Senior Research Programme Manager

Our Vision 

uMed seeks to be a cornerstone of the efforts to reduce the burden of disease for patients by radically reducing the barriers to knowledge creation. 

Join us. 

Our Culture 

We are a group of trusting and inclusive individuals, who encourage, are creative and want to make a difference in the world. We do not take ourselves too seriously and we love to tell a story. We innovate, work hard and take risks but at the forefront is a joint mission to be part of groundbreaking research to ultimately advance and develop science to support those most in need. 

What we do 

The process of conducting clinical research is incredibly expensive and time consuming, limiting our efforts to find answers to the world’s most important medical challenges. uMed is a clinical research network fit for the 21st century, underpinned by cutting edge technology that connects patients, electronic health data and research groups across the world. Our rapidly growing network covers 90 GP sites in the UK representing over 2,000,000 patients with our first US healthcare system joining us this year bringing a further 5M patients. uMed was founded by an NHS doctor, supported by a world class board and backed by London and US based venture capital. 

Life at uMed 

No matter what an organisation is trying to achieve, success or failure is inextricably linked to the people within it. For a young company, there is no redundancy, so this relationship is turned up to eleven. 

At uMed we punch well above our weight due to the quality of the team we have built, and their dedication to our shared vision. Recognising this dedication, we have a fantastic benefits package and accompanying culture at uMed. This includes 

1. 25 days holidays or pro-rata for part time work 

2. 8 bank holidays or pro-rata for part time work 

3. Fully remote working 

4. Quarterly meetings with the whole team at our office in London

5. Competitive salary 

6. Private pension in accordance with UK legislation 

7. Flexi Benefits platform

8. Enhanced parental leave

9. Your birthday off!

Requirements

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the scoping, evaluation, and commercial shaping of sub-studies following internal process, acting as a key partner to the commercial team during proposal and contracting stages.
• Execution and management of sub-studies including sponsor relations, acting as the senior point of contact for escalations, contract renewals and expansions, and identifying opportunities to grow the account.
• Utilize internal project management tools and methodologies to effectively plan, track, and report on programme progress, milestones, and deliverables.
• Own programme-level budget accountability in collaboration with Finance partner, including forecasting, margin awareness, and early identification of commercial risks and opportunities.
• Proactively identify, communicate, and mitigate risks and issues, collaborating closely with internal teams to develop effective strategies. Act as the escalation point for programme-level risks, exercising judgement on when to escalate to leadership and leading cross-functional resolution.
• Build and manage relationships with external clients at a senior level, ensuring their needs and expectations are met, communication is consistent, and their direction is reflected across the project. Lead sponsor-facing governance (steering committees, quarterly business reviews), setting the agenda and narrative.
• Collaborate with technical product and engineering teams to identify technology solutions in service of the Cohort(s) and sub-studies. Shape the technology roadmap conversation by translating project needs into prioritised requirements, and oversee documentation of requirements and end-user testing.
• Ensure strict compliance with data privacy regulations and maintain the security of Protected Health Information (PHI).
• Demonstrate outstanding interpersonal skills to establish and maintain rapport with diverse groups of stakeholders — internal and external.
• Oversee internal reporting of Cohort(s) and sub-study progress, and represent the programme function in cross-functional forums, contributing to strategic planning, capacity planning, and prioritisation decisions.
• Ensure regulatory requirements are met across all geographies.
• Management of the programme core and wider teams to ensure effective and efficient management of all work in relation to the Cohort(s).
• Mentor and support the development of more junior team members, including reviewing their programme plans and deliverables.
• Contribute to the development and continuous improvement of research delivery, and programme management processes, tools, templates, and best practice across the function.
• Deputise for the VP of Operations / programme leadership as required.

Qualifications

• Significant (e.g. 5+ years) proven track record in research delivery,  project and/or programme management, including planning, tracking, and reporting, with ownership of large, multi-region or multi-stakeholder programmes.
• Exceptional client management skills with a demonstrated history of successful stakeholder engagement and relationship building, including navigating difficult conversations, escalations, and commercial discussions with senior sponsor/client contacts.
• Highly organised and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage complex projects spanning multiple business functions.
• Strong experience in risk and issue management, with a talent for collaborating with internal stakeholders to develop effective solutions.
• Proficiency in using project management tools and software to facilitate project execution.
• Quick to establish and maintain rapport with internal and external stakeholders.
• Experience mentoring or line-managing project/programme management staff.
• Track record of improving processes or ways of working, not just operating within them.
• Commercial acumen - experience with budget ownership, forecasting, and understanding programme profitability.
• Experience in healthcare, clinical trials, or research expected at this level.
• Familiarity with pharmaceutical trials and regulations is a bonus.
• Experience working with technical product or engineering teams is a plus.
• Certification in project management (e.g., PMP, PRINCE2, Agile) is a plus.