Location
London

Hours
Full Time

Salary
£73,496 per annum

About the Role
Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK’s busiest and most successful NHS foundation trusts, providing a full range of hospital and community services across south London and specialist care for patients from further afield. The Trust is home to leading clinical and research facilities including the largest dental school in Europe, a £160 million Cancer Centre, Evelina London Children’s Hospital, and a recently merged world-renowned heart and lung centre with the Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals. We pride ourselves on clinical excellence, high-quality teaching, research, and delivering outstanding patient care.

The Digital Clinical Research Project Lead will be responsible for delivering improvements in research management, quality management, document management, and electronic health records across the NIHR Research Delivery Network (RDN). This role involves coordinating a review of processes, systems, and tools to recommend a digital transformation plan aligned with regional and national workstreams.

Working in partnership with RDN data and analytics teams, the OneLondon Secure Data Environment (SDE), the AI Centre, and workforce teams, the postholder will explore how London’s health and care data infrastructure can enhance clinical research delivery. The project focuses on assessing the feasibility, value, and requirements for developing a scalable service enabling routine use of the OneLondon SDE by the NIHR RDN. This will be achieved through operational management and enhancement of systems and processes to provide a robust platform ensuring R&D services are accessible, recordable, and reportable across organisations.

The role includes leading the mapping of clinical trial workflows and stakeholder engagement across London, developing target operating models and business cases for strategic investment, and providing advisory and analytical support to the RDN, Guy’s and St Thomas’, and other key stakeholders. The postholder will identify solutions to support widening and representative participation in research, addressing and minimising digital exclusion, and will lead one or more projects responsible for planning, delivery, performance management, and risk mitigation.

You will join a busy, high-performing research management hub within one of the UK’s most active NHS research organisations. The environment is fast-paced, ambitious, and intellectually stimulating, valuing digital innovation and continuous improvement. Collaboration is central, with opportunities to build strong relationships across research functions and external partners, supported by committed colleagues passionate about delivering high-quality, inclusive research.

Qualifications
Educated to masters level or equivalent knowledge, skills and experience
Formal qualification in Project Management (PRINCE2) to practitioner level or equivalent
Evidence of recent Continuing Professional Development
Desirable: Training in relevant coding and systems skills such as Python, Java, SQL, VBA, DAX (Power BI and Excel), and experience with version control tools like GitHub or equivalent

Experience
Proven expertise in configuration, continuous improvement, and optimisation of research management systems
Experience managing successful projects and operational performance improvements including business case preparation, service initiation/commissioning, contract negotiation, and monitoring output and outcome measures
Research project management or project management experience in complex services involving design, development, implementation, and change management in multi-stakeholder environments
Experience managing complex budgets from multiple income sources with evidence of individual, team, financial, process, and change management
Proven experience delivering training
Expertise in designing or assigning IT systems/processes to meet business needs
Strong practical knowledge of the research lifecycle
Desirable: Knowledge of Epic applications, research management systems (Edge, Qpulse, Florence), clinical research management, NHS environment, strategy and policy, and Power BI dashboard creation

Skills
Proven experience in transformation/change management techniques supporting digital development and workforce engagement
Extensive contract management knowledge
Excellent change and project management track record
Highly effective people and project management skills
Ability to work flexibly, prioritise workloads, and resource in response to changing demands
Excellent interpersonal, communication (written, oral, presentation, facilitation), networking, and negotiation skills
Strong organisational skills with ability to prioritise, meet deadlines, and delegate effectively
Innovative problem-solving skills
IT literate with competency in MS Office, especially Advanced Excel and MS Project or equivalent
Willingness and ability to learn new technologies and train staff
Excellent communication skills using diplomacy, tact, persuasion, motivation, and negotiation
Knowledge of Data Protection Act, GDPR, and Information Governance within NHS context
Ability to analyse and solve complex problems
Commitment to partnership working, workforce diversity, and service integration
Desirable: Knowledge of Computer System Validation (CSV), MHRA GCP requirements, and MHRA Vendor Selection requirements for clinical trial software

About You
You are a motivated and experienced project lead with a passion for digital innovation in clinical research. You thrive in collaborative environments, have excellent communication and organisational skills, and are committed to delivering inclusive, high-quality research services. You are adaptable, proactive in problem-solving, and dedicated to continuous professional development and workforce training.