Innovation Programme Manager – Innovation Policy and Delivery: Sponsorship Available

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust

Job summary

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust is developing an ambitious innovation function to help staff turn ideas into improvements for patients, colleagues and communities. We are seeking an Innovation Programme Manager to join the team on a fixed-term basis to provide maternity cover.

This is an exciting opportunity to help shape innovation across one of the South West’s largest NHS organisations. You will support the processes, partnerships and programmes needed to identify, evaluate, adopt and scale innovations that improve outcomes, productivity and organisational performance.

Working with clinical and non-clinical teams, senior leaders, patients, industry and academic partners, you will support innovators through evaluation, funding, governance, intellectual property and implementation. You will also contribute to business cases, reports, policies and assurance processes that support effective decision-making and demonstrate impact.

We welcome applications from individuals with experience in innovation, improvement, technology adoption, partnerships or programme delivery. Candidates may come from the NHS, industry, academia, start-ups, innovation hubs or other relevant sectors. Most importantly, you will be collaborative, proactive and able to translate ideas into practical change.

If you are passionate about improving health and care through innovation and confident working with diverse stakeholders, we would welcome your application.

Main duties of the job

The Innovation Programme Manager will support the development and delivery of Bristol NHS Foundation Trust’s innovation function, helping turn ideas into improvements in patient care, staff experience and organisational performance.

Working with staff, clinical teams and external partners, the postholder will support innovations through evaluation, adoption and implementation, providing advice on governance, funding, intellectual property, procurement, commercialisation and delivery.

The role will manage a portfolio of innovation projects and programmes, developing plans, monitoring risks and benefits, preparing reports and business cases, and providing updates to senior leaders and governance groups. The postholder will work closely with colleagues across clinical services, research and development, improvement, finance, procurement and communications, alongside external partners.

The successful candidate will contribute to innovation policies, reporting and assurance processes, ensuring activity is evidence-based, well governed and aligned with Trust priorities. They will also help foster a positive innovation culture through staff engagement, learning activities and network development.

This is an opportunity to help shape innovation across the Trust, working with a wide range of stakeholders to translate ideas into measurable impact. The role requires a proactive, collaborative individual who can manage competing priorities in a dynamic environment.

Person Specification

Education/Training/Qualifications

Essential

  • Educated to degree level or equivalent experience
  • Formal training in innovation, improvement, project/programme management, or change management

Work Experience

Essential

  • Experience of assessing, developing or supporting the adoption of new technologies, products or service models
  • Experience of influencing and/or supporting policy development.
  • Experience of working autonomously using own discretion.

Desirable

  • Experience of working in an innovation environment, such as a start up, scale up, industry setting, or innovation support organisation
  • Demonstrable experience in the management and successful delivery of improvement and innovation projects and approaches.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

Essential

  • Excellent knowledge of coaching, influencing and engaging techniques.
  • Knowledge of collating, analysing and interpreting data over time to support innovation and improvement.
  • Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, to develop, read, interpret and disseminate complex, sensitive or contentious data and information to others.
  • Excellent communication, negotiation, and influencing skills.
  • Ability to manage complex projects, programmes and competing priorities.
  • Ability to translate between clinical, operational and commercial perspectives to support the effective adoption of innovation.
  • Working knowledge of budgets and financial management, coupled with sound financial control skills.
  • Able to write project documents and complex reports for a range of audiences.

Desirable

  • Knowledge of intellectual property and Technology Readiness Levels
  • Highly developed knowledge and understanding of innovation pathways and requirements, acquired through formal training, experience and/or qualification.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Closing Date: 1 November 2026

To apply for this job please visit apps.trac.jobs.