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Band 7
Full-time

Information Governance and Complaints Manager

Health Research AuthorityNewcastle£49,387 - £56,515Closes 05/10/2026

At a glance

Band
Band 7
Contract
Permanent
Pattern
Full-time
Posted
21/09/2026
Closes
05/10/2026

Sponsorship verdict

This advert explicitly states that sponsorship is not offered.

The source advert contains explicit wording ruling out sponsorship for this specific role. Consider other live roles at the same band from sponsorship-friendly trusts.

Role summary

This role is for an experienced manager to lead the Information Governance and Complaints team at the Health Research Authority. The postholder will oversee team management, development, and performance, ensuring high standards and regulatory compliance. Key responsibilities include managing complaints, Freedom of Information requests, data protection, and wider information governance activities. The successful candidate will handle complex issues, improve processes, and build relationships with stakeholders.

Key responsibilities

  • Lead, manage and develop the Information Governance and Complaints team, ensuring workloads are prioritised and delivered to a high standard and to regulatory timeframes.
  • Manage and investigate complaints relating to HRA services, procedures and research activity, ensuring they are handled fairly and within agreed timescales.
  • Oversee the organisation's response to Freedom of Information requests and Data Subject Rights Requests, ensuring compliance with statutory requirements.
  • Support the delivery of the HRA's information governance framework, including records management and data protection activities.
  • Monitor and manage information governance breaches, providing advice and escalating issues where required.
  • Build effective relationships with colleagues and external stakeholders, providing guidance, training and support on complaints and information governance matters.

Essential criteria

  • Degree qualification or extensive portfolio of evidence or equivalent level of experience or achievement
  • Excellent working knowledge relating to complaints management
  • Excellent working knowledge relating to data protection, information governance and freedom of information management
  • Experience of communicating, both verbally and in writing, with a range of stakeholders regarding highly complex complaints / information requests and or sensitive issues
  • Significant experience of coordinating the operational management of a team and providing effective line management
  • Excellent organisational skills with the ability to prioritise against a background of change and uncertainty
  • Excellent interpersonal skills to be able to communicate with a range of external stakeholders including members of the public, patients and research participants concerning sensitive areas
  • Commitment to inclusivity and valuing diversity

Desirable criteria

  • Information governance related qualification
  • Complaints management related qualification
  • Good understanding of the research approval, NHS governance and ethical review processes for UK health research
  • Experience of working within the NHS, higher education, and/or clinical research

Useful to know

Band 7 pay context

Agenda for Change 2024/25 pays Band 7 at £46,148 – £52,809 a year, across England.

This advert: £49,387 – £56,515 — outside the standard scale; check for HCAS/London weighting.

Application window

Posted 1d ago · Closes in 14d

Plenty of time to prepare a strong application.

Full advert · preview

Health Research Authority

Information Governance and Complaints Manager

The closing date is 05 October 2026

Job summary

We are looking for an experienced manager to lead our Information Governance and Complaints team. This role is responsible for overseeing a team with a range of responsibilities and experience levels, ensuring work is delivered to a high standard, supporting staff development, and managing team performance and priorities. Strong line management experience is essential, as the postholder will play a key role in creating an effective, well-supported team. Alongside team leadership, the role is responsible for managing complaints, Freedom of Information requests, data protection matters and wider information governance activities. The successful candidate will be comfortable handling complex and sensitive issues, working with colleagues at all levels, and helping to improve processes and services across the organisation.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone who combines strong people management skills with practical experience in complaints handling and information governance.

Main duties of the job

  • Lead, manage and develop the Information Governance and Complaints team, ensuring workloads are prioritised and delivered to a high standard and to regulatory timeframes.
  • Manage and investigate complaints relating to HRA services, proced

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