Innovation Project Manager in Crawley

Salary: circa £40,000 @1.0 WTE / 37.5 hrs per week

Benefits: Include flexible working and 33 days annual leave per annum + UK Bank Holidays (please see our career site landing page for full details of employee benefits)

Hours: 1.0 WTE / Full-time, 37.5 hrs per week

Contract: 2 years fixed term contract

Base: KSS AHSNs (trading as Health Innovation KSS) primary place of business is The Beehive, located in Gatwick/Crawley, West Sussex. We have further satellite / hot‑desking arrangements at sites located in Guildford.

Location: Health Innovation KSS work on a hybrid basis. The successful candidate is expected to be based in, or be able to attend meetings in Kent, Surrey, Sussex geography.

Reports to: Innovation Manager

Job Purpose

To be responsible for delivering project manager level support to Health Innovation KSS enterprise and innovator support programmes and projects. Particularly supporting programme delivery working closely with the Innovation Manager(s)/ Director for Innovation and Enterprise and the entire team, taking on lead project management responsibilities for specific workstreams or projects, with oversight support from the Innovation Manager.

Objectives

• Manage and take ownership of new projects with innovators and the health and care system, ensuring that there is a clear project plan with allocated resources and timelines.
• Deliver against project plans, with full reporting of achievement of milestones and stakeholder engagement.
• Escalate any time‑critical issues to the relevant innovation manager.
• Support the delivery of the OLS Commission and the NHSE Innovation Support Programmes and any third‑party delivery as assigned by the innovation manager or Director.

This is an exceptionally busy and fast‑paced role that will require a proactive individual who is highly skilled in project management, information gathering, problem‑solving, event management and engagement with health and care system leaders.

Key responsibilities

• Work closely with the relevant Innovation Manager(s), Director, and where appropriate, Clinical Leads in the management and delivery of an assigned portfolio, which may include commissioned programmes of work and third‑party programme delivery.
• Supporting the internal innovation panel and primary care panel as part of the OLS commission and other relevant forums/groups with agendas and speakers organised in advance.
• Provide level 1 innovator support (advice and guidance) to our portfolio of innovators alongside other team members.
• Develop and deliver workshops and webinars to innovators and stakeholders, develop material and present both in person and online.
• Supporting collating responses to stakeholders across KSS, commissioners and network colleagues around the identification of solutions for challenges identified.
• Manage the reporting process for the OLS commission and elements of the NHSE commission (Innovator support programmes), including working with colleagues across Health Innovation KSS to ensure that all work and contributions are captured.
• Capture team activity succinctly for reporting such as QART and be key contact for PMO engagement in wider delivery.
• Lead the engagement for the E&I team with ICB activities, focussing on capturing the needs of each ICB through a Needs Articulation process.
• Provide cover for the innovator coordinator role(s) when the job holder is absent, or where workload requires temporary additional resource.
• Work with the comms team to ensure media coverage of projects and E&I team’s work and to develop case studies on a quarterly basis.
• Create good working relationships with teams in organisations participating in those projects and programmes.
• Building expertise, trust and commitment to the goals of the projects and programmes.
• Maintain strong working relationships with clinical and non‑clinical stakeholders within our provider trusts and ICB’s.
• Collating and presenting data for reports using appropriate IT programmes.
• Assist in the analysis of survey and audit data, summarising data and preparing reports for analysis to a professional standard of presentation (using Excel, Word and PowerPoint).
• Be familiar with all the projects and workstreams within the programme, and key partners and be able to convey this clearly and concisely and direct enquiries as required to the appropriate person for response.

The job description is not intended to be exhaustive, and it is likely that duties may be altered from time to time in the light of changing circumstances and after consultation with the post holder. You will be expected to actively participate in bi‑annual appraisals and set objectives in conjunction with your manager. Performance will be monitored against set objectives.

General responsibilities

• To act as ‘one team’.
• To promote the values of Health Innovation Kent Surrey Sussex.
• To share knowledge and work collegiately to mutual benefit with national and local voluntary sector organisations particularly relevant to the work theme.
• Facilitate and support colleagues working on other Health Innovation KSS programmes as required.
• To ensure effective communications within and between teams, be involved in and participate in meetings, team briefings, development days, corporate events etc.
• To engage in regular performance reviews against agreed objectives.
• To be responsible for actively identifying own development needs and committing to a personal development plan based on continuous learning.

Values and Behaviours

Health Innovation KSS has developed a clear vision for the direction of the company. A set of values and behaviours have also been developed and agreed to underpin this vision. Our values and behaviours framework can be found on our Careers site. Applicants and employees will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to these values and behaviours, which will be assessed through the recruitment, selection and appraisal processes.

Diversity and Equal Opportunities

It is the desire of Health Innovation Kent Surrey Sussex to broaden diversity within its workforce. Health Innovation KSS is an equal opportunities employer and ensures that all new, existing and prospective employees are treated fairly through the principles of equal treatment and promotion of diversity. This includes:

• ensuring that all individuals who come into contact with the organisation, whether as employees, stakeholders or in any other capacity are treated with dignity and respect;
• ensuring that the opportunities we provide for learning, personal development and employment are made available on a non‑discriminatory basis;
• providing a safe, supportive and welcoming environment for employees, stakeholders, visitors and others.

Along with the other 14 companies within the Innovation Network, we are committed to a series of pledges to further support the diversity and innovation agenda.

Person Specification

Education/Qualifications

• Essential: Degree level qualification or equivalent work‑related experience; Evidence of continuous development; shows strong self‑development ethos and learning from a range of interests.
• Desirable: Degree level qualification ideally in a science or health related subject; Project or portfolio management qualification or equivalent experience.

Knowledge & Experience

• Essential: Experience of providing project management and high level support and event management; Managing resources to support the delivery of projects/programmes; Highly competent knowledge and experience of utilising a range of IT platforms, including: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, E‑mail, Internet and relevant social media platforms; Experience of using content management systems and social media for business; Experience of communicating with a wide range of professionals; Experience of writing targeted messages and information for different audiences, for both printed and digital communication; Experience in prioritising work‑load for programme manager to ensure priorities are flagged up; Experience of servicing meetings with agenda formation and minute taking; Experience of developing and delivering advice to innovators; Experience of supporting high level health and care system leaders.
• Desirable: Experience or proven interest to quality, innovation and technology; Experience of working with a range of staff at all levels, including clinicians; Supporting innovators in health and care specific innovations; Working with ICB’s.

Skills & Abilities

• Essential: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the confidence to communicate effectively with people at all levels within the organisation and externally, including high level clinical staff; The ability to plan and organise a broad range of activities; Interested in IT and able to learn and adapt to new innovations; Excellent written English with the ability to produce targeted messages for different audiences; To work with a positive attitude and keen interest in making contributions to the smooth function of the programme team; Ability to make sensible judgements involving facts/situations which may require analysis and interpretations; Ability to deal with constantly changing workload, prioritise effectively and meet deadlines; Can demonstrate skills in organising and prioritising of diaries and schedules; Ability to use own initiative within sphere of responsibility; Ability to prioritise workload based on urgency and importance; Ability to adopt an objective view and be a good team player, as well as work independently when required; Ability to use own judgement and logic to resolve issues; Ability to be flexible and adaptable and cope with frequent and unpredictable interruptions; Ability to work within a team environment and display initiative when necessary; Ability to work unsupervised; Able to demonstrate tact and diplomacy.
• Desirable: Sound knowledge of the NHS, social care, current government policies and change/innovation programmes.

Values and behaviours

• Essential: To set a high‑quality standard, and work in a positive and mature manner; Reliable work record; Willing to work in harmony within a team; Flexibility of style to reflect the needs of a small organisation; Understands own strengths and limitations and impact on others; Demonstrates the confidence, resilience and energy to overcome obstacles to achieve the best outcome; Highly results orientated, with a strong drive to deliver and have an impact; A strong sense of personal and team accountability, delivers on commitments; Positive, pro‑active and has a ‘can do’ attitude; Takes responsibility for own actions; Demonstrates ability to handle change effectively; Has a flexible and adaptable approach to work; Values diversity and looks for opportunities to improve equality.

Other requirements

• Demonstrates flexibility within working patterns and prepared to work flexible hours if required.
• To act in such a manner as to maintain and protect patient and staff confidentiality at all times.
• Travel, as required, within the KSS patch.
• Ability to work at sites across Kent, Surrey and Sussex when required for particular meetings and events.

To apply for this role, you must do so by following the application process (click on the apply button below). You will answer some eligibility questions as well as some which are related to your day‑to‑day job. After the job closes, our selection panel will review your application answers and CV. It is our aim to manage our recruitment processes in a fair, consistent and unbiased way. Please be assured that your application and CV will be entirely anonymised, until shortlisting has taken place.

The closing date for applications is Thursday 9th April 2026. If you are shortlisted, we’ll invite you to the next step, which will be a first formal interview. Initial interviews are expected to be conducted remotely, via Teams. We love giving feedback, so if you do attend for interview, we will share how well you performed at the end of the selection process.

No Agencies, thank you.