ensure that research involving NHS patients and members of the public is approved through a proportionate and robust system, that they are provided with the information they need to help them decide whether they wish to take part, and that their opportunity to do so is maximised by simplifying the processes by which high quality research is assessed. We have already delivered significant improvements by centralising and simplifying the approval of research in the NHS in England, and are undertaking a range of significant programmes to deliver further improvements.

Job overview

The HRA is leading the transformation on behalf of our IRAS partners. As Business Change Manager, you’ll lead the planning and delivery of business change to support the successful adoption of the new IRAS service. You’ll work across a complex stakeholder environment to ensure readiness, drive engagement, and embed change in practice.

You’ll be part of a cross-functional team working closely with our IRAS partners including representatives from Health and Care Research Wales, Chief Scientist Office (Scotland), and Health and Social Care Northern Ireland.

Work flexibly across organisational boundaries, contributing to areas beyond your immediate remit to support joined-up delivery and transformation outcomes.

This is an opportunity to work at the heart of public sector digital transformation — helping to ensure change lands well for the people and organisations who use our services.

Interviews will take place week commencing 18 August 2025

Main duties of the job

· Lead the design and delivery of structured change interventions to support adoption of new digital services, systems, and processes

· Engage with internal and external stakeholders to understand the impact of change and plan for successful transition

· Develop inclusive and targeted change plans for different user groups

· Work closely with delivery teams, product leads and user experience teams to ensure change activities are aligned with service rollout

· Coordinate with national programmes (e.g. UK Clinical Research Delivery and Clinical Trials Regulation) to align change activities and reduce duplication

· Collaborate with communications, learning and development, and guidance teams to ensure change is well-supported and well-understood

Working for our organisation

As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for you, not just us and the work we do.

We’re committed to creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. We know from experience that different ideas, perspectives, and backgrounds create a stronger, more creative workplace that help us to deliver the best services.

We welcome applications which represent the rich diversity of our community. This includes:
• age
• disability
• ethnicity
• gender identity and expression
• religion or belief
• sex
• sexual orientation
• other diverse characteristics

We have policies in place to ensure that all applicants are treated fairly and consistently at every stage of the recruitment process.

When applying to work here, speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement – if it works for you, we’ll do our best to make it work for us.

Please note, if applying to our Nottingham or Bristol locations, we are only able to offer the role as home based.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

This role sits within the HRA Approvals Service directorate, which consists of various teams that all work together to provide the appropriate approval for health research in England and, for some applications, across the UK. This directorate is responsible for:
-Delivering HRA Approval
-Supporting the Confidentiality Advisory Group and advising on the use of confidential patient information without consent
-Working to refine the systems and processes researchers need to follow to ensure a swift, robust and simple experience
-Providing guidance to applicants
-Providing training
-Working collaboratively with external partners to improve the research environment To find out more and to understand the full duties of the role, please refer to the job description attached.
In submitting your application with us, please note the following:
We currently do not accept applications via recruitment agencies.
We do not hold a sponsorship licence and are unable to offer employment under any sponsorship arrangement.
Where applicants fail to demonstrate how they meet any one of the essential criteria of the person specification, the application will not be shortlisted. You will be considered based only on the information in your application form. CVs will not be considered.
The HRA reserves the right to close this vacancy early should it receive a sufficient number of applications.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Masters level qualification or portfolio of evidence demonstrating ability to work at this level in business, organisational change, or digital/service transformation
• Qualification or equivalent specialist training in change management, service design improvement or digital transformation

Other

• Commitment to inclusivity and valuing diversity

Knowledge, Skills and Expertise

• Ability to act with diplomacy and sensitivity, use negotiating and influencing skills, and an ability to work well and communicate orally and in written communication with others at all levels
• Ability to contribute to the definition of the service to reflect user needs, policy intent and digital service design principles.

Experience

• Experience supporting business change in complex, multi-stakeholder service environments
• Experience of working collaboratively to enable change, including the planning and delivery of structured change interventions to support user adoption of new services, systems, or processes.

Analytical and Judgemental Skills

• Ability to interpret qualitative and quantitative feedback to refine change plans and identify barriers to adoption

Knowledge, Skills and Expertise

• Demonstrable knowledge of change and improvement methodologies and awareness of benefit and risk management process.
• Awareness of agile and iterative delivery models and how change integrates with digital or product teams
• Current knowledge of UK ecosystem for health and social care research including NHS R&D, NIHR CRN structures and delivery processes and UK Research Ethics arrangements and HRA/HCRW Approval

Interpersonal Skills

• Highly self-motivated, confident, proactive, innovative, with ability to work independently and on own initiative. Adaptable to change with a commitment to team working and respect and consideration for the skills of others.

In return for your commitment, we offer excellent opportunities for personal development and a healthy work-life balance. The HRA is committed to promoting and enhancing inclusion, diversity and equality. We welcome and encourage applications, who meet the criteria for the role, regardless of age, gender identity and gender expression, disability, race, religion or belief, marital status, pregnancy, sex or sexual orientation or any other personal circumstances. Reasonable adjustments to the interview process can be made upon request, for candidates with a disability. The HRA welcomes applicants who are interested in flexible working including job share, part time work, secondments or home-based working. Please discuss any preferred flexibility at your interview.

The HRA reserves the right to close this vacancy early should we receive a sufficient number of applications.

The HRA does not hold a sponsor licence in respect of skilled worker visas and so is unable to employ candidates requiring sponsorship.

In order to be considered for this position you must address the criteria outlined in the person specification in your supporting statement. You will be considered based on the information in your application form. CVs will not be considered. All contact is made via our Trac recruitment system. Please check your account regularly.

After applying via NHS Jobs, your submitted application will be imported into our Third-party recruitment system. All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs. If you are appointed to a post, information will also be transferred into the NHS Electronic Staff Records system.

If you have a query relating to your application, please contact the recruitment team on HRA.hrqueries@nhsbsa.nhs.uk or 0300 330 9416.

The NHSBSA is responsible for the processing of your application; a privacy notice is available at the following link to advise you on how we will process your personal data.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

The HRA offers a variety of career paths for its staff as well as a wide range of benefits, including NHS pensions and discounts.

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