Operations Transformation Manager (Scientific Research) in London

Salary for this Role: From £68,668, with benefits, subject to skills and experience.

Reports to: Claire Pitcher

Closing Date: 09/Feb/ GMT

Details of the role:

Working pattern: This is a full-time permanent Hybrid (minimum 3 days a week in the office) position on the Crick Terms and Conditions of Employment.

The Francis Crick Institute is Europe’s largest biomedical research institute under one roof. Our world-class scientists and staff collaborate on vital research to help prevent, diagnose and treat illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, infectious diseases and neurodegenerative conditions. The Crick is a place for collaboration, innovation and exploration across many disciplines. A space where the brightest minds can pursue big and bold ideas and discover answers to crucial scientific questions. We support them in a dynamic environment which fosters excellence with state-of-the-art infrastructure, cutting-edge facilities, and a creative and curious culture. We’ve removed traditional boundaries of departments, divisions and disciplines and instead have an open approach that supports every researcher. This gives us the freedom to take risks and carry out high-quality, pioneering research. Creating a space for discovery without boundaries helps us to turn our science into benefits for human health and the economy.

About the role: We are recruiting for a strategic, results driven Operations Transformation Manager (Scientific Research), to join our Programme Management team and play a pivotal role in driving operational transformation across the organisation. As an Operations Transformation Manager - Scientific Research, (known internally as a Senior Project Manager: Operations), you will lead cross‑functional strategic projects that strengthen the Institute’s operational effectiveness and support world‑class scientific research. You’ll take ownership of end to end project delivery, from scoping and planning through to implementation and evaluation, using your analytical skills to identify issues, propose solutions, and manage risks and dependencies. Working closely with colleagues across operations, science, and corporate services, you will design and deliver improvements that enhance processes, reduce risk, and introduce smarter, more efficient ways of working. Your work may involve transforming operational environments for scientists, improving regulatory compliance, or deploying new technologies and processes that drive efficiency without disrupting live operations. You will also contribute to building project management capability across the Crick, supporting the Head of PMO in establishing consistent tools, frameworks, and reporting for the wider project portfolio. You will bring confidence, flexibility, and strong stakeholder engagement skills to motivate others and deliver meaningful, lasting change.

What you will be doing: As an Operations Transformation Manager at the Crick, you will:

• Project management: Leading on operational change projects from initiative through development to implementation with ownership of project planning, timelines, resources and risk management. Monitor project progress, ensuring adherence to control parameters: scope, budget, dependencies and timeline.
• Business improvement delivery: Work with the sponsor and senior stakeholders to agree the scope of the project, options for delivery and developing the business case to support benefits realisation. Prepare and present clear and concise proposals, and roadmaps, for review by stakeholders to explain the strategy and approach to solutions.
• Stakeholder management: Build relationships with key stakeholders up to Director and Lab Leader level, across science and operations to gain a deep understanding of user wants and needs. Organise, chair, and document meetings and workshops between stakeholders at all levels of the organisation to collaboratively discuss, explore and understand issues and brainstorm solutions.

About you: You will have:

• Educated to degree or equivalent level in a relevant discipline.
• Experience of working in business analysis, business transformation and/or project management roles.
• Proven recent record of accomplishment for end-to-end delivery of business change projects, involving a diverse group of internal stakeholders, with the application of structured and agile project management tools.
• Demonstrates critical analysis of business systems and processes, including experience of capturing user requirements, mapping business processes, ability to articulate and visualise complex problems to non-technical stakeholders.
• Ability to build persuasive arguments based on data, logic and the objective merits of solutions, reconcile conflicting viewpoints and remove obstacles to progress.
• Understands change management and its criticality to the success of project outcomes.
• Experience of working in a scientific, clinical, healthcare or academic environment (Desirable).

About Working at the Crick: Our values: Everyone who works at the Crick has a valuable role to play in advancing the Crick’s mission and shaping our culture. We are bold. We make space for creative, dynamic and imaginative ideas and approaches. We’re not afraid to do things differently. We are open. We’re highly collaborative and interactive, and make sure our activities are visible to the outside world. We are collegial. We show respect for one another, work cooperatively and support the wider community. At the Francis Crick Institute, we believe that diversity and inclusion are essential to driving innovation and scientific discovery. We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to succeed, regardless of their background, identity, or personal circumstances. We actively encourage applications from individuals of all genders, ethnicities, abilities, and experiences. We are a Disability Confident: Committed employer and want to ensure that everyone can apply and be part of our recruitment processes and so we will make reasonable adjustments if you need them - just let us know when you apply.