HEAD OF RESEARCH

Salary: €65,000-€70,000
Hours: Full-time 37.5 hours per week, but open to a four-day work week
Location: Grand Canal Quay, Dublin 2, with Dublin city-based meetings

Our client is a national charity established in the 1980’s to provide support and drive research into treatments for those living with a rare skin condition.
They are a person-led charity, with an ambitious and passionate team, who care deeply about the people they work with. They actively live their core values of Togetherness, Person-Centredness, Passion, Boldness and Integrity, with people at the heart of everything they do.

They are an ambitious, patient-led charity with a strong and proven track record in advancing research into the rare genetic skin condition. They play a leading role, both nationally and internationally, in ensuring that research delivers meaningful impact for people living with the condition.
They are offering an exciting opportunity for an ambitious, capable, and personable individual with strong research and communication skills to make a real difference for those affected this rare skin condition. This role provides significant scope to shape the future of the research and to influence key national and international networks.
The post holder will be responsible for implementing and monitoring our clients research strategy against clearly defined, measurable outcomes, in line with the organisation’s wider strategic goals. Working as part of a passionate, supportive, and patient-centred team, the successful candidate will help drive impactful research and advocacy activity. This is a unique opportunity for a highly motivated professional to make a meaningful contribution to the lives of people affected by this condition in Ireland.
This job description is intended as a guide to the role. Responsibilities may evolve in response to the organisation’s changing needs, following discussion with the post holder.

Role/Responsibilities:
Research Management and Support

• Propose new research projects, in line with our clients research strategy
• Manage and support ongoing and future research projects
• Contribute to the research activities of our clients International collaborators and other relevant charities
• Act as a point of contact between researchers, people living with the condition, other charities, funders and clinicians and support the development of research networks
• Facilitate patient involvement in the research
• Support the translation of research outputs into therapies, including through support for clinical trials and the commercialisation of potential therapies
• Manage all aspects of the research budget
• Identify sources of funding and contribute to securing funds for research
• Develop Debra policies relating to research
• Lobby and advocate for improved treatments, clinical trials and increased research investment

• Produce accessible content on all aspects of the research
• Communicate across all stakeholder groups, helping to inform and create a sense of community
• Use all social media and traditional media platforms
• Represent our client at national and international meetings and in the media

• Act as a member of our clients management team and support all aspects of the organisation
• Manage the research officer, including professional development and performance
• Participate in the development and implementation of our clients strategy
• Manage our clients Research Committee
• Represent our client within relevant umbrella groups and organisations

• A minimum of 5 years’ experience in a related field
• Degree-level and postgraduate qualification within the field of biomedical sciences, or equivalent
• Expert knowledge of the health research environment
• Minimum of five years’ experience managing teams and workloads
• Strong inter-personal skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and the ability to make complex topics accessible
• Exceptional project management and computer skills, with excellent attention to detail
• Self-motivated, highly capable of working independently and with a strong work ethic
• Flexibility to occasionally travel and work outside standard hours
• Enthusiasm for the overall vision of our client
• Fluency in written and spoken English

• Experience working in the charity sector

• Generous annual leave entitlement including discretionary leave days: Good Friday, Christmas Eve, and working days between Christmas and New Year
• Employer-matched Pension Scheme up to 6%
• Long service leave
• Opportunity for flexible/hybrid working
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Bike to Work Scheme