Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an innovative senior nurse, midwife or AHP with a passion for clinical research delivery to join the Research & Innovation CSU at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust as a Band 8a Lead Nurse (1.0 WTE).
This role is ideal for someone eager to influence the future of research operations within a large and forwardthinking NHS Trust. As a key member of the senior nursing team, you will contribute to strategic research leadership, clinical governance and the delivery of highquality clinical studies. You will be supported to further develop your leadership, change management and strategic planning skills within a dynamic and collaborative environment.
You will provide professional leadership and highlevel management to research nursing and administrative teams across multiple specialties, ensuring safe, effective and compliant research delivery. Working closely with senior leaders across Research & Innovation and CSUs, you will help drive strategic goals, strengthen systems and processes and promote excellence in governance.
You will work alongside fellow Lead Nurses to embed best practice, support service improvement and raise the profile of research across the Trust, contributing to the growth of research capacity within the nonmedical workforce.
Expected Shortlisting Date
02/03/2026
Planned Interview Date
16/03/2026
Main duties of the job
We are seeking a proactive and selfmotivated research professional to help drive the Trusts strategic approach to developing our clinical research nursing, midwifery, AHP and CRP workforce. The post holder will play a key leadership role in shaping, implementing and advancing initiatives that strengthen and modernise the nonmedical research delivery workforce.
Working with national, regional and local stakeholders, they will provide expert professional leadership and lead workforce development projects aligned to the Trusts Research & Innovation strategy and wider education and workforce plans. This includes supporting new workforce models, enhancing skills and competencies, and promoting innovative approaches to research delivery.
The post holder will hold management responsibility for designated areas of the research delivery workforce. Working closely with the Head of Nursing for Research & Innovation and senior management team they will ensure effective Trustwide oversight of workforce capacity and contribute to meeting NIHR and Department of Health research performance targets.
A key part of this role is supporting and delivering initiatives that build research capacity across the nonmedical workforce. The post holder will help develop opportunities for staff to engage in research, support training and development pathways, and promote a culture where research is valued and embedded within clinical practice.
About us
Research is at the heart of our Trust. Leeds Teaching Hospitals is involved in research at all levels, developing and trialling new treatments for patients. We believe that being involved in cutting-edge research helps us provide better care to our patients.
Over the next 5 years, we aim to be the best Trust to deliver high-quality clinical research and to champion research amongst our staff. We also aim to support and grow our world-class clinical infrastructure and assets for research and innovation.
We have a very proactive Research Academy. It offers an extensive programme of education and training tailored to meet the needs of individuals, teams involved in clinical research delivery in Health and Social Care.
Our five Trust values are part of what make us different. They have been developed by our staff. They are:
- Patient-centred
- Collaborative
- Fair
- Accountable
- Empowered
Leeds Teaching Hospitals is committed to our process of redeploying 'at risk' members of our existing workforce to new roles. As such, all our job adverts are subject to this policy and we reserve the right to close, delay or remove adverts while this process is completed. If you do experience a delay in the shortlisting stage of the recruitment cycle, please bear with us while this process is completed, and contact the named contact if you have any questions.
Details
Date posted
10 February 2026
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 8a
Salary
£55,690 to £62,682 a year
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-time, Flexible working
Reference number
C9298-DRI-0261
Job locations
St. James's University Hospital
Beckett Street
Leeds
LS9 7TF
Job description
Job responsibilities
As an expert in research the Lead Nurse/Midwife/AHP will contribute to the
development of the Trusts strategic approach to clinical research
nursing/midwifery/AHP (CRN/M/AHP) and non-medical research delivery
workforce development and will be responsible for its implementation.
Working with key stakeholders on a national, regional and local basis, the post
holder will provide professional leadership, expertise and will lead the Trusts
research delivery workforce modernisation projects arising from the Trusts
Research and Innovation strategy and nursing and midwifery education, training
and workforce strategies.
The post holder will have management responsibility for specific services relating
to the research delivery workforce. The post holder will work closely with the
Head of Nursing R&I and the Leeds Clinical Research Facility Manager to ensure
Trust wide oversight of the workforce and support delivery of the National
Institute of Health Research (NIHR) and Department of Health (DoH) research
targets.
Additionally, this post will support activities and initiatives in the development and
implementation of the Trusts non-medical workforce research capacity building
strategies.
Job description
Job responsibilities
As an expert in research the Lead Nurse/Midwife/AHP will contribute to the
development of the Trusts strategic approach to clinical research
nursing/midwifery/AHP (CRN/M/AHP) and non-medical research delivery
workforce development and will be responsible for its implementation.
Working with key stakeholders on a national, regional and local basis, the post
holder will provide professional leadership, expertise and will lead the Trusts
research delivery workforce modernisation projects arising from the Trusts
Research and Innovation strategy and nursing and midwifery education, training
and workforce strategies.
The post holder will have management responsibility for specific services relating
to the research delivery workforce. The post holder will work closely with the
Head of Nursing R&I and the Leeds Clinical Research Facility Manager to ensure
Trust wide oversight of the workforce and support delivery of the National
Institute of Health Research (NIHR) and Department of Health (DoH) research
targets.
Additionally, this post will support activities and initiatives in the development and
implementation of the Trusts non-medical workforce research capacity building
strategies.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
* Registered Nurse (level 1 or level 2)/ Midwife or HCPC registered AHP
* Recognised Research/ Teaching qualification
* Degree level/ or working towards
* Demonstrable evidence of working at Masters degree level
Desirable
* Masters level qualification
* Evidence of a research qualification
* Leadership qualification
Skills & Behaviours
Essential
* Excellent interpersonal skills
* Appropriately assertive
* Strategic thinker
* Enthusiastic
* Flexible
* Compassionate
* Leadership skills
* Influencing & Negotiation
* Excellent written and verbal communication skills
* Ability to organise and prioritise own and others workload
Experience
Essential
* Significant experience of working within a clinical research setting at a senior level
* Experience of managing staff
* Project Management
* Service Development
* Evidence of continued professional development
* In-depth specialist knowledge of clinical research nursing/midwifery
* Current issues in Healthcare research
* Strategies for deployment of research delivery services
* Evidence of management and leadership development
* Evidence of managing change
* Strategies for delivery of the NIHR High Level Objectives and Department of Health Performance in Initiating and Delivering Research (DH PID)
Desirable
* Experience of conducting own research
* Experience of incident investigation and root cause analysis
* Understanding of research methodologies
* Knowledge of national and local clinical academic/ research fellowship/ training schemes
Additional Requirements
Essential
* Good Clinical Practice (GCP)
* Clinical research training
* Willing to undergo training in relation to post
* Evidence of continued professional development
* Certificate in Clinical Research
* Able to fulfil Occupational Health requirements for the post
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
* Registered Nurse (level 1 or level 2)/ Midwife or HCPC registered AHP
* Recognised Research/ Teaching qualification
* Degree level/ or working towards
* Demonstrable evidence of working at Masters degree level
Desirable
* Masters level qualification
* Evidence of a research qualification
* Leadership qualification
Skills & Behaviours
Essential
* Excellent interpersonal skills
* Appropriately assertive
* Strategic thinker
* Enthusiastic
* Flexible
* Compassionate
* Leadership skills
* Influencing & Negotiation
* Excellent written and verbal communication skills
* Ability to organise and prioritise own and others workload
Experience
Essential
* Significant experience of working within a clinical research setting at a senior level
* Experience of managing staff
* Project Management
* Service Development
* Evidence of continued professional development
* In-depth specialist knowledge of clinical research nursing/midwifery
* Current issues in Healthcare research
* Strategies for deployment of research delivery services
* Evidence of management and leadership development
* Evidence of managing change
* Strategies for delivery of the NIHR High Level Objectives and Department of Health Performance in Initiating and Delivering Research (DH PID)
Desirable
* Experience of conducting own research
* Experience of incident investigation and root cause analysis
* Understanding of research methodologies
* Knowledge of national and local clinical academic/ research fellowship/ training schemes
Additional Requirements
Essential
* Good Clinical Practice (GCP)
* Clinical research training
* Willing to undergo training in relation to post
* Evidence of continued professional development
* Certificate in Clinical Research
* Able to fulfil Occupational Health requirements for the post
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details
Employer name
Leeds Teaching Hospitals
Address
St. James's University Hospital
Beckett Street
Leeds
LS9 7TF
Employer's website
(Opens in a new tab)
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Employer details
Employer name
Leeds Teaching Hospitals
Address
St. James's University Hospital
Beckett Street
Leeds
LS9 7TF
Employer's website
(Opens in a new tab)
-----------------------------------