Director of Participant Operations

Our Future Health UK

. Lead participant recruitment, engagement, community partnerships and participant support teams .

Posted 11/4/2026full-timeLondon • United KingdomLead💰 £100,000 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

Use this summary to align your resume positioning with the role.

Demonstrates strong leadership in participant recruitment and engagement, with a focus on operational strategy, performance management, and stakeholder collaboration. Proven ability to enhance service quality and participant experience through data-driven insights and community partnerships.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Senior Leadership ExperienceOperational PlanningStakeholder ManagementParticipant-Centred DesignBudget Management

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Operational StrategyRecruitment ForecastingPerformance ManagementService Quality ImprovementData AnalysisBudget ManagementSupplier Relationship ManagementParticipant Experience StrategyEngagement ProgrammesService Framework Development

Soft Skills

LeadershipCollaborationInfluencing SkillsCalm LeadershipCommitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Industry Keywords

Health ResearchHealthcarePublic HealthLife SciencesPublic EngagementService DeliveryDiversity and InclusionParticipant RetentionCommunity PartnershipsMultidisciplinary Teams

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Lead participant recruitment, engagement, community partnerships and participant support teams
Own operational strategy and performance for participant recruitment
Oversee recruitment forecasting, planning, supplier performance and delivery pipelines
Build relationships with community organisations and strategic partners across the UK
Develop and lead the Participant Experience Strategy
Oversee participant support services, complaints management and service operations
Maintain customer service quality, service standards and continual improvement
Establish governance, escalation routes and service frameworks
Embed participant insight into product development, clinical delivery and organisational planning
Use research, data and participant feedback to shape services, improve engagement and support retention
Lead multidisciplinary teams and foster collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement
Establish priorities, performance measures and delivery plans
Manage significant budgets and supplier relationships to ensure value for money
Contribute to organisational strategy as a senior leadership team member
Advise the Chief Health Officer and help shape the organisation's future direction

Requirements

What you’ll need

Significant senior leadership experience within participant, patient, customer, public engagement or service delivery environments
Proven track record leading large operational teams, managing budgets and supplier relationships, and delivering measurable organisational outcomes
Experience leading large-scale recruitment, engagement or customer experience programmes
Responsibility for improving participation, retention and service quality
Experience improving diversity, inclusion and representation across large populations or public-facing programmes
Strong operational planning and performance management capability
Ability to translate strategy into effective delivery
Outstanding stakeholder management and influencing skills
Experience working across multidisciplinary organisations
Confidence leading through complexity, ambiguity and organisational change
Ability to provide clear direction and calm leadership
Strong commitment to participant-centred design, equity, diversity and inclusion
Experience within health research, healthcare, public health, life sciences or other regulated environments highly valued

Benefits

Comp & perks

Generous Pension Scheme – employer contributions of up to 12%
30 Days Holiday + Bank Holidays
Enhanced Parental Leave
Cycle to Work Scheme – save 25-39% on a new bike and accessories through salary sacrifice
Home & Tech Savings – up to 8% off IKEA and Currys products, with costs spread over 12 months through salary sacrifice
£1,000 Employee Referral Bonus
Wellbeing Support – Mental Health First Aiders, 24/7 online GP services and Employee Assistance Programme for you and your family
Central London office with flexible and remote working arrangements
Reasonable adjustments during the application process for candidates with disabilities, neurodiversity or long-term health conditions