Research Contracts and Funding Manager

Transformationunitgm; Greater London; On-site; GBP 56,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare organization in London is looking for a Research Contracts and Funding Manager to oversee the negotiation and management of research contracts. The successful candidate will lead funding applications, maintain compliance, and drive collaborative projects across an NHS trust. We seek someone with strong research governance knowledge and a passion for innovation to enhance clinical trials and research initiatives in the healthcare sector.

Qualifications

• Extensive knowledge of research contracts in the healthcare field.
• Experience in managing healthcare grants.
• Proficient in writing reports and analyzing complex information.

Responsibilities

• Lead the negotiation and management of research contracts.
• Identify funding opportunities and implement digital tracking systems.
• Advise on contractual strategy and governance matters.
• Line manage the R&I Contracts and Funding Officer.

Skills

Research Healthcare contracts knowledge

Research Healthcare grants management knowledge

Ability to create written reports

Understanding of legislation and regulation in healthcare

Education

University degree (or equivalent)

Scientific background or qualification

Job description

Employer St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Tooting Town London Salary £56,276 - £63,176 pa pro-rata incl HCAS (inner london) Salary period Yearly Closing 04/01/2026 23:59

Research Contracts and Funding Manager

Band 7

Job overview

We’re seeking a dynamic and experienced R&I Contracts and Funding Manager to join our Group Corporate Research & Innovation Directorate at St George’s, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals and Health Group. In this pivotal role, you’ll lead the negotiation and management of research contracts and funding streams, enabling groundbreaking clinical trials and collaborative projects. If you thrive in a fast-paced environment, have a strong grasp of research governance and legal frameworks, and are passionate about supporting innovation across the NHS, we’d love to hear from you.

Main duties of the job

Responsible for leading and overseeing aspects of research contracting and funding applications across the group. This includes drafting, negotiating, and managing a wide range of research agreements, ensuring legal compliance and strategic alignment. The role involves identifying funding opportunities, maintaining contract templates, managing financial reporting for grants, and implementing digital systems for tracking contract performance. The postholder also provides expert advice on contractual and governance matters, leads training initiatives, supports strategic research programmes, and fosters collaboration with internal and external stakeholders to drive innovation and operational excellence. Role will line manage officer position and will need to ensure systems and processes in place to apply for research funding calls from diverse funding partners, ensuring an increase in research income.

Working for our organisation

St George’s, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals and Health Group cares for a population of four million people in South West London and North East Surrey. Our sites include St George’s Hospital, one of 11 major trauma centres in the UK and the largest healthcare provider and major teaching hospital in the area; St Helier Hospital, home to the South West Thames Renal and Transplantation Unit and Queen Mary’s Hospital for Children; and Epsom Hospital, home to the South West London Elective Orthopaedic Centre (SWLEOC).

After years of collaboration, our two Trusts became a hospitals group in 2021. While remaining as two separate Trusts, being a hospitals group will help us to collaborate more closely on research, and the development, education, and training of our 17,000-strong workforce.

At gesh we are committed to supporting flexible working arrangements. Applicants are encouraged to discuss any flexibility they may need during the recruitment process.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Contracting and Legal Oversight

• Draft, review, negotiate, and execute research agreements including MTAs, DTAs, CDAs, SLAs, and multi-partner collaborations.
• Ensure all contracts comply with NHS policies, legal frameworks, and funder requirements.
• Lead quality control processes for research agreements prior to execution.
• Advise on contractual strategy, governance, and risk to clinical, academic, and executive colleagues.

Funding and Financial Management

• Oversee grant submissions and ensure accurate financial terms are included in contracts.
• Identify strategic funding opportunities and support innovation across the research portfolio.
• Serve as project manager for large-scale or strategic research programmes hosted by the Trust.

Team Leadership and Development

• Line manage the R&I Contracts and Funding Officer, fostering a high-performance culture.
• Provide training and professional development to direct reports and researchers.
• Lead thematic innovation initiatives and cultivate new partnerships.

Systems and Process Management

• Develop and implement SOPs and work instructions for research contracting and funding.
• Maintain a Trust-wide electronic register of contractual documentation.
• Lead the optimisation of digital systems for tracking contract timelines, deliverables, and compliance.
• Drive continuous improvement in contract-related workflows to meet strategic targets.

Stakeholder Engagement and Communication

• Represent the Trust in high-level negotiations with sponsors, funders, and partner institutions.
• Translate complex contractual and financial information into actionable insights for stakeholders.
• Promote collaboration across NHS, academic, and industry partners.
• Ensure high-quality reporting to funders and senior leadership.

Person specification

Qualifications

• University degree (or equivalent).
• A scientific background or qualification, preferably at the post-graduate level and ideally in the Life or Clinical sciences

Knowledge

• Research Healthcare contracts knowledge and experience
• Research Healthcare grants management knowledge and experience
• Line Management
• Legislation and regulation and how impacts healthcare research
• experience of developing processes, systems and SOPs to manage activity
• NHS exeperience
• developing and delivering training
• budgetary experience
• Innovation considerations including Intellectual Property Law, including patent law, law of confidence, copyright law, its identification, protection and exploitation

Skills

• Able to collate and compile complex information into written reports.
• Ability to translate national policy or guidance for application to the local situation.

Your recruitment team
The NHS South West London Recruitment Hub is your dedicated recruitment team, here to support you at every stage of the process. If you have a query, please contact us:
E: [emailprotected]

Your application
Please ensure your supporting statement clearly reflects the job description and person specification , as shortlisting will be based on these criteria.

Please refer to the latest UKVI guidance and ensure you have the appropriate right to work before applying for this role.

Use of Artificial Intelligence
We kindly ask that you avoid using AI tools to draft your application. We value authentic, individual responses that reflect your own experience and communication style.

References
Please provide a minimum of 3 years’ employment and/or education history , including professional email addresses (not personal accounts such as Hotmail or Gmail). If you cannot provide these, please inform the interview panel to avoid delays in pre-employment checks.

Closing date
To help us manage recruitment efficiently, some vacancies may close early once we have received a sufficient number of applications.

Shortlisting
If you are successfully shortlisted, you will be contacted by email or SMS from the South West London Recruitment Hub. Please check your registered TRAC email regularly.

Application feedback
If you do not hear from us within four weeks of the closing date , please assume your application has not been successful on this occasion.

Safeguarding and DBS Checks
We are committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. For roles with direct access to these groups, an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be required. All staff are expected to understand and uphold their safeguarding responsibilities as part of their role.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.