Senior Research Manager

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NIHR (National Institute for Health and Care Research)
Location:

london, United Kingdom
Job Category:

Other
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EU work permit required:

Yes
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Job Views:

5
Posted:

26.06.2025
Expiry Date:

10.08.2025
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Job Description:

The NIHR are looking to recruit a dynamic and experienced

Senior Research Manager

to manage the monitoring, evaluation and learning activities of a high profile National Institute for Health and Care Research portfolio of translational, clinical and applied health research infrastructure funding schemes.
About Us
The NIHR Research Infrastructure provides a platform to enable research by creating an environment where early stage and applied research can thrive. Our Research Infrastructure consists of research expertise, specialist facilities, a research delivery workforce and support services. The NIHR invests more than £606 million a year of infrastructure funding through a number of different five-year infrastructure funding schemes.
About the Role
Reporting to the Assistant Director, you’ll play a key role in managing infrastructure reporting and evaluation across NIHR. Working closely with Programme Leads, Senior Research Managers, and Data Analytics colleagues, you’ll help shape how we monitor performance, measure impact, and learn from what we do.
At the award level, you'll refine and maintain reporting processes; at the scheme level, you’ll lead the implementation of monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) frameworks, including commissioning impact evaluations. You'll also contribute to wider work on strategic data use, supporting links to national policy initiatives like Busting Bureaucracy and the evolving NIHR digital strategy.
You’ll bring experience managing complex projects and interpreting diverse data types, from metrics to narrative and financial reports. With a solid understanding of research impact and the UK’s research and policy landscape, you’ll help generate insights that drive continuous improvement. A strong collaborator and strategic thinker, you’re confident navigating complex systems and aligning diverse stakeholder needs to the bigger picture.
Key Responsibilities
Lead on Infrastructure Reporting:

Manage and improve infrastructure monitoring processes, including supporting users, reviewing reports, and driving continuous improvement of reporting systems for new and existing awards
Data and Insight Development:

Interrogate quantitative and qualitative data to generate insights, support strategic reviews, and contribute to impact case studies, dashboards, and organisational learning, highlighting NIHR infrastructure’s value to the health and social care system
Support Scheme Reviews:

Collaborate with Senior Research Managers and the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) team to plan and deliver scheme evaluations and mid-term reviews
Engage Stakeholders:

Work closely with stakeholders to understand their data needs, reduce reporting burdens, and ensure outputs are meaningful for both accountability and learning
Team Collaboration:

Offer flexible support across the team during peak times, sharing insights and contributing to a positive, solutions-focused working culture
People Management:

Line manage one Research Manager and provide matrix management to others, fostering professional development and high performance
About You
Required Criteria:
A PhD degree in biomedical or health sciences research (or significant equivalent sector experience)
Experience of implementation or management of monitoring, evaluation and learning approaches including impact assessment and reporting, ideally within health and care research
Data collection, collation and analysis skills using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies
Current knowledge of the UK’s health and care research and policy landscape
Strategic thinker able to interpret complex information while having a clear view of the “big picture”
Solutions orientated with evidence of delivering projects, requiring evidence synthesis, report writing and developing implementable recommendations
Desired Criteria:
Specialist training/knowledge in monitoring, evaluation and learning approaches and methods
Experience of authoring high quality impact reports and case study reports for a variety of technical and general audiences
Experience of developing electronic dashboards using visualisation tools such as Qlik Sense, Looker Studio or equivalents
Line management and staff development experience
Committed team player with an ability to build effective working relationships
Job Summary:
Contract Type:

Full Time, Permanent
Employee Salary & Benefits Include:
Annual bonus, subject to company performance
Enhanced Contributory Pension Scheme
Life Insurance Cover
Benenden Healthcare Membership
Training and Development Opportunities
Season Ticket Loan
This is a permanent, full time position.
NB: We offer a range of work life balance and family friendly, flexible working arrangements. This is an office-based, hybrid role with an expectation for all employees to attend our offices in Twickenham, London a minimum of 4 days a month, usually worked as 1 day per week, and may increase, subject to team requirements.
Application Process
If you are excited about the prospect of joining our team and believe you possess the relevant skills and background, we invite you to apply. Please submit your CV along with a 'Statement of Suitability' that showcases your key skills and experiences in relation to the 'Required Criteria' outlined in the job description. Additionally, share your enthusiasm for working with NIHR.
NB:Closing date for applications is 5pm 16th July, interviews to be scheduled from the 28th July to the 8th August.

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