Job Description

The NHS Health Research Authority is recruiting a Senior Business Change Manager to play a leading role in a major national programme to deliver new digital services that simplify and accelerate research approvals across the UK.
This is an opportunity to shape how thousands of researchers, sponsors and partners experience research setup -- improving speed, consistency and access.
This is a fixed term or secondment opportunity until April 2027.
The HRA is leading the transformation on behalf of our IRAS partners. As Senior Business Change Manager, you'll lead the planning and delivery of business change to support the successful adoption of the new IRAS service. You'll work across a complex stakeholder environment to ensure readiness, drive engagement, and embed change in practice.
You'll be part of a cross-functional team working closely with our IRAS partners including representatives from Health and Care Research Wales, Chief Scientist Office (Scotland), andHealth and Social Care Northern Ireland.
Work flexibly across organisational boundaries, contributing to areas beyond your immediate remit to lead? Supportjoined-up delivery and transformation outcomes.
This is an opportunity to work at the heart of public sector digital transformation helping to ensure change lands well for the people and organisations who use our services.
Main duties of the job

• Shape the roadmap for business change across transition states, aligned to delivery phases.
• Lead communication and engagement across a complex and politically sensitive landscape, interpreting and explaining highly complex or contentious information to large and diverse audiences including senior national stakeholders, programme boards and cross-government groups.
• Lead the organisational interpretation of emerging UK research legislation and government policy, ensuring business change requirements are identified early and incorporated into programme delivery.
• Influence national partners and policy leads to align regulatory processes with service delivery objectives, shaping joint guidance, SOPs and implementation frameworks.
• Translate programme goals into change outcomes for users, staff and partners.
• Provide senior-level steer on readiness, adoption, and operational alignment.
• Contribute to decision-making and prioritisation at programme board and transformation leadership forums.
• Ensure benefits are defined, tracked and evaluated across implementation phases

About us
Working at the HRA, we are reminded daily of how important life is. As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for you, not just us and the work we do.
We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. We know from experience that different ideas, perspectives and backgrounds create a stronger, more creative workplace that helps us to deliver the best services. We welcome applications which represent the rich diversity of our community: age, disability, gender identity and expression, ethnicity, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation and other diverse characteristics, and we have policies in place to ensure that all applicants are treated fairly and consistently at every stage of the recruitment process.
When applying to work here, speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement - if it works for us, we will do our best to make it work for you.
Please note, if applying to our Manchester, Nottingham or Bristol locations, we are only able to offer the role as home based.
Details
Date posted
24 December 2025
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 8a
Salary
55,690 to 62,682 a year
Contract
Fixed term
Duration
14 months
Working pattern
Full-time
Reference number
980HRA-7690343
Job locations
Health Research Authority
3 Picadilly Place, London Road
Manchester
M1 3BN
Job description
Job responsibilities
This role sits within the HRA Approvals Service directorate, which consists of various teams that all work together to provide the appropriate approval for health research in England and, for some applications, across the UK. This directorate is responsible for:-Delivering HRA Approval-Supporting the Confidentiality Advisory Group and advising on the use of confidential patient information without consent-Working to refine the systems and processes researchers need to follow to ensure a swift, robust and simple experience-Providing guidance to applicants-Providing training-Working collaboratively with external partners to improve the research environment To find out more and to understand the full duties of the role, please refer to the job description attached.
In submitting your application with us, please note the following:
We currently do not accept applications via recruitment agencies.We do not hold a sponsorship licence and are unable to offer employment under any sponsorship arrangement.Where applicants fail to demonstrate how they meet any one of the essential criteria of the person specification, the application will not be shortlisted. You will be considered based only on the information in your application form. CVs will not be considered.The HRA reserves the right to close this vacancy early should it receive a sufficient number of applications. Job description
Job responsibilities
This role sits within the HRA Approvals Service directorate, which consists of various teams that all work together to provide the appropriate approval for health research in England and, for some applications, across the UK. This directorate is responsible for:-Delivering HRA Approval-Supporting the Confidentiality Advisory Group and advising on the use of confidential patient information without consent-Working to refine the systems and processes researchers need to follow to ensure a swift, robust and simple experience-Providing guidance to applicants-Providing training-Working collaboratively with external partners to improve the research environment To find out more and to understand the full duties of the role, please refer to the job description attached.
In submitting your application with us, please note the following:
We currently do not accept applications via recruitment agencies.We do not hold a sponsorship licence and are unable to offer employment under any sponsorship arrangement.Where applicants fail to demonstrate how they meet any one of the essential criteria of the person specification, the application will not be shortlisted. You will be considered based only on the information in your application form. CVs will not be considered.The HRA reserves the right to close this vacancy early should it receive a sufficient number of applications.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Masters level qualification or equivalent experience in business change, digital/service transformation

Desirable

• Qualification in change management (Prosci/APMG), service design or digital transformation

Knowledge and Skills
Essential

• Ability to manage, coach and develop others

Desirable

• Ability to use Jira and other planning tools to plan and track activities.

Experience
Essential

• Experience of line managing change staff and delivering through matrix teams

Knowledge and Skills
Essential

• Advanced communication and influencing skills with senior internal/external stakeholders across organisations
• Ability to translate technical change into clear messages for non-technical audiences

Desirable

• Understanding of research regulation and study set-up in the UK

Analytical and Judgemental Skills
Essential

• Able to evaluate complex information and make judgements that shape direction
• Highly developed problem-solving skills and ability to balance competing priorities and risk tolerances

Interpersonal Skills
Essential

• Credible with senior leaders and partners; able to secure alignment where organisational interests diverge
• High emotional intelligence and resilience in high-change environments

Knowledge and Skills
Essential

• In-depth knowledge of change and improvement methodologies, benefits realisation and risk management

Desirable

• Understanding of agile and iterative delivery models and integration with product teams

Experience
Desirable

• Experience working with NHS, research stakeholders and regulatory partners

Other
Essential

• Willingness to travel and occasionally stay overnight
• Commitment to inclusivity and valuing diversity

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Masters level qualification or equivalent experience in business change, digital/service transformation

Desirable

• Qualification in change management (Prosci/APMG), service design or digital transformation

Knowledge and Skills
Essential

• Ability to manage, coach and develop others

Desirable

• Ability to use Jira and other planning tools to plan and track activities.

Experience
Essential

• Experience of line managing change staff and delivering through matrix teams

Knowledge and Skills
Essential

• Advanced communication and influencing skills with senior internal/external stakeholders across organisations
• Ability to translate technical change into clear messages for non-technical audiences

Desirable

• Understanding of research regulation and study set-up in the UK

Analytical and Judgemental Skills
Essential

• Able to evaluate complex information and make judgements that shape direction
• Highly developed problem-solving skills and ability to balance competing priorities and risk tolerances

Interpersonal Skills
Essential

• Credible with senior leaders and partners; able to secure alignment where organisational interests diverge
• High emotional intelligence and resilience in high-change environments

Knowledge and Skills
Essential

• In-depth knowledge of change and improvement methodologies, benefits realisation and risk management

Desirable

• Understanding of agile and iterative delivery models and integration with product teams

Experience
Desirable

• Experience working with NHS, research stakeholders and regulatory partners

Other
Essential

• Willingness to travel and occasionally stay overnight
• Commitment to inclusivity and valuing diversity

Skills Required