Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Improvement Manager (Public Partnerships) 

Contract: Permanent (full-time)

Salary: £54,711 - £60,791

Location: London - Hybrid 

Application closing date: Friday 28th November 2025

Join Us as a Senior Improvement Manager – Improving Impact Through Public Partnerships

Are you passionate about shaping the future of health and social care research which can meet the needs of all? We are looking for a Senior Improvement Manager to play a pivotal role in advancing NIHR Public Partnerships vision and strategy implementation. In this role, you will influence across organisational boundaries, shaping national priorities while coordinating the planning, delivery, and monitoring of high-impact initiatives.

You will lead and contribute to key projects that integrate leadership and improvement in public partnerships with broader maximising impact activities, providing expert guidance, resources, and support to the wider public partnerships workforce, research community, people and communities. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who can inspire and influence beyond direct authority, bringing expert knowledge and a collaborative approach which enables others to make research more inclusive and impactful. Join us at BMJ Maximising Impact and Public Partnerships team and help drive research that truly benefits communities and society.

Responsibilities 

• Work across NIHR and with external partners to inspire, influence and coordinate functions and teams to set goals, prepare and deliver integrated plans to deliver NIHR public partnerships strategy, ensuring progress is monitored, reported and governed effectively. 

• Shape and influence NIHR strategic initiatives, policies etc, to align to/help deliver public partnerships goals.  

• Plan, deliver and facilitate others delivery of added value projects, pilots/innovations to influence policy and practice, to time and target. 

• Provide expert NIHR cross system and international strategic leadership, advice and guidance on key public partnership themes. 

• Manage/contribute to the effective delivery and reporting of service (s), which meet customer needs and can demonstrate impact. 

• Develop and maintain targeted stakeholder and community relationships and networks across and beyond NIHR to advance public partnerships collaboratively

• Facilitate spaces and approaches which enable systemic issues in public partnerships to be tackled, and promote continuous improvement and innovation. within NIHR and beyond.

• Lead/contribute to the development of high quality resources, learning materials/modules and events. 

• Coach other members of the team, subcontractors, colleagues and public contributors to facilitate effective team working and delivery. 

• Line manages staff/contractors as required. 

• Represent NIHR and MIPP at meetings and events, including supporting governance processes, and deputising for the Deputy Director where required. 

• Contribute to the broader work of the MIPP team as necessary - in particular flagship activities proposed in the BMJ bid- in the interests of integrating the public partnerships and maximising impact strands. 

Skills, Experience & Qualifications 

• Degree in health or social sciences or equivalent skills/experience 

• Experience of managing public partnerships, and developing or implementing public partnerships strategy or frameworks, ideally in the health and/or care sector 

• Strong applied public partnerships knowledge in at least one of the 5 Strategic Commitments themes 

• Experience of successfully leading or delivering improvement priorities across a team/teams and/or organisations 

• Experience of delivering successful stakeholder engagement for a strategy/ project/ programme 

• Experience of working with stakeholders at all levels to generate commitment to, and achieve delivery of, shared strategic goals 

• Strong influencing and negotiation skills, to persuade those outside management control, and at senior levels, to take ownership of work/ improve practice/align work/deliver results 

• Excellent communication skills orally and in writing, including the ability to present and convey complex material tailored to the needs of different audiences, and to target communications, including for patients and the public 

• Effective planning/organisational skills to deliver multiple and fluctuating priorities with demanding deadlines 

• Chairing and facilitation skills, to run effective events and meetings

• Understanding of and commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, with cultural competence, and able to demonstrate how this applies to the role

• Highly IT literate with the ability to competently employ the various functions of Microsoft/Google including Powerpoint/Slides, Word/Docs, Excel/Sheets and Outlook/Gmail Strong interpersonal skills with a collaborative, inclusive and supportive working style

Why work for us

Help us create a healthier world. We are a global healthcare knowledge provider. We publish The BMJ, one of the world’s most impactful medical journals and over 70 influential speciality journals. We offer digital tools to help health professionals worldwide tackle critical healthcare challenges. Find out more about us here.

Flexible Work and Workplace Perks

• We’re committed to flexible working that supports both your needs and the requirements of the role.

Generous benefits

• Generous double-matching employer pension contribution, up to 12%

• Discounted dental and travel insurance

• Seven x salary life assurance cover and a generous income protection package

• Discounted gym membership, cycle-to-work and season ticket loan

• Discounts for retail and leisure products through yourReward 

Work-life balance and wellbeing

• Twenty-five days holiday + bank holidays + a BMJ Day off.

• Additional holiday through long service; buy up to 5 additional days 

• Leave for moving house, volunteering or getting married

• Concierge service Seniorcare by Lottie

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

• Equity, Diversity and Inclusion are not buzzwords to us, but fundamental company priorities

• We believe that a diverse workforce brings unique strengths and insights, enabling us to better serve our customers and drive positive change in our industry. 

• If you are from an under-represented or historically marginalised community, we are particularly interested in hearing from you. 

• Join our employee-led networks focusing on Gender, Race and Cultural Diversity, Sexual Orientation, Mental Health and Well-being, Parents and Carers and Age.

• Disability Confident Committed employer

Learning & Development

• Personal development plan 

• Mentoring scheme

• Career Coaching

• Opportunities to pursue professional development

• Strengths-based development