Research Ethics and Governance Manager

Our Future Health is looking for a Research Ethics and Governance Manager who will lead the smooth operation of Our Future Health’s operational ethics function through establishing and gatekeeping research ethics governance processes – particularly research ethics committee amendments to our research protocol, and other materials that support our research programme.

Our Future Health is the UK’s largest ever health research programme, bringing people together to develop new ways to detect, prevent, and treat diseases. We are a charity, supported by the UK Government, in partnership with charities and industry. We work closely with the NHS and with public authorities across all nations and regions of the UK.

Our plan is to bring together 5 million volunteers from right across the UK who will be asked to contribute information to help build one of the most detailed pictures we have ever had of people’s health. Researchers will be able to use this information to make new discoveries about human health and diseases. So future generations can live in good health for longer. 

What you’ll be doing

You will collaborate closely with cross-functional teams including Strategic Partnerships, Communications, Science, Clinical Operations, Behavioural Science, and Study Support to manage processes for new activities and content, while maintaining compliance with research ethics requirements. Your key responsibilities will also include:  

• Manage and enforce processes for coordinating amendments to our research protocol, participant-facing materials, or other relevant materials that require research ethics committee (REC) approval.
• REC-approved document and version control management.
• Undertake audits and analyses of our governance documents, policies, and standard operating procedures to ensure that they remain up-to-date and fit for purpose from a research governance and ethics perspective.
• Manage the delivery of regular in-house ethics training opportunities to Our Future Health staff members.
• Become a key gatekeeper of our research protocol to ensure that its terms and conditions are applied consistently across Our Future Health’s teams.
• Offer support to Our Future Health teams through advising them on research ethics governance at the Ethics Team’s weekly ‘Ethics Surgery’.
• Liaise with our Ethics Advisory Board on issues that require its guidance and support.
• Respond to internal and external research ethics governance enquiries.
• Contribute to regular reporting requirements – e.g., to our funders, or other partners.
• Maintain strong lines of communication with the research ethics committee that has approved Our Future Health’s research programme.
• Help Our Future Health demonstrate values of transparency, accountability, trustworthiness, and clarity; and advocate for, and promote, the role of ethics across Our Future Health.

Requirements

You will have some of the following skills and experience:

• Proven experience of liaising with research ethics committees – preferably in health research contexts.
• Excellent knowledge of research governance regulations and structures.
• Experience of supporting the development of health research, or health research allied, policies.
• Strong knowledge of emerging ethical challenges in longitudinal healthcare research programmes.
• High-level project management skills and experience, particularly in coordinating meetings and managing policy documents.
• Excellent attention to detail, particularly with respect to document management.
• Exceptional organisational and time-management skills, with a keen attention to detail and ability to multitask.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a complex organisation.
• Ability to adapt and take initiative in a fast-paced organisation which is scaling rapidly.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and confidence in working with multidisciplinary teams.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and other relevant software.

Benefits

• £50,000 - £55,000 per annum basic salary.
• Generous company pension package with employer contributions of up to 12%.
• 30 days annual leave (plus bank holidays).
• Continuous career development with regular appraisals and learning and development opportunities.
• A lovely new office in Holborn, Central London – we offer flexible and remote working arrangements.

Join us - let’s prevent disease together.