Member Management and Development Specialist

Job summary

We're seeking an enthusiastic and experienced volunteer manager to lead our Member Support Team in delivering a high-quality Research Ethics Committee (REC) and Confidentiality Advisory Group (CAG) service. The postholder will oversee the effective end-to-end management of the member lifecycle, including recruitment, onboarding, induction, development, retention, and performance management.

The role requires the ability to effectively prioritise competing demands, identify and implement process improvements and support the team to manage a large and complex membership within a high-volume, fast response operational environment.

There are approximately 1,000 members and the postholder will ensure that REC and CAG membership is appropriately constituted, sustainable, and aligned with relevant legislation, policy, and operational requirements. The postholder will be responsible for resolving complex and sensitive member matters in line with organisational policies.

Alongside this they will lead on the development and improvement of member service standards and proactively identify and mitigate risks to service delivery.

To carry out the role effectively, the postholder will need to work collaboratively with internal colleagues, other UK nations and external stakeholders. They will need strong influencing and persuasion skills, alongside the ability to communicate complex information clearly.

Main duties of the job

Leading the Member Support Team to ensure delivery of a high-quality, Research Ethics Committee (REC) and Confidentiality Advisory Group (CAG) service, ensuring membership is appropriately constituted, sustainable and aligned with relevant legislation, policy and operational requirements.

Ensuring delivery of effective end-to-end management of the member lifecycle, including recruitment, onboarding, induction, development, retention, and performance management of approximately 1,000 members.

Leading the development and improvement of member service standards, ensuring that membership capacity, capability, and conduct enable the delivery of timely, robust and high-quality ethics review and confidentiality advice.

Proactively identifying and mitigating risks to service delivery and taking appropriate action to maintain service performance.

Resolving complex and sensitive member matters in line with organisational policies.

Working collaboratively with operational teams and stakeholders across the UK to support the ongoing development and assurance of UK REC and CAG services.

Communicating complex information clearly through high-quality presentations and reports.

Prioritising competing demands, identifying and implementing process improvements that enhance efficiency and enable the team to manage a large and complex membership.

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.

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

Desirable

• Project Management qualification
• Post graduate leadership qualification or equivalent experience

• Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion

• Significant demonstrable and relevant experience in a volunteer management or volunteer recruitment role equivalent to a degree, and / or a degree related to the subject

• Significant experience in team leadership and service delivery within a high-volume, complex environment.
• Proven experience in service improvement, change management, and (desirably) training design and delivery.

• Ability to analyse complex data and stakeholder feedback to inform decision-making, service improvements, and operational policy.

• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage, support and manage a wide range of stakeholders.

• Flexibility to travel across the UK, including occasional overnight stays

• Strong knowledge of research ethics frameworks including UK REC Policy Document and relevant UK legislation (e.g., Clinical Trials Regulations, GCP etc.)
• Advanced data analysis and reporting skills (including Excel), with excellent organisational, problem solving and prioritisation abilities.

• Ability to analyse information and make decisions managing sensitive member issues and balancing competing priorities

• Strong relationship-building and team leadership capability to deliver high-quality, collaborative outcomes

• Project Management qualification
• Post graduate leadership qualification or equivalent experience

• Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion

• Significant demonstrable and relevant experience in a volunteer management or volunteer recruitment role equivalent to a degree, and / or a degree related to the subject

• Significant experience in team leadership and service delivery within a high-volume, complex environment.
• Proven experience in service improvement, change management, and (desirably) training design and delivery.

• Ability to analyse complex data and stakeholder feedback to inform decision-making, service improvements, and operational policy.

• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage, support and manage a wide range of stakeholders.

• Flexibility to travel across the UK, including occasional overnight stays

• Strong knowledge of research ethics frameworks including UK REC Policy Document and relevant UK legislation (e.g., Clinical Trials Regulations, GCP etc.)
• Advanced data analysis and reporting skills (including Excel), with excellent organisational, problem solving and prioritisation abilities.

• Ability to analyse information and make decisions managing sensitive member issues and balancing competing priorities

• Strong relationship-building and team leadership capability to deliver high-quality, collaborative outcomes