Research Policy Manager

Job Description
Do you want to help build a high quality health research system, contributing to people living healthier, longer, and better quality lives?

You’ll be a key member of the Research Infrastructure, Governance, and Ethics Team in the Chief Scientist Office (CSO), Chief Medical Officer Directorate. Our team develops policy and funding to help NHS Scotland attract and conduct innovative research. We fund research-active NHS staff and facilities and shape a policy and legislative environment that enables high-quality, ethical research. We collaborate closely with NHS Research Scotland and engage with NHS, academic, industry, and government stakeholders to achieve our goals.

As the Scottish Government’s health research ethics policy lead, you’ll oversee Scotland's high-performing research ethics service, assuring ministers and regulators that participants’ rights, safety, and well-being are protected. You’ll work with ethics officers, committees, and the wider research community to review performance and improve practices, including reforming medical research provisions in Adults with Incapacity legislation. You’ll also lead engagement with UK Four Nations partners during major health research reforms, representing Scotland to ensure its research community helps shape new initiatives, including updated UK clinical trials legislation. You’ll support NHS research infrastructure by managing annual funding to Health Boards, reviewing NHS Research Scotland’s structures and resources, and aligning policy and funding with broader UK strategies like the UK Clinical Research Delivery and VPAG commercial research programmes.

The role’s key objective is to connect policy with delivery. You’ll engage widely with stakeholders to ensure strategic goals are operationally feasible, supported by proportionate governance, and that a partly devolved health research system works effectively for both Scotland and the UK.

Responsibilities

• Oversee effective and proportionate governance and risk management mechanisms to manage health research policy and service delivery.
• Take a strategic and pragmatic approach to participation and engagement with a wide range of partners and stakeholders e.g. UK Government and devolved counterparts, NHS, Academia, Industry, public.
• Deliver aspects of the health research policy design, development and delivery life cycle, including strategy, appraisal, impact assessment, monitoring, evaluation etc.
• Collaboration with other areas within Scottish Government to progress policy outcomes e.g. mental health, social care, health operations/delivery.
• Development, instruction and implementation of aspects of primary and secondary legislation, including devolved and reserved areas.
• Lead or assist with briefing and advice for senior officials/ Ministers to ensure they understand emerging risks and opportunities in an evolving health research system.
• Contribute timely and accurate responses to correspondence e.g. Ministerial, official, PQs, FoIs.
• Lead or support policy communications activities e.g. visits/ events to boost senior official/ Ministerial understanding and engagement in health research.
• Management of a discrete portfolio of funding agreements with Health Boards supporting NHS research and ethics infrastructure.

Success Profile

Success profiles are specific to each job and they include the mix of skills, experience and behaviours candidates will be assessed on.

Technical / Professional Skills:

1. Participation and Engagement - Level 2 - Enable participation by stakeholders in the policy process. Seek enhanced transparency and openness.
2. Parliament and Law - Level 2 - Understand the legal framework applicable to your policy role AND Understand the legislative process.
3. Policy Delivery and Systems - Level 2 - Explore delivery options using data, evidence and advice on the needs of those affected by policy.

You can find out more about the skills required here: Policy Profession Standards Annex

Behaviours:

• Making Effective Decisions - (Level 3)
• Working Together - (Level 3)
• Managing a Quality Service - (Level 3)
   

You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours, here: Behaviour levels - Success profiles: candidate guide - gov.scot

How to apply

Apply online, providing a CV and Supporting Statement (of no more than 1000 words) which provides evidence of how you meet the skills, experience and behaviours listed in the Success Profile above.   If invited for further assessment, this will consist of an interview and presentation.   Assessments are scheduled for w/c 28 July however this may be subject to change.   About Us

The Scottish Government is the devolved government for Scotland. We have responsibility for a wide range of key policy areas including: education, health, the economy, justice, housing and transport. We offer rewarding careers and employ people across Scotland in a wide range of professions and roles.

Our staff are part of the UK Civil Service, working for Ministers and senior stakeholders to deliver vital public services which improve the lives of the people of Scotland.

We offer a supportive and inclusive working environment along with a wide range of employee benefits. Find out more about what we offer. 

As part of the UK Civil Service, we uphold the Civil Service Nationality Rules.

Working Pattern

Our standard hours are 35 hours per week.  We offer a range of flexible and hybrid working options depending on the needs of the role. If you have specific questions about the role you are applying for,  please contact us.

Equality Statement

We are committed to equality and inclusion and we aim to recruit a diverse workforce that reflects the population of our nation.  

Find out more about our commitment to diversity and how we offer and support recruitment adjustments for anyone who needs them.

Further information

Find out more about our organisation, what we offer staff members and how to apply on our Careers Website.

Read our Candidate Guide for further information on our recruitment and application processes.