The HRA is leading the transformation on behalf of our IRAS partners. As 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), and Health and Social Care Northern Ireland.

Work flexibly across organisational boundaries, contributing to areas beyond your immediate remit to support joined-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.

Interviews will take place week commencing 18 August 2025

Main duties of the job

Lead the design and delivery of structured change interventions to support adoption of new digital services, systems, and processes

Engage with internal and external stakeholders to understand the impact of change and plan for successful transition

Develop inclusive and targeted change plans for different user groups

Work closely with delivery teams, product leads and user experience teams to ensure change activities are aligned with service rollout

Coordinate with national programmes (e.g. UK Clinical Research Delivery and Clinical Trials Regulation) to align change activities and reduce duplication

Collaborate with communications, learning and development, and guidance teams to ensure change is well-supported and well-understood

About us

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're 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 help us to deliver the best services.

We welcome applications which represent the rich diversity of our community. This includes:o ageo disabilityo ethnicityo gender identity and expressiono religion or beliefo sexo sexual orientationo other diverse characteristics

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 you, we'll do our best to make it work for us.

Please note, if applying to our Nottingham or Bristol locations, we are only able to offer the role as home based.

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

• Masters level qualification or portfolio of evidence demonstrating ability to work at this level in business, organisational change, or digital/service transformation
• Qualification or equivalent specialist training in change management, service design improvement or digital transformation

Other

• Commitment to inclusivity and valuing diversity

Knowledge, Skills and Expertise

• Ability to act with diplomacy and sensitivity, use negotiating and influencing skills, and an ability to work well and communicate orally and in written communication with others at all levels
• Ability to contribute to the definition of the service to reflect user needs, policy intent and digital service design principles.

Experience

• Experience supporting business change in complex, multi-stakeholder service environments
• Experience of working collaboratively to enable change, including the planning and delivery of structured change interventions to support user adoption of new services, systems, or processes.

Analytical and Judgemental Skills

• Ability to interpret qualitative and quantitative feedback to refine change plans and identify barriers to adoption

Knowledge, Skills and Expertise

• Demonstrable knowledge of change and improvement methodologies and awareness of benefit and risk management process.
• Awareness of agile and iterative delivery models and how change integrates with digital or product teams
• Current knowledge of UK ecosystem for health and social care research including NHS R&D, NIHR CRN structures and delivery processes and UK Research Ethics arrangements and HRA/HCRW Approval

Interpersonal Skills

• Highly self-motivated, confident, proactive, innovative, with ability to work independently and on own initiative. Adaptable to change with a commitment to team working and respect and consideration for the skills of others.

Full-time,Flexible working,Home or remote working,Compressed hours