Working as a partnership, both Isle of Wight NHS Trust and Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust have a shared vision for excellence in care for our patients and communities; with a set of strategic aims underpinning how we will achieve this. 

The single corporate service is delivered across both organisations. You may be based at either IWT or PHU and individuals may be required to undertake business travel between sites. For leaders managing staff across multi-site locations, you will need to be visible and provide in person leadership. The arrangements and frequency will be agreed locally.

This vacancy is open to employees of Isle of Wight NHS Trust and Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust only.

NHS Band 6 Salary:  £39,959 - £48,117 per annum

Hours per Week:   Full time 37.5 hrs

Contract type:  Permanent

This is a specialist knowledge administrative role within the Portsmouth Technology Trials Unit team. The purpose of the role is to be responsible for leading on the Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) activities relating to research at Portsmouth Hospitals (PHU) and Isle of Wight (IWT) NHS Trusts. The post holder will provide a specialist role, working closely with patients, citizens and carers, research teams and other professionals to develop and deliver a PPI strategy and programme of work.

Job summary

• To lead and facilitate PPI input into research at the organisation including project reviews, engagement, communications etc.
• To liaise with regional/national strategically aligned PPI organisations and groups.
• To ensure good governance arrangements in relation to PPI undertakings for research at the organisation.
• Support the development internal research awareness (and external communications where required).

Specific Core Functions

• To lead on the development, implementation and evaluation of a strategy for research PPI at the organisation, ensuring engagement of the PPI group.
• Act as the primary contact for Trust-wide PPI activities related to research, co-ordinate all PPI work and ensure PPI is integral to every IWT/PHU sponsored research project.
• Support PPI input with locally led grant applications, working with research colleagues to write new funding applications to support PPI applications and identifying/supporting suitable PPI representatives to act as grant co-applicants.
• Use specialist engagement knowledge to provide advice to colleagues on the best approaches for engaging and involving citizens, patients and carers in research business.
• Develop processes to ensure PPI engagement within relevant Research workstreams
• Collate and evaluate feedback and information regarding the impact of PPI activities- including supporting national PRES survey.
• Work collaboratively with communications and engagement teams at the organisation to ensure a consistent approach to PPU engagement and to pro-actively communicate and promote research.
• Build and maintain a network of strategic external contacts to inform, support and collaborate on PPI activities.
• Prioritise workload to ensure that work is dealt with in a timely manner.
• Work with wider PPI networks on promoting PPI activities, developing best practice standards and sharing knowledge and innovations, developing standards/policies where necessary to ensure good PPI governance.
• Provide guidance and training on PPI (including associated policies and procedures).
• Ensure highest standards of professional conduct and observe the strictest confidence with regard to sensitive information relating to research and PPI business.
• Demonstrate attending to detail and robust record keeping.
• Undertake any other duties as may be reasonably required within the general scope of the role and to contribute to the smooth running of the department.

For full job details and person specifications please refer to enclosed job description.

Essential

• Educated to degree level or equivalent relevant experience

Desirable

• Evidence of significant NHS experience or research management experience within a health related organisation.
• Recent Good Clinical Practice (GCP) in research training.
• Project management qualification of demonstrable experience.

Experience

Essential

• Experience of participating in or working with voluntary organisations and/or community groups/health organisations

Desirable

• Experience in designing or developing communication materials.
• Experience of working within academic and/or health service environment.
• Experience of support funding applications.

Skills & Knowledge

Essential

• Strong Interpersonal skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills including presentation and report writing skills, across a range of stakeholders.
• Ability to work to deadlines and manage a diverse workload with cross functional teams.
• Excellent project management skills.
• Ability to deliver feedback in a positive, constructive manner, skills in motivating.
• Ability to organise participatory and interactive workshops and events.
• Well-developed influencing skills across hierarchies and disciplines.
• Confidence in making decisions when dealing with competing priorities.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Responsive and flexible attitude and approach.
• Excellent working knowledge of using Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel & Powerpoint) comparable computer packages.
• Excellent working knowledge of using the internet.
• Demonstrates leadership qualities.

Desirable

• Knowledge of Good Clinical Practice Guidelines and current Trials’ Regulations (EU Directive Clinical Trials).
• Critical appraisal and analytical skills for interpreting qualitative and quantitative information.
• A high level of numeracy with the ability to interpret statistical and epidemiological data.
• Knowledge of PPI and its role in the NHS.
• Knowledge of purpose and role of medical research.

The health and wellbeing of our staff is at the forefront of everything we do. We are proud to be able to offer our staff some fantastic benefits including our on-site Nursery, access to our free Beach Hut for those long summer days, our on-site Wellness Centre including a gym and a swimming pool, access to our fantastic staff networks including LGBTQ, Race Equality and DisAbility, and awards ceremonies to recognise your achievements. We believe we can offer support to all of our staff when they need it the most.

We welcome the unique contributions that you can bring in terms of your education, opinions, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity and expression, nation of origin, age, languages spoken, veteran’s status, colour, religion, disability, sexual orientation, and beliefs. 

For more information, please see our People and OD Strategy 2026