Research & Development Facilitator

The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust; Worcester; Hybrid; GBP 29,000 - 37,000; Full time

Job description

Job Summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Research Support Facilitator to join our Research and Innovation department, providing support for a varied portfolio of research studies, delivered across our three hospital sites. We are committed to supporting research that is relevant and accessible to our patients. Through clinical research we can assess the efficacy of new medication, diagnostics, and treatment regimes. This helps to build the evidence for new approaches to improve patient care.

Main duties of the job

You will be a supportive partner to stakeholders, responsible for the identification of new research studies, the submission of high quality site selection applications, facilitating feasibility discussions and the set up of new studies, and providing ongoing support throughout the lifecycle of the studies we deliver.

About Us

Our purpose is simple - Putting Patients First. We are looking for exceptional colleagues who can help us achieve this.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust is a large acute and specialised hospital trust that provides a range of local acute services to the residents of Worcestershire and more specialised services to a larger population in Herefordshire and beyond. The Trust operates hospital-based services from three sites in Kidderminster, Redditch and Worcester.

Our workforce is over 7,000 strong, and our caring staff are recognised as providing good and outstanding patient-centred care. You could be one of them.

We are committed to recruiting the best people to work with us to achieve our Vision - working in partnership to provide the best healthcare for our communities, leading and supporting our teams to move 4ward. Our 4ward behaviours, which we ask all staff to demonstrate, underpin our everyday work and remain firmly at the heart of all we do.

Our Objectives Are Simple

• Best services for local people
• Best experience of care and best outcomes for our patients
• Best use of resources
• Best people

Better never stops, and our Clinical Services Strategy provides a clear future vision for our Trust, our hospitals, our services and our role in the wider health and care system.

We are proud to have achieved Timewise accreditation - this means we are committed to embedding flexible working within our organisation as a flex positive employer.

Date posted: 09 April 2025

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 5

Salary: £29,970 to £36,483 a year

Contract: Fixed term

Duration: 12 months

Working pattern: Full-time, Flexible working, Home or remote working

Reference number: C9365-25-0244

Job locations: Research & Innovation Management Office, Worcestershire Clinical Research Unit, Newtown Road, Worcester, Worcestershire, WR5 1JF

Job Description

The aim of the Research Support Facilitator role is to be a supportive partner to Sponsors, Clinical Trials Units, and research delivery teams in the feasibility, set-up and delivery of the research portfolio. You will enable studies to open quickly, safely and effectively by providing the Assessment, Arrangement and Confirmation of Capacity and Capability for each study.

You will liaise on a daily basis with our local research nurses, Principal Investigators and other clinical staff involved in the conduct of clinical research, as well as the Sponsors and Clinical Trials Units organising and running these national studies, to facilitate the swift opening of their studies. You will act as the first point of contact for support, and for queries from researchers wanting to conduct studies within the Trust.

The postholder will demonstrate exceptional communication and negotiation skills gained within a clinical research or project management post, be an effective project and people manager, and have highly developed organisation skills. You will assist the R&I team and the Research Manager to ensure that the team provides a high quality research service as defined by local and national standards, in order to assist research teams with the research process from initial feasibility to study close down. This will include swift set up and approvals, and the successful delivery of studies which will in turn improve patient care.

The postholder will be responsible for contributing to and meeting local and national objectives, especially supporting the Trust to achieve the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) High Level Objectives.

The post will require in-depth knowledge of the research process, ICH-GCP, governance standards, costing of studies, and the changes in the research landscape within the NHS and NIHR. The postholder will work closely with the Research Manager to take on a caseload of studies to provide research study set up support, ensuring successful delivery to time and target. You will also provide training on the many different aspects of study set-up.

Responsibilities

The aim of the Research Support Facilitator role is to be a supportive partner to Sponsors, Clinical Trials Units, and research delivery teams in the feasibility, set-up and delivery of the research portfolio. You will enable studies to open quickly, safely and effectively by providing the Assessment, Arrangement and Confirmation of Capacity and Capability for each study.

You will liaise on a daily basis with our local research nurses, Principal Investigators and other clinical staff involved in the conduct of clinical research, as well as the Sponsors and Clinical Trials Units organising and running these national studies, to facilitate the swift opening of their studies. You will act as the first point of contact for support, and for queries from researchers wanting to conduct studies within the Trust.

The postholder will demonstrate exceptional communication and negotiation skills gained within a clinical research or project management post, be an effective project and people manager, and have highly developed organisation skills. You will assist the R&I team and the Research Manager to ensure that the team provides a high quality research service as defined by local and national standards, in order to assist research teams with the research process from initial feasibility to study close down. This will include swift set up and approvals, and the successful delivery of studies which will in turn improve patient care.

The postholder will be responsible for contributing to and meeting local and national objectives, especially supporting the Trust to achieve the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) High Level Objectives.

The post will require in-depth knowledge of the research process, ICH-GCP, governance standards, costing of studies, and the changes in the research landscape within the NHS and NIHR. The postholder will work closely with the Research Manager to take on a caseload of studies to provide research study set up support, ensuring successful delivery to time and target. You will also provide training on the many different aspects of study set-up.

Person Specification
Requirements
Other Job Requirements Essential

• Willingness and ability to travel across Trust sites as required.
• Reliable and flexible approach towards working hours to meet service needs.

Knowledge and Skills Essential

• Working knowledge of MS Office applications, and excellent keyboard skills.
• Managing multiple projects / assignments, diaries and appointments, resolving conflicting schedules.
• Arranging and supporting meetings including taking minutes.
• Understanding recent changes in the NHS, particularly in areas associated with research.
• Ability to manage difficult situations effectively.
• Ability to plan and prioritise own workload, meeting multiple conflicting deadlines.
• Ability to induct and train new staff.
• Ability to analyse problems and initiate appropriate solutions effectively.
• Ability to analyse complex data and deal with problems with minimal supervision.
• Ability to use judgement and initiative to provide information and support.
• Understanding of the research performance measures applied in the NHS.
• Ability to successfully work across different groups of staff in order to obtain information.

Qualifications Essential

• Graduate-level qualification, or equivalent experience acquired through a professional knowledge of clinical research.
• Evidence of Continued Professional Development.

Desirable

• Clinical Research Governance training (ICH-GCP).

Personal Qualities Essential

• Professional attitude to work, diplomatic and calm under pressure.
• A team-player, able to work on own initiative.
• Excellent organisation skills, with high level of attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to prioritise and manage own and others time effectively.
• Ability to communicate effectively at all levels.
• Empathetic approach to managing and resolving queries.
• Tactful and empathetic approach to manage and resolve enquiries, and to inspire trust and confidence.
• Ability to motivate, persuade, negotiate and influence others.
• Willingness to undergo personal development and learn new skills.

Experience Essential

• Experience of working in a project management or research capacity.
• Proven record of planning and organisational change management.
• Experience producing formal written reports, including charts and graphs.
• Experience producing and delivering oral presentations.
• Experience developing and administering IT data capture systems.
• Experience in general office working and administration.
• Experience supervising a team.

Employer details

Employer name: Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

Address: Research & Innovation Management Office, Worcestershire Clinical Research Unit, Newtown Road, Worcester, Worcestershire, WR5 1JF

Employer's website: https://www.worcsacute.nhs.uk/