Senior Manager, Clinical Operations and QA

Senior Manager, Clinical Operations and QA

London, Edinburgh

Full-time

Clinical

Hybrid

Job Title: Senior Manager, Clinical Operations and QA
Location: London or Edinburgh
Job Type: Permanent with hybrid working (3 days in the office required)

Agencies: We will only work with recruitment partners on our preferred supplier list and will not engage with speculative CVs submitted.

Are you passionate about making life science life changing and delivering impact for patients? We want to hear from you.

About the role:

This role uses deep clinical operations expertise to lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of clinical operational frameworks, systems, and ways of working, supporting high-quality, efficient, and consistent delivery across the clinical portfolio.

The post-holder is responsible for the design and management of operational processes and tools that enable clinical projects to be appropriately selected, set up and delivered consistently and effectively, in line with agreed plans, governance requirements, and expected standards.

Key responsibilities include:

Clinical Operations Frameworks & Systems:

Lead the development and continuous improvement of clinical operational frameworks, processes, systems, and tools to support effective clinical project delivery

Define practical, scalable operational approaches that support efficient and consistent project set-up and delivery

Develop and maintain tools, templates, and systems that support coordination and operational clarity

Ensure operational approaches remain aligned to organisational priorities and evolving delivery needs

Operational Enablement & Consistency:

Drive adoption and effective use of operational frameworks, processes, and systems across clinical projects

Work with project teams and external delivery partners to embed consistent ways of working

Identify gaps in operational approaches and implement targeted improvements to strengthen consistency and efficiency

Provide operational guidance to support effective project set-up and delivery

Governance & Standards:

Maintain and evolve operational governance, standards, and documentation to support consistent and high-quality delivery

Ensure operational approaches are informed by relevant regulatory, compliance, and quality expectations, working with appropriate subject matter experts where required

Translate operational insight and user feedback into targeted improvements to systems, processes, and ways of working

Capability Development & Implementation Support:

Develop guidance, training materials, templates, and practical resources to support adoption of operational frameworks and approaches

Build operational capability across the Clinical group by embedding practical and sustainable ways of working

Support colleagues to understand and apply operational requirements, including awareness of relevant quality and compliance expectations

Collaboration and Leadership:

Act as a clinical operations subject matter expert across cross-functional teams and external partnerships, engaging effectively with stakeholders to support delivery and decision‑making

Contribute to the development and delivery of Clinical pillar priorities and cross-functional initiatives, supporting continuous improvement of clinical processes and ways of working

Provide leadership within the team, including line management and/or matrix oversight where appropriate, with responsibility for objective setting, performance management, and development support

Provide coaching, mentorship, and technical guidance to colleagues, strengthening clinical operations capability and consistency across the Clinical group

Represent the organisation externally in relevant forums and collaborations, where appropriate

Essential experience required:

Significant experience in clinical operations, clinical trial delivery, or clinical project management in industry, academia, or not-for-profit settings

Experience developing, implementing, and managing operational frameworks, systems, tools, or processes that support clinical project delivery

Experience supporting the set-up and delivery of clinical projects or programmes through development and application of operational approaches

Strong understanding of clinical project delivery processes and operational requirements across therapeutics, diagnostics, or devices

Experience operating within clinical research governance frameworks and regulatory environments, with sound awareness of relevant quality and compliance expectations

Demonstrated experience working in cross-functional and matrix teams, including leadership, coordination, or line management responsibility

Strong stakeholder engagement experience, including working with academic, clinical, CRO, and/or industry partners

Experience contributing to the design or improvement of operational frameworks, systems, or governance approaches

Experience working within multi-partner collaborations or externally delivered project models

Experience supporting implementation of training, guidance, or change activities linked to clinical delivery

Experience working alongside quality, regulatory, or compliance colleagues in support of clinical delivery

Experience in rare disease, global health, or priority disease areas relevant to the organisation

Education:

Degree in life sciences or a related discipline (minimum BSc or equivalent experience)

Skills & abilities:

Operational judgement and critical thinking with the ability to interrogate complex information and form clear, evidence-based insights

Framework and systems development with the ability to design and implement practical operational approaches

Operational delivery enablement with the ability to support consistent application of frameworks and processes across multiple projects

Stakeholder engagement and influencing with the ability to build effective relationships across cross-functional and external stakeholders

Communication with the ability to convey complex information clearly and concisely to a range of audiences

Collaboration and leadership with the ability to work effectively in a matrix environment and support delivery

Adaptability with the ability to operate effectively in a dynamic environment with evolving priorities

About us:

LifeArc is a not-for-profit life science organisation, leading the way for change in rare diseases in the UK and supporting promising initiatives in global health. We seek out research in areas of unmet need that has great potential, providing support to help it become breakthroughs that change lives.

What we can offer you:

Focused on finding life changing solutions for underserved patients, our people thrive in an inclusive, and supportive environment that prioritises their health and wellbeing. Our multidisciplinary approach guarantees our people growth opportunities, while our culture of innovation and collaboration drives the impact we make delivering on our purpose of ‘putting patients at the centre of everything we do’.

LifeArc is committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible and developing a culture that values differences. As a Disability Confident Employer, we guarantee an interview to candidates with a disability or long-term health condition who meet the essential criteria for the role.

Please note thatin certain situations, such as high volumes of applications, it may not be practical to interview all eligible candidates. In these cases, we may need to select those who best meet the essential criteria. (At LifeArc, the Disability Confident Scheme’s ‘minimum criteria’ is referred to as ‘essential criteria’).

Salary will be determined by qualifications and experience along with other exceptional benefits. Because we understand everyone has different requirements, our flexible benefits allow you to choose those which are important to you. Our pension scheme offers employer contributions of up to 12%, private health insurance, and annual leave of 31 days PLUS bank holidays.

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people from minority ethnic backgrounds, for example, are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At LifeArc we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so whatever your background or lived experience, if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. Our top priority is finding the best candidate, and you may be just right for this or other roles.

We all have potential. At LifeArc, you’ll discover what you can really do with it.

At LifeArc, we commit to advancing equal opportunities and building a diverse workforce by ensuring a fair, inclusive, and accessible recruitment experience for all. We employ individuals based on their suitability for the work to be performed and their potential for development, regardless of age, sex, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, disability, marital status, pregnancy or maternity, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion, or belief. Our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion includes creating a culture where everyone feels they belong, is valued for who they are and has the opportunity to translate their potential.

We want every candidate to do their very best. If you require special assistance or reasonable adjustments, please be sure to let us know in advance what will be most useful for you and / or to discuss your needs.

Please note we are actively recruiting, and the closing date may be brought forward if we find the right person for this role.

Our Equity, Diversity & Inclusion statement can be found here .