TheNational Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Academy Executive arerecruiting an Assistant Director to lead and manage NIHRs Global Healthcapacity strengthening programmes. The Assistant Director will lead a team of7 people to successfully deliver a range of capacity strengthening activitiesand initiatives of direct benefit to Low and Middle Income Countries(LMICs). We are looking for a highlycapable and compassionate leader with significant experience in the field ofglobal health, research management and/or health and care research.
Therole will work closely with the NIHR Programme Director for the Global HealthResearch Programme and the Global Health team within the Science, Researchand Evidence Directorate of DHSC.
Expected ShortlistingDate
11/11/2025
Planned InterviewDate
21/11/2025
Main duties of the job
TheAssistant Director will provide strategic oversight of Global Health schemesand activities within the NIHR Academy. They will lead the team to deliver aprogramme of work to support training and capacity building in applied healthresearch and design future initiatives. This supports the NIHRs wider workfunding high quality research and training for the direct and primary benefitof people in LMICs.
Weare looking for an individual to lead NIHRs activities to strengthen globalhealth research capacity within the UK and LMICs, utilising OfficialDevelopment Assistance (ODA). As an effective and compassionate leader, theywill support and coach the Global Health team and build effective workingrelationships with a wide range of stakeholders, including the Department ofHealth and Social Care. The post holder will also be a member of NIHRAcademys Executive Board and play a key role in the leadership of theorganisation.
About us
TheNational Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has a mission to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. The NIHR playsa pivotal role in attracting, training and supporting the best researchersand complements the additional NIHR investment in world-class researchfacilities and a skilled research workforce.
Thisrole is hosted by the Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust (LTHT) and delivers thework of the NIHR, leading on policy, strategy and delivery in respect ofacademic training in England and working closely with other NIHR centres andthe Science Research and Evidence (SRE) Directorate at the Department ofHealth and Social Care (DHSC).
LeedsTeaching Hospitals is committed to our process of redeploying 'at risk'members of our existing workforce to new roles. As such, all our job advertsare subject to this policy and we reserve the right to close, delay or removeadverts while this process is completed. If you do experience a delay in theshortlisting stage of the recruitment cycle, please bear with us while thisprocess is completed, and contact the named contact if you have anyquestions.
Job responsibilities
SpecialistProgramme Expertise and Leadership
Thepost holder will lead a team responsible for the delivery of a portfolio ofprogrammes and schemes run through NIHR Academy Executive and as part of thiswill be expected to:
* Takeoverall responsibility for a manage budgets for programme activities asdelegated within the organisations overall budget funding. Also defining the specification for itemsand services to be purchased, and evaluating and approving quotes asappropriate.
* Takelead responsibility for translating national strategy as it relates to theNIHR Academy and devising and managing implementation plans on a nationalscale, including supporting the delivery of NIHRs Strategy, Best Researchfor Best Health.
* Contributeto the high level and strategic financial management of the NIHR AcademyExecutive including financial management of programmes within theirportfolio.
* Analysisand evaluation of programmes and overseeing the implementation of changesagreed as a result of evaluation work.
* Overseea programme of outreach and engagement with key stakeholders and communitiesrelevant to the post holders portfolio, including the delivery of events,workshops and meetings.
* Overseeingthe commissioning and contract procurement for programmes and schemes withintheir portfolio
* Ensurethe delivery of NIHR Programmes in line with NIHR SOPs and DHSC requirements.
* Ensurethe NIHR Academy Executive meets its Key Performance Indicators and deliversan annual programme of work in line with business plans.
* Takea leading role on organisation wide initiatives of national strategicimportance to NIHR, working with colleagues and other senior leaders fromdifferent NIHR locations.
Memberof the NIHR Academy Executive Board
Thepost holder will be a member of the NIHR Academy Executive Board and in thatrole will be expected to:
* Deputisefor the CEO and Director of Programmes and Impact at national meetings, asrequired
* Implementingand managing change, devising and communicating new policies where necessary
* Playa key part in cross NIHR and national strategic initiatives and projects,taking on a lead role where necessary.
* Overseethe implementation and delivery of new initiatives and projects as they arise
* Contributeto the overall leadership of the NIHR Academy Executive including playing akey role in setting organisational culture, structure and governance
Provisionof leadership to the Programme Teams
Thepost holder will be expected to lead and manage a programme team and workwith other NIHR Academy Executive teams to:
* Tooffer leadership, advice and support to the Senior Programme Managers inmaintaining and developing current and new streams of work.
* Overallresponsibility for planning highly complex workloads with a broad range ofactivities, some that are on-going and some which require formulation andadjustment of plans or strategies. The workloads can be highly evolutionaryneeding to adapt plans in a rapidly changing environment.
* Developand oversee team goals and objectives in order to deliver against keymilestones and KPIs
* Createand maintain a culture of inclusivity
* Ensuredelivery of activities and projects in line with business plans and KPIs
* Ensureeffective team contribution to NIHR Academy wide initiatives such ascontinuous improvement work, and culture and values.
* Provideleadership on a team and individual basis including the direct supervision ofstaff, objective setting, appraisals, recruitment and appropriate personaland career development plans.
* Ensurestaff are aware of and adhere to NIHR Academy SOPs and DHSC requirements
Communicationand engagement
Thepost holder will be expected to:
* Leadof developing reports and papers for strategic and policy meetings andpublications
* Liaisewith other national programmes, wider NIHR Department of Health and SocialCare staff, other key funders of health and social care and the academiccommunity as necessary
* Deliverpresentations to national stakeholder groups and relevant conferences
* Takelead responsibility in the development of briefings requested from varioussources including DHSC, NIHR Centres Exec Board, other governmentdepartments, other stakeholders and partners and ministers offices (includingParliamentary Questions, and Select Committees)
* Actas a representative for NIHR Academy and NIHR more widely at nationalmeetings, workshops and conferences, often having to defend NIHRs positionin a public setting.
Person Specification
Additional Requirements
* Familiarity with Microsoft Office
* There may be a requirement to work occasional evenings
* Able to travel around the county
Experience
* An understanding of public sector health and care research and its management
* An understanding of NIHRs strategy for health and care research and its implementation
* Postgraduate research and/or research management experience post higher degree and at a senior level
* An understanding of health and care research capacity development
* An understanding of global health research and its management
Qualifications
* Higher degree or postgraduate management qualification or equivalent experience.
* PhD in a health or life-science discipline
Skills & Behaviours
* Effective leadership skills and ability to lead by example
* Thinking strategically
* Giving purpose and direction which includes involving people in deciding what needs to be done
* Getting the best from others
* Identifying opportunities and approaches to achieve goals and improve results
* Leading inclusively
* Excellent communication skills and ability to defend NIHR position in challenging situations
* High level interpersonal skills including ability to lead and manage change
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