CRDC Research Business Development Manager

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is situated on the west coast of Lancashire, with services covering the local authority areas of Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre. The Trust is part of the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care System (ICS) supporting a population of around 1.6 million people. We have three main hospitals providing acute services to around 330,000 local residents. The organisation also provides specialist tertiary care for cardiac and haematology services, delivers community health services to over 445,000 residents including those in North Lancashire and hosts the National Artificial Eye Service across England. Plus, we provide urgent and emergency care services to an estimated 18 million people who visit the seaside resort each year. We employ over 7000 people from 68 different countries.

We welcome and encourage applications from anyone with protected characteristics, as well as supporting reservists and Veterans who are looking for a rewarding and challenging career within the NHS. Blackpool Teaching Hospitals encourages flexible working in all our roles to support staff in maintaining a healthy home-life balance. Working patterns such as part-time working, self-rostering, compressed hours, annualised hours, term time, reverse term time and flexitime working can be explored.

The Research Business Development Manager will be key to providing local expertise, knowledge and business intelligence to support the development and growth of clinical research activity across the Trust. This will include timely and accurate data analysis and reporting against key performance indicators. The post holder will be responsible for managing 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. The post holder will also monitor the recruitment to studies and support in troubleshooting challenges to ensure maximum potential to meet the recruitment target and successfully deliver on the Trust’s commitment. The post holder will assist the Research & Development Manager to deliver on the commercial research strategy, identifying areas for growth and improvement and provide administrative support to the Research & Development Manager and Research Operations Manager where required.

Main duties of the job:

• Leading the operational management of the commercial research feasibility process across the organisation.
• Working closely with NIHR, life sciences industry partners, and external sponsors to coordinate expressions of interest and study start-up activity.
• Identifying research opportunities through horizon scanning and promoting Blackpool Teaching Hospitals as a high-performing research site.
• Supporting investigators and research teams in assessing study requirements, including non-disclosure agreements and feasibility questionnaires.
• Monitoring recruitment performance and helping address delivery challenges to ensure research targets are met.
• Developing and maintaining internal systems to track research capacity, performance metrics, and site selection outcomes.
• Building and maintaining strong working relationships with commercial sponsors, contract research organisations (CROs), and internal support departments.
• Supporting the implementation and reporting of the Trust’s commercial research strategy, including growth opportunities.
• Supervising administrative support staff involved in the set-up and coordination of CRDC research activity.
• Supporting research-related financial management, including accurate invoicing and effective use of commercial income.
• Contributing to the development of operational policies and procedures to support the efficient delivery of the research business function.

This is a pivotal role for an experienced research professional with excellent organisational, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills, and an in-depth understanding of the UK clinical research landscape.

Key responsibilities include:

• Managing and facilitating the clinical research feasibility process across the organisation.
• Working with NIHR, life sciences industry partners, and contract research organisations (CROs) to coordinate study feasibility assessments and expressions of interest.
• Identifying new research opportunities through horizon scanning and maintaining strong engagement with commercial sponsors.
• Supporting the development and implementation of the commercial research strategy and reporting progress against key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Maintaining accurate records and developing performance tracking systems for feasibility activity, capacity, recruitment delivery and site selection outcomes.
• Liaising with investigators and departments to assess study capacity, capabilities, and challenges to delivery.
• Providing oversight of study-related documentation, including non-disclosure agreements and feasibility questionnaires.
• Offering troubleshooting support for studies facing recruitment or operational challenges.
• Supervising administrative staff contributing to CRDC feasibility activity and research set-up.
• Supporting the costing and financial oversight of commercial studies in collaboration with the JRMO finance team.
• Representing the Research & Development Manager in external and internal meetings where appropriate.
• Contributing to Trust-wide research performance monitoring and strategic growth through system-wide working across the Lancashire and South Cumbria region.

Person specification:

• Degree level education or equivalent relevant experience.
• Relevant post graduate courses or equivalent professional development.
• ICH GCP training.
• Extensive research management experience.
• Experience of R&D management processes including study setup process.
• Production and presentation of reports on key study metrics to senior staff.
• Data protection, confidentiality and Caldecott Guidelines.
• Set up and delivery procedures for clinical research in the UK.
• NIHR and NHS’ research strategy and priorities.
• NIHR RRDN structure and process.
• Government’s vision for clinical research delivery in the UK.
• Research activity reporting requirements.
• Priorities and challenges of growing and delivering clinical research in the NHS.
• Previous use of Research Management Software e.g. EDGE, CPMS, NIHR ODP.
• Marketing experience.
• Clinical research experience within the NHS.
• Clinical research operations experience in commercial life sciences industry.
• ICH GCP and EU Clinical Trials Directive, Medicines for Human Use Regulations.
• UK Policy Framework for Health and Social Care Research.
• In-depth understanding of commercial contract research feasibility processes.

Skills and Ability:

• Proven organisational and time-management skills with the ability to think and plan creatively to manage, prioritise and deliver a range of tasks and projects to tight deadlines and in the face of competing demands.
• Attention to detail and meticulous organisation and documentation skills.
• Well-developed IT/computer skills- word processing, spreadsheets, relational databases and internet.
• Sound data manipulation, analytical and critical appraisal skills.
• Ability to analyse, interpret and utilise complex information for reporting, and planning purposes.
• Sound judgement in dealing with complex and sensitive issues.
• Able to adapt to change and a flexible approach to their role.
• Negotiation skills, particularly in working with senior managers, clinicians, academics and commercial life science partners.
• Excellent communication skills and able to work as a team player.
• Develop and deliver presentations and training.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to allow effective working with colleagues, partners and external stakeholders at all levels.
• Well-developed influencing and relationship management skills necessary for working effectively with internal and external stakeholders/partners.
• Ability to explain complex concepts in a clear and simplified manner.
• Ability to write and disseminate information in a clear and precise manner.
• Team player with the ability to work on own initiative.
• Ability to make decisions autonomously, when required, on difficult issues, working to tight and often changing timescales.
• Able to work across professional team and organisational boundaries.
• Enthusiastic and proactive approach to work.
• Ability to work under pressure, within a dynamic environment.
• Evidence of dynamic, continuous personal and professional development.

Any invitation to interview will be sent to the email account stated on your application form. If the role you have applied for requires a Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS) check we will administer this as part of your pre-employment checks. Please note, you will be required to repay the cost on appointment. This will be collected via a salary deduction. You can choose whether to pay this over 1-3 months from your salary or as a one-off payment on commencement in post. The level of check required depends on the role that you have been offered. Currently the charges are - Basic DBS check £25.50, Standard DBS check £25.50 and Enhanced DBS check £53.50. You are encouraged where possible, to register for the DBS update service. This is an annual registration fee of £16. By registering for the update service you will not have the additional cost of repeated disclosures. Should you withdraw your application, you may be required to reimburse the cost of the DBS check. DBS checks remain free of charge for volunteer positions. By submitting an application for this vacancy you are confirming your agreement to the above in the event you are successfully appointed. The DBS Code of Practice can be accessed here. Please ensure that you read the Person Specification attached below as your application will be judged against this. Please note that every effort will be made to keep the vacancy live until published closing date, though there may be instances where such interest is generated, that for administrative reasons the post may close earlier. Please note that in line with national NHS guidelines this Trust operates a strict non-smoking policy. Members of staff are not permitted to smoke on Trust premises or grounds at any time nor take breaks during working hours for the purposes of smoking. The Trust does not offer interview expenses to shortlisted candidates unless indicated in the advert.